Our Trip to Maine 2016.......Part 7

Part 1 of our Maine trip is HERE.
Part 2 of our Maine trip is HERE.

Part 3 of our Maine trip is HERE.

Part 4 of our Maine trip is HERE.

Part 5 of our Maine trip is HERE.

Part 6 of our Maine trip is HERE.

On our last full day in Maine before heading home we decided to have an unplanned adventure.
Well unplanned until I saw something about an event that day on the internet back in our hotel room.

We hit the interstate and drove North and then West.......

These folks had quite a long haul yet to get home to Nova Scotia

Passing something unusual on the interstate.....a Coast guard vessel......

The sky was beautiful that day.  45 minutes later we were in Skowhegan Maine.

Skowhegan was holding the end of their RiverFest that day!  Information on it HERE.
We stopped for gas and then Hubs dropped me off downtown and he hunted for a parking spot.
While waiting on him I saw these ginormous sculptures by a local artist Bernard Langlais.

The Skowhegan Indian is noted in Roadside America as being the tallest Native American statue in America.

He was created by Langlais, who attended the local artist school in Old Town ME, in 1969 for the 150th Anniversary of the the state of Maine.(Technically 1970 was 150 years since Maine gained statehood and separated from Massachusetts but let's not quibble.)
That's not some sort of scaffolding in front of him, it's a replica of a trap the Abnaki Indians used for fishing.

An art installation/child's playground also created by Langlais(though they don't want kids climbing on this any longer).

Hubs showed up and we wandered into the area cordoned off for the Fest.
The local fired department had a big engine there and were letting the little kids shoot the fire hose!!

A little further in there was someone leading dancing........


Another turn down to the left and there was a farmer's market set up........

Too bad we weren't going home that day(and didn't bring a cooler)or I'd have picked up some lovely looking veggies!

                                     
There was even a company selling soups and things made with maine products.
Cream of Fiddlehead soup anyone?!?

Hey!  There's another Langlais scuplture called "Seated Woman".

Sluggy posing for a photo by the Skowhegan poster.
Hubs got a Riverfest t-shirt there.

There was a large tented area with vendors.  We browsed but there was nothing calling my name.

I did however find some things to buy, all food related.
Some Marfax beans which are native to Maine since the Great Depression when the federal government sent some up to grow in the poverty stricken area of Washington County, ME.

I also bought these sauces from the folks of Silverton Sporting Ranch in Canaan, ME.  Besides having a guest ranch and a guide service they find the time to bottle and sell barbecue-like sauces.
We tasted and bought Apple Rum, Cherry Habanero and Honey Bourbon.

After we'd seen all there was to see at the Riverfest that day we got back on the local roads to head back to the interstate we stopped at this park along the Kennebec River.

The plaque talked about the history of the area/the river.

Nice scenery along the river.

I was surprised to not see any kayakers or boaters out on the water as it was a perfect day for that.

Benedict Arnold came through here on the way to surprise British forces in Quebec City in 1775.  That didn't end too well for our side. lolz

Hubs wanted to go to this brew pub so we headed back up to Bangor.

Geaghan Brothers Brewing and Restaurant.

They also bottle of their offerings and Hubs had picked up the Smiling Irish Bastard variety in the Topsham liquor store.

Hubs got a flight and I got their Roundhouse Porter and we had an early dinner there.  The food must have been "eh" since I can't for the life of me remember what I ate. lolz

After dinner we headed back to the motel in Augusta passing one of the ubiquitous signs of this area......

Never have seen a moose yet in Maine.

We took the interstate South to Portsmouth NH then took Rte. 202 West to Concord and then Rte. 2 across NH.

 An interesting street name in the backwoods of NH.

 Hubs wanted to stop at one of the breweries along this route in NH but we were too early so we stopped at a convenience stop with a sign touting that they had a large selection of NH craft bears.

 Well this one certainly wasn't from New Hampshire but rather Sweden.....lol

Oskar Blues Priscilla White Wit Wheat(try saying that 10 times fast)........NH by way of CO.
I can't see this beer can without thinking this......



Hubs did find a few NH brews....Henniker and Out.Haus Ales.
The world of craft beers love a good laugh and I love the labels for Out.Haus brewing......

Yep, that's an outhouse on the label. lolz

Back on the road and we stopped in Keene for lunch.  This building use to be a Red Lobster back in the 1990's when the kids and I stopped here for lunch once.  Then it was turned into a Ninety Nine restaurant but lo and behold it was now a sub shop........

Yep, the same chain that Daughter worked for in Wilkes-Barre briefly that she lovingly referred to as "a shit show".
The subs were 'meh' but I brought her home a card in case she wanted to get a job there again. lolz

We stopped in NY at a rest stop near Fishkill that had this historic marker.
Some day we need to see the Van Wyck Homestead/Museum there.

The usual interstate traffic in August but us back home around dinner time.

Besides the beer Hubs bought and some t-shirts for the kids, the sauces in Skowhegan, the goodies at Ocean State Job Lot and Reny's, plus some metal grilling skewers I found at that Goodwill we hit in Maine, here is the bulk of my "other" souvenirs.........

The tea bags, cereal boxes and granola bars from the breakfast at the hotel in Augusta.  Staying there 5 days gave me quite the haul! lolz

Thus ended our little trip to Maine in August of 2016.
Didn't take me long to get this written up or anything now, did it? ;-)

Sluggy

Outside the Box Grocery Shopping

On Saturday Hubs and I made a short trip to a town west of us.  It was a beautiful day finally(not too cold, not too hot and no SNOW!lol)so we made a trip of it running errands.

We hit a nice greenhouse/nursery and I picked out a flat of plants(plus one tiny Oregano plant)......

$16.95 for a full flat(plus $1 for the oregano plant)for mostly plants you can't get at big chain stores.
Well not the marigolds, petunias and basil, but the Japanese(Ichiban)eggplant and varieties of tomatoes like Black Krim, a Mountain Pride variety(good for our location), San Marzano Redourta and Amish Paste(like a Roma).  Just being in that place had me wanting to expand the garden here. 8-)

But for now, I've got this little strip of dirt plus two half barrels to plant in(besides the few veggies I sneak into the front flower bed).  Here's the tomato plants with marigolds to keep them happy and ward off bugs. 8-)

Then we hit Rite-Aid to see what I could glean there since we drove right past it. I posted what I got there already.

After that we drove to the other end of the town to hit the Grocery Outlet.  It's run by an Amish family(they have three locations now)and it's a great place to find bargains!  They buy overstocks, discontinued, items that didn't do well at reg. retail outlets and items coming to the sell by dates.  The prices can be insanely cheap or a little under what you'd paid at the grocery store.  They have been known to carry all national brands plus many store brands.  And you just never know what you'll find!

We dropped $97.25 at this store and came home with all this........

2 x Glory red beans .50¢
2 x Panko crumbs .50¢
6 x OEP green chiles .50¢
2 x DD Cold Brew pods $1.99
2 x Kingsford BBQ sauce .50¢
2 x canned olives .99¢
2 x DelMonte mandarin orange cups .99¢
1 x ground Cumin  .95¢
4 x Fillip Berio olive oil .99¢
6 x DelMonte creamed corn 3/$1
1 x Vlassic pickles $2.99
3 x 5pack Kraft mac/cheese $2.49
2 x squeeze limes .49¢
1 x Sweet Baby Ray's mustard sauce $1.29
1 x Chips Ahoy! cinnamon cookies $1.49
1 x Red Hots siracha sauce .79¢
2 x OSpray organic cranberry juice .79¢
1 x soy sauce .99¢
2 x Almond Breeze milk $1.49
2 x Lipton chai tea bags .99¢
5 x Powerade drinks .89¢(CB drank one before I took the photo)
1 x Melba toast crackers .79¢
1 x 12 pack hot dog rolls $1.99
2 x case of H2O $1.99

And all this that I didn't take a photo of, mostly frozen and refrigerated foodstuffs.....
1 x 12 pack local cream soda $2.99
2 x bags Tyson chicken strips $3.99
2 x Catfish nuggets $1.49 lb.(3.25 lbs.)
2 x rolls Farmland bkfast sausage $1.49
2 x boxes Waffle bkfast sandwiches .79¢
1 x Birdseye garlic cauliflower .99¢
1 x 2 lb. bag frozen cauliflower $1.99
1 x Lebanon bologna pack $2.49
1 x JMartin red pepper cream cheese $2.99 *
1 x Cantaloupe $1.50
1 x quart Strawberries $1.00
1 x Celery .89¢
4 x Lemons .25¢
1 x Icebery Lettuce .99¢
1 x Tomatoes(1 lb.) .90¢
1 x seedless Grapes $2.25 (.99¢ lb.)
1 x Bananas $1.08 (.42¢ lb.)
2 x dozen Eggs $1.39

I figure even with sale prices on some of this stuff it's over $225 buying it in town at one of our grocery stores.  That Ocean Spray organic 100% juice goes for $3.99 around here so for .79¢, I'll buy it!  .50¢ for panko, bbq sauce  or seasoned red beans?  .33¢ a can for corn or .99¢ for a box of expensive Lipton tea bags?  I'm in!
We don't travel there often but when we do, I take a cooler and stock up.  ;-)

Then I let Hubs drink a bit since we were in that town.........

Then it was home to let Chester out and for me to figure out where to put all those groceries! lolz

Do you ever buy groceries at restaurant supply houses or salvage grocery outlets?
What sources other than regular grocery stores have you found?


Sluggy

This Week on the Dining Table

The "It's Back!!" Edition--

Remember the ear infection that I had not once but twice this past Winter?
Well it's back! Ugh.
Another trip to urgent care last Thursday and a stronger antibiotic later and let's hope this is the last we hear of it.
bleh.
I have never gotten ear infections before so the PA says if it comes back I need to go see an ENT specialist. Please pray I don't need to do that.

That's a photo of my eye and has nothing to do with an ear infection obviously.
I just thought "eye'd" post it and freak y'all out. lolz

I do have weird eyes, in that, depending on the light they can appear anywhere from hazel to green to bluish green.  I chalk it up to all those "Northern European whitest white woman on the planet" genes in me. I'm just special that way I guess. ;-)

Moving On....

Onward to the meal planning!

This is what was planned--

1. Sunday--Breakfast for Dinner

2. Monday--Pot Roast Sandwiches, Spinach Soufflé

3. Tuesday--Leftovers or FFY(Hubs and I have date lunch out)

4. Wednesday--Chicken Enchiladas, rice, beans

5. Thursday--Leftovers

6. Friday--Fish, Onion rings, Cole slaw, Green beans

7. Saturday--?

And this is what actually happened--

1. Sunday--Breakfast for Dinner

2. Monday--Pot Roast Sandwiches, Spinach Soufflé

3. Tuesday--FFY(Hubs and I have date lunch out)

4. Wednesday--Chinese Take-Out

5. Thursday--Chicken Enchiladas, rice

6. Friday--Shrimp Tempura, Onion rings, Cole Slaw, Green beans

7. Saturday--Stromboli(using gift cert.)

Last week saw 4 nights of home cooked dinners, 1 nights of leftovers/fend for yourself, 2 nights of Take-Out or Eating Out.  Fish didn't happen again because I wanted to use up some shrimp in the freezer instead.  Most everything else happened as planned.
I used up the leftover pot roast from the previous week making sandwiches.  I stretched my Chinese take-out meal into 3 meals(1 dinner and 2 lunches)over the course of Wed., Thurs. and Fri.
We used a long ago received gift certificate to an Italian place that is on the way to a town we visited on Saturday, so easy to call ahead to order some stromboli and pick it up on the way home and get that gift certificate used.

4 small grocery trips to Weis, 1 trip to Ollie's, 1 trip to the Bread Outlet and 1 smal trip to Shursave market brought the shopping to $97.87 for the week and brought May's food spending total to $97.87. (I forgot to include the Bread Outlet trip on my Frugal Friday last week-though I did include the cost in the week's food spending-so I'll put it on this coming Friday's list.)  

I've got $302.13 left in the food budget for May and 24 days left in my shopping month. 

My savings percentages last week was 52.28% and May's monthly savings total so far is at 52.28%.

Leftovers going into this week.......baked rigatoni dish(hubs didn't finish it for lunches yet), chicken enchiladas, tempura shrimp, cole slaw and stromboli.

Here is this week's "food plan".....

1. Sunday--Fend For Yourself

2. Monday--Leftovers(various)

3. Tuesday--Pizza, Salad

4. Wednesday--Kielbasa on Rolls w/Onion, Brussels Sprouts

5. Thursday--more Leftovers

6. Friday--Fish, Cole Slaw, Sweet Potato Fries

7. Saturday--?

This week will see 3 new meals cooked, 3 nights of leftovers/FFY and 1 nights of ?.  Waiting on inspiration to hit me for Saturday. lolz
Not feeling like cooking this week plus I need to do a bit of cleaning this week before company arrives. 8-) Last week the enchiladas and shrimp were intense meals, meaning it took a lot of time to prep and cook them.  I make my own enchilada sauce from dried chiles and peeling and prepping all those shrimp taste a butt load of time.  The Breakfast for Dinner meal was sausage patties, eggs and homemade hash browns(which also are labor intensive).  With all the other things I have to do this week is why I am leaning toward buying frozen pizza and Weis has a deal on Newman's Own this week.

We did a big shop on Saturday(which goes on next week's shopping/spending report)and I need to hit the restaurant supply store in a few days so I don't plan any big food spending sojourns to Weis(PMITA)Markets this week(plus their ad sucks this week and next as far as my needs go).

What needs buying for this menu?  Nothing really except salad greens, cabbage and milk, unless I buy frozen pizzas if I don't feel like making my own(if I make my own I need to buy some pepperoni).

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

More Rite-Aid on Friday & Saturday

I picked up these items on Friday...........

2 x Speed Stick deodorant 20% wellness better than sale price=$5.42
4 x Suave women's deodorant on sale $1.19=$4.76
SubTotal........$10.18

2 x $2/1 Speed Stick R-A in-adQs=$4.00 so $6.18 +.45¢ tax=$6.63 OOP
Paid with Bonus Cash and I earned back $4.00 in new BC(2 x $2 wyb2 Suave items)so all this "cost" me $2.63.

Then on Saturday I hit a different R-A and found more .50¢ discount stickers on king size candy bars again.......

2 x Suave women's deodorant on sale=$2.38
2 x Suave Professionals shampoo on sale=$6.00
12 x king size candy bars on sale $1 each=$12.00
SubTotal.......$20.38

I used 2 x $1/1 Suave Professionals IPQs=$2.00 and all 12 candy bars had .50¢ instant discount stickers on them so another $6.00 off, making it $8 off.

Should have been $12.38 + .18¢ tax=$12.56 and I should have gotten back $7 back in new BCs(2 x $2 wyb2 Suave items, $3 wyb $12 candy/cereal).

Except......
I had to break this into two transactions because the register would only take 10 of the instant discount stickers per transaction(actually it will only take 10 without a manager's approval and the cashier was too lazy to get a manager to key the last two stickers in lol).

So we rang up the deodorants and the shampoo and 10 of the candy bars.
Only 2 of the Paydays rang up and 2 of the M&Ms rang up but all 10 discount stickers came off....wtf??

The cashier didn't seem to care even after I brought this problem(not for me, for the store)to her attention and she kept scanning the discounts in, so I just shut up. lolz

So $2.38 deodorants, $4.00 after Qs shampoo, and -$1 for 10 candy bars($4 for the 4 bars that rang up + $5.00 in discount stickers= -$1).
$6.38-$1 negative for the candy bars=$5.38 + .18¢ tax=$5.56 paid for with Bonus Cash.

The last 2 M&M packs got rung up afterwards and totaled $1(2 x $1-$1 in discount stickers)and that $1 was also paid for with Bonus Cash.

The downside is I only earned $4 in new BC(2 x $2 wyb2 Suave items)and didn't get the $3 for buying $12 of candy bars(I only have $6 tracking for that one).

All this lot cost me $12.19 in BC and I earned back $8 back in new BC so "cost" me $4.19 including tax.

So when we got home I went up to my R-A and found 6 more packs of candy with discount stickers on them......

6 x king size candies on sale=$6.00
6 x .50¢/1 discount stickers=$3.00

$3 paid with Bonus Cash and $3 more BC earned back.

Plans for all the candy I got this week include giving some to my brother(he's a Skittles fiend), keeping some of the Almond Joys and Paydays(my favs), giving some M&Ms to College Boy(Caramel/PB/Pretzel ones are his favs)and the rest for the Giveaway boxes.
The deodorants will find their way into giveaway boxes and the shampoo is for my family.

Bonus Cash Rewards Summary
Daughter-$31.17
Son-$60.25
Me-$57.30 and this card has $12.86 Plenti Points left which I still have to convert/roll//spend down

I really don't know how I or R-A is going to keep track of when BC expires now since they take it off in any increment, not just in the ones you earn it in.  It will be very difficult to keep up with when/what is expiring.  I will probably try to spend down rather than roll much of what I have since otherwise with the shorter expiration dates on the BC compared to PPS I'll feel like I am on a carousel and can't get off(having BC that needs to be used too quickly to keep it active means I'll have to shop more than as often as I want and have to buy things I don't actually want(well, things I can use/want but "paying" more for it than if I get it somewhere else).  Does that make any sense to anyone? lolz

Sluggy