Another Unofficial Chatterbox Thread- Everyone is Welcome!

[funnygarcia]

I went to Walmart New Year's Day and they have 4 aisles of clearance Christmas decorations, etc...Normally that stuff is really picked thru and not much left. But it looked like they had just stocked the aisles! Really weird. I guess people are just picking their priorities this year and buying more decorative crap, even if it's on clearance is not a priority.

The closest Target was picked over for the low end priced items, couldn't find any hidden food deals.
Went to another Target in upper middle class suburb-- tons left. And found a few food deals (cookie dough and pumpkin cream cheese) , not so hidden with no takers.

Toys on the other hand-- seriously picked over except for the high school musical and Camp Rock crapola.

Wanted a RC car to torture the cat but didn't find the cheap[ie ones they typically have this time of year. Gone POOF!

 

[sameyeyam]

I'm so jeolous!

Any type of cruise was out of our reach until he started using the NXStage machine.. there is one cruise ship that is specific to dialysis patients.. but we felt that we wouldn't fit in as the typical patient is OLD.

I've read of one person doing a cruise with the machine.. The only problem with any travel is if you are outside the US you can't get any tech support if you run into a problem and we would need to ship our own supplies. (They will ship to locations within the 48 states, not Alaska or Hawaii)

Ours is just a 3 night cruise, so not really gone long. So how long can he go without doing the dialysis? The cruise ship doesn't leave port until around 5pm the first night, so still in the US until then. However, my sister says we need to be there to board around 10am. Most people don't know that the activities on-board start that morning, plus less crowded. So technically we leave the evening of the 30th and then return early in the morning on the 2nd. So that really is only 2-1/2 days out of the US. When the ship gets back into port you also have until about 3pm to disembark. My sister says she stays on until the last minute...once again not nearly as crowded, still things to do, relax by the pool, have a drink, etc...

 

[sameyeyam]

The closest Target was picked over for the low end priced items, couldn't find any hidden food deals.
Went to another Target in upper middle class suburb-- tons left. And found a few food deals (cookie dough and pumpkin cream cheese) , not so hidden with no takers.

Toys on the other hand-- seriously picked over except for the high school musical and Camp Rock crapola.

Wanted a RC car to torture the cat but didn't find the cheap[ie ones they typically have this time of year. Gone POOF!

We don't have any Super Target's yet, so no food items. DS got a really nice RC helicopter and car, both under $20. Our stores are packed with stuff!!! I think it's somewhat due to the economy, but the weather was also another factor. Many people just couldn't get out in the snow for the two weeks before Christmas. We went shopping the weekend before Christmas and the stores were virtually empty. Most of the places didn't really start marking their stuff down until after the New Year's sales. So I'm thinking this weekend and next weekend are going to be some awesome clearance sales around here.

 

[funnygarcia]

That's a nice perk to hang out before and after the cruise.. I wouldn't know that was possible.

The most he can do "without" and still be okay is two days in a row(typical in center dialysis has weekends off).

Now he runs 6 days a week, it's far better not to have several days off. It's just that much more fluid gain to take off, doesn't feel good when you have 6 kilos of fluid in your tissues. (Huff puff, legs swelling) It would take several days to catch up to "dry" again.

With the machine we can take it along and not have those huge changes in fluid.

 

[sameyeyam]

Even though I'm going to FL at the end of the month, I still want to try and swing a Spring Break vacation with the kids the first week of April.

I told DD this wasn't going to be the $5,000 mega WDW vacations we have done in the past. Instead I'll be scrounging for air miles, we'll spend most of the time at my sister's house, hanging at the beach, etc...Was also considering a FL Road Trip!! My sister has never been to the FL Keys and I thought it might be fun for us to all load into a big van and GO! I don't know...just thinking! The kids enjoy WDW, but said they really didn't care if we didn't go...as long as we get out of the crappy weather here. We have far more fun at the water parks then the regular parks, so I have a feeling we would throw a couple of water parks in. If we go you should come down and join us!

 

[sameyeyam]

That's a nice perk to hang out before and after the cruise.. I wouldn't know that was possible.

The most he can do "without" and still be okay is two days in a row(typical in center dialysis has weekends off).

Now he runs 6 days a week, it's far better not to have several days off. It's just that much more fluid gain to take off, doesn't feel good when you have 6 kilos of fluid in your tissues. (Huff puff, legs swelling) It would take several days to catch up to "dry" again.

With the machine we can take it along and not have those huge changes in fluid.

Little known fact about cruise ships. Most people show up a couple of hours ahead of time and then rush right off the ship when it gets back to port. All of the staff is still there, they are cleaning and preparing the ship for the next cruise out. You guys could do a short trip like that.

So does school start back on Monday? Are you looking forward to the peace and quiet?? My kids have been off school for nearly 3 weeks now, so they are really getting bored.

 

[funnygarcia]

Regular target may have some "hidden" gems.

Look for their Archer brand with silver labels (they have tiny snowflake pattern). 100% Pomegranate juice, fancy crackers, nuts, caramel corn.

Ghiradelli brand bags of chocolate - look for snowflake prints or a slight gold overlay swirl print.

Glad trash bags and Ziploc bags - holiday prints.
Bounty paper towels - holiday print

If the store has a refrigerator case.. Pillsbury choc chip pre made dough with red and green chips. Nestle tubs of Gingerbread dough. Slice and bake dough with holiday theme.

There's usually a package of scotch tape and red/green sharpie markers that get missed in the markdowns. SCAN scan scan!

 

[sameyeyam]

Regular target may have some "hidden" gems.

Look for their Archer brand with silver labels (they have tiny snowflake pattern). 100% Pomegranate juice, fancy crackers, nuts, caramel corn.

Ghiradelli brand bags of chocolate - look for snowflake prints or a slight gold overlay swirl print.

Glad trash bags and Ziploc bags - holiday prints.
Bounty paper towels - holiday print

If the store has a refrigerator case.. Pillsbury choc chip pre made dough with red and green chips. Nestle tubs of Gingerbread dough. Slice and bake dough with holiday theme.

There's usually a package of scotch tape and red/green sharpie markers that get missed in the markdowns. SCAN scan scan!

I know, I just need to get in the shopping mood I guess. Being kind of lazy I guess. I'm really thinking that next weekend will probably be the big markdowns around here. Last year near the end of January is when I found the $25 mountain bikes.

 

[funnygarcia]

Everyone goes back on Monday- YES!

My apt looks like a bachelor retreat-- very messy! I don't see the point of cleaning up when I know they will drag out all the games, cards and other junk again.

I played with numbers and drooled over a solo WDW trip with the free nights offer.. but the side of my brain that syas "now be reasonable..." told me that I really shouldn't spend any money that I don't really have.

Sigh... but dang was it a good deal!

I found air fare to LAX for $136.. I had a mini tantrum over that. It's rare to have under $200 air fare to anywhere from MSP.

 

[sameyeyam]

And there's B. arguing with the checker that lettuce and tomatoes are green and red holiday colors and should be 90% off!

BTW, had a big stack of expired coupons, so you'll be getting big manilla envelope this week.

 

[funnygarcia]

I know, I just need to get in the shopping mood I guess. Being kind of lazy I guess. I'm really thinking that next weekend will probably be the big markdowns around here. Last year near the end of January is when I found the $25 mountain bikes.

I prowled bikes at Target- no markdowns.. yet!

J needs a bike, sold them all off when we moved to CA and didn't replace it.
I missed the bike deal last year at Walmart, picked clean.

Looked on Craiglist and every bike in emtro area was more than I would spend for new on clearance. OR it was cheap if we drove an hour away-- ummm nah.. we can wait. Not like he can ride it right now anyway

 

[sameyeyam]

Everyone goes back on Monday- YES!

My apt looks like a bachelor retreat-- very messy! I don't see the point of cleaning up when I know they will drag out all the games, cards and other junk again.

I played with numbers and drooled over a solo WDW trip with the free nights offer.. but the side of my brain that syas "now be reasonable..." told me that I really shouldn't spend any money that I don't really have.

Sigh... but dang was it a good deal!

I found air fare to LAX for $136.. I had a mini tantrum over that. It's rare to have under $200 air fare to anywhere from MSP.

That's why I'm doing a budget trip at Spring Break. Right now it's on the line, because of DH's job. They have said that the possibility of layoff exists when he gets done in April. But he'll know more as we get closer.

He's doing his on the job training right now, so they move him to different jobs, under different supervisors every few days. He's had several supervisor's that told him he's doing an awesome job and are asking for him to be assigned to them. So that's a good sign. I guess for so long they hired young trainees and no work ethic. DH said as soon as he finishes a job he asks, what can I do next? Apparently they like the way he hustles and looks for work. So we are keeping our fingers crossed. Even though it's a union job and a lot of it is based on senority...we have a feeling it's also based on who likes you.

 

[funnygarcia]

And there's B. arguing with the checker that lettuce and tomatoes are green and red holiday colors and should be 90% off!

BTW, had a big stack of expired coupons, so you'll be getting big manilla envelope this week.

Coolness! I finally cut and sorted several months worth of inserts. I've been very bad I tried using a different method instead of my binder.. but it became too much to organize and ended up not using my coupons as well as I should.

Sat down and spent an entire day cut, sort, filled my binder and my expired box.

Much better!

 

[sameyeyam]

Coolness! I finally cut and sorted several months worth of inserts. I've been very bad I tried using a different method instead of my binder.. but it became too much to organize and ended up not using my coupons as well as I should.

Sat down and spent an entire day cut, sort, filled my binder and my expired box.

Much better!

My favorite sorting method was just small size envelopes. I shop at so many different stores it was way easier to walk in, put them in aisle order and go. I got an organizer that I've been using, but it's not really my favorite. I'm thinking I might go back to just the envelopes with a big rubber band around them. I know I've read on some of the couponing boards that many of them use binders, but I tried that and didn't like it as well.

 

[sameyeyam]

We still have snow at our house. I know that doesn't mean much to you, but it's really unbelievable for around here. Two days ago most of the snow in our front yard finally melted, lots of warm rain. The back yard had about 2 inches left. But then I woke up yesterday morning and it had snowed again! About 1 more inch, then it snowed a little last night. UGHH!! Now I know why you get sick of the snow.

 

[funnygarcia]

That's why I'm doing a budget trip at Spring Break. Right now it's on the line, because of DH's job. They have said that the possibility of layoff exists when he gets done in April. But he'll know more as we get closer.

He's doing his on the job training right now, so they move him to different jobs, under different supervisors every few days. He's had several supervisor's that told him he's doing an awesome job and are asking for him to be assigned to them. So that's a good sign. I guess for so long they hired young trainees and no work ethic. DH said as soon as he finishes a job he asks, what can I do next? Apparently they like the way he hustles and looks for work. So we are keeping our fingers crossed. Even though it's a union job and a lot of it is based on senority...we have a feeling it's also based on who likes you.

That's wonderful! I hope he gets a permanent position!
Union has it's good and bad points. At least as a worker your voice is heard to get better benefits.

There is talk that Mpls school district wants to do away with tenure, good in some ways -- easier for them to get rid of teachers that are not up to par and able to give new grads a chance. But it also means that you don't have job security.

The district does bidding for positions each year.. if someone with more seniority wants E's position-- they can apply and get it.

That's how a high school teacher ended up in middle school-- and found she couldn't cut it. Good for E -- he got the job-- but bad for the students to have so much turnover.

 

[sameyeyam]

Our creek was flooding the other day, our freeway on/off ramp closed due to high standing water. All of the warm rain melted the snow, but luckily the rain let up a bit for the last couple of days, snow level came back down (hence our new snow). But I think today is the last dry day, we are looking at about 5 more days of rain, so I have a feeling the flooding will be back.

 

[funnygarcia]

We still have snow at our house. I know that doesn't mean much to you, but it's really unbelievable for around here. Two days ago most of the snow in our front yard finally melted, lots of warm rain. The back yard had about 2 inches left. But then I woke up yesterday morning and it had snowed again! About 1 more inch, then it snowed a little last night. UGHH!! Now I know why you get sick of the snow.

We got another dumping last week. Today has that grey dampness "it might snow" feel. I haven't looked at the forecast.

We tend to go loopy with the ongoing snow and cold around March. When we would expect it to warm up and melt.. we get hit with massive snow storms.

Sis said it had barely begun to warm up just a few days before we moved back, those are the times when it's depressing. June and you still need a warm coat. UGH!

 

[sameyeyam]

That's wonderful! I hope he gets a permanent position!
Union has it's good and bad points. At least as a worker your voice is heard to get better benefits.

There is talk that Mpls school district wants to do away with tenure, good in some ways -- easier for them to get rid of teachers that are not up to par and able to give new grads a chance. But it also means that you don't have job security.

The district does bidding for positions each year.. if someone with more seniority wants E's position-- they can apply and get it.

That's how a high school teacher ended up in middle school-- and found she couldn't cut it. Good for E -- he got the job-- but bad for the students to have so much turnover.

I think there are good and bad points with every job. So far he likes the work, but has problems with the "union mentality" and how they drag the jobs out, sit around for hours on end "waiting" for perfect conditions to start a job, etc... He is also worried about gaining weight. They sit around a lot and many of the men are very overweight. They are constantly eating. DH has a breakfast (toast or cereal), then takes a couple pieces of fruit, string cheese, crackers, etc. for lunch and comes home and has a normal dinner. He said most of the guys pack absolutely huge lunches and sit around and snack and eat all day. Yesterday they had to go to another terminal and around 3pm stopped at a Subway for sandwiches...with only 1-1/2 hours of work left! DH got a pepperoni and juice and they looked at him like he was crazy. He told them he knew that he was going to have dinner at home around 6pm, so why fill up on a foot long sandwich at 3pm. Now mind you, this was after they had all eaten the lunches they brought!

 

[funnygarcia]

Our creek was flooding the other day, our freeway on/off ramp closed due to high standing water. All of the warm rain melted the snow, but luckily the rain let up a bit for the last couple of days, snow level came back down (hence our new snow). But I think today is the last dry day, we are looking at about 5 more days of rain, so I have a feeling the flooding will be back.

That's scary, worrisome nights hoping your house stays dry.
In the metro it's not usually a concern-- unless you live near the Mississippi River. There have been years of flooded basements for those living along the river, not a small amount.. but the type of flooding where they sandbagged the banks.