Saturday, October 22, 2022

Christmas In October

Finally ... a good night's sleep to make for a nice relaxing eyes-wide-open morning on the patio sipping my favorite warm concoction ... phony coffee.  I didn't stay long though, as I am always anxious to see what the foxes are doing in my back yard.

They came back again 20 times to check out the dog toy.  I really think they were hoping it would change into a big chicken leg.   


They spent a lot of time smelling it, but never touched it or moved it.  Sly and curious, as a fox should be, this one checked out the camera up close and personal.  He leaves, but just makes a big circle and comes back.  I'm sure he was hoping another egg would magically appear.  


Every time I hook up the camera to the computer, I expect to see this.  Remember this guy?  It was just 18 months ago that I was dealing with these critters!  Oh my gosh ... when I caught big mamma, I was shaking like a leaf knowing I had to pick up the cage and haul her off.  Those little STINKERS!!!!  Luckily this year I haven't seen even one, but I have smelled two that I'm sure someone killed.  Prolific little dudettes!


Although I would have preferred to camp out on the couch, I decided to get my act together and go foraging for fridge food.  I was late, so parking was at a premium and carts hard to find.  Costco was my target for some of those yummy chickens.

Who knew it was already Christmas??  They used to wait until at LEAST Halloween was over.  Two big aisles were filled with lights and decorations, followed up by THREE big aisles full of toys.  Get your grandkids those sought after toys before they are gone!!


I was happy to see eight chickens still on the warmer.  I mean really, you can't beat a 4 pound roasted chunk of a chicken for $5.00.  I snagged two before they were all gone.  I did check out some other stuff ... like some crab for a new recipe I want to try.  Twelve ounces for $39.00 ... uh that would be a NO.  

I always wonder what happens to all this stuff that doesn't sell.  This is a welfare town and no one can afford that kind of a pricey food.  They would rather spend it on Bingo!!  I did find some Foster Farms chicken breasts for $3.40 a pound, packaged individually.  That was the best of the sales for the day.  I couldn't afford the salmon or anything else they had displayed.  I'm still paying that Vet bill.


Cooper was a happy camper when I returned and he smelled the chicken.  Fresh roasted chicken is his all time favorite.  It's not the same when it's cold.  Go figure!  I spent about an hour getting it off the bones and into the fridge, whereupon I spotted the new block of cheese.  Oh yeah .... grilled cheese sandwich on the loaf of Santa Cruz Sourdough I grabbed at Costco.  I've now enough bread to last three months.


The next couple of hours were spent yet again, on Cooper food.  I picked up these packages of bony pork at the discount store some time ago for $1.99 a pound.  I threw them in the instant pot and 40 minutes later I had tender pork to chop up.  I never really know quite how long to cook it, and this came out a little dry.  No worries, he will eat it if there's nothing else around, and I get the bonus of pork tacos.


In other interesting news, our ballots for the November election were mailed out.  While cruising through Facebook, I noticed a blurb from Merced County.  It seems our illustrious Assessor is in charge of voting and registration.  That's weird, no?  

Apparently they left one race OFF the ballot for a particular precinct.  Isn't that interesting?  Yet again, more voting problems, when that office already GUARANTEED me they would never have problems or voter fraud because they are so good at their job.  Well .........

The note did not say WHICH precinct, but they would send out another ballot and contact you to be sure you filed the CORRECT one.  Does that mean we can file TWO ballots?  What if we already filed one and have yet to receive the CORRECT one?  I guess that means we are out of luck?  Just what precinct was it?

So many questions.  This is just one little podunk town ... can you just imagine how it is across the country?

So what time is it now?  Time to check the critter cam!!!!!  Thank you for stopping by.


8 comments:

  1. That's not as bad as Pinal County was during the primaries. Can you imagine going to vote and they don't have any ballots left and then they had to send out a second ballot because the first wasn't complete for the mail in ballots. I noticed that it costs $1.05 to mail the ballot. Can you imagine the printing costs along with all the additional postage? Guess who pays for that?

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    1. Wow Jan ... I didn't hear that! I imagine that happens everywhere, they just don't tell anyone.

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  2. Indy loves her chicken warm, cold, and especially if it is smothered in cheese.

    Did a new dish yesterday. Can of Progresso Broccoli Cheese Soup, two Sam's (Costco is fine) thighs from the Rotisserie Chicken, 12 oz bag of fresh Broccoli, 1/2 cup Shredded Cheddar, Two low carb tortillas, touch of Italian Seasoning. Put soup in pan and turn on to medium high, quickly adding the Broccoli (cutting large pieces up), add cut chicken thighs, add Seasoning. Once simmering, put down to medium low for 8-10 minutes. Cook Tortillas in toaster oven on broil, turning every 45 seconds, for 3-4 minutes until they are turning hard. Cut them up and add to the mixture and stir till it is all mixed up. Add cheese and put to low for 5 minutes. WOW, this was yummy! (And I made up the recipe all on my own!)

    PS: Best place to buy Progresso Soups is at Walmart. I go online and find a Walmart that has the Broccoli Cheese (with or without bacon) AND the Chicken Tortilla Soups. Order enough of that or other stuff to make it up to $35 or more. Checkout and pick the time I want to pick it up. Drive up, call them, they bring it out and off you go.

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    1. That sounds pretty darn good Dave!!! I will definitely try it!!

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  3. Mr. Ed ….. it sounds like you’re training your fox to hunt eggs Sounds like a good chicken soup and pork and beans are in someone’s future

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    1. That's what they normally hunt around here. That and chickens, so better keep them all locked up. They are also good at gophers ... mine have disappeared!!!

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  4. I often wish Christmas were in October! Most of the stuff I want is hunting related and I have to wait an entire year to use it and by then more new stuff is out!

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    1. Maybe we can move it up a couple of months ... kind of like Thanksgiving in Canada is early!!! That would work for me!!! Better yet ... lets have TWO Christmases!

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