Cheap, Frugal , Thrifty…or just plain “Old Lady” shopping???

  I drove to my daughter’s house in Sugar Grove yesterday to pick her up for a tag team shopping/ lunch trip.  When she goes with me, she is guaranteed to be embarrassed at least ONE time during the trip…She lives in Mallard Point, a subdivision about 20 miles from Sandwich, in Sugar Grove, IL.

Her hubby, Tim, was waving me NOT to park in the drive because it was too slippery…OR…was he waving me off, trying to get me to leave???HMMMMM…

Tim was working a case (he is a Detective) and was getting ready to go to the Gander Mt. store…He was investigating some thefts…I offered to go with him to Gander Mt. ,one of my store Fav’s.  I even offered to go undercover , wearing one of my special “ensembles” so no one would suspect I was working for the police…he declined…Personally I think I could have “broken” the case wide open.( Key word here is “broken”).

Ter and I had a great shopping day. We started at the Goodwill Store,  moved on to Marshall’s, and ended up at Panera Bread for Cheese Broccoli Soup and Sandwich….

ABOVE ARE MY PRIZE PURCHASES……2 JACKETS….

LEFT, A LEATHER BLAZER FOR $5, GOOD WILL STORE

THE RIGHT 2 PHOTOS, A VELOUR JACKET FRONT, AND BACK…$10, MARSHALL’S

  The next question is whether I am frugal, a wise shopper, cautious….or just plain cheap????YEP, CHEAP IT IS!!!

 

THE MALE CARDINAL OF THE PAIR SHOWED UP IN MY FEEDER TODAY….AND I FINALLY GOT A FEW PHOTOS….

 

 

 

  The feeder was busy today….Bird chatter must be about the sub-zero weather expected tomorrow…

This is the first winter we have spent here in 5 years….It is going down as one of the coldest already.  I am going to get some groceries today, and tomorrow I will stay INSIDE, IN MY SWEATS,  and probably leafing through my RV trip photos, sobbing. It is my firm belief that old retired peeps like McGuyver and myself should NOT be living in Illinois , AT LEAST during the winter, where we are subjected to icy sidewalks, Arctic winds, scraping windows, frostbite, and snow blindness…Not to mention high taxes, high fuel prices and corrupt politicians who are now serving jail time….I ask myself this question frequently…WHY ARE WE STILL HERE?  Yes, we have kids and Grandkids here…and in Indiana.  But wouldn’t they LOVE to come see us in our warm weather retreat during the winter months? My brain is even freezing…(well, that’s MY excuse, anyway)..

  I would like to welcome Joe and Nancy who are about to embark on their dream of full-timing RV’ers…Let me just say..I AM JEALOUS!! (of all you full-timers)…I hope Joe and Nancy can take this bumpy blog in stride, cause it can get rough, especially the photos of “moi”….

THANKS TO ALL OF YOU FOR DIVING INTO THIS BLOG ….YOU MAY NEED A LIFE RING!!!!

A BORING DAY…I CLEANED JUST TO DO SOMETHING….

  Today was a really boring day ….I did get my 2 miles in this morning…in my winter boots, which I haven’t worn for 5 years, I might add..If I look a little crabby in the following photo, well…..

…..I AM!!!! I AM COLD, WET, TIRED, MY FEET HURT, MY EYES BURN, AND….ONE OF THE SPEAKERS ON MY RADIO WENT OUT..(YES, I AM SPORTING A RADIO FROM THE 90’S ON MY HEAD, AND YES, IT IS OLDER THAN DIRT..PERFECT FOR ME!) PLEASE DO NOT CLICK TO ENLARGE, IT LOOKS LIKE I HAVE MARSHMALLOWS FOR EYELIDS..

I was so bored today that I cleaned and re-arranged my cabinets…All of my canned goods used to be in this lower cabinet, (left photo), requiring me to bend over (not easy anymore)… or just plain sit on the floor to dig through my stuff…

…so I moved them into a top cabinet, photo right…Of course, now I had unwittingly started something I had to finish…I had to take more stuff out to  make room for all the stuff I had taken OUT to make room..and on, and on, and on..yada yada  yada… I had crap piled everywhere!  The kitchen police kept patrolling our street…AND when I went to reheat my cold coffee in the microwave,…..STILL COLD COFFEE!!! Oh just fine, now our 10 year old microwave decided to ditch my kitchen too…and just imagine life without a microwave…In fact, just imagine an hour without a microwave…McGuyver went out to Wally World (without me, which concerned me somewhat) and purchased us a brand spankin’ new one…GREAT JOB, MCGUYVER….LOVE IT…WHEW!!!

THE BEAR ON THE TOP CAME SEPARATELY…..

….I guess was a good thing we walked early in the AM because by noon the snow had turned to sleet mixed with rain…just how I like my sleet…mixed with rain…NOT!!

YES, THAT IS ICE ON THE SCREEN LOOKING OUT ON OUR DECK…JUST GREAT. NOW I CAN LOOK FORWARD TO DOING A HALF GAINER ON MY BUTT WHEN I WALK OUT THE DOOR!!

  I was telling Judy about the great birding we had in Louisiana a couple years ago…We stayed a Sam Houston Jones State Park, near Lake Charles, LA…

 

THIS IS A PILATES…NO WAIT…A PILEATED WOODPECKER…I TOLD JUDY HE WAS A PILATES AND SHE CORRECTED ME… I GUESS HE ISN’T DOING PILATES, HE’S ALREADY DONE PILATES…HE IS PILEATED..WHATEVER…ALL I REMEMBER IS HOW DARN BIG HE WAS…HIS COMMON NAME IS “WOODY” THE WOODPECKER….SEE, I DO KNOW MY BIRDS!

 

This park is really fabulous and they have some very strange birds there, present company not included…Check out these poor homely geese…They need to go have some work done on that head lump….

…If they find some way of fixing that waddle, I’m joining their flock!!!

 

Now these two geese??? were some bizarre looking dudes  Actually I think they are a “pair”.no other goose would have either one of them…I  hope they didn’t get a “gander” into the swamp pool to actually see their reflection…Keep all mirrors away from this pair…they obviously have no clue what they look like…

 

YOU CAN’T FOOL ME…THIS ONE IS A BLUE HERON….SEE? I’VE BEEN READING UP ON AVIAN STUFF.

  Well, this has been another slightly reflective blog.   Oops, almost forgot….thanks and welcome to John and Judy Hollinger, and  Ken and Mia ….Bravery must run rampant in Washington State…You are in for a very rocky ride…buckle up!!…It sounds like we will be in the deep freeze by Friday…YOU MEAN IT CAN GET COLDER???  Somehow I have a feeling we won’t spend next winter here in Illinois…McGuyver mutters profanities every time he goes out the door into the cold…

Tomorrow I am suppose to go shopping and lunching with our oldest daughter in Sugar Grove…If it is still icy outside, I will be remaining here, in my sweats….4 wheel drive makes NO difference on ice!!…That’s a McGuyverism…See ya Thursday!!!

“BEAR” TIME IN THE CAVE DEN….

I feel I have been lax in welcoming new followers…All of a sudden I have a few that I’m not sure I thanked for following this circus train…”All Aboard!”..Welcome to Wandering Wille ,   Visionquest,  Victoria, Bill, fiberantics, and Carolinakate.  (If I have already welcomed you, well..that is why I’m sometimes referred to as “Dementia Donna”). At any rate, ALL of our followers who choose to subject themselves to my insanities..you are very appreciated!!

  Last night was “date night” for the Cave couple.  We had a thought of going out to see the newest bar/restaurant that opened in Sandwich last fall, “ Mongo's On Main”. Only a real Bear football fan would know that “ Mongo” is Steve McMichael’s nickname..Who the Heck is Steve McMichael?, you ask… He was only a defensive tackle on the 1986 Super Bowl Championship team, The Chicago Bears…also a 2 time Pro Bowler, and 2 time First-Team All Pro….Well, now he is owner of a restaurant on the South edge of Sandwich…which is South Main St., hence the name, Mongo’s On Main…get it? And by the way, according to the Online Slang Dictionary, the definition of “mongo” is humongous, big, large….and McMichael is all of those things.

  Let’s see now, where was I?? Oh, yeah….We HAD thought of checking this new joint out, but after further consideration, we changed our minds..Our thinking was that it was going to be packed with Bear fans.  You know, those loud, rowdy, raucous, drinking, singing, cavorting Bear fans..the only kind there are! What we were looking for last evening was a quiet cocktail, so we headed to the “old person’s place”, the Moose Lodge.   Fear not, we WILL get to Mongo’s, but maybe after the season is over…and I hope that day is NOT today!!

 

 

  Let me say a few words about the above pizza….CHEESY, SAUSAGY,MUSHROOMY,DRUEL-WORTHY,BEST EVER!!! ….and all courtesy of Casey’s General Store… If you are wondering, Casey’s General Stores are like Seven Elevens around here…gas station/convenience store…AND they make their own homemade pizza…It is the best in town in my humble opinion..and we noshed one down last night!!…Oh, and all this for $10…NO, REALLY!!!

NOW WATCH HOW FAST THIS BLOG CAN GO IN THE DITCH:

 

 

SEE THE BIRD AMONGST THE TABLES????

 

THIS TALL WHITE BIRD WAS BUSSING TABLES AT THE HILTON IN LONG BOAT KEY FLORIDA WHEN WE WERE THERE…CAN WE “COUNT” HIM,  JUDY?  I THINK HE WAS ALSO EATING THE TIPS…

 

 

 

…and while we are in Long Boat Key, …….I’m in a “warm weather destination wedding” kinda mood…

McGuyver just got off a wave runner, and as you can see, he does clean up well, walking our daughter down the “sand” at her wedding…I can put on the “glad rags” fairly well myself, if I choose, especially if my escort is my handsome son!!…Ninety people arrived at Long Boat Key on Thursday, and the wedding was Saturday evening on the beach at sunset…4 days to play in the sunshine!

 

INDULGE ME A FEW MORE SHOTS…..THEIR BEST FRIEND, THE REVEREND JOHN, MARRIED THEM.

THE WOLFF/CAVE COMBINED FAMILIES…..AUG. 5TH, 2005

 

 

BEWARE, NOW I’M ON A ROLL….OUR OLDEST DAUGHTER GOT MARRIED OUTDOORS AT FISHERMAN’S INN IN ELBURN, IL……

 

 

.

 

 

ALL THREE OF OUR KIDS GOT MARRIED OUTDOORS, INCLUDING OUR SON, KELLY..IN IRELAND ON SEPT 11TH, ‘07.

 

Do you now feel like you have been to 3 weddings today..and didn’t even get a meal??? When I began this blog  I had no idea where it was going..least of all to 3 WEDDINGS, of all things…It started with that darn bird at the Hilton in Florida, then flipped over to my children’s weddings….go figure…Dementia Donna does it again.

 

And on a much different note…Did I mention???…..the Chicago Bears will be playing the Green Bay Packers for the NFC championship next weekend….just sayin’. (NA, NA NA, NA NA-NA!!!!!!)

NOW THAT’S GONNA BE A REAL GAME OF RIVALS!!!!

 

 

TODAY WAS A PERFECT SNOWY CHICAGO DAY……AND OUR SON, KELLY, WAS IN SOLDIER FIELD WATCHING!! YEA!!

 

WHAT A GAME!

 

 

So, thank you so much for indulging me in my sappy, sentimental journey through our kid’s weddings….Your gift was just being there, as they say.  You didn’t even have to clang you spoons on your glasses, watch the parents snot all over themselves, or do the Chicken Dance!!!

WHO THE HECK KNOWS WHAT I WILL FIND TO BLOG ABOUT NEXT!!!

BE SCARED….BE VERY SCARED!!!

TIME FOR A HAIRCUT…

  I decided this morning it was time for a haircut….This is what happens when I get bored…

 

 

…Besides, I have more than enough facial hair anyway….Me thinks me needs to boost up the hormone dosage….

 

 

 

   Yesterday I got into my “Nanook of the North” outer gear , (yes, I have several nice outfits), and took the GMC for a spin to get some groceries…..

…Center Street …that slop really makes the GMC attractive looking….Also, notice the train car/restaurant is still “under construction”..I may have to go over there and “jack ‘em up”..Come ON you guys, let’s have something NEW to do in town!!

Do any of you bloggers clip coupons?? Or go to at least 3 different grocery stores to save a buck?…Well, I do all of that.

 

MY FIRST STOP WAS ART’S SUPER MART, OUR LOCAL SMALL TOWN GROCERY STORE..

 

WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO THE GUYS THAT USED TO CARRY OUT GROCERIES FOR “LITTLE OL’ LADIES” LIKE THIS POOR FROZEN SR.? PUSHING THAT CART TO THE CAR IN THE SNOW IS CHALLENGING…HELP A GAL OUT, WOULD YA??

.

 

 

 

 

My new best friend this winter in Illinois is our heated seats…At least I can have some “warm buns”.

 

 

 

 

 

My second stop is always Aldis…the world of quarter shopping carts and “bring your own bags”..The land where you can load up your cart to overflowing for under $100 (and that includes a couple bottles of Merlot!!)

..When it costs you more to fill your fuel tank than it does to buy groceries, it’s time to move out of Illinois…(not to mention the state taxes just went up 75%). Our GMC drinks out of the Murphy USA trough…it’s the cheapest fuel within 30 miles..and is right there at my last stop…

 

 

WAL-MART!!! AKA WALLY WORLD, ADVENTURES IN SHOPPING, CELL PHONE HELL, AND “CHOOSE THE WILDEST COSTUMED SHOPPER” CONTEST.

 

 

 

THEY HAVE ALL OF THOSE SHOPPING CART “RETURN “PLACES THAT ALMOST NO ONE USES..

 

 

Hey you peeps!! Do NOT get this close to my GMC..step AWAY from the truck…and PULLLLEASSE open your car door slowly!! (Yeah, right…like that works!)….We have lots more Wally “dings” in our truck door than we do  Arizona “desert pin striping”.  Well, as you can see, it is always a real pleasure grocery shopping for me.  No wonder no one will go with me… I like to call these trips “Combat Food Retrieval”, for obvious reasons.

  Thank the Lord, this weekend will be exciting, though.  The Chicago Bears are hosting the Seattle Seahawks here at Soldier Field, though you would never know it from nationwide TV… Most of the sportscasters totally disregard our Bears, as if they aren’t really there..like Rodney Dangerfield, they get no respect! ..The weather forecast??…Windy, 20 degrees and snow …PERFECT Bear weather…GRRRRRR!!!

  Many of you don’t realize that Soldier Field was built in 1919 as a memorial to those soldiers who died in wars.  The link I provided has some great photos and history of this historical stadium…

SOLDIER FIELD AT NIGHT…BEAUTIFUL..

 

SOLDIER FIELD SOLDIER’S MEMORIAL WALL….

 

HOPES AND DREAMS ARE ATTACHED TO THIS MAN AND HIS TEAM…

….JAY CUTLER, AS IF YOU DIDN’TKNOW!!

AND TO ALL YOU TV SPORTS “PUNDANTS”….SHOW SOME RESPECT ,@#!*#@!

 OK, I’ve sounded off enough.  This was a very crazy blog.  I jumped around to much you would think my hair was on fire…Oh, that’s right..now I don’t HAVE enough hair to set it ablaze!! Thanks for reading…disregard any rantings..(I guess that means you could disregard the whole doggone blog!)