This was a day I should have just stayed in bed and not done anything that could possibly go wrong.
My daughter and her family have been awfully generous with us sending us care packages (maybe with the hopes that we would stay safe at home).
So we decided to send them a flat rate box of goodies too. I asked Tif what she and her family would like to have. Well, Tif said she was really liking something called Salted Egg chips. Since I had never heard of anything like that I asked her to send a photo of the bag. She did warn me that it's quite expensive (about $7-$8 a bag).
Well... we were at the commissary doing our monthly shopping and (Oh my gosh!) there it was! That same Irvins bird. So I bought a couple of packages.
But then... as I was packing those two packages in the medium flat rate box which took up almost all the space, I saw that it would cost $15.50 to mail those two bags of chips. The postal attendant who I really like laughed and said, "One of the things you really shouldn't mail is chips. 😂 They take up a lot of room and are light." Arrrghhh.... The other thing that had me aggravated? I'd looked at the picture of that bird on the package, but I didn't see the words. Tif wanted the potato chips, NOT THE CASSAVA CHIPS. 😖 Double Arrrgghhh!!!
On that same day, I'd bought (what I thought were) Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs that I was planning to marinate in teriyaki sauce for Art to grill. I thought they were awfully cheap, but I hadn't bought chicken in such a long time.
However, I was surprised because when I opened the package, I saw there were only 4 thighs. What the heck! Then I looked more carefully at the chicken and the package. There was bone and skin. Sigh... Screwed up AGAIN! The photo here shows the chicken with bones and skin on the left and the skinless boneless left-over chicken I had from another bag on the right.
I should have gone back to bed and stayed there.
In the afternoon, the mail arrived and Art opened it to find a late payment charge for our credit card.
"Ummm... Didn't you pay this?" he asked.
"Yes, yes, I did." I told him. I even kept a record to show him what I'd paid for.
Art has always paid the bills throughout our marriage. I told him I needed to learn how to do it too. So, when we finally transferred my bank account from Chicago to Hawaii a few months ago he said I should take over our credit card bill payment with that account and taught me how to do it online.
Well...
There's something to be said for dividing tasks so that each person does what they do best. Budget tracking and bill paying gives Sue fits, but I don't mind it.
ReplyDeleteUgh, what a series of messes. What was Tyson thinking? Egg chips?? Curious about those. Dabbling bill paying is smart. I still do it the old fashioned way--by check. I had heard about the quake and hoped you were all right. I have only been through a small one and it will get your attention.
ReplyDeleteThose chips sure turned out to be a costly affair, but I think it's still sweet how you and your family think of & look out for one another, Kay! The chicken & final submit payment button can happen to the best of us :^)
ReplyDeleteI have never thought to buy boneless or skinless chicken thighs. It takes all of about 15 seconds to remove both with no waste of meat at all. I think I learned my deboning technique off of America's Test Kitchen for chicken thighs and it has served me well and probably saved me a lot of money over the years.
ReplyDeleteYes, you're right.I pay my bills online too and I learned that even if you do that the bank writes a check to pay them. If you don't leave enough time for the mail to get it to them, it arrives late and you pay the utility company a late fee. So, at least for the local bill, I just write them a check and put it in an envelope and drop it in the box they provide for the local bill payments.
ReplyDeleteHaven't seen those kind of chips before. And I think the cost of those flat rate postal boxes increased. I still mail bills by check. But that's good for you to know about the monthly budget procedures. I've quickly grabbed the wrong thing at the store sometimes, or I've grabbed something I already have a back-up for in my cabinet. The supply shortage and trucking challenge is weird: went to WalMart and they were out of all kinds and brands of soy sauce! Found a bottle in the sushi section of a ritzy grocery store. Linda in Kansas
ReplyDeleteI hate when I occasionally screw up on payments, this online thing.
ReplyDeleteInteresting how you felt the earthquake. I thought it was fairly far south. On our news it's only: earthquake south of Hawaii, no tsunami expected." I was at my PC desk too when I felt one here in Kansas. My monitor and chair seemed to sway a bit, and I first thought I was having an unexpected dizzy spell or eyesight problem. On a trip to Portland, OR, I bought a beautifully carved wooden bowl, called an earthquake bowl. It's very rounded even on the bottom. If you see it move, you're having an earthquake! Linda in Kansas
ReplyDeleteThe only other time we had an earthquake that we could feel was in 2006. Thank goodness it wasn't as bad this time.
DeleteI would be interested to try those chips--both kinds! (but I've never seen them here) It's important to know how to pay bills. I learned that the hard way. I didn't even know we had a sewer bill or how to deal with property or income taxes. It was easier just to let my husband do it!
ReplyDeleteMy daughter says the cassava chips were harder and not as good. Sigh...
DeleteI got so I took the Seattle quakes in stride before I moved to the opposite side of Washington years ago. The small shakers used to dump the books out of their shelves in the upstairs of our old house then. I don't miss them. I just got a double bill from the power company, I'd written down the check # of my previous bank payment, and oh oh, I had not submittted it. It's a good thing to learn though.
ReplyDeleteYes, it was a 6.6 quake. It even made our news.
ReplyDeleteBills. I always paid them here. Then many years ago, it was G's turn and he is still doing it 30 some years later. LOL
I always paid the bills, but then thought my husband should be more aware of our finances so he took over. Now, as a widow, I'm back onboard. I do most of it online as the mail, sadly, is not always reliable.
ReplyDeleteAs for mailing goodies to your family, perhaps just order them on Amazon Prime if you have it, and have it sent directly to them. I do this for my son - saves that trip to the post office and the bother.
P.S, - I see Amazon carries those egg chips - ;).
Mary
Hi Mary! I just sent my daughter a link to the Amazon site with the chips. The only problem is that it costs twice as much. Ouch. Granted, when you put in the cost of that flat rate box, Sheesh! It evens out and with less hassle. Thanks so much!
DeleteMany of us are “in your same boat”.
ReplyDeleteI need someone to take care of my bookkeeping, shopping, and mailing for me. But, maybe not you, lol!
ReplyDeleteI didn't feel the earthquake. I hope we don't have more since they our house is mostly concrete/stucco.
Oh I definitely failed it here in Honolulu Kay!
ReplyDeleteEveryone is experiencing pandemic stress. Just be gentle with yourself as we all heal together. Best wishes to you Art and Mom
I have always paid the bills and done the accounting in our household. Before Tom had me he used to ask his school secretary to balance his checkbook. Yes, he is good at many things but accounting is not one of them.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the idea of just ordering from Amazon and having them send stuff.
It's not only you, I do it too. I'll see the brand I want and just grab it, not realizing there are different flavors and I grabbed the wrong flavor. Especially when they're similar colors. I know your chicken error. One time I bought May's teriyaki chicken and starving one day i decided to try it thinking it was cooked. WRONG. Frozen and raw.Too hungry to thaw, I made something else.I did not read the box, just looked at cooked chicken picture.That annoyed me to no end. BB
ReplyDeleteThanks, BB. I guess I was rushing too much because the commissary was so crowded, and I wanted to get out of there as fast as I could. I've never tried May's. Hmmm... Next time. But I'll be careful to look.
DeleteKay, I am so sorry you had such a horrible day today! Some days just nothing goes right does it!
ReplyDeleteI had an off day like that a couple days ago.
ReplyDeleteWe had a quake here several years ago.
I have those days. A relief to know you do, too.
ReplyDeleteSome days everything that could go wrong does go wrong. However don't get wrapped up with the negative but keep your eye on the positives.
ReplyDeleteSorry your day went so poorly. There's always the next day to try again. Aren't earthquakes fun??? As long as they don't create damage I can tolerate them.
ReplyDeleteI had one of those days, too. I did the same banking thing, as well. That doesn't help, but I sure understand.
ReplyDeleteSo glad the earthquake was minimal. my oh my.
I'm glad the quake wasn't any worse. It's been ages since I've felt one, but I do remember some in California. We are on a fault line here in Bellingham and we could get the Big One at any time. I think you are proving that when Mercury goes retrograde like it is now, things often screw up! (It's over in a week.) :-)
ReplyDeleteI think we can all have days like that!
ReplyDeleteThere seems to be earthquakes affecting quite a few countries at the moment, your one made our news here in the UK.
Pleased you are ok.
All the best Jan