A Trip to the Garden

Hello friends and fellow bloggers,

I finally made it to the community garden plot the other day. It was over due for some weeding. It was already getting late but there were still people enjoying the park.
 

 

After plucking all the weeds, I harvested some chives and some strawberries.  The chives are well past their prime but I think I can salvage some of them.

I could see the sunset and the clock on the city hall building in the distance. The time says 9:20 p.m.

After my work at the garden I took a walk to the local grocers to pick up a few things. On my way to the grocers I passed another clock. The time was around 9:40 p.m. 

I ended up buying more than a few things when I only really needed bananas.  The ground beef was on sale and I only buy it when it's on sale. I bought 2 packages as well as some mangos, strawberries and bread.

How about you dear reader? Do you go to the store for one thing and bring back several items instead?

The Week Ends and Starts Like This

Hello friends and fellows bloggers, 

I hope you are all fine and that you enjoyed the weekend. As I mentioned in my last post here, I was very tired from all the walking and shopping I did on Friday and Saturday.  Thankfully the weather was good for those days. In fact, it was good all week long.

Late Saturday the raindrops started falling but just sporadically. Today it rained but not so much. It will rain more tomorrow. So we ended the week in sunshine and start the new week with cloudy skies and rain. 

 

It looks like the week ahead will be mainly sunny and warmish, with a few cloudy periods.  This is good news because one of my dear friends and I are planning a walk around a lake and of course we'd prefer that it isn't raining when we do so. We've postponed a ew times already due to inclement weather but now the temperatures are much warmer than they were a few weeks ago.

I haven't been reading much this week as I've been busy with several meetings and appointments. I need to get cracking on 2 books that will come due at the library shortly.

I've been experimenting lately with eating parts of the beef that I don't normally eat. Partly it's due to lack of availability at my local grocery store. But last week I made beef tongue which I haven't had since I was a young girl. It was nice and tender. On Sunday I made beef liver with some onions and pieces of bacon. I didn't have a lot of bacon so I cut it into pieces and mixed it with the onions. It was tasty. 

Liver isn't readily available at my local grocery store either but oddly enough I found it at another grocery store owned by same billionaire. Now the parent company is converting one grocery store (Buy-Low) into the other (Save On). I don't know why they are doing this because Buy Low is not a new acquisition. It was purchased in 1995 by the Jim Pattison Group but I have noticed the soaring prices at Buy - Low over the past 3 years.  All three major grocery stores in my general neighbourhood are owned by the same company.  It's no wonder the prices are so high at all of them.

Thursday - Errand Day

Thursday is usually errand day for me and I often run several errands on this day.  However, today I only ran one and that was to do some grocery shopping.  I don't want to be running major errands this weekend unless it's to the library.

I really didn't want to go out today but I finally did and I closed out the store because I went out so late.  It means I didn't shop as carefully as I normally would but at least it's all done! Go me 👍🎉🎈. I intended to buy a few items needed to make taco soup. Would you believe I completely missed out on buying 2 of the items I need? I can probably get by without buying sour cream because I have plain Greek yogurt. I may need to go out and buy taco seasoning and cream cheese but there is a possibility I have both in my cupboards and refrigerator. I'll have to check more closely before buying more.

I guess I'm getting ahead of myself. I didn't mention that Friday and Saturday's menu consists of roasted chicken with red potatoes and veggies/salad. Another night is taco soup topped with avocado, shredded cheese and a dollop of cream. 

Once I got to the store I saw that a 2 pack of whole chickens, a "family pack" of steak and roast beef were on sale. I picked them up and also picked up a round of Kolbassa sausage. Though I haven't exactly planned the week's menu I have certain basic things that I do with the meat and fowl and I have been experimenting of late just to keep things interesting.  I find the cost of beef, pork and chicken have gone through the roof.  For awhile the store wasn't selling the 2 pack of chicken which had always been a staple of mine. I'm craving chicken souvlaki with rice pilaf and lemon-garlic potatoes. Maybe now I can make some.  I would buy more chickens but I have no available freezer space. (Please click on all photos to enlarge).

I got a good selection of vegetables, herbs and greens.

I don't often buy beef steaks or roasts anymore.

2 pack chicken, fruits, choc bars and other treats.

If you're like me you like to see how much other people pay for their groceries. I know that some places like England and parts of the USA, do not pay the same high prices we pay in Canada. Within Canada too the prices vary a lot.  It is much cheaper to buy groceries in places like Edmonton, Alberta or Toronto, Ontario, than it is in Vancouver, BC.  For what reason, I do not know and I find it rather annoying.

Today's haul cost me just over $100 (see receipt) and I paid for the pack of chicken with points, not cash. This food will last about 10 -14 days, perhaps longer if we have meatless days.  But I will need to supplement the haul with other things like more veggies, milk, eggs,yogurt and possibly bread/baked goods; all as needed. Considering prices here, I think the overall total was a good deal.

I haven't mentioned Kenya for awhile and I wanted to let people know that I'm still looking for a helper for Janet, the lady who started a hair business after being chased from her family home. My assistance will come to an end in March and I would like to find someone who could help her and her 4 daughters for a few months. It would mean $40 - 60 Canadian per month.  This is just enough to pay rent and a few food items. It would help her get a surer footing. If you cannot afford that but want to help her, please send any amount.

Rose, the mature woman who recently had a baby by C-Section is now in the town of Kericho with her friend. She has developed a bit of an infection in her wound and the doctor wanted her to visit the hospital more than once this week so she could be treated. She returns Friday (it's already Friday in Kenya) then hopefully she will be released to home. It costs approximately $35 - $40. Canadian for each visit. Almost two thirds of this amount is for private transport since Rose cannot ride the crowded vans they call matatu with her baby.  It isn't safe, especially during this time of Covid and it also isn't good for her wound. This past week was more expensive than $35 - $40 because the baby's umbilical cord area also required a bit of medical attention and Rose's wound needed treatment. 

In Kenya you can either pay the hospital to provide all medicines or you can buy it yourself at a less expensive pharmacy. In all cases we do what we can to save costs and buy medical supplies and even medicines at the pharmacy.  One needs to shop around to find the best pharmacy prices because costs vary a lot. Then the doctors will administer the medicine or use the supplies on your behalf when y\uou visit at the hospital or in their office. This is quite acceptable in Kenya but would never "fly" in Canada or in most western nations. 

By the way, Rose named her baby boy Kipkoech. I hope I am spelling it properly. It means 'new beginnings' or 'blessings of a new day' and is given to boy children who are born in the morning.  I thought the name was very fitting.

Anyway friends, if you are able to help either Janet and her 4 daughters or Rose and her baby boy please be in touch. You can find the Pay Pal link on the right hand side of this blog. Thank you for your consideration.

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Valentine's Day is coming soon.  Whether you do anything special or are with loved ones or by yourself, please be kind to yourself and enjoy the day.  Thank you so much for your visit.

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Gratitude December - Day 8

Today I am grateful for bonus points and store promotions.

Tuesday night I went shopping for a few items. I noticed in the flyer that they were giving fewer points than usual for certain expenditures on food.  However they were giving bonus reward redemption points.

This was good for me because I don't really need much in the way of food at the moment but I did need to stock up on things like laundry detergent, tin foil, cling wrap, zip loc bags, condiments and so on.  As of yesterday I had just over 18000 points or about $30 Canadian in my account.  Today those points were worth $50. Canadian.

This small haul cost $95.95 Canadian. After $50 discount I paid $46.32 ($45.95 + $.27 GST + $.10 PST) for a total of $46.32 Canadian. I had a balance of $7.56 remaining on a gift card I purchased so the balance payable was $38.76. Groceries have become super expensive and I'll need to spend a lot more before this month is over just for the Christmas meal and if I decide to do any baking. Other than that I have a good stock of food and only need to purchase fresh fruits, vegetables, milk and yogurt.

 

This is the first time I've heard of or used a bonus redemption at the grocery store. Normally I see that at the pharmacy. I hope more stores implement this idea.

How about you dear reader? Do your grocery stores have bonus reward redemptions? I know couponing is a huge thing in the USA and one can get groceries for very little or for nothing at all if you know what you're doing. I don't think I'd be a good couponer but I do like taking advantage of store rewards and special offers.