I'm thinking a big bowl of oatmeal with chia seeds. raisins, and white peach balsamic vinegar.

@Shop-et-al wrote:

What is your fave microwave breakfast, if I may ask?

@KathyG wrote:

Our new microwave is being installed! I can't wait to have a hot breakfast tomorrow that I don't have to cook on the stove.

A wonderful, fun weekend with my opposite coast brother and family. We went pumpkin picking Sat. and did the sight seeking things Sunday. I had the day off from work today. Went to the opthalmologist, food shopping and made a steak, chicken, baked potato and asparagus dinner for all. Bought a fruit tart and chocolate cake for dessert. They leave on Wed. :-(

I love events like this! Please share highlights if possible.

@KathyG wrote:

Our parish has a large Hispanic community. Today they're celebrating El Señor de Los Milagros (The Lord of the Miracles), which is a huge deal in Peru-and new to me. Hubby and I will be going to the Mass and staying for food afterwards.

It was a lovely event. There was a small procession outside the church before mass, and a Peruvian band led the music, and then set up in the parish center afterwards for more. We had a plate of rice with chunks of chicken alongside some fresh spinach. I got to talk with a woman and her children who are active in the Hispanic community.

@Madetoshop wrote:

I love events like this! Please share highlights if possible.

@KathyG wrote:

Our parish has a large Hispanic community. Today they're celebrating El Señor de Los Milagros (The Lord of the Miracles), which is a huge deal in Peru-and new to me. Hubby and I will be going to the Mass and staying for food afterwards.

It's sweater weather! It might snow, too. But I have the sweater and a new-to-me jacket! It is a capacious thing (actually a cape) that will handle bulky layers but could be nice enough over something worn to an event. Since I rarely go to events, I will just be a well-covered casual gal.

@Kathy: that event sounds lovely. I know that parts if Peru are impoverished and could use some miracles.

I sent off four packages (shops) containing Christmas gifts for the grand kids. Two more tomorrow and everything will be on it's way!

I stopped at Aldi's yesterday. I got a microwave omelet maker, an egg ring and a salad dressing container. I love their middle aisle.

Comparing two new Medicare Advantage options with my current Advantage Plan and changing providers for 2022. It REALLY pays to compare plans every year, folks!

Same drug costs; no referrals needed; ALL of my really excellent doctors are fully covered with no increase in fees; eye glasses now covered (up to $150 twice a year, which will pretty much cover my glasses at Costco!); substantial coverage for hearing aid (new); new coverage for some OTC meds/supplies, new some dental coverage. Premium savings $83 per month. Any doc that accepts Medicare is covered.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/20/2021 04:13PM by walesmaven.

Due to [unprintable/gah!] tire issues and deep snow, we could not get to work last night. I was productive at home, though, and I am hoping that whatever doo-dad hubby has will fix the miscreant tire sufficiently to get to a repair, if not to work tonight. This matters because we are in the middle of an October challenge involving a minimum number of shifts & specified performance parameters which must be accomplished by 10/30. Initially, there were to be no missed shifts or cancellations-- and no exceptions. We got a bit of grace, I think, because other employees were unable to get to work due to the snow. The reasoning, I surmise, is that as long as everyone can make up weather or illness related absences before the last work day of the month, that requirement can be eased due to where we live. Hubby and I will have to make up at least one shift as soon as possible in order to get a pay raise for this month (expressed as a bonus, yay!) and/or a pay raise for this month that we will also receive in future. This works because my next applied-for gig is late in the month and can be completed before a shift and the next known gig is next month. Good on me to ease up on gigs for October. Sometimes, plans work out as planned.

@HonnyBrown: Based on info in this forum, I like Aldi already! Unfortunately, it is many states away from here and I have no plans to go near an Aldi's. Sometimes, during my grocery store shops, I pick up little things for my kitchen. They add something good to my world. Nice!



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/20/2021 03:46PM by Shop-et-al.

@walesmaven wrote:

Comparing two new Medicare Advantage options with my current Advantage Plan and changing providers for 2022. It REALLY pays to compare plans every year, folks!

It certainly does! I'm comparing plans this year because the plan I've had for 2021 is dropping one of the benefits I consider a "deal maker" for me, and am looking at other plans that have this benefit. One of the added pluses is that a plan I am considering has a greater dental benefit than the one I am dropping, going from $750 to $1000/yr, and that's not even the "deal maker"! So yes, it pays to compare plans each year! Glad you had success finding the right one for you, wales!

As I was getting ready to enter the post office for a shop I realized that my padded mailer was too light. I went into a nearby grocery store and bought some good chocolate bars, then walked down to a Hallmark a couple of storefronts down and asked if they had some scissors I could borrow. The clerk let me use their scissors to open the envelope and put the candy in, and then when I asked if they had any mailing tape I could purchase she opened up a drawer and pulled out a roll for me to use!

I wonder how much the endorsement fees are for celebrities to discuss the 2022 Medicare plans. They seem to comprise more than 90% of the ads I am seeing (because I have to mute them!) on TV now. I also wonder if, at various points in time, typical people will be able to describe how any added benefits might offset the anticipated leap in grocery prices. Only some people will receive a grocery and drugstore benefit, but all people will pay more for groceries soon. That will be interesting and hopefully, just what some people are hoping for in 2022.

@KathyG: That is some good service!

Yoga
Go for my jog.
Small cleaning routine
Figure out how to make some clothes smaller
Make Hubby a nice supper.
Managed to declutter some tea spoons after discovering yesterday how hard it is to get the tarnish off them. Tiny progress is progress

Slept late, finished half of workout, and went back to sleep. Two shifts at talking head job really wear me out, and there are two - three more shifts left this week. I want to meet this challenge, but I need to keep myself to fewer shifts per week in order to get everything done in my world. I completed so much of what prince calls 'tiny progress' that I can let go of demands for tasks & projects until next week. Need to mail something to an MSC on the way to work, and if there are any extra minutes I will pop into the library long enough to behold the essence of bookness, and feel better, somehow. Meanwhile, I can play Jumble and then finish my workout.

Worked late yesterday and today home early! I am loving it on this beautiful Fall Day. Tonight we will get pizza delivery. I am going to do 4 loads of wash shortly. Then, some more episodes of "MAID". I hope they have a second season. My next Netflix series will be "The Chair" with Sandra Oh. I wish I could watch "Killing Eve." Have already used up my HULU free trial for watching "A Handmaid's Tail." May have to suck the subscription cost up.

Knocked off another chapter in our city scavenger hunt book. My perception of this neighborhood close to downtown was that everything was falling down. I was pleased to find out that wasn't true. There ARE a lot of shells of houses (and Hubby figured out you can buy something in the area for less than $1,000), but there are a lot of well maintained areas too.

I love Aldi's! They have been my primary grocery store for a few years because their prices and quality are awesome.

I did a regular shop a few years ago. I would go to the store on Wednesdays when they opened. I had to count the items in inventory for the weekly specials. Rinse and repeat the following Tuesday. Reimbursement was $1: 2 pieces of fruit, a bag of chips for the car, chili powder packets...and a mattress.

@Shop-et-al wrote:

@HonnyBrown: Based on info in this forum, I like Aldi already! Unfortunately, it is many states away from here and I have no plans to go near an Aldi's. Sometimes, during my grocery store shops, I pick up little things for my kitchen. They add something good to my world. Nice!

I love Aldi for the price and quality of fresh fruit. (Among many other things.) This means that I can afford to put a generous amount og fresh berries on my breakfast cereal, have melon with my lunch, etc. Also, their fresh fish is great. Best sour dough bread (my favorite) in the area. Better prices and quality on paper goods than Costco or the high priced grocery stores. The lost goes on and on.

I've been shopping at Aldi since the late 80s. Back then they were cash-only and their selection was much smaller. I'd start at a full-service grocery store, get $100 cash back, then hit Aldi for the rest.

I love their K-cups. The price per cup is the least expensive of all the stores. Also, you never know what you can find in the middle aisle!

I bought some regular grapes this week. They taste like the cotton candy grapes I get from the farmers market.

@walesmaven wrote:

I love Aldi for the price and quality of fresh fruit. (Among many other things.) This means that I can afford to put a generous amount og fresh berries on my breakfast cereal, have melon with my lunch, etc. Also, their fresh fish is great. Best sour dough bread (my favorite) in the area. Better prices and quality on paper goods than Costco or the high priced grocery stores. The lost goes on and on.

I like Aldi. They had one open here not too long ago. I don't go there often as it's not a pleasant experience to me. However, the dairy products are cheap; i.e. eggs, milk, almond milk, cheese, butter. The eggs are often different sizes. They're packaged as large but they are all different sizes. We laugh at the tiny ones. Our Aldi's fruits and veggies are hit or miss. Either beautiful or fresh or old and mushy.

Sill day here. It is Homecoming, traffic will be crazy, and we will go to work a few hours early in order to get a parking space. During the two-three hours before parking and work, we can walk to lunch, pick up team gear, walk around a park, or just read & nap in the car. At this point, I am thinking a nap will be good... Meanwhile, I searched for the list of known and planned Aldi's. Nothing is planned for nearby states in 2021. I will have to live vicariously through those of you who have the great Aldi's stories.

@Shop-et-al wrote:

Meanwhile, I searched for the list of known and planned Aldi's. Nothing is planned for nearby states in 2021. I will have to live vicariously through those of you who have the great Aldi's stories.

And within 5 - 9 miles of me in three different directions, there are three Aldi stores near me!

There are several Aldi stores near me. I continue to try, but just haven't become a fan. Some years back, Aldi started carrying national brands in many items. Price differences are negligible between them and full-service grocery stores, like Harris Teeter (Kroger) and Publix. At Harris Teeter, I earn fuel points, averaging .80-1.00/gallon discount each fill up. I did pop in Aldi a couple of weeks ago to get .99 avocados, which were 2.99 at other stores.

I went to an indoor mall for a shop. I got there early and walked the mall. My FitBit quit at 7500 steps.

Putting the deck to bed for the winter, which means bringing in large ceramic pots and metal flowers and covering metal bistro set with tarp secured with bungee cords.

Free day! Slept late! Soon, sending hubby to tire repair along with a grocery list for after; he thinks this is good because a) I will not be there and b) he likes to drive the car and see for himself if something went well or wrong. I am staying at home to do whatever feels good. I really need the best stretching workout before I do anything else. The deep agenda? Use my movie watching time for sorting as much stuff as possible. I calculated that 3 - 4 weekends of the new, themed movies will be enough to sort half the unprintable in my room. Win!

Since I began shopping again after the year-long break for the pandemic, I no longer work Saturdays, Sundays, or evenings. So I am relaxing at home today

USPS to send Ebay sale item; wine store; back home for laundry, packing for 3 day/night MS road trip. Getting comfortable with my newly set up Lenovo All-In-One computer; nice large screen! Hired a geek to do set up so that it looks like Win 7, but it is Win 10. He also set up my new printer (wireless). Cleaning out refrigerator before trip. hinking about next replacing my very old Win 7 laptop, since I still need a laptop for MS travel.

Back care, errands, and clean out one car.