The RAnts of RA

We had a bunch of errands to run in Merced and decided to stop off at Costco. They were having a sale on Nutiva Coconut Oil – 74 oz. for $14.99 – organic.  For that price  I can’t help but wonder if there isn’t something wrong with it. I’ve got five in the pantry and I’ve been using one for what seems like forever.  I can’t find a thing wrong with it.

Extra Virgin Coconut Oil (There is no such thing as extra virgin…)

I have to say I was pretty dismayed at the amount of organic food available.  I was looking for organic staples: flour, sugar, corn meal, rice and beans. What I found was crackers, soups, cookies and other assorted items of prepackaged food that I don’t trust anymore.  I’m tired of buying stuff with things I can’t pronounce and ingredients I have no idea what they are.  If I can’t make it in my kitchen, our family is not going to eat it.

I was happy to see they had packages of grass-fed ground beef that were very reasonably priced. Sadly, they didn’t have any other types of organic beef or any other organic meats.  The Modesto location seems to have a better selection, but I haven’t been there for awhile, so it’s hard to say.

There are deals to be had in the organic market.  Look for deals on beef during the month of October.  When you find them though, stock up because once the supply is gone, the price shoots back up, and it’ll stay up until Spring.  Consider canning the beef, chicken, pork, etc… instead of freezing it.  The meat will last longer and will be tastier, and most of the cooking will already be done.  It’s just a real nice thing to have on hand.

I think we’ll find a lot of organic food to choose from come Spring. Plan ahead.  What does your family like to eat?  Make a list! What items would you like for them to start eating? Search for recipes that use those items. Buy extra when items are cheap and either can, freeze or dry them for later.

Get to know your neighbors, plant a garden. If we demand organic food, things will change, slowly…

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Have you been out shopping?  I drove down the hill today to pick up some chicken base, so while I was at it I figured I might as well do a little grocery shopping. I remembered I wanted to bake some  Blackberry Bliss Bars  —  they looked so good — so I needed some coconut as well.

First I stopped in at Cost U Less (I love that store), for the chicken base. It seemed like everything was on sale. I walked in the door expecting to buy three items and ended up spending $75.  I can’t believe how expensive everything has gotten.  I saw they had chips on sale 2 for $5, I thought to myself, “that’s more like it.”  Only to find out when I opened one that they’re only 9 oz. I couldn’t believe it!    Guess we won’t be eating chips unless I make them at home.

On the way out of the store, there was a woman going through the boxes stacked up in front of the store.  I was putting away my receipt in my purse, while walking out of the store and accidentally ran over the  woman’s  toe.  I told her I was sorry and kept walking.  She got all ticked off, acting like a jerk. I don’t know what else she wanted me to do —  I said I was sorry.  I sure wasn’t going to kiss it for her.

Then I went to Save Mart.  Big mistake. I had to get coconut and they didn’t have it at Cost U Less.  I went down the aisle where the baking items are and the only coconut on the shelf was their store brand and I wanted the real deal — Baker’s — I think it tastes better. There was a sign that said more coconut could be found at the front of the store.

So, I walk around, and around these little islands they have set up at the front of the store but I’m not finding any coconut.  I asked a stock boy to help me, he turned around, then met up with some co-workers and I was a distant memory.    I asked another person’s help and they ignored me outright.

At the checkout counter, I told the cashier about not being able to find the coconut and you’d have thought I was invisible. It was really strange.  So, as I was leaving the store, I asked another cashier where I could find a manager.  She finally put me in touch with some — I don’t believe he was a manager but he said he was. I told him what had happened and I kid you not, his eyes just glazed over.

I ended with … “that is why I won’t be shopping here any more” and walked out.  He never said a word.

It went downhill from there.

I promised the hubby I would stop at KFC for a bucket of chicken. I left my son to wait for it while I went to Price Co. for the coconut.  Bad mistake.  I was getting frazzled by this time.  There were cars everywhere, so I slipped in between them all to park but I didn’t quite make it into the spot.  I was in fact parked almost diagonal. Some guy took me to task about it.  He quipped that I should slow down.

Well, I’ll spare you the details, let’s just say he didn’t have anything else to say to me after I told him to mind his own business…

By this time, I’m in a foul mood. Everyone else is in a foul mood. Merry Christmas.  If this is how things are out there NOW, what are they going to be like in a couple of weeks?  I know I won’t be venturing out again any time soon.  It will come in the mail (thank you Amazon!) or I don’t need it.

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Thermal underwear is great to have in the cold mountain snow but there is more to preparing for a trip to the mountains to play in the snow than loading up the snowboard, tire chains and filling up the gas tank.

San Francisco, Pier 39: Fisherman’s Wharf

It’s not uncommon to see people running around Twain Harte in the dead of winter in shorts. I asked one man what he was thinking and he told me he had decided to make a day trip to the mountains and forgot to pack his pants.

Mountain weather can change quickly and temperatures drop like a rock when the sun goes down. So, please don’t forget your pants at home.

I have to laugh at that because I remember one early fall day over ten years ago when our family made a trip to Pier 39 in San Francisco. We wandered around shopping, watching the seals and sampling the local  eateries. When the sun went down, the temperatures took a nose dive and even though I was wearing a sweatshirt and a coat, it was so cold, we shopped for  and purchased jackets – and grabbed a blanket from the car.

I had planned to quote Mark Twain just now: “The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.” But,  according to Snopes, it’s not true. You have to admit, it could be true for most Californian’s. However, since I’m from Michigan — well, let’s just say  San Francisco doesn’t come close in comparison to a cold Michigan winter.

When you know you will be out in the cold weather, be sure to bring along extra socks, wool is great at keeping the moisture away from your feet. The snow in the Sierra Nevada range  tends to be wet and heavy. Warm socks, gloves and hats are essential. As a rule of thumb, bring twice as many as you would normally bring to ensure having a dry set available.

The DOT does a terrific job of keeping the roads clear and over the past several years new signage has been erected. As such, most people make their round trip to Dodge Ridge in safety but there are times when, due to vehicle failure, a motorist can get stranded. It’s always better to be prepared for just such an emergency.

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