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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Oct 19, 2023 10:20:27 GMT -5
I think men are typically oblivious, present company excluded of course, until something like a bill or retirement smacks them in the face and they see how much groceries etc. cost. And you think, how could they not get it? But they don't. Agreed! Several years back DH had a real wake-up call about the cost of eating lunch out daily when I ran a Quicken report showing in on an annual basis . We still do it because (1) he likes to "get out of the house" and I'm not cooking 3 times a day, but at least he knows what it costs us. Ditto a lot of the expenses since I made him start paying the bills - he was a little surprised at how much he spends on Kindle books and pay-per-view movies. My Kindle bill is probably pushing $40/mo. I have stopped opening offers as I can’t read what I buy fast enough. Thinking back though, it was nothing for me to drop $20 for paperbacks a couple times each month, especially when I was flying back and forth to WA.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Oct 19, 2023 9:52:03 GMT -5
I send DH to the store occasionally if I'm out of 1-2 things I need to make dinner. He's been getting the sticker shock. I do try to stock up on non perishable and freezer goods when they are on sale. The pantry shelves are looking a little bare though. Yeah, TD hasn’t been into the store in ages. I spent $65 on just produce yesterday. Grapes (sale), strawberries (sale), Brussels sprouts, asparagus (sale), onions, potatoes, cukes, tomatoes, a single avocado, 2 cans of crushed pineapple and macadamia nuts (sale, $4 for the cake I need to bake tonight). All of our groceries I buy go on the Costco visa, and at the year end, we get an accounting. It wouldn’t surprise me if the 6 months I have been buying groceries on it this year is equal to all of last year.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Oct 19, 2023 9:45:19 GMT -5
She could get a huge house in Arkansas for that amount of money. Just saying. Texas COL is way lower than WA also. I know. But she has decided she likes it here. I don’t know if it’s because I’m here, or maybe she doesn’t want to go some place where she is totally alone. I get that. It is hard getting a new social network, and I can’t imagine how much harder it would be if you aren’t going into an office or lab for a job. She knows no one in Arkansas or TX. In SC her son lives these. In FL there is a friend, TN another friend. I think that figured into her short list a year ago.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Oct 19, 2023 9:34:33 GMT -5
That’s a really nice condo and a good price. Why do you think your sister wouldn’t like it? She wants a house and land to garden. I do have 3 concerns about that condo. It is in Sudden Valley, which has an HOA. HOA dues are nearly $600/mo and a huge chunk of that goes to support a golf course that a select few use. Secondly, the HOA board always seems to be battling something. Thirdly, stairs. While my sister has intact joints unlike me, she is now 60. I can see stairs getting real old, real fast. Probably 85% of the posts on NextDoor are about how screwed up that HOA is. We hear about it as this development is the last unHOAed development before going into Sudden Valley. The development was built as a retirement community for Canadians, and is considered the poor stepchild of the city. House prices there are about 10% cheaper because of that. So people buy there, and as the land is more undeveloped, any bad weather is exacerbated there. When it gets bad here (and town can be totally clear, and we are in the middle of a snow storm), it’s a blizzard there.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Oct 19, 2023 9:22:29 GMT -5
I want an induction stove when I need a new one. I think those do heat up/cool down instantly but maybe I am wrong. Would you please chime in with your experience With those The Walk of the Penguin Mich ? Cooking on induction is so cool. You put a pan on the counter top, turn a knob and the pan heats up. The temp gets adjusted with the same knob, and when you are done only the pan and food are hot, you can sit your hand where you just had the pan. The counter is NOT hot. What’s nice is your stove is a spare 3’ of counter space when not in use. You can use it to roll out pie crusts, if you need it. TD was talking about getting one when the electric stove dies. I was all about gas. I’m on board with induction now 100%.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Oct 18, 2023 19:21:03 GMT -5
Yeah, but Arkansas. If you weren't born there what could be the appeal. The fact that it's about as red a state as you can get. If she's racist (not saying she is), it's a mecca for them. If she's in computers she'll also likely be the smartest person in town. Before she came to pet and house sit, her short list was SC, FL, TX or possibly TN. WA was not on her radar. It is now, and it’s just so obscenely expensive here. A really cute condo just went on the market. It’s not far from here, but she won’t consider it. www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/1-Lake-Louise-Dr-Unit-28_Bellingham_WA_98229_M25379-03148?from=srp-list-card
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Oct 18, 2023 17:22:19 GMT -5
Yeah, but Arkansas. If you weren't born there what could be the appeal. From a random website: It's known for its abundant park and wilderness areas, with terrain encompassing mountains, caves, rivers and hot springs. The rugged Ozarks region in its northwest has hiking trails and limestone caves such as Blanchard Springs Caverns.
That sounds pretty lovely, actually.
When we drove to Mississippi a few summers ago, I seriously thought "WTH? Why are we driving to state that is like the armpit of states in the US?" I actually would like to go back. There is a lot of history there we didn't touch.
I think this qualifies as ‘nice place to visit, wouldn’t want to live there’.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Oct 18, 2023 15:48:35 GMT -5
cheers, I definitely missed all of that. I hope she figures it out soon and vacates your house, though. she doesn't sound like a pleasant roommate most of the time. She’s ok. Things have gone rather smoothly. She does try to give TD and I privacy, and stay downstairs a lot. She does help with the dog and will go grocery shopping and cook.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Oct 18, 2023 15:35:11 GMT -5
Yep. I misjudged things here. I thought she’d look for some place south to move to, a lot cheaper (and redder) than the PNW and have a plan by the time we got back. She’s decided she likes it here and is trying to figure it out. To get into any sort of house is going to be a minimum of $500k, and she can’t do that. Nothing other than a house is acceptable. all good. I knew what you say here, but I didn't realize it was also tied to the court case you mentioned. does she not have a house anymore where she came from...? what does she do for a living that she can just pack up and go? I mean, I could, I can do my job from anywhere with a reliable internet connection. but I know I'm not the norm. She is trying to sell her house in MN. She works for a medical software testing company. During Covid, they all got sent home and it turned out that the company was more profitable with employees working from home. They let go of their lease in Minneapolis, and it’s all WFH. It doesn’t matter where she works from, as long as she is online during business hours. Since we are 2 hours earlier, she’s up and at her computer at 6 am. She’s done around 3 pm.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Oct 18, 2023 15:22:04 GMT -5
Just got back from the grocery store…..again. We are only eating out at SLAP each week, but can’t believe the amount of groceries we are going through. Today was mostly produce, and some of the ingredients I need to make this cake tomorrow. I still didn’t find a little recipe book I was looking for, but have an acceptable substitute. My sister’s mediation yesterday went to shit. Her ex and his lawyer walked out halfway through. Apparently they may be on the hook for her payment for their requested mediation. It’s going back to a judge, for the THIRD time. The first 2 times, the judge ruled identically. She’ll have the same judge next time that she had the last time, and I’m thinking he’s not gonna like his last judgement being questioned. Her ex is now $18k in the hole to my sister. I need this resolved and my house back. I think I missed something. I know your sister was house-sitting for you and TD while you sailed the world, but what is this mess that means she's still living with you guys? Yep. I misjudged things here. I thought she’d look for some place south to move to, a lot cheaper (and redder) than the PNW and have a plan by the time we got back. She’s decided she likes it here and is trying to figure it out. To get into any sort of house is going to be a minimum of $500k, and she can’t do that. Nothing other than a house is acceptable.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Oct 18, 2023 15:17:44 GMT -5
Just got back from the grocery store…..again. We are only eating out at SLAP each week, but can’t believe the amount of groceries we are going through. Today was mostly produce, and some of the ingredients I need to make this cake tomorrow. I still didn’t find a little recipe book I was looking for, but have an acceptable substitute. My sister’s mediation yesterday went to shit. Her ex and his lawyer walked out halfway through. Apparently they may be on the hook for her payment for their requested mediation. It’s going back to a judge, for the THIRD time. The first 2 times, the judge ruled identically. She’ll have the same judge next time that she had the last time, and I’m thinking he’s not gonna like his last judgement being questioned. Her ex is now $18k in the hole to my sister. I need this resolved and my house back. What are they arguing over still? Haven't they been divorced for years now and the kids are all grown and gone? Spousal support. He was ordered to pay it when she stepped out of the workforce 20 years ago. She was making more money than he, and both were earning $120k+/year. Since it was in a highly technical field, her stepping out allowed his income to soar while she managed to get a toe back in 4 years ago for $50k. Judge has ruled he owes her spousal support since her career to the hit to benefit his. He was ordered to pay, paid a few years then stopped. Another judge ordered the same and he refused to pay. He demanded mediation, and walked out of it. It’s going back to the last judge who ordered the support until his retirement. My sister’s income has gone up about 25%, but not near what it would have been.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Oct 18, 2023 14:40:54 GMT -5
Just got back from the grocery store…..again. We are only eating out at SLAP each week, but can’t believe the amount of groceries we are going through. Today was mostly produce, and some of the ingredients I need to make this cake tomorrow. I still didn’t find a little recipe book I was looking for, but have an acceptable substitute.
My sister’s mediation yesterday went to shit. Her ex and his lawyer walked out halfway through. Apparently they may be on the hook for her payment for their requested mediation. It’s going back to a judge, for the THIRD time. The first 2 times, the judge ruled identically. She’ll have the same judge next time that she had the last time, and I’m thinking he’s not gonna like his last judgement being questioned. Her ex is now $18k in the hole to my sister.
I need this resolved and my house back.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Oct 18, 2023 10:42:56 GMT -5
My parents will be married 49 years tomorrow. I'll be 49 in June. Do the math, I have. 🤣 P.S. I asked them years ago about it, and they admitted that they got pregnant on purpose so that their parents would allow them to marry. Dad was 18 but mom was 17, and both from horrible households. They've had a difficult road but are still best friends. ❤️ My parents ran it close. I was born in July, they married the previous October. I was a honeymoon baby, I think….but was ‘late’.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Oct 17, 2023 18:45:03 GMT -5
Ok, that makes sense. But I do see a lot of guys around here and in the city in dirty clothing. I'm glad hubs is a neat clean person. I've had surgery before and just never saw anything like that.Now I'm having some pain too on the side of my face and neck, oh joy. That may be the reason, my realtor has to have surgery again as she has an infection in her spine surgery and it hasn't healed in a spot. Hear of another either knee or hip with infections too. This is SOP of every surgery I have ever had. One surgeon I heard of had you change the bed in the few days leading up to surgery. It’s all to lower your bacterial load on your skin. You can’t be sterile, but you can carry less microbes on it. I am surprised they didn’t give him the chlorhexidine scrub to use. You can buy it, and I would consider this if he wasn’t given it.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Oct 17, 2023 15:59:56 GMT -5
seems in line with what you were expecting....which...wierd after the time lapse.... Are you going to wait for a masonite quote from someone else before deciding? I'm still waiting for the quote from the first guy, and I haven't heard boo from the Hardie board site that I put in a request to have them line up installers. The second guy seems way more on the ball. I know the name and they have a good reputation around here, but that 3K for two doors kind of has me floored. The 23-34K for siding, yeah...got it, but 3K for a couple plain steel doors? WTH? I think that the door off of the garage was about $1000. It was rotted, needed to be replaced and we got something similar. We thought that was too much, but went ahead and did it because a lot of extra stuff was thrown in that they didn’t charge for (like painting the deck railings along with the house).
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Oct 17, 2023 15:50:44 GMT -5
They won’t do surgery if he is not compliant, so doubt it will happen. He wants the surgery. His legs hurt all the time. Doesn’t matter. If he wants the surgery, he needs to be compliant with meds to control him. Surgeons are not about to do orthopedic surgery on someone not compliant and have the patient wind up even worse. He will also have to show a good faith effort too, not just make fake promises.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Oct 17, 2023 12:44:18 GMT -5
Can she get a small studio apt for him and set up money each week for food? Is he capable of getting and holding a job? Any social service available for him? No, she has no money. He can't hold a job. He has Marfan Syndrome and his legs are a mess. He's due to get surgery at the Shriners Hospital soon.They won’t do surgery if he is not compliant, so doubt it will happen.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Oct 17, 2023 12:07:37 GMT -5
Since he's 18, can Mel refuse to let him stay? He's an adult. He has absolutely nowhere to go. No friends, no contact with his dad, and no money. He'd be living on the streets. Melody would never do that. She loves her son, despite all his crap. Then it sounds like she needs to make a decision as to whether it is worth him killing her and your son vs living on the streets. You can only help so much, and if the son isn’t going to take the meds, then there really is no other alternative. My brother was dating a woman whose daughter had mental issues. The daughter threatened my brother about telling the police that he had sexually assaulted her when she got mad at her mom. She was still underage, so had to live there. My brother exited stage right, and I don’t blame him in the least. I really liked the woman he was dating, she was good for him, intelligent (not his usual bimbo) and could carry on a conversation. But my brother had underaged children at the time and had to think of them too.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Oct 17, 2023 11:57:33 GMT -5
We ended up picking Boy up close to the time the vet closes. Which wasn’t their fault, the vet himself had actually called early this afternoon, what Mister gave them again as my phone number this morning, except it was actually YD’s phone number. My phone number is weird, to the point that if someone doesn’t get the last few digits, even after all these years, I have to start over from the beginning, to get it right lol. YD’s number is similar to mine, with the same digits, so I understand how Mister got them mixed up this morning. So when we talked to the vet when we went to pick Boy up, he was talking about how Boy clearly has allergies, which we already knew. Me being me, and of little patience, I said yes, we know that, that is why we brought him in a few months ago. At the time, we got him that expensive ass $100 shot that was recommended, but it did not help him at all, so we are open to other, hopefully less expensive, options. And yes, I said it just like that. They could not find any glass in Boy’s paw either. So they gave him some antibiotics and some steroids that they said should help with his reactions to allergies too. Me still being me, I had questions about the steroids themselves. They probably hope Mister is always the one to bring the dogs to see them, because I ask too many questions lol. But anyway, Boy is resting on the sofa in the den, they said they didn’t see any glass embedded in his paw. The vet gave Harriet steroids and antibiotics after they cut the growth off her neck (and the pathology came back benign….whew!). I have never seen an incision close so fast and look so good so fast. The incision, which was nearly 3”, was in a location on her neck where it couldn’t be bandaged, or they couldn’t put a cone of shame on her to keep her from scratching at it. The steroids should help Boy’s allergy too. They dampen down the inflammatory response, which is what causes redness, swelling and pain as well as allergy symptoms. The major side effect though, was it makes dogs ravenous (it turned Harpo into an eating machine). She’s finished her treatment, so her appetite has gone back to merely annoying from obnoxious.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Oct 17, 2023 11:46:47 GMT -5
Ragweed is literally off the charts here so the windshield is covered in pollen which turns to yellow mud when you use the washer thingy. Houston is one giant sneezing, coughing, nose-blowing mass of humanity right now. And we have strep, RSV, and Covid going around too so you don't know if the person in line at Aldi has something bad or just allergies. I recently saw a post on FB where someone was asking what was causing all the horrible allergy issues lately, and many of the replies said ragweed. Then someone posted a picture of it, and it was literally what DS was pointing to when he asked me if I can identify stuff when we were walking on the trail a couple weeks ago. The answer to his question was and still is “no” lol. Yeah, TD did some googling and suggested it might be ragweed. All I know is that it makes me want to scratch my eyeballs out. The eye drops that I’m using to minimize the itch make my vision cloudy, as they are viscous. Last night’s thunderstorm seemed to have washed everything down. No eye drops in either last night or this morning, no sneezing. I’m ok with gullywashers like we had yesterday until frost (when it seems to stop).
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Oct 16, 2023 18:23:20 GMT -5
Crap! I have/had a recipe for a pineapple macadamia pound cake that was fantastic. You had to beat the crap out of it, so it was a pain in the ass to make. I can’t find the recipe for it now, and none I have seen online are it.
I offered to bring this for dinner Friday. Grrrrrrrr…….
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Oct 16, 2023 18:18:59 GMT -5
Sheesh! We are getting a thunderstorm right now. Neither of the dogs like it. Thunderstorms are rare here.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Oct 16, 2023 17:46:35 GMT -5
So they called this morning to get information and give hubs info. Also set up blood work for lab for typing in case they need a transfusion?Then set up an appt for in the morning for him to talk to someone. Than we got another call for him to come in Friday to talk with the surgeon. I would hate to think what a problem this would be if he was still working. We already have all the pre op paperwork. I'm asking tomorrow what they found on the scan. Since his ins card was illegible when in town stopped and got copies of a new one. They gave me 2 and even laminated them. I have been trying to register on the site and now matter what I do it says the new password is wrong, they want 12 numbers and characters. I hate this stuff trying to set things up anymore. We probably registered somewhere. I need to dig the paperwork out. Hubs said he doesn't need to register, I need to find out if his coverage is transferable to Washington like mine is. Maybe I can just call for a general question like that and get the info. Yes, they always do this so that they know which blood to give if he needs it. Even though they will give him the same blood type he has, there are minor antigens in blood that can cause a reaction, and crossmatching blood tries to minimize this.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Oct 15, 2023 21:14:32 GMT -5
Went up to Vancouver this morning to see TD’s mom. Picked up take out dim sum. MIL has decided that when her daughter leaves, she wants to do it alone. TD is pissed, his sister is pissed. She clearly needs help. He said that he was going to come up anyway, and his mom said she’d send him home. Damn woman. She’s going to hurt herself again.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Oct 15, 2023 21:07:00 GMT -5
What did you put in your chili seasoning mix? Glad you got the good sleep - it makes world of difference the next day. The basic stuff I saw in most recipes online. Chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin (I think that’s the issue, apparently I don’t like cumin much, and it had enough in it that I could taste it), cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. That’s what I remember, but I might be leaving something out. After I started tasting the chili, I deleted the recipe I used lol. Thanks, good sleep does make a world of difference! I make a pretty good chili. I don’t use ground meat, but chuck I cut into tiny pieces. I cook the meat in batches, put it aside. Add chopped onion to the pot, along with 3T chili powder, 2T of both garlic powder and cumin, and 1 T of oregano and cayenne to taste. I toast the spices with the onion awhile, and throw a bottle of dark beer and a can of beef stock in. Meat goes back in, along with 2 14 oz cans of chopped tomatoes. Simmer awhile, and when the meat is tender, throw in 2 cans of drained kidney beans. The meat is a pain in the ass to cut up, but I think it makes a good chili.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Oct 14, 2023 14:30:47 GMT -5
My sister decided to face the zoo that is Costco this morning. She’s brave, I don’t have the patience for Costco on a Sat am. She also offered to make chicken tortilla soup tonight for dinner. I’m good with that, I’m tired of trying to figure out what to make.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Oct 14, 2023 14:05:18 GMT -5
Wait times for healthcare and services seem ridiculous these days. I finally remembered in September to call for a dentist appointment at the new one. Someone must have canceled because my options were mid October on the day I'm supposed to be in the office or February 2024. The time slot is horrible too in not allowing me to work a half day in the office. Pink I would book your next appointment now. Don't wait until you go on 10/31. If you find you don't need it, then you can easily cancel. That's my best advice for things like this is to have the next 2 or 3 booked. My GP, who I used to be able to get an appointment with is now a 3 month wait. I called in mid June, got in at the end of Sept. These days, I rarely walk out without an appointment card.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Oct 14, 2023 13:58:29 GMT -5
This online scheduling for appointments that my therapist uses, is a bunch of bullshit imo. I do believe that she is good at what she does, but that doesn’t help me at all if I can’t get a timely appointment to see her. Mister is having the same issues with getting appointments, due to the same kind of scheduling system. So we are both really trying to get some help, but we are both left twisting in the wind with how mental health providers seem to be operating these days. It sucks majorly because I know that we both NEED the help, which is not easy to admit, let alone actually seek it. I keep telling him not to give up on it, but I am getting frustrated enough that I want to give up on it myself. I feel like it is just one more way that our healthcare system has failed me. And I have “good” insurance, that covers treatment for my mental health in the same way it covers treatment for my physical health. The many issues I’ve had regarding health care, have nothing to do with insurance, and everything to do with providers. The “providers” themselves, and not a lack of access to providers in my insurance network. How does that even make sense? When I saw my therapist, I had to book out several appointments right at the end of our session, otherwise, I wouldn't get them for quite a long time. It's like anything else...all of my cancer check ups are scheduled right then and there, even though its a year out.
When DH had his relapse, we both called the center that provides support for his specific issues. No one ever called him back. There was like a 6 month wait list for appointments for me. And that was way before covid. Just like everything else, there's a shortage of mental health providers.
There was almost a 6 month wait for the missy to get her physical. That's never happened before.
I used to do this with PT too. Then halfway through those appts, I’d book out further. I really liked this PT, and if I waited there is no way I’d get in. I do this for dental cleanings too, as they are booked out 6 months. It really sucks, as if I need to cancel I’m not getting in for a year unless 8 luck into a cancellation.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Oct 13, 2023 15:34:18 GMT -5
I just hit the grocery store and $140 later….. The Great Pumpkin arrived and refilled the trick or treater’s candy pumpkin. I suspect it’s going to need to be refilled again before Halloween. It would probably help if I didn't buy our favorites. Chicken legs and chicken thighs were on sale for 0.99/lb. Good deal, so bought a couple packages of thighs. Then I went around to the other side of the display, and the leg/thigh quarters were $1.99/lb. Things that make you go hmmmm,…….
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Oct 13, 2023 10:22:43 GMT -5
I have the sadz Had to put down my 16 yo kitty. Had him since he was 3 months old i will miss him greatly I’m sorry. These are always hard.
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