Goodybest Diary: Shopping for the Upcoming National Meet-Up (Monday 25th Nov., 2024)

Dear Diary,
Yesterday was quite an adventure! As we all know, our national meet-up is coming up in less than 4 days, and we are quite progressing. So many things have been put in place, and one such is shopping for the food we will enjoy that day. I called Ngoenyi the previous day and we agreed to go shopping yesterday, and it was both exciting and successful. You know this coming meet-up is a fantastic opportunity for us to meet with fellow Steemians and connect with them; we will share ideas, and I plan on showcasing Akwa Ibom culture - Starting with food. Yes we are known for great culinary skills 😎.

In my culture, we often hear the saying, "It's better to invite a pregnant woman to an event than a mother." This saying carries the humorous fact that mothers, with their numerous responsibilities, which include taking care of the kids, often take much more time and effort to prepare and get ready for certain events than a pregnant woman who might have only fewer immediate obligations.

Well, this saying reflects the understanding and acknowledgment of the multi-tasking prowess and busy lifestyle that mothers lead. I woke up early to prepare my kids for school; first of all, I prepared and packed their lunch boxes, and when they woke up, I revised their notes with them because they would start their exams soon; while hubby was bathing them, I made bread and tea for breakfast. The kids left for school at 7:45 AM, so I quickly showered and ready to leave.

My husband gave me a lift, and we picked Ngoenyi at her Workout place and headed to one of the biggest markets in town - "Akpan Andem Market" It was 9 in the morning, and going that early helped us to beat the crowds, we already have our list in hand, I tell you the enthusiasm was high. We bought pepper first, half custard, and ground it (Cameron pepper in particular). Then we headed to where we could get natural spices for fried rice, a dish that never fails to impress and is always a crowd-pleaser 😹! But before we reached there, we bought veggie oil, and some Maggi spices.

We were particularly pretty excited about all the natural spices we found there, but fresh and dried; I must say the seller is good at her business! She got all that we needed: Ginger, turmeric, garlic, mixed spices, etc. I so much love the aroma of her mixed spices, and we both bought some for personal use, too. We carefully selected the best spices to ensure our fried rice would be flavorful and aromatic.

When we were done at the spices shop, we entered the next shop and bought takeaway plates, (100 pieces) spoons, cups, toothpicks, and serviettes. The lady has beautiful ceramic plates, mugs, spoons, etc. I hope to go back shopping in her place. By this time, our bags were full, so we dropped them under the seller's care in her shop and continued shopping.

Next, we made our way to the rice seller. He had different grains, but we focused on quality long-grain rice that would give us what we wanted. I had a particular brand in mind, and he has it; it's called the Big Red Bull; we managed to get a good deal, and that made us even happier! We bought a quarter bag. This is why I love shopping at the local market the interaction, the hustle, and the satisfaction of finding affordable prices

We decided to take a break at a local eatery Because Ngoenyi was hungry, like me. Nothing beats enjoying a delicious local meal like Afia before and Afang soup and drinking cold water before continuing our shopping spree 😂! While eating we chatted about our excitement for the meet-up, wondering about the people we’ll meet and the stories we’ll share.

Our last stop was the grocery shop. Where we got salad cream, tin peas, red kidneys, sweet corn, and Onions. By the end of our shopping trip, our bags were full, and so were our hearts. We will go shopping again for the vegetables like cabbage, fresh carrots, peas, bell peppers, Green beans, etc. We will Pick up some chicken for protein, too, to elevate our fried rice.

LIST OF THINGS WE BOUGHT:

ITEMS	PRICE IN ₦	STEEM
Takeaways: plates, spoons, cups, serviette & toothpick	14,300	32
Veggie oil	14,000	31
Maggi	7,050	15.7
Bama, sweet corn, Peas, red kidney	7,800	17.5
Onions	3,000	6.6
Natural Spices	4,500	10
Rice	25,500	57
Crayfish	3,000	6.6
Food/A Fare & Charges	6500	14.5
Total*	85, 650	192 Steem

LIST OF THINGS REMAINING:

Items	Price in ₦	Price In Steem
Cabbage	5,000	11.1
Carroot	4000	8.9
Green beans	3000	6.6
Fresh pep	500	1.1
Green Pep	1000	2.23
Firewood	5000	11 1
Miscellaneous	2000	4.46
Chicken	60,000	133
Wine	26, 000	58
Soft Drinks	56,000	125 steem
Total	162,500	363 Steems

We paid our way home, exhausted but satisfied. I'm so grateful for the day. It was more than just shopping, but creating a memory with a fellow Steemian friend, @ngoenyi; I can't wait for the meetup! I picked up my kids while coming back, and reaching home tired, we showered and had dinner. I revised with the kids before we retired for the day.

Thank you❤