Missing In Action

I'm sorry that I have not posted in so long. I'm sure you have all lost interest by now. I've had major changes in my life, some good. I am now living with a man, something I haven't done in over 30 years. The great news? He's a chef! He can make a 7 course meal out of spam and crackers. We have feasted for the past week on all kinds of creations from sea scallops and shrimp. Needless to say, I'm not doing too much shopping anymore. He knows what he wants and goes for it. My dad is supplying us with endless tomatoes and bell peppers. Rick makes miracles even out of that.

My dad is not doing well. He is near the end, I suspect. He can no longer eat or tend to his tomatoes. We went to the flea market 2 Saturdays ago and he slept in the car for most of the day. I will miss him so much, but, what I really want for him is an easy transition from this life to the next. He will be 79 this Friday. His dad lived to be 99.

Life is a lot different here these days. I have been an "old maid" for many, many years and thought I would never let anyone into my life. Truth to tell, the compromises have been easier than I would have thought possible. Rick is really good to me and he has done a lot of needed things around the house that I had just become blind to. I'm happy to have him in my life.

I haven't been searching for any good deals to pass along to you for quite some time. I've let you down, I know. I would happily pass on Rick's recipes except that he doesn't use any and just makes things out of what is available. His dishes don't turn out exactly the same every time, but, they are always good. I'm just happy that all I have to do is wash the dishes.

Once we get into a routine around here and I'm able to get back into couponing and searching for deals, I will post more. Thank you for your kind attention and all the great comments I have received from many of you.

Surprise! The Frog Turned Into A Prince

The frog can cook like dammit. He has shown his true colors recently and I think he is a prince. Remember, I'm an old maid and don't care much for "the dance." That said, I think I'll stick with this one for a while. I talked to his mother today and she told me things that he has said about me that he hasn't shared with me. I think he might be a keeper.

Last week, he grilled a meatloaf that I am just now enjoying. He combined ketchup with orange marmalaide for the topping. I don't know what else he put in it, but, I'm telling you, it was fantastic! The man can make a 7 course meal with Spam and crackers.

I've got some salmon in the fridge that defrosted and I need to cook it in a day or two. I don't know much about that except to stick it in the oven. Any help? I was thinking of stuffing it with rice, but, I don't know how to do that. O.K. I admit it. I'm a dunce in the kitchen. It's great that I have my readers to help me along.

I think that on Monday, I will start calling the 800# on the packages in my house. If it worked for my friend, it should work for me, right? I can't believe that a newbie taught me that trick.

I'm The Recipient Of A Bounty Of Groceries

A friend moved this week and left all fridge food for me. My refrigerator and freezer are overflowing. If I dare enter a grocery store in the next 2-3 weeks, you all have my permission to beat me with a stick!

My dad is getting more frail, but, refuses to give up. He tends to his tomatoes every day. He's made a new top for his trailer, painted it, and installed it himself. That's in anticipation of selling tomatoes at the flea market this summer. What a guy!

I have a new pet. My friend couldn't take the dog to the new residence, so, I now have a miniature pincer. She's a sweet girl and minds well. Of course, you all know that I have almost a dozen cats. It's going to take a bit of time to work all this out.

A friend of mine told me something that, quite frankly, I'd never thought of. She said she went through the house, looking at various food and cleaning products, called the 800# on the package, and asked for coupons. She said that it worked about 90% of the time. She received high value and free coupons for several things. It's just so simple and I never thought of it! Worse, she didn't know a coupon from a camel until she met me and I introduced her to the concept of double coupons at Bi-Lo. I know I'm going to get comments from several of you telling me you already figured this out and where has Vicki been!

I'm Back In "Normal" Mode Now

The frog just won't turn into a prince, so, I am home and on my own again. It's a relief, really. I'm an old maid, I'm pretty stuck in my ways, and I'm probably a whole lot better off being at home by myself. Let's just say it was a wild Six Flags ride. It's fun while you're riding, but, when you get off, you are dizzy and sick.

I did some pretty serious coupon shopping today, but, the cat food brought my % way down. All the typical Memorial Day items were on a great sale at my store, add to that double coupons, and wham! I'm back in the game again.

I don't know what to do about the layout on this site. It seems to be permanently broken. That being said, here are my year-to-date totals.

Spent: $311.43
Cpns, etc.: $644.86
% Saved: 67%

The boyfriend turned out to be a no-go, but, I learned a few cooking tips from him. He takes a box of Suddenly Salad, adds some olive oil, mayo, and Caeser salad dressing, throw in some crab meat, and you've got a great dish.

I think I mentioned this already, but, he used 2 envies of the fake crab meat, added Italian bread crumbs and an egg, and made the most incredible crab cakes. Oh, yum!

He could probably make a gourmet meal out of Spam and crackers! I know I told you about the shrimp, mussels, penne pasta, and broccoli. Everything came right out of the freezer and was the easiest thing to make. He is a master at using the correct seasonings and spices to a dish. I guess the thing I'm going to miss most about the relationship is the great meals he made for me.

I wonder, could you do the same thing with an envie of tuna using an egg and bread crumbs, and still have something delicious? I don't think I have any Italian bread crumbs in the pantry, but, I process stale bread and keep it in the freezer for bread crumbs. What would you add to it to make it "Italian" bread crumbs? I'm thinking some oregano, but, I don't know what else to add. Parsley? Anybody got any ideas on how to turn my homemade bread crumbs into something spectacular?

The "empty egg cartons for eggs" deal is working out well. If you live near a flea market, especially something "out in the country", you might just be able to find a chicken farmer to trade with. So, you find someone with laying hens and you offer to trade. What's the worst thing that could happen? He/she might say no. You haven't lost a thing by asking. I guess you could find the same thing at a farmer's market, too. I really like bartering. You just have to think outside the box to be able to trade what you have, or what you can do, for something of value from another. In the current economy, I would think that there is a lot more bartering going on.

I have to brag a bit. I went to CVS Pharmacy today with $4 in ECB and a coupon for Old Spice body wash B1G1F. I got back $8 in ECB. Not bad! I've pretty much quit shopping at Walgreens. After they ended their rebate program, I just couldn't find enough things I needed or wanted to earn Register Rewards.

Well, I'm slipping way below what I wanted in % saved. I was really trying to stay at about 70-72% in savings, but, have dropped to 67% now. I know, I know, that is still pretty good, but, I think I can do better. I don't figure in the value of my free eggs. Maybe I could do that. Well, it doesn't matter. I know what I'm saving and that's the main thing.

Homework for all my readers. I need some summertime recipes for tuna. I'm awash in it and need to pump up my protein intake as well. When I'm not getting enough protein, my hair falls out. True. My nutritionist told me.

No Activity At The Grocery

Well, I decided I'd stick with the frog for a while. I stay at his house most of the time and he can really, really cook. He claims to have attended a culinary institute for two years and I tend to believe him. The night I got home from Hawaii, he prepared a dish of mussels, shrimp, penne pasta, and broccoli in a rich red wine sauce. I was bowled over! One night this week, he prepared butterflied chicken breasts stuffed with wild rice. Our first date was a picnic and he did all the food preparation. What he did with a simple box of Suddenly Salad should get him an award of some kind. He did wonders with a couple of envies of the fake crab meat a few nights ago. Added an egg for binder and some Italian bread crumbs and made crab cakes. I confess I went back for seconds. So, as you can see, there has been no reason for me to darken the door of a grocery store except for cat food. Of course, this has just killed my "3-a-day" rule.

The Layout On This Site Is Completely Broken

There is no way for me to update my numbers in the right column. It's been broken for over a month, maybe two, and I don't see it getting repaired. Every time I try to update my figures, it crashes my system. That said, here's my newest totals:

Spent $239.29
Coupons, etc. 573.52
Savings 71%

Sorry I've Been AWOL

Sad story. I met a man, thought he was a prince, turned out to be a frog. I wasted 3 weeks finding that out.

I'm writing from 35,000 feet. I'm on my way to Hawaii today. I won't be posting for the next week as I will be eating out every meal. I've never flown first class before today and I've got to tell you, it's sweet! It's going to be especially important from LA to Honolulu as that is the longest leg of the flight. Coach seats are getting smaller and smaller, I swear! Up front, the flight attendants fawn all over you. If they only knew that I'm flying on an award ticket, not "real" money.

I'm sorry I don't have my totals with me right now. I think I'm around $200 for the year in spending. I'm at about 72% coupon use.

My dad is failing. He's on a new chemo treatment and it is causing him a lot of trouble and pain. All it is is injecting poison to fight the other poison. Neither one ever wins. I will say, though, that he is fighting the good fight and is pushing himself beyond all you could imagine. He's got 72 tomato plants in the ground right now. I guess he expects to live long enough to harvest the crop.

As I said, I've been in this failed relationship for 3 weeks and haven't been on the internet to find any good freebies or deals for you. I promise to do better.