Airmiles Armchair Chatter

[hdrolfe]

Just wondering was everybody wearing masks? I tried to make one but it isn't very good so I may just tie a bandanna around my face or use my winter neck scarf that I can put around my face.

I think about 1/3 the people were wearing them of various styles. A few had bandana's on. I actually saw more people wearing them last week when I went out, before I had made one myself.

 

[juniorbugman]

So I hit my local Sobey's today and spent $300 and earned 59 air miles. The store wasn't crowded at all and they had most of the stuff that I wanted. No flour but I wasn't looking for that and no yeast (was looking but I still have lots). They didn't have my brand of 1% milk - I buy Natrel so I just bought the Sealtest brand because milk is something that is always required in my house. Now I should be good for another 2 weeks. I even got some snacks for my upcoming National holidays. This Sat is Animal cracker day nd April 22 is Girl Scout Leaders Day so I got some Girl guide cookies. Yea I am weird like that - I have a calendar with all the National Days and I do enjoy celebrating some of them.

 

[Mickey&JoshNut]

I was just in my AM account to see how many AM I have earned this year and I noticed that it now says that I am ONYX status until December 31, 2021...anyone else notice this on their account?

 

[juniorbugman]

I was just in my AM account to see how many AM I have earned this year and I noticed that it now says that I am ONYX status until December 31, 2021...anyone else notice this on their account?

I just checked mine and it says the same thing. December 31, 2021. I checked my Mom's card and she is Gold until December 31, 2021. Guess they figured that they should reward us for being dedicated members.

 

[hdrolfe]

Mine is too, Onyx. I'd still like to get to 6000 AM but it will be a lot harder than last year.

 

[CanadianKrista]

Just say an email from airmiles about this:

AIR MILES Gold and Onyx status extension
If you achieved AIR MILES Gold or Onyx® Collector status in 2019, your status has been extended for an entire year – until December 31, 2021. We understand that, under the current circumstances, it may be harder to re-qualify for your status in 2020 so we wanted to give you the assurance that your status and benefits are secure.

 

[Donald - my hero]

I went to Rexall. Needed to buy facial lotion and hair conditioner for DD. Used the $5 coupon. Spent $53.50 and got 202 AM. I think this might be my last AM shop at Rexall. My AM Hunt has not been great so far this year, especially after physical distancing. No Sobeys gift cards, no Blue Friday and Rexall leaving AM! I am wondering if I can keep my Onyx status for next year!!

I brought this over here from the PC thread. As mentioned above Airmiles is extending everyone's status thru till the end of 2021 now, so you can relax a bit

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

Besides the Onyx air miles offers, there really isn't any draw to maintain status for me. I don't use the personal shopper. Glad it has been extended though. I'm praying that they do a really good STB promo as I doubt Mega Miles will be happening at all.

 

[marcyleecorgan]

Super happy to see the extended deadline for Onyx

 

[Disney Addicted]

Wednesday was the first time I went grocery shopping in 12 straight days. I went to Shoppers and Metro. Frankly I didn't like either store's set-up. Neither had marked their aisles one-way so I found it difficult to keep a good distance. Shoppers went any way they wanted and the aisles are not far enough apart for 2 people to cross each other.

I could not get everything on my list so I also went to Loblaws yesterday. I found a bag of flour there! Still no yeast but we are using yeast with a 2019 expiry date in our cupboards and it seems to be working well enough. Now Loblaws has marked their entire store with arrows! Takes longer to shop (including a 15 minute line-up outside) but I felt much safer going one-way and not having to pass people.

The kids asked if I could purchase more "chocolate" and "candy" this time. Apparently I didn't have enough snacks to last the prior 11 days with no shopping. They did get a big (925 g) bag of Cadbury mini chocolate eggs for Easter however. In the years past I have always seen leftover Easter chocolate but nada. Not a single item this time at Shoppers, Metro or Loblaws. I ended up snagging chocolate at Dollarama. I really didn't want to go a 4th store... but it is newspaper collection week and both kids needed envelopes to leave for their customers to leave money in the mailbox for them. Well, now we have 300 envelopes!

That's it! I'm not going to another store for another 12-14 days. But holy crap the grocery bills! I have not bothered to shop for sales and it shows. For the moment though we are doing all right. I applied on Monday for CERB and received it by Wednesday. My husband is still working. We are able to pay our bills. My son is only getting 1 shift every two weeks at McDonald's but at least with the staff rotation this way they are not laying off any of the kids.

I've dropped 5 lbs in the past month. That's something at least.

BTW, did I miss something? I thought Rexall was ending their association with Air Miles by the end of March. They didn't?

How did it go with adding eggs back into your diet Donald?

 

[juniorbugman]

The kids asked if I could purchase more "chocolate" and "candy" this time. Apparently I didn't have enough snacks to last the prior 11 days with no shopping. They did get a big (925 g) bag of Cadbury mini chocolate eggs for Easter however. In the years past I have always seen leftover Easter chocolate but nada. Not a single item this time at Shoppers, Metro or Loblaws. I ended up snagging chocolate at Dollarama.

Don't know where you are located but if you want Easter Chocolate Laura Secord has them 30%off on their website and if you spend so much (not sure of the amount) you can get free shipping. I love their mini Secord eggs so I am ordering the big bags of them for my family and a friend and yup I have spent enough to get free shipping. Great way for me to get Mother's day and birthday gifts.

 

[bababear_50]

So what will you vote???

https://www.airmilesshops.ca/en/splash/voting
Although a 10x offer would be great!
Hugs
Mel

 

[bababear_50]

Well I decided if I have to stay home I need to update the garden a bit. I ordered 14 bags of top soil,,Canadian Tire. At least I used my BMO to get a couple airmiles.
Now to convince my son that he wants to go pick them up and deliver to my backyard.

Hugs
Mel

 

[ottawamom]

I have a stockpile of bags of topsoil left over from last summer. I was going to overseed the whole lawn and never got around to doing it. I picked up another bag of grass seed at Costco the other day. I'm going to have the best looking lawn on the block this summer.

I'm way ahead of schedule getting the gardens set up for the spring. One more section to go this week and I'll just be waiting for the plants to pop up and bloom.

 

[marchingstar]

so I feel like we all have a wealth of knowledge between us (the kitchen thread is a great example!)...what recommendations or sources do the gardeners here have for newbies?

I usually grow herbs on my deck through the summer, but that's about my skill limit so far. I would love to try growing some more food products, but I have no idea where to start! What would grow best in my region/yard, what kinds of growing containers/beds would be best...I don't know any of it!

If you have suggested readings or sites, I'd love to hear them

 

[bababear_50]

I have tried many different plants to grow food but have had no success ,,first know what wildlife you have in the neighbourhood. I finally decided that I was only planting food for my forest friends.

I do have the hydroponics mini garden from work in my breakfast room right now,,apparently we are growing lettuce,,started last Thursday. I'll let you know how it goes.

I do grow lavender in my garden (in pots) and then make some scented sachets in the fall time.
I just dig a hole in the garden in the fall and set to pot right into the hole,,cover with leaves and so far the plants come back each spring.

https://food52.com/blog/12688-diy-lavender-sachets-to-make-your-sock-drawer-smell-like-heaven
I also go pine cone picking (lots of trees in my neighbourhood). I sometimes will make scented pine cones for myself and family.
https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/make-scented-pine-cones-3269751
I have also grown mint in pots,,,lesson learned,,,,it is an invasive plant and will try to take over your garden,,pots are best. This year I was hoping to find some chocolate mint.

chocolate mint


I would check what my neighbours have had success planting and harvesting.

Hugs
Mel

Farmers Almanac for 10 easy grow vegetables
https://www.almanac.com/content/10-easy-vegetables-grow-seed

 

[alohamom]

so I feel like we all have a wealth of knowledge between us (the kitchen thread is a great example!)...what recommendations or sources do the gardeners here have for newbies?

I usually grow herbs on my deck through the summer, but that's about my skill limit so far. I would love to try growing some more food products, but I have no idea where to start! What would grow best in my region/yard, what kinds of growing containers/beds would be best...I don't know any of it!

If you have suggested readings or sites, I'd love to hear them

Well you can't really go wrong with peas. They sprout up fairly quickly and I usually put two posts in the ground on the ends of the rows with string to train them up for easier picking and to allow more to grow. My mom taught me to soak the seeds overnight before I plant and you can plant them as soon as the soil is workable, you do not have to wait for the last frost. My kids and I planted some three weeks ago and we have a couple of sprouts. This is a general idea of how to trellis them up on string. You can use a tomato cage or a trellis too.

 

[alohamom]

Oh and Mel is right. Unless you want your mint to take over your entire garden and you cannot plant anything else because of it-keep it in pots or in a seperate area away from other plants. It is pretty invasive

 

[tinkerone]

I have to say, there is no way I could plant any foods in my gardens. We have a BILLION rabbits in our subdivision. There is a family who lives under our shed in fact. We also have chipmunks and squirrels that would have a nibble given the chance. We often toss out handfuls of sunflower seeds for the squirrels, almost everyday. Yesterday DH went out and took the BBQ cover off so we could begin enjoying the start of spring (which is debatable ) and he found tons of sunflower seed pods hidden in several areas of the BBQ.
Long story short, not to discourage you from this endeavour but if you do decide to give it a go check out what little creatures are in your area. We have grape vines that produce and it's a fight to get them before the birds and raccoons.

I grow herbs and lettuce in an Aero Garden in my kitchen. I'm amazed by how much lettuce it produces.

 

[tinkerone]

As for Air Miles, did any of our group win anything from the Air Miles, Happy Any Day contest yesterday?