Kim's Bestie

 I found Kim’s Beastie at the Newark Airport  on Friday.....

Not the crazy lady but the one in the bottle.  lolz

It's 3am in Copenhagen as I write this.  Jet lag is a b*tch!

How will I survive this cruise without my Midnight 🥕 Cake Buddy??

Sluggy 

Copenhagen & New Living Quarters

 We're going to be in Copenhagen at the end of this week before we board the ship.

Has anyone been to Copenhagen?  Does anyone have any suggestions on what to do there?

I had a work partner when I was in my 20's named Tula who was much older than me, originally from Denmark,  She never really talked about her homeland and had lived in the US for decades.

I though erroneously that the Anne Frank house was in Denmark and not the Netherlands. duh. lol

All I know is that the Little Mermaid statue from Hans Christian Anderson is in the harbor there.

And the original Lego Land is there.

We'll probably visit the mermaid statue by the harbor but not the legos. 8-))

As for our new living accomadations--

The new place meets our needs, mostly.  It's a bit smaller than we need.  We'll need to rent a storage unit for the stuff I am selling and get it out of the garage,  This place is just temporary and gives us a year to find a place to buy.

There are 3 annoyances we have found so far here--
The main thing is the road behind the duplex runs down a hill and folks gun their engines and speed down(or up)the road.  The bedroom is in the back of the duplex.  It would have been expedient if the builder/owner had put a fence up to muffle the sound from the road as the backyard is quite small.
The other two problems are not going to ongoing.
The refrigerator makes beeping sounds at random intervals.  We have a work order in to get this addressed.  I had a dream last night about a robot that beeped. lolz
The third item is my sink in the master bath.  I noticed that it was slow to drain so Hubs hit it with some Drano.  But it still was slow to drain,  So I investigated and here is what I pulled out of one of those stoppers you can't remove.............

A big wad of hair, mixed with some dental floss and part of a Band-aid and something else I couldn't identify,
You would think that as part of the cleaning of the premises they do when a tenant leaves would include checking the sink drains in the bathroom,  This is stuff I pulled out with my fingers!  Hubs pulled out more gunk with tweezers besides this,  Just nasty!!

I don't know whether to bring this to management's attention or night.  I don' t want to be "that" tenant but come on!  these are relatively new duplexes(maybe a year or two old)this is something that should be cleaned.

Sluggy

This Week on the Dining Table.....June 1st to 7th

 

Here's one of those invites to talks on signing up for Medicare Advantage plans you get before you turn 65 and are eligible for Medicare.

Only I got this one when I turned 66 and was still in Lousiana!lolz

Just a bit late you might say.....

Onward to the meal planning!  Here is what was planned for the last week.....

1. Sunday--Leftover Chicken Thighs, Brussels Sprouts

2. Monday--don't remember

3. Tuesday--don't remember

4. Wednesday--Chicken Parm, Sweet Potato Fries

5. Thursday--don't remember

6. Friday--Cheddar Broccoli Soup

7. Saturday--Steak, Corn on Cob

And here's what actually happened....

1. Sunday--Leftover Chicken Thighs, Brussels Srouts

2. Monday--don't remember

3. Tuesday--don't remember

4. Wednesday--Cheeseburgers, Sweet Potato Fries

5. Thursday--Chicken Parm, Broccoli

6. Friday--Broccoli Cheese Soup, (Biscuits or Salad)

7. Saturday--Steak, Corn on cob

 We shopped at Walmart and Shoprite this past week so most everything was bought there.

What got taken out of the freezer.......

*  Ground Beef

*  Chicken Parmesan

*  Steak

The last week we spent $160.01 on groceries and the savings rate came in at 44.10%. Spending for the month is $627.16 and the savings rate is 30.93% for May before rebate monies are added in.

Rebates earned in May--

$123.43 on Ibotta

$18.00 on Checkout51

$42.67 on SwagBucks

$0 on Aisle and Misc.

$443.06 total in $$

Total spent after rebates is $443.06

for May. I need to find someplace other than Walmart to buy groceries here. We picked up loss leaders at Shoprite but it's crazy how much more food cost here than in LA.  I still miss Kroger even more.  We gave ShopRite a shot but it's not the same as when we shopped there in the old days, 8-((

16,932 Pts. on Fetch

3,177 Pts. on SwagBucks lol

353 Pts. on My Points

2,212 Pts. on ShopKick

0 Pts. on TaDa

(I don't count these until I cash out for a gift card or cash.)

Here is what was planned for this week.....

1. Sunday--Out for Father's Day

2. Monday--Leftover Steak, Corn on Cob

3. Tuesday--Leftover Chicken Parmesan, Green Beans

4. Wednesday--Leftover Broccoli Cheddar Soup, Biscuits or Sweet Potato Fries

5. Thursday--TV Dinners or whatever

6. Friday--No Clue

7. Saturday--No Clue

We have a much smaller fridge/freezer now so have to be more strategic with food purchases here.  It's going to take some getting use to.

We are cleaning out the fridge before our trip.

What is getting fixed and served at your house this week?

Was last week's plan successful, did you go off plan or did you not even plan what was going to be eaten last week.

Sluggy   

Frugal Friday....the May 30th Edition

Here are the frugal wins for this past week....

*  We didn't get take-out all week.

*  Entertainment this week was playing with the dogs and sitting out on the front porch when the sun was out.

*   I found money!

I only found 1 grimy penny in a parking lot somewhere this past week.

Found Money The Past Week.... .01¢

Grand Total Found in 2025....$3.91

That's all I got.  Not a lot to report this week.  Hopefully next week will be better.

Any frugal wins in your neck of the woods?  Let's hear all about them!

Sluggy        

The Journey from LA to PA...What Could Go Wrong?

Before we left our house in LA we had to have work done on our cars(ouch).

We had the moving company show up and begin loading our belongings in their truck.

I had to leave before they were done as my bed went on the truck so I slept at a local hotel that night.  Hubs slept on an air mattress at the house that night.

Of course we didn't get all the cleaning we planned done so had to pay someone to finish the job.  That was money well spent. 8-)

As I wasn't there at the end I didn't see that everything didn't fit on the truck.  If I had known I would have made some different choices than Hubs made(like leaving 2 Rubbermaid tubs of laundry detergent/stain remover.  That one about made me sick.)

So the day we left I picked up Chester my dog and Hubs and I convoyed out of Louisiana.

We got outside of Shreveport and the skies opened up.  It was slow going and then the hailstorm hit us.  ugh  And this was ugly, big hail too so the going got even slower.  It took us twice as long to reach Vicksburg, the Mississippi border, as it usually does.  We stopped at Vicksburg MS at the rest stop to let the dogs do their business and by that time I was spent.  Between the hail storm and the meds I am on I was so tired and felt unable to safely drive.  I got some caffeine and we made it to Clinton, MS and stopped for the night.  

I let Hubs know I was struggling and I wasn't going to take those meds that make me sleepy on the rest of the trip.  It was the right thing to do .Besides the drowsiness my left knee was ailing me.  It's the knee I haven't had replaced but sure needs it.

So the next morning we left early and convoyed from rest area to rest area and made it to outside of Birmingham, AL before I ran out of steam again.

One of us had to be at the house the following day as the moving truck was going to be there and I was slowing us down a lot.  So Hubs took Chester and put a bunch of stuff in my car and left.  I made it to a hotel in Bessemer AL.  Of course I called "Anne in the Kitchen" to see if she was free as she lives in the area.

Anne had plans that evening but she had time to sit with me while I ate a "fine" Wendy's burger.  We talked, laughed and had a grand time.

Then it was back to the hotel for bed and resting my knee.

The next morning I left and drove and drove.  My little car made it impossible too get my left leg in a comfortable position.  I stopped at most rest areas to get out and  walk a bit if not use the facilities.  I never thought I'd get out of Tennessee. lol  I stopped at Bucee's briefly for a gift.  While waiting at the counter to be helped I struck up a conversation with a younger fellow about peppers.  Turns out he was from Allentown originally(a town near where we had lived in PA)and we waxed nostalgic about PA and we had a big hug before I left with my goodies.

By the time I hit VA I was beat and I went as far as my knee let me go before I stopped for the evening.  My knee was throbbing and I tried icing it to no avail.  I had one more day oif driving left but didn't see how I was going to do it.

I decided to go to the emergency room at the local hospital and see if I could get a shot in my knee or some other relief for it.

Since I couldn't drive my car at this point I called 911 for an ambulance.

Pretty quickly there was a knock on my door and I opened it up to find two people-both young and 1 certainly female while the other appeared androgynous but on the female side of things,  She/he was wearing "muck" boots, like she/he had just come from mucking out horse stalls and there was some straw bedding stuck to one boot, stuck there with what might have been horse poop. 8-((

So I hobbled down to the elevator and out the front door to the ambulance.  As we exited the lobby the androgynous ambulance attendant spit a rather large wad of sputum out like they had chewing tobacco in their mouth,  Yikes!

They got me on the gurney and loaded me into the ambulance and we took the 1 mile journey to the hospital.

Once in the ER it wasn't long onto the dr. on call saw me(after registering and all).  She couldn't give me a knee shot but she gave me 3 other shots so I could get a good night's sleep and finish my journey to PA the next day.  She gave me a shot for inflammation, a muscle relaxer(which I don't understand)and a morphine shot(that must have been so I slept well). 

I got to ride in the ambulance back to the hotel and pay $20 for the honor.(Some one had misplaced the car they used to give rides to folks who came to the ER unaccompanied.)

So the morphine kicked in and I fell into a deep sleep, waking at 4 am.  I gathered my bags and grabbed a banana and a granola bar, paid for a Coke Zero from the drink machine in the lobby and hit the road.

I drove from Rest Stop to Rest Stop the rest of the way up to the new house outside of Scranton.  It was a grueling drive but I made it here before dusk and collapsed in bed.

That's about all there is to say.  It was not a fun 1,350 miles but my knee and my car held up.  

Sluggy

This Week on the Dining Table

Saw this door mat and had a chuckle.  "did you call first?" sounds about right for me. lol

Onward to the meal planning!  Here is what was planned for the last week.....

1. Sunday--Don't remember

2. Monday--Leftovers

3. Tuesday--Chinese Takeout

4. Wednesday--Pasta w/Meat Sauce, Caesar Salad

5. Thursday--Pork Loin, Brussels Sprouts

6. Friday--Flounder, Veggie TBD

7. Saturday--Cheese Burger, Sweet Potato Fries

And here's what actually happened....

1. Sunday--Don't remember

2. Monday--Leftovers

3. Tuesday--Chinese Takeout

4. Wednesday--Pasta w/Meat Sauce, Caesar Salad

5. Thursday--Stir-Fry Veggies w/Pork

6. Friday--Flounder, Veggie TBD

7. Saturday--Pork Loin, California Mix Veggie

Not a very inspired menu but it got the job done.  We shopped at Walmart and Shoprite this past week so everything was bought there.

What got taken out of the freezer.......

*  Pork Tenderloin

*  Ground Beef

*  Stir-Fry Veggies

*  Flounder

*  Ca Mix Veggies

The last week we spent $127.96 on groceries and the savings rate came in at 34.16%. Spending for the month is $467.15 and the savings rate is 24.87% for May before rebate monies are added in.

Rebates earned in May--

$88.95 on Ibotta

$7.00 on Checkout51

$0 on Aisle and Misc.

$95.95 total in $$

Total spent after rebates is $371.20

 for May. I need to find someplace other than Walmart to buy groceries here. We picked up loss leaders at Shoprite but it's crazy how much more food cost here than in LA.  I miss Kroger. 8-((

16,932 Pts. on Fetch

3,177 Pts. on SwagBucks lol

353 Pts. on My Points

2,212 Pts. on ShopKick

0 Pts. on TaDa

(I don't count these until I cash out for a gift card or cash.)

Before AND after rebates we had a very low spend month for groceries at least for us.

Leftovers going into next week...Meatloaf, Brussels Sprouts, Carrots, Chicken Thighs.

Here is what was planned for this week.....

1. Sunday--Cheese Burger, Sweet Potato Fries

2. Monday--Leftover Meatloaf, Carrots, Brussels Sprouts

3. Tuesday--Leftover Chicken Thighs, Broccoli

4. Wednesday--Chicken Parmesan, Green Beans

5. Thursday--Broccoli Cheddar Soup

6. Friday--Mushroom Risotto, Salad

7. Saturday--Top Round Beef, Veggie TBD

We have a much smaller fridge/freezer now so have to be more strategic with food purchases here.  It's going to take some getting use to.

What is getting fixed and served at your house this week?

Was last week's plan successful, did you go off plan or did you not even plan what was going to be eaten last week.

Sluggy   

Frugal Friday...The Last Two Weeks

 

Here are the frugal wins for this past week....

*  We have been hemorrhaging money lately.  Can't be helped.  I really don't want to go through this again.  Parts of it were a nightmare!

*  We got take-out only once at the new place.

*   The journey up here wasn't very frugal(more on that later)but we got to PA in one piece.

*  We finished up the Goodwill donations in LA. Go us!

*  Everything it turns out wouldn't fit on the moving truck(ugh)so some items got left behind and I wasn't there to  decide what got left.(double ugh)  Not frugal.

*  We've been paying deposits for services in PA which hasn't been very frugal but it is what it is and can't be avoided.

*  Entertainment the week before last was watching some tv shows and packing boxes. lol  It's hard to spend money if you are sitting home packing up your stuff. ;-)  Last week the "fun" was setting up the house.  And shopping for necessities and food.

*  We needed some room darkening curtains(the house came with blinds)for the bedroom so we hit Ollie's("Good Stuff Cheap!")and found what we needed at a cheaper price.

*   I got my mojo back and I found money!

I found .37 total at assorted stops along the way to PA.

I found .27¢ at the Aldi on the Sunday before last.

         

Then I found .01¢ at the Doctor's office on the Tuesday before last.

I found two pennies at Dollar General last Saturday.

I found a nickel at Walmart on the 21st.

Then I found another penny in a different Walmart parking lot.

Found Money The Past Two Weeks..... .73¢

Grand Total Found in 2025....$3.90

That's all I got.

Any frugal wins in your neck of the woods?  Let's hear all about them!

Sluggy       

This Week on the Dining Table....the May 19th Edition

"Home Sweet Home"

Saw this pillow and it's true.lol

Onward to the meal planning!  Here is what was planned for the last week.....

1. Sunday--?

2. Monday--?

3. Tuesday--?

4. Wednesday--?

5. Thursday--?

6. Friday--?

7. Saturday--?

And here's what actually happened....

1. Sunday--Take & Bake Pizza from Aldi

2. Monday--Pork Tenderloin, Mixed Veggies

3. Tuesday--Cheeseburgers, Green Beans

4. Wednesday--Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches, Brussels Sprouts

5. Thursday--Salmon, Sweet Potato Fries

6. Friday-- BBQ Chicken Thighs, Roasted Broccoli

7. Saturday--out for BBQ, Cole Slaw

Not a very inspired menu but it got the job done.  We shopped at Aldi that week so everything was bought there.

What got taken out of the freezer.......

*  Pork Tenderloin

*  Ground Beef

*  Salmon

*  Chicken Thighs

The last 2 weeks  we spent $339.19 on groceries and the savings rate came in at 20.65%. Spending for the month is $339.19 and the savings rate is 20.65% for May before rebate monies are added in.

Rebates earned in May--

$63.85 on Ibotta

$6.00 on Checkout51

$0 on Aisle and Misc.

$69.85 total in $$

Total spent after rebates is $269.34 for May. I need to find someplace other than Walmart to buy groceries here.

2,188 Pts. on Fetch

3,077 Pts. on SwagBucks lol

353 Pts. on My Points

1,770 Pts. on ShopKick

0 Pts. on TaDa

(I don't count these until I cash out for a gift card or cash.)

Before AND after rebates we had a very low spend month for groceries at least for us.

Leftovers going into next week...Meatloaf, Brussels Sprouts.

Here is what was planned for this week.....

1. Sunday--Don't remember

2. Monday--Leftovers

3. Tuesday--Chinese Takeout

4. Wednesday--Pasta w/Meat Sauce, Caesar Salad

5. Thursday--Pork Loin, Brussels Sprouts

6. Friday--Flounder, Veggie TBD

7. Saturday--Cheese Burger, Sweet Potato Fries

We have a much smaller fridge/freezer now so have to be more strategic with food purchases here.  It's goiong to take some getting use to.

What is getting fixed and served at your house this week?

Was last week's plan successful, did you go off plan or did you not even plan what was going to be eaten last week.

Sluggy