This Week on the Dining Table

The "Would You Eat These?" Edition.......

Before we left PA in December on the Xmas time trip, we stopped at Ocean State Job Lot because I still had a $50 gift card from a past Christmas present from Hubs I needed to spend for that store.  I saw these potato chips, "Mackie's of Scotland Turkey & Stuffing flavored crisps".  Obviously made for the American market as turkey & stuffing isn't very Scottish. ;-)  This company was taken over by Taylor's but their crisps are still being made.  I see they make a Haggis flavored crisp version.  I would have liked to have tried that one.

What about you?  Would you eat a turkey & stuffing flavored potato crisp/chip?

This is day 253 of the new "way of eating".  Down 59 lbs. since the cruise(not counting the 8 I gained on the cruise and then lost again, which would make it 67 lbs.).  

Not actively trying to lose right now, just maintaining.  I plan on kicking the weight loss up again in March. ;-)

Onward to the meal planning!

This is what was planned for last week...........

1. Sunday--Leftover Kielbasi, Strawberries

2. Monday--Chicken Parm Buitoni Ravioli w/Sauce, Salad or Veggie TBD

3. Tuesday--TV Dinners(I'm having injections in my back so something easy)

4  Wednesday--Maybe Soup if it's still raining and raw here

5. Thursday--Beef Pie

6.  Friday--Leftover Roast Chicken, Stuffing, Broccoli

7. Saturday--Liver and Onions, Gravy, Mashed Taters, Sautéed Cabbage or Harvard Beets

And here's what actually happened......

1. Sunday--Leftover Kielbasi, Strawberries

2. Monday--Chicken Parm Buitoni Ravioli w/Sauce, California Mix Veggies

3. Tuesday--a "linner" of Zaxby's Asian Salad

4  Wednesday--Leftovers(me Chicken Sandwich lunch, Strawberries for Dinner)

5. Thursday--Beef Pie

6.  Friday--I had Hummus and Crackers, Hubs had tv Dinner

7. Saturday--Lean Cuisine, Caesar Salad

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

* Chicken Parm Ravioli

*  a bag of California Mix Veggies

*  Ground Beef

*  Liver

*  2 TV Dinners

What got put into the freezer last week....

*  1 lb. Salmon

*  6 lb. Ground Beef

*  1 Frozen Pizza

*  1 bag of Chicken Tenders

*  1 bag of Fish

*  5 Lean Cuisine TV Dinners

Last week we spent $252.64 on grocery shopping for February. 

Total shopping comes to $640.77 for February.   

There are 10 shopping days left in February.  

Rebate monies earned this month so far.....

I've earned $125.24 on Ibotta in February.

I've earned $50.00 on Shopmium in February.

I've earned $49.00 on Alexa app in February.

I've earned $4.00 on Kroger Cash Back in February.

I've earned $13.29 on TaDa in February.

I've earned $0 on Checkout51 in February.

I've earned $3.88 on Aisle.

I've earned 11,435 points on Fetch from food shopping in February.

I've earned 5,335 points from food shopping on Shop Kick in February

I've earned 0 SB from food shopping on Swag Bucks in February.

That is $192.41 in rebates(not counting the Kroger Cash Back/Shop Kick/Fetch/Alexa)on $640.77 of grocery spending so in reality it's $448.36 in food spending after the 4 rebate apps I count(the ones that give me cash back, not the ones that I turn the points into gift cards, or Alexa that gives me Amazon credit, and count when those points are cashed in).

Just Wow!  Inflation is so NOT under control folks!  So much money spent on food, etc.  Even with using rebate apps/discounts/coupons.  Granted I did some shopping this week with a big donation to a local church's food bank(they take toiletries too like the one back in PA that I use to donate to)but everything I bought for that was either free or bought for pennies on the dollar.

My savings percentage for the last week was 60.82%(great % for the week!)and the monthly savings total for February comes in at 49.20% spent so far.  Almost 50% saved over regular retail prices is a wonderful thing. 8-)

Leftovers going into this week....Rigatoni with Sauce, Beef Pie, Ravioli, Roast Chicken, Garlic Bread.

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

1. Sunday--Ravioli, Green Beans, Garlic Bread

2. Monday--leftover Rigatoni(me), Chicken Enchiladas(Hubs)

3. Tuesday--Chicken Strips, Teriyaki Green Beans

4  Wednesday--leftover Beef Pie

5. Thursday--Chicken Casserole or Fish and Cole Slaw

6.  Friday--Chicken Casserole or Fish and Cole Slaw

7. Saturday--Cheese Burgers(bun optional), Carrots?

I'll use some of the leftover Roast Chicken to make the filling for Enchiladas and the rest of the Chicken will go into a Casserole(maybe). ;-)

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 deals on food at your stores this week?  

Sluggy    

Ben Shapiro Podcast About the Biden Press Conference Debacle

 Seriously, do we want this guy as POTUS for another 4 years?

Sluggy

Frugal Friday.....the February 16th Edition

There are a few Frugal wins this past week so here goes....

*  We had a visitor, again!

Mr./Mrs. Snowy Egret came back yet again since we've had more buckets full of rain here.

*  As for saving money last week at the grocery stores, here are the best deals--

CVS gave me more free money so we wandered in and came out with this lot.........

2 bottles of Hydrogen Peroxide(had a $4 off/2 first aid items Q)and 2 boxes of Special K cereal for Hubs that were BOGO.  After all my free money script I paid $1.35 OOP for all.

I also earned .70¢ back on Ibotta for the cereal so actually .65¢ OOP and that was all LA tax.

Then it was onward to Kroger.......

The sugary cereal was for a donation item and after sale and rebate cost .17¢ per box, the pizza was dinner that night and cost $2.99 after sale and rebate, the fruit splash Ginger Ale was part of a Buy 2 x 12 packs/Get 3 x 12 packs free(making that one .99¢ after the $3 rebate), the Reese's cups were .25¢ each after sale and rebate, the Siete potato chips were .99¢ after sale and rebate, the Granola bars were $1.49 each after sale and rebate and the Cascadian Farms granola were $1.99 per bag after sale and rebate(cheaper than I could make them or buy the private label stuff).

The zero sugar Body Armor drink was .99¢ after coupon, the Crest toothpastes, which were on clearance, were free after various digital Qs, the sponges were also on clearance and the Astepro sinus spray was on clearance for $6.30 and had a Kroger Q for $4 off of it so $2.30 OOP

I also found 2 x 4 packs of Chobani flips for .99¢ on clearance.  I had a $1/2 4 packs Chobani peelie Q so one was free and the other one was .98¢.

*  I used a Zaxby's gift card when I was out shopping to get a chicken sandwich and redeem my Free Chicken fingers offer.  Had those on various days for lunches during the week.  Then on Tuesday after my back injections we picked up Zaxby's for "linner"....I got an Asian Zalad and Hubs got a sandwich meal.  That gift card is depleted now.

*  Zaxby's had a gift card deal the 3 days around Valentine's Day so I bought a $30 gift card and got $5 off that.  I also bought a $150 Lowe's gift card at Dollar General last Friday and got 10% off that.  We can always use a home improvement store gift card living here.

*  Had an eye dr. appointment on Thursday.  Found out a membrane is growing under my new lense after my cataract surgery.  This needs zapping with a laser which was scheduled for 2 weeks from now and Medicare covers it. yay.  More doctor stuff....

*  I found Money!

Nope, skunked again.  I did find a paper clip in the waiting room at the Painful Doctor's office for Hubs who loves him some paper clips and rubber bands. ;-)

Total Found in last Week.... .0¢
Grand Total Found this Year.......$1.16

That's all I got.  

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

Sluggy   

Blah, Blah, Blah

 Ok folks, I got nothing today.

What is everyone out there up to today?  
I've got an exciting eye doctor appointment and then I get to inject myself with Humira tonight.  

Oh yeah, and Anne and I are still waiting for KIM to call us.  Good thing neither of us was holding our breath.  We know better. lolz

Fun times.....

Sluggy

What's Going On Around Here

Evelyn the Snowy Egret returned on Monday.  You Tube keeps making these "Shorts" so I can't embed them into my posts so copy and paste the link to see my shaky video of Evelyn.

https://youtube.com/shorts/pVvpv_YSy4Y?si=gaynAAWVGLJ3Qg35

These bird visits make me smile.

What didn't make me smile was another round of test injections in my lower back on Tuesday.
This round was not as bad as round #1.  They keep the rooms there as cold as a freezer so wearing a hospital gown for this is no fun that.
The first time I had no clue what the doc was actually going to do.  I had to use a step stool(ACK!!!)to get onto the table/bed, laying on my stomach.  Then the nurse/assistant washed my back down with an iodine solution that made the frigid air even colder.

The doctor came in and said, "ok, we're doing to numb the area" and proceeded to inject "numbing" stuff into my back....three shots on either side of my spine.  Man, that was rough! They really need to numb you some other way so you can stand the numbing shots. lol

I had to perform some deep controlled breathing so as not to jump up and run from the room.  After those six shots, I thought I was done and started to relax, not knowing that all six of those were just "numbing" shots and not the actual injecting of the medicine.  Then the doc said, "Ok, now I'm going to do the injections.  WTF!?!?!

I don't think they wait long enough after the "numbing" shots to inject you because it was even worse than the numbing shots, except these injection shots were even more painful!
And there were a total of EIGHT injections/pokes(4 on each side of your spine).  Not only were they painful but there was pressure to them into my back.

When that ordeal was done, they slapped what could pass for a maxi pad on my back and sent me off to sit in the cubicle to shiver more, before getting dressed and walking out to the car.

Here's the wad of gauze after removing it that evening before going to bed after the first round of injections on 1/30.  To say I felt like a pin cushion that day(14 sticks!)and bled like a stuck pig would be an understatement.
Hubs drove me home and as I stepped into the house I got dizzy and fell into the open door, tipping over to my left.  I spent the rest of the day in bed and had to use the old walker from my TKR(which luckily we didn't get rid of)whenever I had to get up and walk anywhere in the house.

I also had to keep a "Pain Diary" for the rest of the day after this procedure.  As I had taken a Valium(the only med I've found that knocks my back pain down to where I can function since a middle of the night ER visit in 2018)that morning, when they asked me what my "Baseline Pain Score" was, I said a 3.  If I hadn't taken the Valium before going to this appointment that day it would have been a 5.  And they also offer everyone getting injections a Valium before the injection session.

So if you take Valium for this back pain, how do they know what your baseline pain really is?  They should advise you NOT to take anything before the appointment so the Baseline that is reported is accurate.  When they called the next day to get my scores I let them know the Baseline Pain Score was NOT accurate due to taking a Valium and advised that had I not taken a pill my Baseline would have been a 5.

So yesterday was Round #2 of test injections.  But knowing what I was in for in terms of pain, I did not take a Valium that morning.  Doing so, thought it was the proper thing to do so as to not skew my pain levels, filled me with fear and loathing, because I now knew what lay before me.

Surprisingly, though I was full of dread, this round of 14 shots didn't seem as bad, as I wasn't going into this with no knowledge of what lay ahead.  Baseline Pain Score was 6 when I arrived to freeze my ass off in the cubicle in that thin hospital gown as I prepped for the procedure and I turned down their offer of a Valium.  The injections didn't seem as bad(forewarned is forearmed), I didn't bleed as much and I wasn't dizzy this go round afterwards.  But you know as soon as 10pm came around last night and I was done with the hourly reporting of my pain level I popped my Valium before going to bed. ;-)

So I am now waiting for the phone call from the doc's office to tell them my scores and hopefully schedule the RFA or Radiofrequency Ablation of my Nerve Endings.  The explanation of this procedure is thus--

• "The process of burning nerve endings to relieve pain includes numbing the affected area with a local anaesthetic, inserting a hollow introducer needle and passing a heating wire through the needle to position the wire near the nerve endings causing chronic pain, explains Spine-health. The tip of the wire or catheter is heated, and as the heat thickens collagen fibers, the nerves are burned."
• More on this procedure HERE if interested.  
  Of course the nerves may and usually do grow back so this procedure has to be done again at some interval, depending on the patient's body's response.

It's so much fun being me lately. 

Sluggy