COMPARISON SHOPPING

I grew up in the grocery business. My parents owned a supermarket. I've owned a produce market. With 20 years experience in retail food I know the ins and outs of this business.

I don't usually compare prices from one store to another. Experience tells me that an item that's a bargain in one store is not a bargain in another - and vice versa. It used to be that in the long run whether you shopped at my dad's store, Albertson's or Safeway, your monthly grocery bill would average out to be about the same.

Then came the day when I had the time to do most of the household grocery shopping. It didn't take long to discover that things have changed in the grocery industry. What opened my eyes was a quick trip to Raley's to pick up a couple of Kids Cuisine frozen dinners for Grace. Not wanting to drive across town to where we normally shop (Winco), Raley's is a convenient place to shop. The frozen dinners are treat for Grace and easy for me to provide a quick, easy snack in the late afternoon.

At Winco, a California/Oregon/Nevada discount grocery chain, Kids Cuisine dinners are $1.66. They just went up from $1.58. They had been a buck fifty-eight forever. My trip to Raley's, thinking there would be 20 to 30 cents higher than Winco was an eye opener. Raley's price was $2.68 a dinner or a $1.02 more. Ouch! Together the four dinners were $4.08 more than what I would have paid at Winco. When I walked out of Raley's I was feeling more than a bit ripped off.

Okay, I thought. Probably a mistake in pricing. But to make sure on my next trip to Winco I made note of some of the items I usually buy with the idea of comparing them to Raley's. Here's what I found:

Kraft Mac and Cheese: Winco: .66 - - Raley's 1.35
Florida Grapefruit Juice 1/2 gallon: Winco 2.50 - - Raley's 4.79
S&W Black Bean 15 oz can: Winco .58 - - Raley's .80
Tyson Game Hen 22 oz: Winco 2.32 - - Raley's 3.99
Kids Cuisine Dinner: Winco 1.66 - - Raley's 2.68
Top Ramen: Winco .10 - - Raley's .20
Contadina Pizza Sauce: Winco 1.39 - - Raley's 2.25
Herdez Canned Salsa 7 oz: Winco .64 - - Raley's 1.09

Total Winco: $9.85

To buy the same eight items at Raley's: $17.15.

Things are not what they used to be. It does pay to comparison shop. Need I say more?

And now you know where to find me grocery shopping.

I'M GETTING IMPLANTS

Well heck, it's not these puppies I'll be getting. Bob as a Tranny? I don't think so. Not now. Not ever.

Talk implants to most anyone and their immediate thoughts are of the chest and not about teeth.

Two dental implants are nearly expensive as two booby implants. My little sojourn to the dentist is going to run close to 6k for two implants. Like booby implants, there's never a two for one sale.

I checked into getting implants in a foreign country. For example Thailand has more than few dental clinics that cater to "tourists" looking for a deal. Two implants in Bangkok run 3k. Getting caps are even more economical. It's no wonder Americans are looking to Asian countries for low cost resolve to their health issues.

I seriously thought about making a trip to Asia until I did the math: To the price of two Thailand implants add round trip airfare to Bangkok, a two week hotel stay, meals, and incidentals. All things considered the overall cost for two dental implants in a foreign country would be well over 6k. Better to stay home and have them done here.

Implants begin with a metal post with a screw end is anchored into the jaw bone. Damn! That must hurt!! It looks like this. If it comes loose, then you qualify for the "He's got a screw loose" award. Even without a dental implant, I win that one hands down.

Four to six months after the screw has been inserted a crown is added to the post to complete the process.

My jawbone needs more material in order to seat the post. Adding pain to more pain, there will be a graft of bovine material (yes, bovine as in "moo!") and bone material from dead people to build-up my jawbone. You could say that my mouth is going to be haunted. Gives me the creeps just thinking about that.

There's a lot of other things I'd like to do with the six thousand American dollars. But if I chose not have implants I'd look like a regular Cow Town Hillbilly. Then I'd really be like one of the guys! Yeee Haw!!! Ride 'em bucktooth!

Let's see - on one hand keeping my 6 thousand bucks looking like a Hillbilly without teeth. On the other hand implants and a Bob looking like a Bob should look like. This is like making the same decision a woman makes when it comes to deciding whether or not to have booby implants.

It's all about how we want to look.

CHALK UP ANOTHER ONE

Damn! Seems like I just had one. Why are birthdays once every year? Can't we skip a year once in a while?

Candace and Grace made an ice cream cake. Didn't they do a great job?







We had dinner with Grace and two of our four children at one of Cow Town's best Italian restaurants.

Our two other kids - Max is in South Korea. Todd has lit out for parts unknown and for some reason has chosen to be incognito. Hey guys, we missed you.

It was a nice time. Great food. Wonderful conversation. A priceless evening.



Dawn and husband Keith.

















Scott and daughter Grace.

PASSING TIME WITH THE DENTIST

I'm cheating on Dr. Z. and there's someone else in my life. Dr. Z. as been traded for a specialist.

There is a problem in Old Bob's mouth and it's going to be expensive to fix.

It's all about a hairline crack down one tooth which also damaged its root.

There's a solution. More tomorrow.

In the meanwhile, I needed some humor. This made me laugh. The caption is a bit small to make out so click on it to make it larger.

YOU TOO CAN STUFF A BELL PEPPER

Stuffed Peppers Ala` Papa Watson

This recipe goes back to my dad’s family who settled in the San Joaquin Valley in the 1800’s. His father made a living farming and supplemented the family income on weekends by playing the fiddle in local taverns. On one of those evenings Joaquin Marietta and Three Fingered Jack wondered into the tavern. They enjoyed the fiddle music so much that they forced old grandpa by gun point to play and play and play into the wee hours of the morning. This recipe has prevailed and changed some over the years. It remains a favorite at family gatherings.

4-6 bell peppers (yellow or red can be substituted which are simply green peppers allowed to mature)
1 pound very lean or 5% fat ground beef
1 cup of uncooked brown rice
2 cups or an 8 ounce package of grated sharp cheddar cheese (non fat can be used)
1 large onion diced (white or sweet variety)
2 teaspoons minced or crushed garlic
4 16 ounce cans tomato sauce - reserve 2 cans
1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes
3 tablespoons of chili powder (not the hot variety) – reserve 1 tablespoon
2 teaspoons ground pepper
2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Cook the brown rice according to package directions. Add a cube or two of chicken or beef bullion to the water.

After the rice is done cooking and in a large mixing bowl thoroughly combine the ground beef, all of the cooked brown rice, grated cheese, diced onion, 2 cans tomato sauce (reserve remaining two), can of diced tomatoes, 4 tablespoons chili powder (reserve the 5th), the ground pepper, salt, red pepper flakes and garlic powder.

Use a number 8 sized Dutch oven (with lid) or a pot with at least 4 inch sides that is suitable for oven use (with lid). Add to the pot the two remaining 16 ounce cans of tomato sauce and blend in the remaining tablespoon of chili powder along with a couple of shakes of red pepper flakes.

Cut the tops off of the peppers and set them aside. Stuff the peppers with pepper mix. Place the tops on the peppers and place them into the pot. Place the lid on the pot and put into the 350 degree oven. Bake 60 minutes or until peppers are tender.

Divide the unused pepper mix (and there will be a lot) into two freezer bags and freeze for future use. Pepper mix should be used within three months.

Serving suggestion: Mashed potatoes. When serving ladle sauce from pot onto both the peppers and the potatoes. Mashed Potatoes: 4 large russets (cook 40 minutes whole to preserve flavor). When soft combine with a ½ cup of Parmesan cheese or 4 “dollops” of non fat sour cream, salt, pepper. Use an electric beater to blend pouring in buttermilk to find the consistency you prefer in your potatoes.

Once in a while I add a can of corn to the mixture for variety or a couple of cups of frozen mixed vegetables. The amount of chili powder can be increased according to taste. I'd recommend not doing that on your first batch of pepper mix. Start with what I've recommended and then increase by a tablespoon on your next batch.

Enjoy!

WHEN YOU'RE A PEPPER IT'S OKAY TO BE STUFFED

Last night was stuffed green bell peppers. They're an old family favorite that dates back to the last century. That makes them sound old, doesn't it?

Stuffing peppers is something that's in my court which is enjoyable. It's total Zen when I'm doing stuffed peppers. Being in a Zen state is a good thing as my mind becomes filled with Alpha brain waves.

I need to do more things that generate Alpha.

HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH?

The new burger at Wendy's - the Baconator. Sounds like something Governor Arnold would come up with. The Baconator: It will clog your arteries. Get one today. Eat a dozen, get 10% off of your next heart by-pass.

A Baconator is worth 830 calories out of a 2,000 calorie per day diet.

51 grams of fat.

22 grams of saturated fat.

1,920 grams of sodium.

Pile a super-sized order of French fries on this order. That would pretty much do it. Get out the Roto-Rooter. Them arteries - they be clogged, Dude.

How much is enough food at one sitting? One Baconator meal with fries could feed a family of four in a Third World Country - and they'd be happy for it.

I recently read about a culture who has the philosophy of eating until they're 2/3's full. Then they stop. Nice idea.

In this land of milk and honey, my goodness, is there any end to our gluttony? For crying out loud, how much is enough?

How much is enough?

CHIP 'EM IF YOU GOT 'EM


















Not about golf.

Not about making cookies.

Not about teeth.

Not about wood. It's about chipping your dog.

Last week both Pomeranians had computer identification chips inserted into upper portion of their backs. I never thought we would resort to putting chips in the dogs but it's come to that. Small dogs seem to be the object of thieves for easy resale or for envious people who just have to four legged cutie even though the dog isn't theirs.

Without any means of positive identification stolen dogs have lately been in the middle of ownership tug-of-war. A scan of a computer chip reveals who the registered owners are of the animal. We're told that a Vet cannot remove a chip and/or insert another without the permission of the owner who placed it into the dog. Most Vets, on the initial visit of a pet to their practice scan the animal for a computer chip.

Our two dogs have other means of identification. Jilli has a birthmark, Zoe a tattoo from her days of incarceration in a puppy mill. Without the computer chip, we still could ID both dogs.

All of this said, we keep close tabs on our animals and watch over them. When we travel and stop to eat, the dogs are locked either in the trailer if it's too hot outside or weather permitting, in the truck - all in plain sight of where ever we are. Backyard gates are always locked so there's no chance one is left open.

Over zealous pet owners? When animals become your children, by all means...

TRIPLE DIGIT SWELTER

















Mid afternoon yesterday it was 109. Before the day was done, it was 111.

For those of you who measure degrees in terms of Celsius, that would be 43.8 degrees.

Any way you put it that would be hotter than a cat on a hot tin roof. Stepping outside when it's 111/43.8 degrees is like stepping into a blast furnace.

When it gets that hot the a/c runs full time in order to keep the house at 78 degrees. Gonna love that electricity bills when it arrives on the first.

The weatherperson predicts triple digit weather for at least another 10 days. Nothing like sweltering heat when you have a major head cold. Wish this heat would dry up my nose.

















Grace keeps cool in her Fourth of July outfit. She's a Yankee Doodle Dandy, isn't she?

We had dinner out the other night at a place that has a Spanish name when translated into English means "The Place Where Stupid People Eat". I saw a couple of people who acted stupid but mostly the restaurant was filled with a nice group of people. I had their fish stew which was seasoned with too much Tarragon. I forget what the wife had. Whatever it was she liked it and wants to go back to eat again at the place where stupid people eat.

Grace says it's not nice to say the word stupid. Instead of using stupid I should to switch to using vertically challenged. How politically correct that would be. . .

THURSDAY THIRTEEN

1) Life on earth will cease when pizza with pepperoni, tomatoes and anchovies becomes extinct.

2) Old men usually drive the best and the fastest cars thereby proving that those who die with the most toys wins.

3) Women who show major cleavage can't figure out why men won't their eyes off of their chest.

4) Which sex is the best at multi-tasking at 70 mph on the freeway? That would be applying makeup, drinking coffee, buttering toast, cleaning ears with a Q-Tip, making a shopping list for dinner all the while holding one hand to the ear for a cell phone conversation.

5) There's always a ringing sound in both of my ears. What I wouldn't give for a true moment of silence.

6) Other people's nose hairs freak me out.

7) Hair in my food makes me go berserk.

8) I really do dream about prunes.

10) I am a cereal killer. It's pure joy to take a butcher knife to a box of corn flakes.

11) Sometimes I feel like a nut, sometimes I don't.

12) It's great knowing that very few people know what LSMFT means.

13) I hate the number 13. I shy away from all numbers odd.

113 DEGREES AND A HEAD COLD

















Summer has hit Cow Town.

July 3rd: 100

July 4th: 113

July 5th forecast: 112

It was like a furnace outside.

At 5 this morning it was 75 degrees outside - a sign that it's not cooling off.

Why do they call a head cold a head cold? Colds are always in your head. Everyone knows that.

I shopped last week at the discount grocery. There's a chance I picked up this virus from the shopping cart. Hands on cart. Hands on mouth or in mouth (who knows why - we all do that). Viola! Summer cold.

Sneeze. Sniff, sniff. Sneeze. Sniff, sniff. Two boxes of Kleenex and 24 hours later, I'm still feeling terrible. Next shopping trip I'm wearing gloves to the discount supermarket and keeping my hands away from the face. You'd think by now that I'd remember these things.

There's a Blue Jay nest in a tree outside the back door. Yesterday the "kids" decided to jump out of the nest and onto the ground. Since their flying abilities were limited, the two small birds spent the day jumping from the ground into a bush and then back onto the ground again all under the watchful eye of their mother. By day's end they had mastered a few flying skills that were sufficient to fly them back into their tree. Hopefully, that's where they spent the night.

I'm gonna go cut off my head. That will be the end of this damn cold.

LET FREEDOM RING!















I may crab about America a lot but there's no better place to live unless you live in the USA with a politician. Politicians are all butt heads but then you knew that, didn't you?

Thanks to our Forefathers and the document they signed in 1776 (The Right to Bear Arms, Arm Bears and Drink Lots of Beer Act of 1776) the freedoms Americans enjoy today are precious. On this day Americans should appreciate:

Freedom to drink as much beer that you want.

Freedom to marry any butt ugly person you want and then say "I was just kidding." the next morning.

Freedom to use all the gasoline you can buy.

Freedom to be as fat as a pig and proud of it.

If you don't have any money, the freedom to max out all of your charge cards.

Freedom to be stupid and obnoxious in public.

And the freedom to talk on a cell phone, sip your Starbucks latte` and put on makeup while you drive your sorry ass to work.

















All of this aside, Americans do have it pretty cherry. Most of us wouldn't survive a week living life on life's terms in a Third World country. We often forget how really good we have it.

When the majority of the world subsists on a daily diet of rice and beans, most Americans eat anything but rice and beans. "Would you like fries with that mystery meat burger?"is the question most asked before any meal in the USA.

It's a shame that we put our resources into war and not into helping those in this world who need it the most.

Americans ahould share their wealth with the world. If the USA had taken all of the money it's put into the Iraq war into helping the starving and poor around the world, don't you think it would have made a huge difference? And there would have enough tons of money to find a cure for cancer, HIV and erectile dysfunction. We could have done that. We still can.

PLUS! We wouldn't have lost the many American men and women along with the tremendous amount Iraqi citizens killed during the course of this so called war to free Iraq.















And for those of us who are Americans, right or wrong - bad war or good war - war with or without a purpose - let us thank our troops. Without the soldiers who serve our nation - yesterday - today and tomorrow - we'd be speaking German or Japanese today. Tomorrow it might be Chinese if we're not careful.

When I served in the military we'd always recite something right before the shit hit the fan:

"Ours is not to question why, ours is but to do or die." And then we'd grin at each other and do what we had to do.

The soldiers in this picture? They're saying, "Hey, is that the Bush women over there?"



















I read today that President Bush is sending the female members of his family to fight the war in Iraq. The President is too busy (and too chicken shit) to fight the war himself so his women are going to the front lines. Yes, our President is letting his women do his fighting. They'll probably kick more tail than he ever could.

The "trooped out" Bush women are looking pretty good here. Even Granny Bush is ready to lock and load. There's something I love about a woman who is carrying a weapon.

People in other parts of the world hate Americans and for good reason. They should really hate our politicians - politicians like George Bush and his money grubbing Vice President, Dick the Hick Cheney. Whatever is wrong with America - they did it, not us - whatever "it's is - they did it - we didn't do! We didn't!

Okay, today's must read. If you only read one thing today - if you're a thinking person and only if you're a thinking person, this is the Fourth of July special. Keith Olberman who has a program on MSNBC spoke last night on why President Bush should resign now. Yes, now. Read what Olberman has to say. It's good stuff - stuff worth thinking about.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19588942/

On this Fourth of July let freedom ring but tomorrow think about who to put into office as President come 2008. We need a strong leader who can right all of the wrongs of the past 8 years. If another President is elected who's much like George Bush we all need to be afraid of what's going to happen to America and to the world.

Happy Fourth of July.

Ding!

(In case you're wondering, that was Freedom Ringing)

WHAT'S RIGHT?















What's right and what's more American than? - - -

Apple pie on the Fourth of July.


















A plate full of hot dogs on the Fourth of July.

















Being an American is watching the Great American Pastime - especially on the Fourth of July.






















On the Fourth of July (and most any other day) Mothers at the end of their rope say things like this. What can be more American than that?!

Celebrate freedom, Mom, baseball and apple pie on the Fourth of July.

PART THREE: WHAT'S WRONG WITH AMERICA






















This is really about the leadership at the highest level in the American government.

The American people have their ducks in a row. We pay our taxes. We obey the laws. We remember that we live in One Nation Under God. For the most part, we live happy, simple lives.

Thing that's wrong #4: The President of the United States could care less who has their ducks in a row. He's going to do it his way come hell of high water. Constitutional freedoms? George Bush has been the first President who has freely stomped on what our forefathers dictated long ago as being the American way of life.

Case in point: Scooter Libby (what the hell kind of name is that for a politician) - one time Chief of Staff for the "I'm Beyond the Law" Vice President of the United States.

Case in point: "We will wiretap, we will open mail, all in the name of saving you from terrorists".

Back to the scooter named Libby. President Bush pardoned Mr. Libby for all of his crimes today and excused him of the jail time he had coming. If it were you, if it were me, we'd never see the light of day.

Why didn't Bush save a lot of taxpayers dollars and pardon this fool before the trial and not after. The jurors who sat on this trial are no doubt muttering, "What was that all about?".

Richard Nixson (rest his soul) was once labeled the worse ever President of the United States.

One could say with great conviction that George Bush is what's wrong with America. and be absolutely right. Big time.

George Bush - may you be forever damned for what you've done to this country.

BTW: Above are pictured Grace's ducks all in a row. They're her best bath friends. It's a big bath tub.

BIKER BOY
















Max wrote in the comments on June 29th Blog - When's The Baby Due, that he bought a new bike and is hauling major butt on the back roads of Seoul.

Here's Max's first two wheeled bike. He's set to haul major butt on the back roads of the park across the street from where we lived.

I hope Max's new bike doesn't have training wheels. At his age, unless Max has been drinking, he certainly doesn't need them.

Notice the incline on the driveway. It's steep. When this picture was taken we owned several cars one of which was a VW bus. Like most vintage VW's it had a stick shift.

First order of business in any driver's training school back in the day: reverse gear is the locking gear for the transmission whether you're parked nose up or nose down a hill. People look astounded when I share that piece of information with them. Yes, it does not make sense to but a manual transmission in reverse when you're parking on a hill.

Reverse is the locking gear? That's a fact, Jack!

So, the wife being a naysayer, still preferred to park uphill with the bus in first gear. Logically, that was good thinking. But better logic dictates that when it comes to matters all mechanical a wife listen to her husband.

One day, after grocery shopping, the wife parked the bus and started bringing groceries in the house. The driver's door on the bus was left open.

Long story short, there once was a light pole in the planter where Max is sitting on his bike. Had it not been for the light pole being there to catch the open door on the bus, the VW would have gone chugging backwards down the driveway and onto the street - all the while in first gear.

To this day, reverse remains as the locking gear on a manual transmission. Believe it.

Or suffer the consequences.

I DREAM ABOUT PRUNES

PART TWO: WHAT'S WRONG WITH AMERICA

















Yeah, yeah, I know. Accentuate the positives and forget about the negatives. That said, here's Part 2 of What's Wrong with America. I'll try to be positive.

Okay, Thing Wrong #3: America's Cup is not in America. It's in Switzerland. Funny thing - a country winning America's Cup that's landlocked.

America's Cup sailing competition began in 1851 with American holding the Cup in every competition until 1983 when it was lost to Australia.

The Cup was won back in 1987 by Dennis Connor and lost again to New Zealand in 1995.

The Swiss took the Cup in 2003 by beating the Kiwi's 5 zip.

Here we are in 2007 and the first competition since 2003. If you count on your fingers you'll figure out that competition for the America's Cup is every four years. Duh!

The America's Cup competition is in Valencia Spain. America did not have a boat fast enough to make it to the final two. Or maybe it was our sailing skills or lack of that once again aced us out of even trying to get the Cup back.

Currently, the Swiss are sailing against New Zealand for the Cup. Today, the Swiss are up 4 races to 2 in the best of a best of 9 series. It's not looking very good for New Zealand. Race 7 was to be sailed today but was cancelled due to light winds.

On Monday television the competition the sailing continues and will be carried live on the VS network or DirectTV channel 608 at 5:30 a.m. and then rerun about 3:00 p.m. PDT.























This is Alinghi - the Swiss boat.
















A view from the top of New Zealand's boat.


















And New Zealand's boat flying its spinnaker as it heads toward the finish line.

I'd rather see America's Cup in New Zealand. I'll have to wait another four years to see what happens.

Time marches on.