My kitty-coons have their dinner alarm set for 5pm. If dinner is not served promptly, they will glare at us from the other side of the storm door, lol.
Heidi Chronicles: Kits On Board
Ruth,
Thank you for caring. I think of you guys as friends, too. Even when I don't write I think of things I want to tell you. I just sometimes lack the mood and energy to type them up.
My pain isn't really all that bad right now. Most of the day my meds keep me fairly pain free. It's mostly just those last few hours of the morning that sometimes give me trouble, and that's not all the time. All in all, for now, I feel relatively lucky in that my pain is mostly controlled and I'm able to get around and get things done. The few uncomfortable morning hours now and again aren't too terribly hard to bear.
As to the heat and the $50 increase in the electric bill, I just wanted to paint the picture of what it's like here right now. I'm not really complaining. Like I said, I'm sitting under the AC most of the time, so I'm lucky. I imagine it's a lot like what folks in colder areas experience in winter when they have cabin fever from being indoors so long.
Actually, here again I feel that I'm more lucky than not. I mentioned the amount of increase because I think that speaks to the incredible increase in heat right now. The fact is the actual amount of the bill is still relatively low, I think.
Despite the sq footage, high ceiling, and many large windows, most of the year the electric bill (and it's total electric, no other power source) ranges between $50 and $100. The 2 worst months of the year the bill reaches $150. This month, after weeks of overnight lows in the 80's and daytime highs in the 100's it reached an 'outrageous' $200, but all in all, I think that's not such a terrible price to pay to keep cool 24/7 in this record breaking heat wave.
I mention all this to say that while I was trying to convey an image of what it's like here right now, I didn't mean to sound as though I'm complaining. Mostly, I think I'm lucky to have AC to escape to and to have a bill that 'low' under the circumstances.
LOL, KyWoods,
I wish mine would come that early. It's my 'fault' that they don't though since sometimes I take a late afternoon nap and am late getting out there. They set their alarms accordingly.
Today Dennis showed up fairly early. I watched as her 3 kits arrived on the patio and immediately started looking around for toys, picking up small balls and such. They usually have to wait for me. It looks like the kits look forward to the play time. I got a few pics and videos of the kits just to show you what they look like now.
After they ate, Dennis led the 3 kits around the yard exploring things. She actually looked like a real mom. I was sort of proud of her.
As they were leaving, that same 'hungry' yearling arrived. Seems like she always eats like that, like she has a tape worm or something. I guess yearlings probably aren't that skilled yet in locating lots of good food in the forest, so it may be hard the 1st year for them to support a family even with their typically small litters. That one yearling eats like she's always 1/2 starved. I'm trying to hold back on the food now, but she just kept eating and eating and eating. Most of the raccoons are too lazy to pick up loosely scattered kibble, but every time I gave that one 'just one more handful' she picked up every single piece and wanted more.
Finally, as sundown arrived and darkness began to descend upon us, Heidi finally showed up but w/o kits. A few minutes later Frieda sneaked up around the edge of the buffet area and I tossed some food to her over there. It was clear both from her reluctance to come to the buffet and from Heidi's reaction to her being nearby, that Frieda wasn't exactly welcome, but Heidi tolerated her presence on the outskirts of the area although a few times she looked as though she might change her mind.
That's about it. Nothing too special going on right now. Even at 8:30PM it was hot and muggy out there. Normally that fog on the camera lens goes away after about 10min. Tonight sweat trickled down my face and neck the entire hour I was out there, my glasses stayed partially fogged up, and I was constantly wiping yet another layer of fog off the camera lens. It wasn't horrible, but it definitely wasn't all that pleasant either. Oh, and I forgot to mention the mosquitoes circling me like hungry vultures even though I had taken a bath in repellent.
Updated look at Heidi. Evidence, though not seen in the photo, indicates she is still nursing.
Freida nearby but outside the buffet proper.
Those 3 kits are so cute. Do they jabber to each other and have conversations? Heidi still looks pretty good for her age. Freida sure is a butterball, but maybe it was just that particular angle.
maybe this coming week will be a bit cooler for us. Yesterday and today were actually rather pleasant out. Misty today with occasional light mist type showers, nothing heavy.
Stay cool and do something special for yourself tomorrow.
Sheri
edited to add missing word "do" in the last sentence
This message was edited Aug 2, 2010 9:44 AM
Hi Sheri,
No, the kits are very quiet. By this age they don't even make that trilling sound at the buffet. Except for Screech, I usually only hear a brief, soft trill or two from very young kits early on when they are 1st being brought to the property - if that. The very young ones might trill softly a time or two when they get scared in the yard or when left in the tree. After that, once they get used to coming to the buffet, kits are silent. Raccoons, in general, are mostly silent except for the brief conversations like when Heidi gives orders, or some other raccoon who thinks she's in charge when Heidi's not there greets visitors by belting out orders. Or when they vocalize briefly while arguing, usually a quick quip or bark. 99% of the time raccoons, kits included, are silent. They are ninjas, remember? As potential prey animals, silence is crucial to their survival.
I can see that the kits look like they are talking. It's just a figment of the positions in which they were frozen the moment the camera snapped. Most of the time, in fact, all 3 heads are down eating steadily. To try to get more interesting pics, I look for the moments when they pick their heads up to look around while chewing a mouthful. It allows the viewer a better view of their faces and expressions. Otherwise, the photo will just show all 3 noses to the ground which is what they look like most of the time when eating. Sometimes just the movement of me raising the camera to my face is enough to prompt them to 'come up for air' and look around. But, no, despite how they look in the photo, they are not talking to each other, nor do they.
Heidi does look pretty good this time of year. Her age really shows when she's carrying kits and in those early weeks of heavy nursing. Right now she looks much like the younger raccoons.
It's funny you should say that about Freida. She always looks like that. For the longest time I figured she was just very, very pregnant, for a very long time. Then I figured she was swollen with milk. Now I don't know. It's like there's still a kit or two in there waiting to be delivered. I think it might just be that her somewhat longer, thicker fur makes her look fat. You know, it's like how almost anyone who isn't 9ft tall with a model build looks ginormous in a big fur coat. They haven't been letting Freida eat at the buffet - except on very rare occasion such as this when she sneaks up around the edges and nibbles the scattered handful or two I toss over there to her, so I really doubt that she's actually fat even though I agree that she looks like a butterball - perfect name for her.
Last I heard we are expecting a 'cooling' wave this week, too, but for us that just means we finally drop below the level for the daily heat warnings. To paraphrase the weather guy, it will still be very hot just not so deadly. Like right now at 3:38AM it's 79 out instead of 82. The high tomorrow is only 89 which sounds pretty good, but the heat indexed temp will be around 100 still, but 100 is a big improvement over 118 which is where we came from. So, yes, it will be considerably cooler here but still far from cool.
I hope it will be cool there. Yesterday I read a post where some lady said it was 53F where she lived in WA - and the post was dated for yesterday. Wow! I was astonished. As hot as it has been here and in many parts of the country, I had no idea it was 53F anywhere in the US right now. I learn so much at DG. That's why I tell you guys what it's like here, just helping people to know what Charleston weather is really like. I hope everyone realizes that I know it is also hot many places out there right now. I see lots of red zones on the weather map like the one that was over parts of the NE a week or so back. So when I tell you what it's like here, I'm just sharing. It's not that I think it's not hot elsewhere, too.
Thank you!
Judy,
I've been through summers like that, too, where when the rain you had hoped for finally arrives it somehow manages to pass you by time and again. That may actually be worse than the monsoons. On the one hand you can get outside (if the heat doesn't get you) to do things, and the ground isn't all squishy and icky to walk on, but after a while the lawn starts to wither and grow dusty forcing you to pay for pricey water (in the city) to keep it and the garden alive. It's really bad when even the forests start to look withered and drawn after weeks and months w/o rain. I hope you will get rain soon, hopefully a nice, long, slow all day rain, the kind needed to really soak parched ground.
Ruth,
I totally agree. In my opinion, mid winter when it's so icy and snowed over up north would be the perfect time to enjoy Charleston where most days top out near 70 still. That's the time of year when I most enjoy gardening. Early spring, which means March or April here, would probably be even better since that's when the city is in full bloom. In winter copious large camellias are in full bloom at such local gardens as Magnolia Gardens and Middleton Place, the latter being the place where they were reportedly 1st imported into the US, bred, and naturalized. In early spring the gardens are alive and overflowing with daffodils, azaleas, dogwoods, redbuds, and wisteria in addition to the more traditional roses and such and it is still quite cool out.
I imagine that some people do come here at such times, but the city is most crowded with horse-drawn carriages filled with tourists in the heat of summer. I guess most people who come here are also eager to sun bath on area beaches and go boating at the marina. The beaches here are open year round, and I personally enjoy the seclusion of the off season, but the water is, of course, cold in winter and the ocean breeze can be more than a little chilling even to those walking along the shore. For extroverts who enjoy the crowds and those who want to go in the water, there is nothing quite like the beach in summer.
Dennis' kits are adorable; and she must be doing things mostly right (in spite of herself?) because they look to be in great shape. And of course it's always great to see Heidi, who looks remarkably good for her mature age. Stay cool, everyone!
Ruth,
I guess Heidi is an advertisement for what Drs keep trying to tell us about the benefits of exercise, of which she can't help but get a plenty climbing all those trees and traipsing through the forest daily, and a healthy diet. As you know, except for the occasional frosting binge or a few s/w cookies, Heidi insists on eating healthy.
Unlike the others who will gladly fill up on cookies and marshmallows and forgo their meal, Heidi will almost never touch desert until after she has eaten her kibble. I find that rather amusing, but it's quite true. Always, always, 1st she eats her kibble which in essence is a pretty solid foundation for her diet since it contains protein, calcium, potassium and a daily dose of vitamins and other minerals. Only after she has eaten a quantity of kibble will she allow herself to indulge in other things, and even then most days she opts for healthy things like peanuts, grapes, eggs, and watermelon when available and sometimes yogurt. While the others will eat almost anything sweet, except for a few items like those mentioned, Heidi won't touch most desserts.
It may just be a coincidence that Heidi sticks to such a healthy diet and is aging well, but it's something to think about - while I enjoy my bacon, eggs, and toast.
Edited to add that Dennis' kits do look healthy. They are adorable and seem well adjusted. I was pleased yesterday to see her leave the buffet early to spend time leading the kits around the yard for what looked like training classes. She's not Heidi, but she is starting to look quite maternal at times.
This message was edited Aug 2, 2010 9:47 AM
Now I think I figured out another factor that contributed to that jump in my electric bill - caTS! That's right, cats. The little darlings hold the door open too long. I am a stickler for getting in and out fast and keeping the doors closed as much as possible, outer doors that is, but the cats...
Cocoa is the worst offender, I think. He can never make up his mind. He has to stand in the doorway a while to sample the air quality and check for signs of rain. With the temps we're having now, it doesn't take long to let a ton of steamy, hot air in. He would stand in the door even longer still if I didn't force him to choose by starting to close the door on him.
Then there's Kitty. Maybe 60% of the time, she has her mind made up and will zip right in or out, but then sometimes she gets concerned. Something doesn't look right. Maybe I put my purse by the door when I came in or I moved something near the door while cleaning. She thinks maybe there's a trick, so she stands outside trying to make up her mind, and there I am holding the door open again. Sometimes I close it, wait a few minutes and then try again. She'll edge a little closer but still doesn't come all the way inside. Finally, I'll close the door, annoyed. A few minutes later, her mind finally made up, she'll meow. This time she finally comes in - after I've let all the hot air in.
I doubt there's a solution for this problem, but if anybody has any ideas, I'm listening.
Edited to add: I was torn about where to locate this post. Logically, it would have fit better in the Kitty & Cocoa thread in Pets, but I ended up putting it here because it goes with my earlier statement about the increase in the electric bill. Sometimes there is inevitable crosstalk between the two threads.
This message was edited Aug 2, 2010 10:07 AM
I hope I was clear about how much it means to me that you guys care enough to worry about me when I'm missing. It means a great deal to me just that you are here to share the story with me. I'm all the more touched to realize that you also care enough to worry about me when I'm gone.
(insert care bears and beating hearts here)
: D
^_^
I'm sure that Heidi's healthy eating habits, though not the sole reason for her longevity, are a big contributing factor. We all are what we eat, after all - a fact I should remember much more often, lol. And of course it's thanks to the buffet that she has a healthy diet available virtually year-round; this is surely also a big contributor.
I wish I had Heidi's discipline.
I'm sure this won't last forever, but it's awfully difficult to feed the raccoons right now. Late afternoon and early evening storms seem to come through about this time every day lately. The buffet was rained out yesterday, and now it's raining again. Don't know if the showers will end before dark or not. I hear thunder rumbling right now, so the storm isn't over yet. Also, the storms and associated overcast skies seem to hasten the darkness. Oh, well.
Perhaps you could install one of those canopies (picnic cover type) for their more pleasurable dining experience. ^_^
Sheri,
I knew someone was going to suggest some kind of shelter. That's more work than I wanted to do - which was none. Not to mention I would have to buy one and they usually start around $100. I don't think those things would hold up well in all of the storms we've been having anyhow. But mostly, I was concerned about not wanting to go out there in the storm period. lol
The storm ended in time for me to get out there about 10min ahead of sundown, but I did make it. The kits, Dennis' kits, were adorable. They looked like tiny bears - which is interesting since one NatGeo show a while back said the bear was actually the raccoons closest relative.
Today the kits came up close to me. Even though Dennis eats right at my feet, they had always stayed at the back of the buffet area where they could make a run for the fence if needed. Today, the 1st kit down from the Heidi tree where they were waiting came over just on the other side of Dennis where he was only about 2ft from me but with his mom between us. I gave him his own little spot of food, and he was so cute there eating from it.
The other 2 came down a little later having apparently held back long enough to reassure themselves that their more eager sibling hadn't been eaten. At 1st they stayed at the back like they usually do, but after a few minutes the yearlings, in a 'grass is greener' moment, left their own food to go and eat the food I had tossed to the kits. Undaunted, the kits eventually gave up their food and came over near me to eat the food left behind by the yearlings.
Now, for the 1st time since they started coming out, I was encircled by cute little kits, each just a few feet away. It was quite enjoyable. They are much cuter up close. By this time it was getting dark fast. I stayed out as long as possible finally coming back only when my ability to see the ground was getting compromised. I was happy to see that the kits did not run away when I got up to leave. I turn around slowly on my seat before standing so that by the time I get up I'm headed away from them and thus seem less daunting.
Kitty had been out there waiting for me earlier. I had heard her meow to me. When I arrived at the door Dennis was on the patio (having left her kits at the buffet). She was looking for Kitty. Dennis takes exception to Kitty being out there and will chase Kitty any time she sees her. I gather this is because Dennis has kits out there and is protecting them. When I got to the door, Dennis was still on the patio sniffing around.
I called Kitty. I didn't see her, but I figured she was still around and waiting to go inside with me. When I called her she came out of her hiding place and stepped toward me then stopped realizing she would have to pass by Dennis to get to the door. On a hunch, I put my hand on the door and turned the knob.
As soon as Kitty heard the sound of the bolt turn in the door, she started toward me - even though she could not actually see the door for a storage chest between us. In essence I had told her she would have an escape route and she had trusted me. She came running past Dennis headed for the door, and I opened it about 6 inches as she approached. Kitty escaped into the kitchen, and I followed behind her leaving Dennis behind on the patio to wonder what had happened.
That's funny1 I can just see kitty racing past Dennis to slip into the opened door
LOL at the comment, "wish I had Heidi's discipline," when it comes to diet. Amen: don't we all! And love the image of Kitty charging past Dennis for the safety of the great indoors; at least she's learned to stop agitating them, thankfully.
So glad you had a chance to be surrounded by kits once again! I also have a memory of reading that raccoons are related to bears. If memory serves, it wasn't to the usual bears like the black bear or grizzly; the lesser panda, maybe? It was (obviously) a small and not conventionally bear-like creature. Raccoons definitely do share with bears the very clever and skillful use of the front paws, given the absence of opposable thumbs.
Ruth,
A fairly recent show on NatGeo (or maybe NatGW) actually indicated a connection between raccoons and bears in general, all bears, black and grizzly included. They did say that raccoons are not closely related to any other animal, at least not anything living today, but that their closest, distant relative (if that makes sense) is the bear even though, at 1st sight the 2 don't appear to have much in common.
I found this surprising at 1st, but after I took some time to get used to the idea, I began to see a lot more commonality that was 1st apparent. As you mentioned, both exhibit good manual dexterity even in the absence of a true apposable thumb. Then I started to see more subtle similarities in movement and behavior, like the way raccoons at the buffet often sit upright in that slouchy position I often call the 'winnie the pooh' position - and, of course, pooh was a bear. Bears, real bears, are known to sit that way, too, sitting on their bottoms, legs apart and out in front of them like a child sitting on the floor to play with toys.
Most bears are omnivores. Like the raccoons, bears have a strong sweet tooth. Most bears climb trees. Both have long daggers for claws. Raccoons are known to semi-hibernate in winter to conserve energy. That's a pretty strong connection when you think about it, since not many mammals do this. Raccoons also walk a lot like bears with their backs sort of rounded and arch upward slightly compared to other 4 legged creatures whose backs tend to be more flat.
Both can stand straight up on their hind legs and even walk and run on their hind legs while carrying things. Other 4 legged animals can 'rear' up but mostly only at an angle as other animals are generally much less balanced when standing upright and risk falling over backward if they try to stand too straight. Most other animals can't walk more than a few steps on their hind legs or stay up more than a minute or so w/o assistance; otherwise, they loose their balance. I've seen raccoons pick up food and toys and then walk and even run across the entire buffet area, some 20-30ft, on their hind legs to carry the item to the pool.
I'm sure this is not the entire list of similarities, just a start. Even yesterday as I watched the kits up close I couldn't help but liken them to miniature bears, not pandas but teeny, tiny grizzlies.
About the lesser panda, is that the red panda? I'm not 100% on this. I know for sure I heard it but am not entirely clear if I understood it correctly, but on a recent nature show, NatGeo again, I could have sworn they indicated that scientists are rethinking whether the red panda should even be classified as a bear. Again, I'm not 100% on this, so don't quote me, but I think that's what they said.
Ok, way OT again. Sorry. But you know I'm pinching pennies now, kind of funny since it's 180 out from where I was just a year ago, but it's who I am that whatever I do, I do it big time. I do everything to an exaggerated degree - or I don't do it at all. I'm not a person with a lot of middle ground. It's just who I am.
So I've been paying a LOT more attention to prices. You have to when you're pinching pennies. It's not easy to watch prices these days though since it's often difficult to even find the prices of things in the store. I know they are supposed to be on the shelf labels, but those are often misplaced making it difficult to locate the right one. Argh! Anyhow, this morning over my egg salad sandwich - too lazy, er busy, to make a more traditional breakfast, I was doing the math and was absolutely shocked to realize that my very tasty and nutritious (at least in terms of the protein) egg salad s/w only cost $.25 each. That's 25 cents. Wow! That's really cheap.
I did make it with white bread though. I like whole grain bread better and use it 99% of the time, but I bought this one $.99 loaf of white bread for sandwiches on my last grocery trip. I had been craving good old-fashioned egg salad the way Mom used to make it, white bread and all. Anyhow, 25 cents for a sandwich is crazy by today's standards, and I didn't skimp at all on the filling either.
I used to eat a lot of my lunches from the vending machines - when I didn't take in frozen dinners, that is. Even a lousy pack of over processed, fake peanut butter or cheese snack crackers overflowing with salt and trans fats will set you back a good 85 cents. That's 3 fresh egg salad sandwiches and a dime back - more than anyone can actually eat in one sitting! Wow. Very interesting stuff. When I was working I never had time to ponder such things.
My husband never looks at prices(I don't send him to the store often)but I always do. I find it interesting how I will penny pinch on most items but if I really am in the mood for something I will really crunch down on buying other items,even to the point of buying a store brand item I don't really care for just to feel justified on buying that one item I just can't do without.
Hummmm you now have me craving an egg salad sandwich!
LOL...me to with the craving. Love egg salad with lettuce or spinach leaves in it too is good.......yumm.
got to go to veterans hospital in Salisbury today...Uck....hate the drive and dont like the place...but
Hugs,
Sheri
Perhaps I should have been more specific. Although I sometimes add other things to spice it up, this time I was looking for that 'just like Mom's' flavor, so I stuck with her very basic recipe. My 25 cent s/w was calculated as follows.
First the only ingredients were: gently simmered (not boiled) eggs, mayo, salt, and [white] bread. Although I love most sandwiches with extra lettuce, this is one where I prefer no lettuce - because that's the way Mom made it, so these are the only ingredients I used. The large eggs were $1.19/dozen. The plain white bread, a major name brand but don't recall which, was on sale at $.99 for the loaf. There were 20 slices. I used 5 eggs at 10 cents each and 7 slices of bread at 5 cents each to make 3.5 sandwiches for a grand total of 85 cents - or the cost of one of those packs of pb or cheese crackers from the vending machine. I didn't skimp on filling which often oozed out of one end as I bit down on the other. I only used about 1 heaping tablespoon of mayo and a dash of salt. I didn't try to estimate the cost of these 2 ingredients as they were negligible. The cost per sandwich was .85/3.5 or .24xxxx. I rounded this up to .25 or 25 cents to allow for the mayo and salt.
If you are adding lettuce or other ingredients beyond those mentioned above, you may have to tweak the cost a bit. Still, I betting that in the end your egg salad s/w, like mine, will still be a phenomenal value no matter what you add to it. I really was quite impressed at the value here. And if you swap out the white bread for something whole grain, use a low fat mayo or other dressing, and add some greenery (lettuce) for extra vitamins and minerals, this would be a very healthy s/w and still at a very low price.
A lot of us are going to be having egg salad sandwiches very soon, I bet. LOL
Been a long time since I had one, too!
mm..mmm...good, Cheryl. Yours sounds wonderful. I'm bringing lots of quarters. Could you leave the porch light on please?
^_^
Sheri
Hi Judy,
I used to not look at prices except on rare occasion like when I expected something to be particularly high. Sometimes at the checkout counter when an item failed to scan, the girl would look at me and say, "How much is this?", and I would go, "I don't know" lifting my palms in the usual gesture. Even when I tried to check the price of something, I often found it very frustrating. So many times the tag has fallen off the shelf or the item has been moved further down the shelf and they forgot to move the tag. Does anyone else find this frustrating? Even at the high end places like Publix, I often find the item here and the tag several feet away while the 1/2 dozen or so assorted tags that are actually under the item are for other things. Drives me crazy.
Back then, I pretty much figured I was going to buy it anyhow regardless of price, but I did have a rather humorous (and scary) moment at checkout once due to my failure to look at the prices. I like cashew butter and almond butter. I used to buy them occasionally. One day at Publix I picked up a can of raw almond butter. I had always bought the regular roasted variety, but I like to try new things so this time I went with raw. At home when I was putting the groceries away, I found that both the almond butter and the cashew butter had long expired, like 8mo or so for the almond butter. It was only THEN when checking my receipt and putting the jars aside to return them that I saw that the raw almond butter (size of the regular pb jar, not large) was $20! Ouch! I could NOT believe that price. Almond butter is a bit higher than pb, but not that much, not usually. Something like $7-9 per jar would be about right, but $20. OMG! No way I could eat a s/w made of that.
I took the almond butter and cashew butter back to the store. Luckily, they didn't have any raw almond butter that wasn't out of date so I was able to get my $20 back w/o having to admit that I didn't want it at that ridiculous price. Needless to say, I've still never tasted raw almond butter, and at that price likely never will. After that experience I was a lot more careful about both prices and expiration dates. I had pulled expired items from the pantry before. This experience made me realize that they may actually have been expired long before I bought them. I had been under the apparently naive impression that at Publix I didn't have to worry about such things. Right!
These days, I'm trying to stay out of the store completely as much as possible. I think that's one of the best strategies there is for cutting costs - just don't shop. As previously mentioned, I have a lot of surplus food, cleaning supplies, toiletries, etc which has been a godsend in getting me through these tough times.
Now I pay very close attention to prices and forgo most things because they are too high. My new strategy is to hold out for BOGO's. I have a basic list of needs and wants, and where possible I wait for those items to come on BOGO sale at one of the area stores. Now that I'm doing this, I'm surprised to find that most of the things I use are offered on BOGO sales often, so now I try to avoid buying anything that isn't on a BOGO sale or basically 1/2 price. That means I'm shopping the loss leaders ONLY most of the time, so I'm sure they hate to see me come in these days. About the only things I don't get 1/2 price are eggs which at roughly $1/dozen large are already a good buy and pet food. On the pet food, I know the regular price, and I know the price I want to pay. I shop the sales until I find it at my price and then load up.
I didn't do any of these things before, just didn't have the time. Oh, and when I say I shop the sales, I don't mean by running around town wasting time and gas. I go online on Wed, the day the local stores roll out the new sale prices and look for items I need or want on the 1/2 price lists at all the local stores. I click the things I'm interested in, print the lists, and take them with me. These days, out of necessity, I'm much more organized and disciplined about the matter.
I love fresh fruits and veggies. These days I can't afford them. I'm hoping I will soon be able to plant my own again. In the mean time, I stick to ones on or near 1/2 price sale and also check the stuff that is getting 'old'. Except for loss leaders, I mostly shop Bilo now instead of the pricier Publix. Publix will not sell 'old' produce, not even if you ask for it for wildlife. I tried that a while back. But Bilo does mark down the 'old' stuff. They sell a big bag of bananas, atleast 2 large bunches (that often still have some green on them) for $.59. Some are too far gone, but others make the sale bags because they are a lot of individuals that got separated from the bunches. If I find descent looking bananas in the $.59 bag (which probably weighs 5 - 10lbs), I will buy them. I find that I have to eat them up in about 3 days though or they get too far gone. If I have one or two left over when they get too brown, I either freeze them for smoothies or feed them to the raccoons. Regardless, at that price, even if the last few get brown, I know I've gotten a very good deal.
On my last grocery trip I was thrilled to find a marked down bag of 3 large, nice looking but slightly flexible green bell peppers for only 75 cents. Publix sells green peppers for $1 each, so I figured that for a good buy and a great opp to get some to flavor pilaf and other dishes. That same day I ate 1/2 of one raw then diced everything else and put them in the freezer. I put some in a Jambalaya I made that day using a boxed mix from the pantry stash plus some thinly sliced and chopped hot smoked sausage, one of the handful of remaining items from the freezer stash. The result was quite yummy.
I used to be more like your DH when it came to shopping, but now out of necessity, I'm learning to stretch my money and shop carefully. I'm also ultra careful not to let anything spoil now, so no more left overs for the raccoons. Recently when a bag of potatoes started getting slightly shriveled I had hash browns for breakfast, french fries or baked potato for lunch, and chowder or fish stew for dinner until every single one was eaten.
ROTFLOL, KyWoods!
Edited to add I hadn't had egg salad in ages either until I made that batch. They were very yummy though! I was trying to find uses for eggs since they seem to be a good buy. Next I'm going to make some tuna salad since I have some can tuna and haven't had tuna salad in a while either.
This message was edited Aug 4, 2010 7:16 PM
Hi Sheri,
Are you back from your Dr/hospital visit? I hope this was something routine, not an illness. Hope you are ok.
I ate the last 2, yes 2, yesterday. The 1st one was so good, I couldn't stop until I finished the last one. But I have more eggs. Come on down. I'll make another batch!
Yes I got back from the VA around 5:20. I had to go thru mental health as my new primary care Dr does not Rx Xanax or Restoril. So...I had to drive 86mi round trip. The Psychiatrist I saw today does not ever have pts on 2 benzo's at the same time, but she did renew my Rx's as I will be seeing a new female Psychiatrist at the VA clinic in my hometown. Gggrrrrr, oh how I hate going to the VA, but I don't mind getting free Rx's. Every time I get switched to a new Dr, they want to change my meds even if they are working well and i have been on them for a while. I am very close to completely leaving the VA except for my rated medical problems. there are just too many of either foreign Drs whose language and communication skills are to horrible to have any quality pt/Dr relationship or plain old jerks! LOL there is a well known rumor that nurses and Drs make the worst patients. Well I get totally bent out of shape when the Dr caring for me is one that I wold not want to work with or have any of "my" patients go to.
thank you for asking.
I did receive $28.40 travel pay and used about 1/3 of a tank of gas, maybe 4 gallons cause I was runnin with the pedal to the metal!! ^_^ I think I'd love to be a race car driver. My little Dodge will haul a@# too!
Thanks for letting me vent! wheew, so glad that is over!
Hugs,
Sheri
Wow, Sheri, the VA here is really good, for the most part, and the hospital is only about 25 min. away. Sorry you had that to deal with that; thank goodness you get mileage paid. I have an appt. tomorrow at the local clinic, 15 min. away.
Our four kits and their Mommy are eating right now. It's amazing how fast they grow...of course, they're well fed, lol.
I have a VA clinic about 10 miles from me, but it is a sattelite of the salisbury hospital
Don't get me started on misplaced price labels at stores; it's one of my pet peeves. When you reach the glorious age of bifocals, as I have, just determining if the labels at floor level or miles high are for the nearest product is a challenge. And if you want to (heaven forbid) read the ultra-fine print on the unit price section, to determine what size is the best buy, good luck. You would think that the largest size is always the best buy, but I've found that not to be true. I find it really ironic that as consumers try to become better informed about their purchasing, the stores make the information much harder to find and read. Call me a cynic, but I somehow doubt that's an accident or coincidence.
Thank you, Ruth,
I was wondering if it was just me, if I could be the only one with these issues with pricing. Oh, and then there's the stuff stuck temporarily at the ends of the aisles or in some other non-permanent spot. Sometimes there's a price sign stuck on that stuff, and then sometimes there's no price to be found anywhere. Argh.
Have you seen/tried the new multi-focal glasses? Actually, they aren't even new anymore as they've been around for a decade or more. There is no dividing line. They get around all the problems that plagued bi-focals. You can just see up close and at various distances like you did when you were a kid. No lines. No weird spots where your vision suddenly jumps from near to far making you dizzy. None of that.
Edited to add: those multi-focals won't do anything about the problem of misplaced super market shelf tags, but they do eliminate the difficulties involved in looking high and low for the tags and reading the fine print - except when you finally find the tag and it's so damaged as to render the unit price completely illegible. I've seen that one, too.
This message was edited Aug 5, 2010 8:51 AM
Also OT, but after viewing this short story in pictures, I could not resist sharing. For some reason a swan gets angry and goes after a goose. The swan repeatedly dunks the goose under water, completely. Every time the goose gets away the swan chases it down and dunks it again. The photographer gets it all in a serious of [narrated] pictures. Very interesting. Oh, and don't worry, the goose survives.
http://www.pbase.com/patriciakay/spain_angry_swan
Oh heck yes, Cheryl, end caps (those displays at the end of aisles) are another peeve. This for all the reasons you mentioned plus, my personal favorite, there are none of the sale item in its assigned shelf space. You search, then ask at customer service and are directed to the end cap display with a condescending "duh" attitude. If it were obvious, darn it, I'd already have found it. Argh.
You know, I tried the "no-line" bifocals when bifocals first entered my life in the shelter years. At that time I was doing lots of close work where being "off-target" wasn't acceptable, i.e. intravenous withdrawals and injections. I simply couldn't adjust to the lenses quickly enough, and got really frustrated and annoyed and gave up on them. I really should try them again now that that sort of work is unfortunately no longer part of my life. Good suggestion, and thanks!