Ocean City Fall Vacation 2013 Part 2

On Day 2 of our Ocean City trip we were in Milton Delaware to tour the Dogfish Head Brewery.

Since I was in a wheelchair due to a blood clot in my ankle we got a "special" individual tour.
Since the regular tour involves climbing stairs and walking around on elevated platforms one of the Dogfish Head employees named Chris took us around the facility and behind the scenes.

The links on Youtube to those videos are here--
PART I
PART II
PART III
PART IV
PART V
PART VI
PART VII
PART VIII

I realize that a brewery tour is not everyone's "cup of tea" but if you like this sort of thing, have a look.  Our tour guide Chris was very personable and enlightening and a good spokesman for the Dogfish Head brand.

Here are some random shots taken during the tour....lots of stainless steel and tanks and massive wooden barrels......

Then some shots of the public areas...........

 The ladies in the front office/reception.  (It was close to Halloween to explain the spider web thing. lol)

The mobile food truck(lunchbox) outside which was not open on our visit.

Giant holding tanks on the side of the complex.


After the tour, the free tasting that DFH offers and spending a big wad of cash in their gift shop(!!!)we headed back toward Rehoboth for dinner as it was getting about that time.

We decided to hit the Dogfish Head Pub for dinner before heading back to Ocean City.

 

There was a spirits(hard liquor)distillery upstairs with a tour but we were not up to doing that one too, so we just had dinner and drinks..........

A pair of steaks and fries with drink pairings.....

We even sprung for desserts......what a spendy dinner!

 Hubs had a brad pudding concoction....

And I had a chocolate blue cheese cheesecake.  This is just too too rich and I took most of it back to the hotel!

I took a shot of Hubs outside the Pub after dinner to commemorate his awesome beer soaked day.....

Then a couple of strangers offered to take our photo together......

We made copies and enclosed this one in our Christmas cards in 2013.


We took the coastal road back to OC, using the newly completed Indian River Inlet Bridge between Rehoboth and Bethany DE.

They light up the cables at night holding the bridge.......

 Sorry for the glare on the windshield and the bugs. lolz

It is kind of cool though.

Thus ended Day 2 of this trip.

Sluggy



 

Shopping Deals on Monday--Moneymaker 'Poo & Cheap Cheese

I went up to Rite-Aid Monday morning to get a prescription and was going to do a moneymaker shampoo deal while I was there but doofus me, I forgot to bring the coupon I needed for that deal. argh!

So it was off to Weis(PMITA)Markets next to do a few deals.  I made a boring video which is HERE explaining what I bought.

I had gotten a $10 OYNO Catalina on Saturday when I went up to Weis to get a couple of gift cards for Hubs for Father's Day.  That also earned me 10¢ in gas points too.
I used the $10 Cat to help pay for the groceries I bought in the video trip and thusly saved 79% over reg. retail.

After lunch, I then went back up to Rite-Aid(remembering to bring the coupon this time!)and bought this awesome MONEYMAKER.........

4 x Suave Professionals Shampoo on sale $2.50ea.=$10.00

I used these coupons--
1 x $3/2 Load2Card Suave Professionals Q=$3.00
1 x $3/2  Suave Gold Infusion Professionals ManuQ(Sunday's insert)=$3.00
Coupon Total.....$6.00

$10-$6=$4 + .24¢ tax=$4.24

I used $4 in Plenti Pts. on my card and put .24¢ on a Rite-Aid gift card so Zero OOP.
I earned  400 new Plenti Pts.(2 x 200 per 2 bottles bought).

I also clipped the $3/2 Suave Professionals Q on my Saving Star account so I'll get an electronic $3 cash rebate too.

Bring home 4 bottles of shampoo for free and get $3 cash back??
Yes, please!

Then I went back to Weis to do that Kraft Cheese Deal again.....

4 x Cracker Barrel cheese blocks on sale $1.99=$7.96(shelf price of $15.96)
Instant $5 off $15 shelf price purchase....
$7.96-$5=$2.96

I used that surprise $1 OYNO Catalina Q from buying those DiGiorno pizzas last week.

$2.96-$1=$1.96 OOP for 2 lbs. of cheese.
And a 87% savings rate....woot!

I'll be going back to do this cheese Deal a few more times as I need to be out doing errands this week.
Even without using that $1 Catalina this cheese breaks down into .74¢ a block with that $5 Instant Discount.

Nice.

Sluggy


 

Some Days I Just Shake My Head

I went to the Bakery Outlet last week and loaded up on 3 loaves of good bread and 4 boxes of Entemann's Danish, buns and donuts(these are for Hubs and CB)for $8 total.  Much better than paying regular retail at the grocery store, right?

So I get home from a trip to Weis(PMITA)Markets at 4:30pm and CB is flying out the door to get to work.  (He got up a whole 1hr. and 15 minutes previous to that-at 3:15pm-so he was rushed. hahaha)

Anyway, I spy a box of cheese Danish buns on the table which has been opened...........

On closer inspection I spy this......

Seriously?!
You couldn't take 5 seconds to put the knife in the sink and walk the 2 feet to the trashcan to throw an empty box away?

Please tell me I am not the only one with a brain-dead(or worse yet, an inconsiderate)teenage boy......

Sluggy

This Week on the Dining Table

 

It's the "So Many Beers, So Little Time" Edition-- 

As for forecast for Father's Day was iffy we headed to Berwick on Saturday to celebrate Hubs early at our favorite craft brewery nearby.
I actually sat on a bar stool this time and I didn't fall off!   Not because I was drunk but because I am short....lol

 

Onward to the meal planning!

 

Here's what was planned last week.......
 

1. Sunday--Steak(bought last week), Green Beans, Grilled Pineapple
2. Monday--Hot Dogs(freezer) on rolls, Beans
3. Tuesday--Leftovers
4. Wednesday--Leftovers or Pizza or Pork Chops(freezer) or ?
5. Thursday--Flounder(freezer), Cole Slaw, Veg TBD
6. Friday--Smoked Brisket(freezer) on rolls, Cole Slaw, Green Beans or l/o Baked Beans
7. Saturday--Chicken Enchiladas

 

And this is what actually happened--

1. Sunday--Steak(bought last week), Green Beans, Grilled Pineapple
2. Monday--Hot Dogs(freezer) on rolls, Beans
3. Tuesday--Leftovers
4. Wednesday--Flounder(freezer), Cole Slaw, California Medley saute
5. Thursday--Leftover(Hubs had Taco Salad, I had the Fish, Cole Slaw, Green Beans
6. Friday--Smoked Brisket(freezer) on rolls, Cole Slaw(leftover)
7. Saturday--Pizza out

Everything as planned except an extra night of leftovers and no chicken enchiladas(as CB and his buddy ate them all).  We got a pizza while in Berwick on Saturday so it all worked out aok.

As for my grocery spending last week.....a few more trips than planned but it's all good.
I spent $56.78 on $117.11 of reg. retail food-4 shops between Ollie's, Weis and 2 transactions at the Shursave grocer.

Then on Saturday we hit Grocery Outlet while in Berwick and I hit Weis when we got home(meat discount stickers galore!!!).  Those trips will go on this week's spending since I had already tallied up last week's spending on Friday.

The food spending is up to $423.74 for June and we have 8 days to go still.  I may actually see $600 for food this month.   That hasn't happened in ages around here.

Leftovers going into this week--2 sausage sammies patties, a couple of spoons of chili, a container of enchilada sauce and maybe some lasagna if CB didn't attack it in one of his late night eating sessions.
 

Here is this week's food plan--

1. Sunday--Chinese take-out(what Hubs wanted for Father's Day)
2. Monday--Leftover Chinese take-out
3. Tuesday--Beef Stroganoff, Rice, Tossed Salad
4. Wednesday--Cauliflower soup, BBQ Chicken legs, Potato Salad
5. Thursday--Chicken Chiles Casserole
6. Friday--Beef Enchiladas, Corn
7. Saturday--Leftovers

I got a deal on mushrooms last week so I'll dig out beef from the freezer and make stroganoff.  I had an old head of cauliflower CB didn't eat when we were on our trip so I trimmed off the bad on it and made a pot of soup on Sunday we can use as "filler" during the week.  That package of chicken leg quarters I got on discount for .50¢ lb. was rubbed and smoked on Friday and waiting to be heated up and sauced this week for a meal.  The leftover enchilada sauce will be put on beef enchiladas(made from hamburgers minced up from that box of Steak-Um burgers in the freezer I got a deal on at the end of April-if the sausage patties are still hanging around they will get minced up into the enchilada filling as well).  The only cooking left to do this week is stroganoff and those 2 Tex-Mex dishes.

What I need to buy for this menu?.....not a thing.

This should be a small shopping week.  At Weis(PMITA)Markets, along with a deal on Wishbone salad dressings($1 OOP a bottle for the large ones), a Kraft  Deal($5.50 OOP for 2 cheeses, 2 sour creams)and Lay's chips-a buy ahead for July 4th cook-out-($3.29 for 2 bags after deal + coupon), plus I'll also scope out the .88¢ deals for napkins/facial tissues.

The Shursave grocer has Doritos BOGO(for CB) so I'll hit them for that item.

As always I'll have my eye out for instant mark-down meats and fresh produce.
I've got $100 left in my wallet for the rest of the month but I'm going to try to stay well under that.

With all the grocery shopping that happened in June and my upcoming eye surgery and then the trip to NC with eldest son and the ensuing packing and moving him we are doing in July I won't have a lot of time or energy to food shop next month.  We will go into July having spent a ton on food and I am hoping we can get through most of it without laying out much cash then for groceries.  July will be the "eating it all down" month here.
 

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 that week?

Any great deals on food at your stores this week? 

Sluggy

Well I Lied & Other Randomness

*  I went out to Ollie's(Good Stuff Cheap!) yesterday for a mop but I didn't come home with one.

If I buy a mop I like to buy refills(sponge heads)that fit it.   Though they had some cheap mops, there were no refill heads and I won't buy a mop when I don't know where I can replacement heads for it.
I guess I'll continue to be the Queen of "spray the floor and use a rag/paper towel with my foot to clean" for awhile longer. 8-)

I did however, at Ollie's, buy FOUR books, a bath rug and a few food products(hummus dip/corn oil/dried refried bean mix/grated cheese shaker).  The food was $7.44 to add to my grocery spending.

Then I stopped at the Shursave grocery for a couple of things.....

1 x Flounder fillets on sale=$3.99
3 x mushrooms on sale=$5.00
6 x roma tomatoes=$2.26
Total.....$11.23

I used my last $10 store scrip from a deal I did in May so $1.23 OOP for this transaction.

I didn't go in for the mushrooms or fish but it was a good price so I snatched it up.
I went for slicing(sandwich)tomatoes but they all looked anemic so I got these roma ones instead.  Romas are known for being meaty with less seeds and goop so that suited my purpose for sammiches.

So another $8.67 bringing my weekly grocery spending this week to $56.78.  Just over 1 more week to go in June for shopping and I've spent $423.74 on food/toiletries.

*  I pulled a chunk of smoked brisket out of the freezer and dumped it into the crockpot yesterday, added a little barbecue sauce near the end and we had pulled beef bbq sandwiches with leftover cole slaw from the other night when I made flounder.
I also put that big pack of chicken leg quarters I got earlier in the week for .50¢ a lb. on the smoker yesterday late afternoon after I applied a dry rub and barbecued up those suckers.  Hubs doesn't know what he wants to do this weekend yet as the weather forecast keeps changing so if he wants to cook-out at some point all I need to do is heat those legs up on the grill and slap on some sauce and then worry about scrounging up some side dishes.

*  There is also 6 bags of mulch sitting on the front porch so if the rain holds off we'll hold Mulchfest 2015 sometime this weekend.  Come on over!

*  I am up to 46 miles on the bike so far this month with another 11 days to go.  Not bad considering I didn't bike 2 days out of the month to this point.  That's almost 2.5 miles a day average.  I'll reach my goal of 50 miles easy this month and will up the goal for July.

*  One of the books I got the other day is called "The 5 Years Before You Retire" which I have already finished.  While I get the premise, if you wait until 5 years before you retire to do ANY saving/planning for your retirement, man, are you screwed! lolz

There is a lot of helpful information in here, especially about Medicare and Social Security that is hard to find in a digestible way in any one place.  It's a good book to refer to as you wind down toward retirement.
Being a "worrier" about all things financial, parts of this scared the hell out of me(the SS and Medicare/Health stuff). 8-O

*  The weather here has been cooler than the last couple of weeks, more in line with June weather in these parts.  Cooler being in the 70's/80's as opposed to the high 80's/90's.  I'll take 70's any day over the latter.

*  My doctor's office pissed me off this week.
I had an appointment(routine semi-annual)on Thursday at 9am.  I get a phone message at 5:45pm on Wednesday from the office that they have to cancel/change my appointment and to call them back.
So I call them right back within 5 minutes and get the "the office is closed" message and you can't leave a message. grrrr

So I don't know whether I still have an appointment and now I still have to get up at the crack of dawn anyway to call them back in the morning.  The office opens at 8am so I start calling then and no one is answering the phones, they still have the "office is closed" message going.

It isn't until 8:30 when they actually start answering my calls!  So I get rescheduled for this coming Wednesday and she passes the buck as to who is too blame for this crap AND I don't even get an apology(even a half-hearted one).  I'll bring this up at my appointment with the doctor but I am sure he won't care either.  I want to know who the hell screwed up dammit!  And I want them to grovel.....  ;-)

*  Ok, I am off to take some giveaway box photos(new giveaway coming up soon!), finish putting the decluttering into bags so it can get hauled to Salvation Army and jump on that exercise bike for awhile.

What are you up to this weekend?

Sluggy