Shopping with Dad

Dad likes to shop. There are not many things he can do, but shopping is something he can. He can not see prices though. He cant read the small print.
He really likes to shop on Sunday after church. At Walmart. (Are you seeing where this is going?) In our town, we have two walmarts. One at the west end of town (nicer) and one at our end. Ours is a little cheaper but you must battle through the many many huge hispanic families to get down an aisle.
So here we are on a Sunday afternoon, at walmart with 20,000 of our closest neighbors...
I have things to buy as well. But dad walks in and goes trucking to the back because this is how he shops in this store. If you need to look at something, forget it, you just lost him. He is a slippery little sucker. Because he is old, because he is mostly blind, he barrels through entire families taking out small children on his way. This is the fun part of shopping with dad.
If you are not beside him, he will buy the $8 milk. He will buy the most expensive brand because it is easier. He won't ask. But if you point it out, he will switch. I would say just let him buy what he wants but he cant afford that.
I will try to buy his groceries to help him out. My thinking: if I buy his groceries, his bill will be lower at the end of the month. His thinking: now I can buy more things I don't need.
If by chance I do lose him (happens every time). I will spend the next twenty minutes trying to find him, bear in mind, he can't see me until I am sitting in his cart. He will continue his shopping, check out and wait outside. WTF???
If he continues his shopping on his own, there will be things he cant see so he wont get them. So about half way home he will say "I couldnt find the wax paper and I need it today". Hhmmm wouldnt it make sense to stick with the eyes and get your stuff the first time?

My Father

There are some very funny things about my father. He is 73 years old, has diabetes (but claims he is borderline). He has macular degeneration, would be legally blind but he refuses to get that label stating that he is visually impaired. He has neuropathy in his legs and feet but says it is only because he got frostbite as a child.
He was forced into retirement a few years ago due to his vision. This did not make him happy. All of his plans, what he worked for, went out the window with his vision. It is very important that we remember this, I believe it has a lot to do with how he is today.
My dad has lived alone for a very long time. He is very set in his ways. His way is the ONLY way to do things. This makes for great frustration for me and also plenty to rant about here.
I hope you enjoy the rants. I know I will enjoy getting these things off my chest.
Remember: I love my father.

Disclaimer

I would like to preface this blog with a couple of points.
#1 I love my father
#2 I am NOT ungrateful, just frustrated
#3 Please do not take my rantings seriously