2 Million Readers Can't Be Wrong

Looking over my blog stats on Monday, May 16st, I noticed that my page views hit 2 million sometime over the course of April.

Current Pageviews all time history      2,055,680

Now ain't that something?!?!

This here little blog began on the day before my birthday back in 2009 so that's 2 million+ views in 7 years + almost 4 months time.
Not bad for this miniscule piece of the internet I inhabit.
Who'd a thunk it?  ;-)

So a big THANK YOU! to everyone out there who comes here to cheer or jeer at me and my little life.  If I can't be an inspiration to you at least let me be a warning.  *snort*

I think Norma Desmond said it best............


Sluggy

This Week on the Dining Table

The  "42 + 42=84" Edition--

Here's my view this morning sipping my iced tea.
When I left home it was 42F degrees and foggy.  When I got to Va it was 84F degrees and sunny.
Sluggy doesn't do well in heat, especially when it's TWICE the temperature in the same day.  Gradually getting use to rising temps is fine but this?....No thanks!

Moving On....

Onward to the meal planning!

Here's what was planned last week--

1. Sunday--Pinto Beans w/Ham, Cornbread

2. Monday--Flounder, Fried Potatoes, Yellow Squash and Onions

3. Tuesday--Leftovers

4. Wednesday--Pork Chops, Garlic Mashed Taters, Stir-Fry Veggies

5. Thursday--Leftovers
6. Friday--Meatloaf, Veggie TBD
7. Saturday--maybe Chinese Take-Out

And this is what actually happened--

1. Sunday--Pinto Beans w/Ham, Cornbread

2. Monday--Leftovers(I had a can of soup)

3. Tuesday--Flounder, Fried Potatoes, Yellow Squash and Onions

4. Wednesday--Eggplant Parmesan

5. Thursday--Pork Chops, Garlic Mashed Taters, Brussels Sprouts
6. Friday--Leftovers
7. Saturday--Chinese Take-Out

Last week saw 7 nights of dinners....1 night of take-out, 2 nights of Leftovers and 4 nights of cooking new meals.  The Meatloaf meal didn't happen but I don't know if it will move to this week.

Two trips to Weis(one of which was almost all "free" as I used a gift card paid for last year)put a dent in the food budget of $35.96.   This brought my May food spending total to $79.93.  There are 16 days left in the month.

My savings percentages last week was 79.83% which brings the month's percentage to 75.84%. 

Leftovers going into this week.......3 Rolls, Taco filling, and Pizza slices.  Not much at all.

Here is this week's "food plan"....
* Denotes "complicated" meals

1. Sunday--Fend for Yourself

2. Monday--Ravioli and Sauce, Salad, Garlic Bread

3. Tuesday--Roast Chicken and Veggies

4. Wednesday--Leftover Chicken in Gnocchi Soup

5. Thursday--Leftovers or Fend for Yourself
6. Friday--Biscuits and Gravy(BFD)
7. Saturday--? or Leftovers

This week will see 4 new meals cooked, 0 night of Take-Out/Eating-Out and 3 nights of Leftovers.

What I need to buy for this menu?  Well I'm not there so I am not buying anything. lol
I think I have everything Daughter needs to make all this there already.  She's making a large batch of spaghetti sauce today with meat in it so I am sure they'll be having pasta(or at least some of them will)on the Fend For Yourself/Leftover nights.

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

Frugal Things This Past Week

*  I cashed in my coffee rain check finally!  They got the flavor College Boy prefers back in stock.

8 bags of coffee for $12 total.  The rain check was BOGO free, so I paid $5.49 for 4 bags=$21.96 and then used 4 x $2.50/2 IPQs(subtract $10), so $11.96 for 8 bags or $1.50 per bag.  We should be good on coffee until at least September/October.

*  I did the "Buy 6/Get $3 Off" Deal at Weis this week........

All 6 items (reg. price $10.95)after sale price($7.95), extra .50¢ off each item per the Deal($4.95)and a couple Qs I had($3 in Qs) brought the cost down to $1.95 total or .33¢ per item.

*  I got paid .11¢ to bring home 2 containers of Italian Ice.......

It was on sale BOGO(and you can use a Q on the Free item at Weis)at $3.39 for 2.  I used 2 x .55¢/1 IPQ that doubled to $1 off each and there is a Weis Coupon Booklet Luigi's Q for $1/2.
$3.39-$3=.39¢.
Plus there is a .50¢ off wyb2 Luigi's rebate at Savingstar so -.11¢ paid in the end.

*  I bought some stuff at Rite-Aid this week....

First I bought 6 x $50 Shell gas cards.  There are lots of Shell gas stations on our route for the Summer road trip.  I earned $30 in Plenti Points total, good on merchandise at Rite-Aid stores divided between our 3 Wellness cards.

Then I bought two boxes of Playtex Sport tampons for Daughter....2/$7, used 2 x $2.50/1 IPQs so spent $2 in PPs and earned $2 back in new PPs, so free.
No photo of those because Daughter took them already and put them away.

Sluggy

It's Coming Along

So this Mega Summer Road Trip is coming along....at least the planning of it is. ;-)
We are up to Day 15 and everything that needs planning(route, stops, hotels)is done.  Now I need to work on the return trip.  I sure wish I had the whole thing nailed down though at this point.

I do need a few suggestions.....

* Does anyone have any recommendations for a good bbq place around Kansas City MO or heading North into Omaha, NE?  That's the stretch of road we'll be on and it will be lunch to dinner time and we can't leave that part of the world without trying authentic KC BBQ, right?  8-)

* Has anyone toured the big touristy sites in WY/SD Badlands?  We are headed through there(Custer Battlefield, Devil's Tower, Mt Rushmore, Crazy Horse Mt., Thermopolis Hot Springs)and need recommendations on where/location to stay.  Does it make sense to stay at a central spot for a few days and drive to each thing/area to tourist?  Or do 1 night stays and hop from site to site?  And how many days do we need to actual see/do these sites?  I realize distance between locales out West are longer than out East so I am trying to limit how much driving we do in a day.

* Anybody have any ideas on what to see/do in North Dakota?  Nothing springs to my mind except one quick thing we want to see in Fargo.

That's about it for now.

I AM getting a complex though.

First blogger Tanner visited me a few years ago(plus we had dinner with her on 2 of our OC excursons)and then she disappears off the face of the earth.
Then Judy(who's various blogs come and go)decides to end all contact with me.
Now another ex-blogger who I was still in contact with on F/B has given me the cold shoulder.  After I knew our route this Summer I contacted her on Facebook and suggested a meet-up if she was available.  I didn't hear back for a week or so, so I went to send her another message.  She has suddenly quit Facebook and taken her profile down(or blocked me from seeing it, if you can do that).  Really?  If you didn't want to see me, just say so.

Am I really that awful or annoying a person?  *Don't answer that Kim......* ;-)
What am I doing to drive everyone away?

Anyway, that sure made me feel like shit for awhile and I really didn't feel like going on this trip anymore.
But I'm over that now.  I can't wait! to get in a car and drive 6 thousand miles with Hubs. *snort*
I think this trip will convince him to go back to work and not be home with me 24/7.....hehehehe

And at the risk of offending and driving away more readers I'll ask again if anybody out there wants to meet-up on our drive out to Idaho(going through PA/Western MD/WV/Northern KY/tiny piece of Southern IN/Southern IL/MO/NE/Northern CO/Southern WY/ Northern UT/most of ID/MT-that's it so far).  If so drop me an email privately and I'll see if we can fit that into the itinerary.  Who knows?  Maybe I'll have a spare box of Giveaway goodies in my car to bestow onto you?  ;-)

Ok, I am off to finish packing for the Virginia trip and doing a little shopping before I leave.
What are you up to today?

Sluggy

What I'm Doing This Week

Other than working on genealogy, some cleaning of the house, planning the Mega Road Trip and a trip to Weis(PMITA)Markets, I've been preparing for the trip to Virginia.

My car is cleaned out and I have started loading provisions to take to VA.

I am bringing two bags of drinks with me, mostly bottled tea and G2 Gatorades.  I suspect it will be a tad warm down there(and my brother is known for being stingy with the a/c)so I need to stay hydrated.  These drinks were bought on sale and if I just go down and buy there who knows if I'll get them as cheaply?
I am also bringing a supply of cocktails.....just throw the bag into the freezer until frozen, tear open and pour into a glass and enjoy the frosty goodness.....Mmmmmm!  It's a vacation so why shouldn't I imbibe?

I've got the Xmas presents that didn't make it to VA at Christmas(due to Hubs accident and not being able to go for the Holidays)all packed........

In addition I am taking down some stockpile items....toiletries, laundry detergent, etc. for Brother and Sister in-law, and an old friend who is low income whom I will be seeing.  My eldest son has requested jars of my homemade Pepper Relish as well.

I'll do the clothes packing tomorrow and my toiletries and other accouterments for the trip on Saturday after we take the Granddog to the vet.

The only shopping so far this week has been a small trip to Weis.  I used the rest of a gift card bought last year so my total shop was the $2.89 that went over what was left on the gift card.  Nice.
I stumbled onto one Deal.....

This awesome local PA brand of Pepper Bacon which goes for $6 a package reg. retail was on sale for 2 for $7 this past week(ended yesterday).  These packages which expire(if not frozen)on May 22 had $1 off Meat Discount Stickers on them, so they cost $2.50 per package after sale/discount.  At that price I HAD TO buy them! ;-)

I need to go back Friday to redeem some rain checks I am holding(as they expire while I am gone)or direct Hubs/Daughter to use them or extend them while I am away.  I don't have confidence they'll do either so I'll try to take care of this before I leave.

Ok, got to get back at things here.

Here's hoping your day is going well and you are being productive too.

Sluggy