So which would you choose? Two little jams, or one big jam? Traffic Jams that is! Today I chose the three little ones. But then I had to choose what to do once I was in them. Decisions, decisions.
It all came about because of a poor timing decision. I wanted to have my nails done, but I also had to do the food shopping straight away after my appointment. I could’ve taken care of everything in the morning, and avoided all the traffic jams, but then my Dad bought a MacBook, so I had to go and visit it. Which meant I booked my nail appointment at the ridiculous time of 3.30pm, meaning that by the time I’d had my nails done, and bought wine at the fantastic wine shop next door, it was almost 5pm. The upside is that I have a rather fabulous Chilean Sauvignon at my side as I write this, and one of my favourite brands of Prossecco to take to my friend’s rugby party tomorrow. The downside is that I had a traffic jam dilemma.
There are two supermarkets near me, three if you count M&S. But the roadworks surrounding the M&S are so horrific that only a lunatic would attempt that at 5pm on a Friday evening. So that left Supermarket One, and Supermarket Two.
Supermarket One is a supermarket I generally hate, but it’s the closest and I’m really lazy, so I tend to go there. However, an extension of the roadworks that render M&S a no-go-zone, mean that an already snarly traffic jam in the area has become a nightmare. But it stocks some yummy anchovies in garlic and chilli that we love to snack on, and it always has the husband’s favourite crisps.
Supermarket Two is a bit further away, and will involve two small, bog standard, run-of-the-mill traffic jams: one on the way there, another on the way home. I generally prefer it, especially for fruit and veg, but it’s a lot smaller, doesn’t have the anchovies (we really love them), and I’m not sure about the crisp selection – the husband likes weird crisps.
In the end I just couldn’t bear the thought of the massive, interminable traffic jam and opted for the smaller, multiple jams. Of course I then had to decide how to behave once I was in the first, almost immediate jam. My first thoughts were ones of jam-remorse. I should have chosen the other one, it was shorter in distance, there had been three changes of traffic lights and I’d only moved three inches, yada yada yada. But then Simon Mayo’s Drivetime came on. If you don’t listen to Radio Two (seriously?? Fun DJs, great music, no adverts! What’s not to love!!), the theme tune to their show goes like this: “Enjoy yourself, it’s later than you think! Enjoy yourself, while you’re still in the pink! The years go by, as quickly as a wink! Enjoy yourself, enjoy yourself! It’s later than you think!” Which stopped my jam-remorse in a flash. No more whinging!! Find a way to enjoy yourself in the jam! So I did. I wrote this post. In my head, obviously. And then sang along to some top tunes like a crazy person. And in the jam on the way home? It wasn’t actually that bad. I’d spent so long choosing anchovies and alternative crisps for the husband, that most of the traffic had gone! Result!!