Funny Guy Friday... Shepherd's Pie, you say?

     Funny Guy Friday is written each week by my husband Mark. So, I married a funny guy...
     I do most of the grocery shopping in our family. In fact, Cheryl does not like shopping of any kind. This can be a good thing because she does not spend any money. On the other hand, it can be a bad thing. See sentence number one.
     Actually, I do not mind doing the shopping because I get to buy stuff that I like. I refuse to buy the fake stuff that the grocery stores try to trick us into thinking is just as good as the "real stuff." They even try to give those products fake names that are similar to the original. For instance, instead of Cocoa Puffs they try to sell you Choco Puffs... or Fruity O's instead of Fruit Loops... or Crispy Rice instead of Rice Krispies... and my personal favorite: Dr. Perky instead of Dr. Pepper. Like we wouldn't notice.
     I do my shopping at Safeway. I used to go to Giant, but they reorganized and that threw me off my game. I knew what I wanted and I knew where I could find it. Once they rearranged, I was looking for milk in the seafood department and getting my prescriptions filled by the florist. It took too long, so I made the switch.
     Safeway is much easier. Everything is always where it is supposed to be. I even have my own personal checkout lady that gets my name wrong... in a different way each time... every time she tells me how much money I'll save on gas. Do you know how much money you have to spend to save ten cents a gallon?
     The answer is a lot.
     The worst part of shopping is when I get a call from Cheryl asking me to buy some obscure item. For instance, Sunday afternoon, I was at Safeway when Cheryl called to advise me that she had a great recipe for Shepherd's Pie and would I mind picking up a few things.
     Terrific...what is Shepherd's Pie? Sounds like a yummy dessert!
     It is not a dessert. You need to buy some chopped steak?
     Who sells chopped steak? Do you mean ground beef?
     No, I mean chopped steak.
     This wasn't too bad because if they sell such a thing, it is in the meat department. But then she followed up with a request for beef bullion.
     What is that?
     It should be with the spices. Yet another thing that is not on my normal shopping list.
     Is it really necessary?
     Yes, just find it.
     The hunt was on. Noah and I found the spice aisle and there was not a beef bullion in sight. This is when my survival instincts kicked in. As women walked by, I pretended to be confused and helpless. You may think that I am typically confused and helpless, but I was just setting a trap for the more experienced shoppers... preferably of the female persuasion.
     The first gal must not have seen me because she walked right by without offering any assistance at all. She must have had a heart of stone.
      I made a few adjustments as lady number two approached. I was not taking any chances with this one. I turned to nobody in particular and as pitiful as I could, I said,
     I hate when Mom sends me on these wild goose chases... who ever heard of beef bullion? 
     I think Noah began to respond but who knows... who cares? What really mattered was that my unsuspecting prey bought it hook, line and sinker.
     Excuse me sir, I couldn't help but overhear... are you looking for beef bullion?
     Oh, I am so sorry, was I too loud? I was just talking to my poor little boy over there. Hey Tiny Tim, limp on over here and try to stay close to Daddy.
     Oh... he is cute! Little did she know that the boy was just a prop in my web of deceit.
     Well, the beef bullion is over in the next aisle. Come with me, I'll show you. 
     Boom baby! Beef bullion bought!  
     So we bought all the ingredients for Shepherd's Pie... chopped steak, onions, potatoes, peas, carrots, corn, and worcestershire sauce. This was going to be yummy!
     On Sunday, we ate at California Pizza Kitchen.
     On Monday, we had tuna sandwiches.
     On Tuesday, Green Turtle.
     On Wednesday, Chinese.
     On Thursday, we ate the ground steak with baked potatoes.
     Do you notice what we didn't have? That's right... Shepherd's Pie!
     Perhaps, I should stand in my kitchen and look confused and helpless, with Tiny Tim by my side, and, as pitiful as I can, ask...
     Does anyone know how to make Shepherd's Pie?