BACK TO KILLING TREES

 It's Winter once again in Central California.  If there's one thing we are known for, it's FOG.  Tule fog they call it, as in Tule swamps which used to cover the valley and be the home of Tule Elk.  By the way, wasn't I shocked to see a large herd of Tule Elk at the San Luis Reservoir in the westside mountains heading back from the coast.  That's the first time in my life I've actually seen them.  They used to cover this valley before humans moved in.  No pictures, it's a steep downhill, everyone race to the finish line at 80 mph, road.

Mornings look like this ... 

And sound like this.  No kidding, I have never seen a cat this affectionate in my life.  All new adventures at MY age!  Kitters spent most of the day and all night in the Cat House.  At least it's up high where the skunks can't reside.  I'm still smelling them often, but so far have not found any holes into my yard.  

As for the stop at the fabric shop ... I don't know what's wrong with me.  I had two of these fabrics and only walked out with four small pieces, along with the caramel one.  I threw in a piece of backing just for good measure and only dropped $123.00.  I think that's a record.  Now if I can only get motivated to cut and sew again.  It seems to come in waves.

Then came the hard part.  NOT eating everything in sight just because I did for the last few days.  This was breakfast.  I know, Bad Nancy, but I surely wasn't going to throw away LAYS potato chips.  Wasn't I surprised to find I bought a bag-o-air.  Seriously?  This was it ... 1.5 ounces of potato chips in the very bottom of the bag.  What a rip-off!  

By 8:30 I was off to Wally World, trying to beat the Sunday Pajama crowd.  I think in honor of Thanksgiving, they have lowered their prices back to normal.  Two 18 packs of eggs were $6.00.  Butterball turkeys were 97 cents a pound, a purchase I could not turn down.  Semi-sweet chocolate chips ... $3.00 versus the normal $7.00.  It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas CANDY!!

Hamburger, not so much, but at least it was a little cheaper at $6.00 a pound instead of the $11.00 it was two weeks ago.  Just to prove a point about their checkers ... I checked myself out while the guy watched me, and I put five items in the bag without running them over the machine.  Yes, I took them back out and paid for them ... I'm not a thief ... I just wanted to prove a point.  They must be losing millions of dollars.  The guy was more interested in the bag of marshmallows he was eating.

By the way, we are back to KILLING TREES since they discontinued the use of plastic bags (just when I needed them for the rig) and are back to paper bags.  Make up your MIND!!  Cheap thin ones with no handles that you have to pay 10 cents for, only to have all three of them rip apart when you take them out of the basket and put in your car.  

It was sort of my lucky day however ..... MUCH cheaper groceries and THIS!  I found a $5.00 penny.  I used to walk on by, but NO MORE!  It's a 1986 model I think, and will be worth its weight in gold in a few more years.  I'm leaving that big jar full of pennies to the Elks Lodge.  It will probably pay for the elevator they want.  

Not really ... 

Back home I made my caramel/toffee bars.  Alas, I got the wrong toffee.  Seems it was also caramel.  These things are going to stick to your teeth like Gorilla Glue.

Definitely not the flavor I was going for, but they will be eaten over the next few months,  I put them in these little containers and freeze them for when I need a pick me up.  That won't be any time soon because I've got a few pounds to drop off somewhere along the way first.

Thanksgiving is almost here ... only one Bingo Away.  I've got returns to return, boxes to mail, turkeys to defrost and two "kids" to spoil today.  I'm looking forward to cooking for four hours, just to eat in 5 minutes and do dishes for the next hour after that.  THANKSGIVING IS ALMOST HERE!!!