Food, weather, and other completely mundane, trivial, meaningless topics

[HisMunchkin]

So, conceptually it's quite fascinating, but the experience.... "meh".  I was feeding a squirrel the whole time to see how he would behave.  He ate, got full, then proceeded to shove as many peanuts into his mouth as it could fit and went off to hide them.  Came back, and repeated again.  At the darkest point, he (or at least I think it was him) was up somewhere giving alarm calls, then came back to collect more peanuts and continue to bury them. 

[WithoutHer]

I let Buster for a 45 minutes surrounding the center of schedule here provided by the link widower2 provided. The sky here is thinly clouded but the sun easily visible. It was to 90% totality here so I just waited to see how dark it would get on the porch. Like widower2 it was also a disappointment. I thought at 90% it would have been very noticable but not so much.

[widower2]

Yeah I admit I was underwhelmed. When's the next meteor shower   

[HisMunchkin]

We had 99% here.  Got pretty dark - much darker than a cloudy day, but not night time dark.  Crack of dawn dark, perhaps?

27 minutes ago, widower2 said:

When's the next meteor shower   

👉https://www.almanac.com/content/meteor-shower-calendar 😁

[KayC]

Here?  Nada.  Much ado about nothing.  Didn't darken the sky, saw NOTHING.  And the weather was good.  I wonder why they didn't warn us, don't bother unless you're TX or NE of.

[Sparky1]

Unfortunately in my area there were too many clouds to see the sun. It did get darker though. Oh well.

[widower2]

So...back to food.  

I realized I hadn't had any real breakfast food in forever and was in the store and saw those Jimmy Dean things, like the equivalent of egg mcmuffins etc...one was a wrap with eggs and turkey sausage which was healthier than the usual sausage or ham options and something a little different, so tried that. Never again; not recommended.

[widower2]

What's your go-to grocery store? Out here the choices are:

Giant/Martin
Publix
Kroger
Wegmanns
Food Lion

Although around here, most Food Lions are older and kind of funky, so that's only used in desperation for a quick thing or two if it's the only thing nearby.

• Wegmanns is has that really nice "upscale" feel about it, but the prices tend to match. I do love their meats though, and their booze section is the best.
• Publix is my favorite all-arounder.
• Kroger I mostly like because I like some of their store brand stuff, so I go there off and on.
• Giant I don't have anything against, but they aren't as conveniently located for me.

I don't really do the Whole Foods/Traders Joes stuff. It's OK once in awhile for some things you can't find somewhere else, but they don't carry enough of the day to day things to be worth it, to say nothing of the cost.

Aldi is around and prices are great, but there are so many things they don't have, or have a really limited selection of, that it's not worth the extra trip.

[WithoutHer]

Our local store is Weis Market 5 minutes away. It opened November of 2017. We were without a grocery since 2013 when a privately owned Fresh and Greens closed. Except for a newly opened Cooperative Market 9 minutes across the river in Virginia, which I've never visited, I have just about every option brand available in central Atlantic within a 20 to 30 minute drive to the east in Maryland or to the West in West Virginia. All the stores you mentioned as well as Safeway and Martin's. I no longer go grocery shopping since Vickie passed. I order from Weis online and the lady that befriended Vickie and I picks them up for me and I pay her a generous fee. She's a retired nurse and does shops and deliveries for Shipt and Door dash for extra money but we have a private agreement since Vickie passed. 

Before her health issues Vickie and I would shop together every week. We favored Aldi's as our primary, which was the same drive time east or west, but like you said there are so many things they don't have. It wasn't always that way. 

[widower2]

Huh I didn't know there were any Safeways in the east coast area. 

[foreverhis]

3 hours ago, widower2 said:

So...back to food.  

One last eclipse post from the Central Coast.  We had only 40% coverage, but it was a perfect, cloudless day just like last October's 80% we got for the annular eclipse.  In October, we watched almost the entire thing with short breaks.  That day we also had my basic eclipse binoculars and our full regular eclipse glasses, not the cardboard frame ones we used today.  We knew today couldn't compare.

Same small group as last time.  We watched it begin, watched the moon start to "bite" the sun.  Then we went inside and had coffee while we chatted about an upcoming local film festival.  After a bit, we went back out to watch the moon transit partway across the bottom of the sun.  We went back in, had some mini fruit pastries that Raleigh's dad and I made last fall.  (They're time consuming and slightly messy to put together, so we decided to make a few double batches and  see how some would freeze after assembly, but before baking.  They were fabulous.)  A bit later, we went back out to watch the peak time and see the moon continue to transit away.

The truth is that I hadn't been gung-ho about watching this eclipse until a good friend said that she realized it wasn't about how much of the sun would be covered where we were standing, but the fact that it happens at all and knowing that millions of other people just like us were watching it too is wondrous and inspiring.  And so we watched with those things in mind.  Our friends in Texas sent pictures of totality in real time.  Not great, of course, being from phone cameras and through the handheld photo filters from last year's Celestron kits.  Still, knowing we were watching the same sun and moon they were watching was pretty special.

[WithoutHer]

37 minutes ago, widower2 said:

Huh I didn't know there were any Safeways in the east coast area. 

Between Maryland and Virginia there at least 17 within not much more than an hours drive at the most from me.

I also failed to mention there a 3 Walmarts we would frequent all less then 30 minutes away.

There's actually a lot of options in actuality considering how rural this small town feels.

[SSC]

While visiting my daughter in Florida she had two Publix across the street from each other.  One was the typical Publix but the other was a more “upscale” store.  It was smaller but carried more unique items and even had a small brewery inside where you could grab a beer and grocery shop at the same time!  
 

Here in Utah I mostly shop at a regional store called Smiths.  I liken it to a Publix but it carries the Kroger brand.  Often I like to “cherry pick” and shop a few different stores to stock up on their sales if I’m in the mood to actually shop.  Winco is the best store for all around prices and a couple times a month I’ll make a trip over to Sam’s Club for a $5 roasted chicken that will feed me  for many meals.

[widower2]

22 minutes ago, SSC said:

While visiting my daughter in Florida she had two Publix across the street from each other.  One was the typical Publix but the other was a more “upscale” store.  It was smaller but carried more unique items and even had a small brewery inside where you could grab a beer and grocery shop at the same time!  

Now that's my kind of grocery shopping (on second thought, maybe not...I'd be buying stuff I shouldn't lol) 

[KayC]

6 hours ago, SSC said:

Winco is the best store for all around prices and a couple times a month I’ll make a trip over to Sam’s Club for a $5 roasted chicken that will feed me  for many meals.

I've shopped Winco for 42 years, we don't have Sam's Club but I bought a chicken at Costco and it was raw, had to recook it so never did that again.  $5 chickens cost more now here.  Might as well put one in the crockpot and debone it myself since you have to anyway.  Recently made some and shredded it, added shredded cheese, should have added BBQ sauce (have some no sugar) as that's good also.  Since I drive so far in to get groceries I don't shop around, just go for the store with the best all around prices, but last time was a nightmare with the store being rennovated, out of things, everything moved every time you go in, etc.  Took more than twice as long.

[Boggled]

9 hours ago, foreverhis said:

The truth is that I hadn't been gung-ho about watching this eclipse until a good friend said that she realized it wasn't about how much of the sun would be covered where we were standing, but the fact that it happens at all and knowing that millions of other people just like us were watching it too is wondrous and inspiring.  And so we watched with those things in mind.  Our friends in Texas sent pictures of totality in real time.  Not great, of course, being from phone cameras and through the handheld photo filters from last year's Celestron kits.  Still, knowing we were watching the same sun and moon they were watching was pretty special.

We were in the totality here so it got so dark, the motion lights on the porch went on because of the darkness, but it only lasted a little over two minutes;  but "the fact that it happens at all" and that "millions of other people just like us were watching it too" made it cool for me too.  I do wonder a little why this eclipse was sort of promoted?  into such a big deal?  

I food shop mostly at a couple bargain stores and Aldi's in our nearest town.  I've been cooking refried pinto beans though, pretty much on a regular basis, from a 50-lb bag of dried beans, and making my own flour tortillas to make burritos out of them, so mostly I go for the veggies I like to chop for on top of the beans, tomatoes, green peppers, onion, lettuce.   I've also found out I can cook arugula, which grows profusely in the garden, and it's a "free green."   Sometimes, though, you get that "what do I feel like eating?" feeling where you look through everything and NOTHING appeals, but you know you want something, but ... what??   so you pick SOMEthing;  lately it's been peanut butter.

[foreverhis]

3 hours ago, Boggled said:

I do wonder a little why this eclipse was sort of promoted?  into such a big deal?  

 

In part because a total eclipse path through North America, including the United States, is rare. In part because this one coincided with a supermoon so the coverage was truly total. Astronomers and astrophysicists don’t often have a chance to study the corona like that. They have been in planning for it for 2 years at a minimum.

Many total solar eclipses, which happen only every two or three years, occur over oceans, not land or not much land, so having a path so much over land, plus supermoon, made it a truly big deal.

[widower2]

That plus it seems to me more and more every year people are addicted to getting all wound up about something and look for whatever they can find (that can be good or bad). 

[Gail 8588]

Well I'm  home from Texas. The eclipse was spectacular in the public playground park where we ended up. The kids were busy going down slides and climbing rock walls and such. They didn't  seem interested at all until we got close to totality.  Then the birds became very vocal. It was getting noticeably darker. We had to stay right on top of the kids to keep their solarglasses on, or to help them see the image in our homemade box viewers.  But when totality happened it was so impressive to look up and see the black hole covering the sun, feel the coolness of the air, see the whole playground  in an eerie darkness.  The little boys were stopped in ther tracks, not knowing what to make of this!   We, me and my sons, were mesmerized too.  We understood but it was still almost incomprehensible.

We had over 3 minutes of totality. It seemed a really long time. As soon as the sun was peeking back out and we were insisting on solar glasses, the kids quickly returned to the playground  equipment. We adults enjoyed watching, with our solar glasses, as the moon continued it's  journey. 

It was a wonderful trip.

[KayC]

Gail, I'm so glad you had that with your grandchildren!  

When I said ours turned out to be a non-event or something to that effect, I'm talking about here in Oregon, literally they hyped it up for naught.  Needed to travel to TX or beyond for it...at $2,000/ticket, I don't think so.  I've been through other solar eclypses here, maybe I'll be around for the one in 20 years although I hope not.  But I'm very glad for those who did get to experience it!

[HisMunchkin]

I'm in Canada, so most of you won't know the grocery stores here.  I used to go to a discount chain called No Frills.  Here's a video of a couple of Americans checking out a No Frills and finding "interesting" products. 😄

 

[KayC]

Original in French: Originale

Ahh, but they get plastic bags!  Can't get them here.

[WithoutHer]

12 minutes ago, KayC said:

Original in French: Originale

Ahh, but they get plastic bags!  Can't get them here.

 

13 minutes ago, KayC said:

Original in French: Originale

Ahh, but they get plastic bags!  Can't get them here.

I think I'm good. I don't want my milk in a plastic bag.

[KayC]

I'm good with it...I don't drink milk.

[WithoutHer]

1 minute ago, KayC said:

I'm good with it...I don't drink milk.

Oh but I do. A tall glass everyday to supplement my calories. Still having problems with taste and texture of solid foods. I am working and forcing myself on a bowl of a variety of soups each day to try to improve that.

[widower2]

I don't feel right if I don't have some milk by lunchtime at the latest. But I also won't buy it in a bag.  

 

[KayC]

1 hour ago, WithoutHer said:

 

I think I'm good. I don't want my milk in a plastic bag.

I wouldn't either, I am talking about when they bag their groceries.

[Roxeanne]

21 hours ago, Gail 8588 said:

The eclipse was spectacular

I was amazed just watching it on video! 

I imagine the emotion of seeing it live!

Glad you can have the chance Gail...wonderful experience!

I'm toying with the idea to go to Spain in 2026 where will be the next total solar eclipse in Europe...we will see!😍

[widower2]

ooh that's a good idea...

[WithoutHer]

17 minutes ago, KayC said:

I wouldn't either, I am talking about when they bag their groceries.

We still get plastic bags here. It seems to be a county rather than state thing. I think it's nonsense. The whole world is made of plastic now, and we now have micro and nano plastics everywhere including our bodies. Those plastic shopping bag restrictions aren't helping anything.

[KayC]

Yep and in Canada they sell milk in bags!  Go figure.

[Sparky1]

Oh we have milk in cartons too. The bagged one is a more economical milk for those that drink it like crazy. What's hilarious is that he's shopping for lots of junk food lol. There's lots of No Frills here but I rarely shop there. It's not a bad store though.

[KayC]

I liked their Pringles, already have the ketchup flavor on it!

[Sparky1]

1 minute ago, KayC said:

I liked their Pringles, already have the ketchup flavor on it!

The Pringles are addictive so I stay away from them. They even have pizza flavour 😂

[HisMunchkin]

3 hours ago, KayC said:

I wouldn't either, I am talking about when they bag their groceries.

That video was from 5 years ago.  We no longer have plastic bags.

[widower2]

Kroger tried this thing of giving you thicker, better plastic bags...and charging you a dime each for them. I know it's just a dime but that bugged me. I guess I wasn't alone because it didn't last long.  Although tbh it would make sense for America to follow what many places in Europe do and they expect you to bring your own bags. I would hate it, but get it. 

[Gail 8588]

4 hours ago, Roxeanne said:

. . . .

I'm toying with the idea to go to Spain in 2026 where will be the next total solar eclipse in Europe...we will see!😍

My son suggested we plan on Spain for a repeat.  

I told him I'm  not opposed, but we had such incredible good luck at every turn on this trip, Spain would have a very high bar to be as good as Dallas.  I almost think we should pick a different type of event, an Olympic games, a Soccer World Cup,  an Alaskan Iterod dog race (if there is still snow) some other type of event.  

I better start saving my pennies now.

[Roxeanne]

8 hours ago, Gail 8588 said:

Spain would have a very high bar

Yes...which is really holding me back it's the large turnout of people at these events and as result the general high prices of everything! Humans are capable of making profit out of everything...

So maybe i will content myself to remain in Italy and go to Torino, an hour away from Milano, where it's not expected totality but 90% of shadow!

Surely for you Gail go to Spain it would have been if I had come to Dallas last Monday!

Hope the verbs are right🤣

 

 

[KayC]

9 hours ago, widower2 said:

Kroger tried this thing of giving you thicker, better plastic bags...and charging you a dime each for them.

I wouldn't mind sacrificing 10 cents to get a plastic bag I could empty my vacuum dirt into, but you can't in those reusable bags you buy...but we don't have a Kroger's here and all we get to bag our groceries are paper bags for 5 cents each.

8 hours ago, Gail 8588 said:

My son suggested we plan on Spain for a repeat. 

Good and you can let us all know how it was! ☺️

[Gail 8588]

I really doubt I'll  see another eclipse. I am not much of a traveler.  I have ventured into Canada 3 or 4 times and I visited Mexico once, but I've  never been to Europe, Africa, Asia,  or South America.  

I am really glad I made the trip to Dallas with my family.  I have a strange feeling that it was my last trip with them all.  No real reason for thinking that.   I can just imagine people at my funeral saying "Wasn't  it a blessing that she had that great trip to Dallas  before this happened."   Again, there is no reason for me to be thinking this way.  Just turning 70 this year and missing my hubby. 

[KayC]

Gail, I get it, but you could live to see the next one here.  In my family they live into their 90s so I expect to, except Peggy who not only didn't take care of herself, she deliberately sabotaged her life with doing the opposite, like a slow steady suicide.

Me, I figure it'd be my luck to live to 90+ although I don't see much good coming from it, I want to outlive Kodie so he doesn't have to get rehomed, beyond that I can go any time.

[foreverhis]

29 minutes ago, Gail 8588 said:

No real reason for thinking that.   I can just imagine people at my funeral saying "Wasn't  it a blessing that she had that great trip to Dallas  before this happened."   Again, there is no reason for me to be thinking this way.  Just turning 70 this year and missing my hubby. 

Gail, I can’t help but wonder if you, if we, think that way about some things because we’re more aware of the fragility snd preciousness of life.

As well, we all long for the day we’ll be reunited with our loves. Certainly there are days I have doubts and days I don’t think I am worthy of it, but it’s there in the back of my mind and in my heart. In the beginning and for quite some time, the longing was forefront of my days and nights. Now it’s quieter and doesn’t occupy my whole life, but it will always be there.

The older we get, the more those imaginings become closer to reality.

[Boggled]

13 hours ago, widower2 said:

 Although tbh it would make sense for America to follow what many places in Europe do and they expect you to bring your own bags. I would hate it, but get it. 

Aldi's does that (from southern Germany I think) ... you get used to bringing along your bags.  I keep a soft cooler in my car, too, for the frozen or cold stuff, it's a longish drive home.

I do recycle my plastic bags from other places.  I often wonder about recycling, who works at those places?  what about stuff that's marked with a "1" or "2" in the little triangle on the bottom of the bottle, but there's another kind of plastic stuck on the top so you can't get it off?  what about the lids on all kinds of jars, that have NO markings for what kind of plastic they are?  

[widower2]

Germany was the first place I saw it. 

As for recycling, they don't do it in my area, no idea why.

[KayC]

Here neither.  They used to, we'd have to drive ten miles but now you have to go to the dump which is a long ways away, out in the boondocks the other direction.  And no place to take computer monitors, etc, that's a trip out of town.

[widower2]

Hey all, moving this thread to where it more logically belongs...this thread gets a fair amount of traffic and I enjoy it, but I fear that since it tends to get a fair bit of attention, it distracts somewhat from the overall partner area where people come to vent and get support.

I know some people for some reason have a thing about having to click in another area of the site, although tbh I don't know why, but if it helps, just create a bookmark directly to this page (or this section) and then it's just one click away.

[Gail 8588]

7 hours ago, widower2 said:

Hey all, moving this thread to where it more logically belongs...

Where is it moving to?

[widower2]

Right here  

Sorry, not sure I follow your question. It's the "chit chat" area, which you can see at the top of the screen

[Gail 8588]

Oh, I see it now.  Thanks. 

[KayC]

My blood sugar has been up this week after injuring my foot 11 days ago...even though I'm doing OMAD (one meal a day), in spite of cutting my intake in half, and someone suggested I increase my fat, so I did, this morning my BS was 94!  So it worked. Happy with that!☺️

Trying to force myself to look for these other areas...HTF but I figure with more practice it'll get easier.