It's PUMPKIN Time

 This is the look I get when I disturb the BOY.  There's rules around here.  You are not allowed to touch the King of the house when he's sleeping.  He really doesn't even like to be petted unless it's scratching his butt.  Oh he will snuggle when he wants to, but otherwise ... LEAVE ME ALONE.  I can't blame him really ... he's on his way to 17 years old ... an amazing accomplishment for a little pup who's traveled the U.S. and Alaska!

Feeling a tad bit better, I really needed to hit the store for some Jonathan food.  I think he eats more salad than I do.  Never send ME to the grocery store.  I know, it was my idea, but I'm like a dog looking for squirrels to chase.  

I can usually saunter by things like cakes, pies and cookies, but the muffins get me every time.  These are pumpkin crunch.  I'm not sure where the crunch went, but when I cut it open, it was filled with apples.  For a grocery store muffin, it wasn't bad at all.  

That reminded me of bread sticks.  No, I didn't really need any, but they are actually quite good for snack attacks.  AND on sale, so they came home with me.

Speaking of on sale, I noticed something in this store with new owners.  Jolly Green Giant corn (the good stuff) was marked at $2.50 a can.  YIKES!!  But the STORE brand was "ON SALE" for $1.99 a can.  Guess which one everyone is going to buy.  Didn't this stuff used to be $ .99 a can?

I noticed something else when I wandered down the ice cream aisle.  These are my favorite, which used to be $7.00 a box.  These were marked $10.99 a box, but on SALE for $9.49 ... today only.  Makes you want to buy them, yes?  Well I bought this box just last week that were regularly $9.49 a box.  SO THEY LIE in order to make you think they are on sale!!  They are probably cheaper at Walmart if you can wade through the p.j.'s and slippers crowd.  

Luckily I got home just in time to receive this.  I had completely forgotten about one of the Bingo Knights dropping off a chicken dinner he said I bought.  I did???  I cannot for the life of me remember THAT!  I don't know if it was his VFW or our ELKS that prepared it. 

WOW!  This was the best barbecued chicken I've had in ages.  It was fall-apart done, just the way I like it.  The beans were delicious ... and the best part ... OREOS!  It was also Cooper approved!

Tasting that pumpkin muffin, reminded me I had a can of pumpkin in the cupboard that needed to be used up.  I thought maybe I could make my OWN muffins much cheaper than the four I bought.  These are chocolate chip pumpkin.  Yeah, it didn't sound too good to me either, but chocolate chip banana bread is quite tasty.

Super easy to make ... 20 minutes to bake.  They are NOT your grocery store muffins.  I don't know what they put in theirs that makes them soft and puffy, but these came out rather hard and dense.  Plus, all you can taste is chocolate chips ... not that I mind that!  I even put in more spice than it called for, to no avail.  Oh well ... they will work with lots of coffee.  Into the freezer they went.

Though I had hoped to be pedaling down the streets and byways on my bike, I got all gussied up in my best riding outfit, including a helmet that almost chokes you (which I hate), only to find out it was 80 degrees outside and WAY too hot to be riding.  The bike got parked in the kitchen.  Maybe this morning will be cooler and I can get on the road for some practice.  I will need to work off those calories VERY soon!!