What's Been Going on at Chez Sluggy Lately

I'm trying my best to get back into a blogging groove since I am back from our latest adventure/trip/vacation but it's been difficult.

Feeling like crap with what is now a head cold doesn't help matters any.
Hubs was so nice to share the virus he picked up in Maine with me....what a guy, right? ;-)
He is better but whatever he gave me I just can't seem to shake.
bleh.

I still have hundreds of photos to edit from the trip.

Interesting story about my camera though, speaking of photos.

The camera died 9 days or so before we left for Maine.
Thinking it might just be the battery that died I ordered one online but I paid for the "expedited" 2-3 day shipping which was $5 more to ensure that the battery would arrive here before we left on the trip.

Well, by Friday morning, the day before we left, said battery had still not arrived......if should have arrived Tuesday at the latest if they had truly sent it an expedited rate.

Friday morning I said screw it and went to Best Buy to buy another of my same camera and an extra Canon brand battery.
My thinking was, open and try to battery first, and if that was the camera issue, I could return the new camera when we returned and I'd only be out $50 for a battery replacement.
But if the battery wasn't the issue I'd need to open/use the new camera and be out $275+ for both the camera and an extra battery.

So I got a new camera and extra battery on Friday and came home to find.....and you know what I am going to say here.....the online ordered battery had showed up in Friday's mail.
Ack!

First off FIRST CLASS MAIL is NOT Expedited!
They sent the package the cheapest rate they could and charged me Priority mail rates.

They charged me $8.99 to mail this and actually spent $2.45 for postage.
So I shot off an email and reamed them a new one.

On Monday while checking emails in the motel room I saw that they had refunded the $5 extra I paid for expedited service.
Satisfaction but still a big old hassle to have to deal with.

I opened the online bought battery and indeed my camera sprung back to life so the battery replacement was the cheapest fix for the problem.  I did take the Canon $50 battery with us on the trip just in case this online bought generic battery crapped out, but thankfully I didn't have to open the package and use it.

So when we got back Hubs took the unused camera and extra battery back to Best Buy and that was $275+ less to pay on the August c/c statement.

I took a shot of the garden before we left........

These were the largest tomatoes we had as of 29 July.  They were slightly larger than the size of a golf ball on that date.
As of today we have some "tennis ball" sized tomatoes out in the garden.  Seems it didn't rain here while we were gone and nobody thought to water the plants.
I'd show you a shot of them today but it's currently pouring down rain thankfully.

I also baked a blueberry coffee cake with lemon buttercream frosting the day before we left for Maine.

Hubs dearly loves blueberries and Weis(PMITA)Markets had a BOGO deal on pints of berries that week so I make a cake.

Of course Hubs didn't eat any of it before we left(I snuck a small square that evening)but the kids sure enjoyed the heck out of it while we were gone.

I think the dog was more upset about us going on a trip than the kids were.......

Between hacking up a lung I am trying to get back into my blogging routine, editing photos from the trip, putting stuff away, doing laundry and keeping the dog hair in the house down to a low roar.

And I'm trying to come up with new ways to use Zucchini since we have 2 in the fridge right now that need using.
I'll tempura some and then make a zuke casserole.  That should take care of what's on hand at the moment.  I'm scared to even look under the zucchini plants in the garden and see more coming. lolz

Ok, that's about all I got for today.  Off to the grocery store to get some deals and the farm stand for some "real" tomatoes.  I have been craving a real tomato the whole time we were gone.

What have you been up to lately?

Sluggy

This Week on the Dining Table

It's the "I Brought a Head Cold Back to PA" Edition.............

I feel too bad to crop/edit photos right now so no pictures now.  Feel lucky I am even writing what I did. lolz

Moving on......

Onward to the meal planning!

Here's what was planned last week--

1. Sunday--Pizza(home made with Boboli crusts)
2. Monday--Kielbasa on Rolls, Onions, Veg.
3. Tuesday--Tuna Noodle Casserole
4. Wednesday--Salsa Verde Carne Burritos
5. Thursday--Leftovers
6. Friday--Beef Pie
7. Saturday--Take-Out of some kind

And this is what actually happened--

1. Sunday--Homemade Pizzas
2. Monday--Italian Chicken and Pastaroni
3. Tuesday--Chicken Burritos
4. Wednesday--Leftovers
5. Thursday--Burgers on Rolls, Fries
6. Friday--Leftovers
7. Saturday--Take-Out Pizza

6 meals cooked at home, 2 of them nights of leftovers and 1 night of Take-Out.

As for the grocery spending..... I left Daughter $75 in cash for groceries and she spent $68.70($45.29 on groceries and $29.71 on Take-Out).


Leftovers going into this week........

Here is this week's "food plan".

1. Sunday--Leftover Pizza(We weren't home yet.)
2. Monday--Glazed Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, Caesar Salad(Daughter cooked.)
3. Tuesday--TV Dinners(I'm sick, I need easy.)
4. Wednesday--Beef Pie
5. Thursday--BBQ Ribs, Sliced Tomatoes, Baked Beans
6. Friday--Leftovers
7. Saturday--Tempura Shrimp and Zucchini

This week will see 5 new meals cooked(well 4 really since the pot pies are premade) and 0 nights of  Take-Out and 2 nights of Leftovers.

What we need to buy for this menu.....ribs and tomatoes(REAL tomatoes).

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?

Any great deals on food at your stores this week?

Sluggy

My Postcard From Maine

Having a good time here in Maine, wish y'all were here.............

Saw some sights but stayed out of the high touristy areas.......

Ate some(aka lots of!)seafood.......

But not this one...............

 Did some shopping............

Then some shit happened..........

And now I feel like this liquor...................

Even with scenery like this, I am ready to go home now.

Sluggy

July To-Do List.....Update

Here's the update on my June To-Do List.  I post a To-Do list on the side bar of my blog's homepage every month.
Let's see how ol' Sluggy did this month on her list, shall we? ;-)

* Pay Bills  DONE  
Everything got paid and on time, as per usual.

* Bike Something DONE
Well it was something.  The bike finally got set-up and I biked 5.2 miles for July.  I wasn't home for a 10 days so 5.2 miles in 21 days isn't so good.  I've got to get back into it in August.

* Declutter DONE
I kept at it in July.

* 1 Load to Salvation Army DONE

* Read 1 Book DONE
Finally got June's book finished.  And I am halfway through another book.

* Weed Garden and Flower Beds  DONE  And we picked our first veggie in July........

And here are our "largest" tomtoes so far.................

* 1 Doc Appointment DONE

* Replace Ceiling Fan/Light in Kitchen DONE

 Ta Dah!

* Clean Out Shed FAIL
Waiting on Hubs to do this.

* Short Trip to Virginia  DONE
We went for 7 days.  I'll do a full report on this when I get home from Maine.

* Plan Trip to Maine  DONE
Planned(sort of half-assed tho)and we are there now.

* Sew Something  FAIL
Nope didn't have the urge to sew in July.

Only 1 item I didn't get to at all and 1 item Hubs didn't do.

On ward and upward to August!

How did you do with your To-Do list for July?

Sluggy

State of the Freezer & Pantry...End of July Update

Taking a page out of "Anne in the Kitchen"'s book, I decided to track what we used up from the freezer and pantry in July on dinners.

I also tried to track what we added to both in July.

What was Used.....

FREEZER

* 4 packages of Chicken Thighs
* 2 packages Salmon
* 2 bags of Brussels Sprouts
* 1/2 bag Breaded Fish
* 3 packages Hamburger Patties
* 2 packages Hot Dogs
* 4 lb. Chicken Breasts
* 3 Pork Roasts
* 1 lb. Ground Beef
* 1 lb. Ground Turkey
* 3 lb. Bacon
* 1 lb. rolled Sausage
* 1 bag Sugar Snap Peas
* 2 Corned Beefs
* 1 bag Shrimp
* 4 lb. Ground Beef


PANTRY STAPLES

* 2/3 Corn Tortillas
* 3 cases of Water
* 1 package Spanish Rice mix
* 1 boxes Spaghetti
* 1 boxe Elbow Macaroni
* 1 lb. Yellow-Eyed Beans
* 1 jar Spaghetti Sauce
* 1 jar Mayo
* 1 bottle Ketchup
* 1 box spicy Mac and Cheese
* 1 small can Tomato Paste
* 1 can Bread Crumbs
* 2 boxes Penne Pasta
* 1 can diced Tomatoes
* 1 can Green Chiles
* 1 jar Sauerkraut
* 1/2 box Rice
* 1 can Chunky Tomatoes
* 2 bottles Salad Dressing
* 1 box Linguine
* 1 box Taco Shells



And here is what went into the Freezer and Pantry in July.....

ADDED to FREEZER in JULY

* 2 packages of Hot Dogs
* 3 packages Hamburger Patties
* 2 packages Chicken Cutlets
* 1 packages Ice Cream
* 30 Breakfast Sandwiches
* 2 lbs. Ground Beef
* 2 bags of Shrimp
* 10 lbs. Chicken Breasts
* 4 packages of Bacon
* 4 rolls of Sausage
* 5 Pot Pies
* 6 boxes Breakfast Hot Pockets
* 2 lbs. Catfish
* 3 lbs. Bacon
* 3 lbs. Ground Beef
* 1 lb. Ground Turkey
* 2 lbs. Ground Beef

ADDED to PANTRY in JULY

* Corn Tortillas
* 2 bags of Coffee
* 4 cases of Water
* 2 cans Tomato Soup
* 6 boxes of Crackers
* 3 boxes Popcorn
* 2 bottles BBQ Sauce
* 1 bottle Ketchup
* 1 bottle of Mustard
* 2 bottles Marinade
* 3 bags of Nuts
* 2 boxes Manicotti Shells
* 3 boxes Pasta
* 3 boxes Cereal
* 1 jar of Mayo
* 2 cans Chili
* 2 packages flour Tortillas
* 1 jar Sauerkraut
* 2 Worcestershire Sauce
* 1 jar Mushrooms
* 1 box Instant Potatoes
* 2 bottles grape Jelly
* 1 box Hibiscus Tea
* 2 boxes Tea Bags
* 4 cans Corn
* 2 cans Tuna


A bit more was added to both than was used up in July.
I suspect that when we get home from Maine both pantry and freezer will be eaten down a bit as I suspect Daughter won't have bought anything unless it was needed.



Sluggy