new year's eve '18

i have no idea were the year went.

it seems like just a few months ago it was bitterly a cold january day.

hope next year is better.

if you party tonight, please don't drive. and remember "buzzed" driving can be just as bad.

christmas 2018

if you celebrate hope you had a nice one.

if you didn't get what you wanted, hope you can return it & get something better.

as for me, i'm hoping the discount on the candy is good enough tomorrow to make getting womething worth while.

this blog

i don't know why i bother. no one read it/ i never had more then 2 followers. no one blogs, everyone does facebook or tumblr.

my brother strong-armed me into this because he was doing one, but he hasn't posted lin like 4 years.

blah food

recently had marie callender's creamy vermont mac & cheese bowl and did not like it at all.

first of all the pasta shells (it should be illegal to call something mac & cheese when the pasta is not macaroni) were not cooke all the way.

second the sauce did not tasted like cheese. i've had vermont pasta & cheese TV dinners before and they taste like a sharp white cheddar, but this didn't taste like anything.

if you had blindfolded me before i ate it, i would not be able to tell it was cheese sauce. it was a waste of time to make it, effort to eat it, money to buy it & the callories it gave me.

window shopping

i can (& have) wasted hours looking on ebay for stuff i'll never get.

recently i discovered shopgoodwill.com where the charity goodwill (which has thrift stores to support their cause) sells stuff in a similar way to ebay, where they have an auction or a "buy it now" option. it's not the individual stores, but the regional organizations doing this. some will ship the stuff (sometimes for as low as 1 cent) others do pick-up only.

some things are ridiculously priced. like gemstone rings for thousands of dollars. no one really wants to pay that much for a used thing. they'd be better off setting the reserve price at like $500 and hope for a bidding war.

thanksgiving 2018

hopefully you don't eat too much & score some nice deals on black friday stuff tomorrow.

thanksgiving is the deadliest holiday after new year's, so don't drink & drive. "buzzed" driving is just as bad.

Hostess chocolate covered strawberry mini doughnuts

my brother wanted time for some reason. they smell like strwberries, but don't taste like them.

he likes them though.

halloween candy on sale

managed to score some over the weekend. a BIG bag of twix/milky way/snickers/3 musketeers, 2 small bags of reese's mimi PB cups & a bag of white mini kit kats.

my brother & i will be eating this until the christmas candy goes on sale.

Hostess Caramel Apple Cupcakes

tried some recently. not horrible, but not good either.

finally fall weather

i though it would be summer forever (& it might be when the global temp goes up) but the fall temps have arrived.

more new candy

snickers is going to have three new candy bars coming out in jan. 2019.


they will be creamy almond Butter, creamy peanut butter, and creamy maple almond butter. not sure about the almond butters, but i'm definitely willing to try the peanut butter.

the weather

is not fall like at the moment. true there is rain, but it's humid too.

hopefully it won't be long to be get some nice, cool fall-like conditions.

new candy

M&Ms is coming out with a boat load of new flavors (including hazelnut spread) this year.
 also, they're coming out with a new candy bar. it's just a chocolate bar with mini M&Ms in peanut, milk chocolate, crispy, almond and crispy mint.the candy bar is coming out in december. we (brother & I) might try it.

we tried to get the orange cream M&Ms this summer, but they were only at dollar general and every time we went there, they didn't have them.

apple crisp yogurt

tried that yogurt i mentioned in the last post, it was ok.

it only had like 3 or 4 little piece of apple in it though. but what do you expect for like 60 cents?

pumpkin pie yogurt

it's made by yoplait & i picked it up at wal-mart. it tastes more like pumpkin than most pumpkin products, but still has a little bit too much spice. yoplait also has some sort of apple pie/crisp thing that i want to try next.

mom's birthday 2018

"Your Birthday Predicts You're Outgoing"

Ever since you were born, you've always been able to have fun. You find humor and joy easily. When things are rough, you are still optimistic. Your friends always inspire and delight you. You're always looking to add to your social circle. You need to be around other people to feel truly happy and energetic.

What Does Your Birthday Predict About You?

wal-mart mini pumpkin pie & cake

had both not long ago. the pumpkin pie wasn't too bad hardly any spices to speak of.

the pumpkin cake was more or less the same, but tasted like it had a base of angel food cake.

both are about worth the 50 cents they cost.

dunkin donuts pumpkin doughnut

had once not long ago. it's a cake doughnut with a light glaze & while not horrible, it wasn't good. too much spice, IMHO. that's a common problem a lot of these pumpkin/pumpkin spice things have

too soon for this stuff

pumpkin spice spice stuff is coming out now. some as early as the last 10 days or so in august.

it is way too soon.

dad's birthday 2018

"Your Birthday Predicts You're Independent"

Ever since you were born, you've loved doing your own thing. You enjoy puzzles and games. Anything that stretches your mind interests you. You are a quiet person - often lost in your own thoughts. Others find you completely mysterious. You have so much fun thinking, dreaming, and planing. You hardly have time for friends.

What Does Your Birthday Predict About You?

same as my brother's. interesting

the (semi) great umbrella search

just a year or so ago my brother & i got cheep $5 umbrellas from wal-mart that are now coming apart. (well, just the stitching over one rib) so we decided to get new ones.

we wanted ones big enough to cover us (the old ones are 36in. which barely covers), folding type (because big stick types are kind of awkward to carry around) & not a crazy color or pattern.

after trying out some in wal-mart, we decided on the totes 42 in. in black (i would've gotten the black/gray alternating panels, but they only had that in the really big 55in.) even tough they're only 6in. bigger than the old ones, we hope it will be good enough to cover us.

stupid blog things

they're at it again. you can get results but you can't share anything. it can't be called "blog things" if youcan't post it on your blog.

it was OK on aug. 2 (because i took a quiz thing & posted the results) but now it's wonky again.

i don't know if it's going to be the same for my mom & dad's birthday, but their results are the same as for me & my brother. so i'll just copy the cod for those and post them.

betty crocker mug treats

continuing on with the "stuff in a cup" them, we (brother & i) tried 3 of thes in the past couple of weeks.

cinnamon roll--very meh

peanut butter brownie--not good at all

rainbow chip cake--not good. kind of eggy

what color cake are you? (quiz)

"You Are a Blue Cake"

You love to celebrate, but your favorite parties are chill and low key. People love to be around you, and you love to be around people. You make others feel like they belong. You are realistic and practical. You know that there are scenarios in which you can have your cake and eat it too! You are a sincere, loyal, and supportive friend. Building real and deep relationships matters to you.

What Color Cake Are You?

more of the duncan hines stuff

carrot cake--too much cinnamon

s'mores cake--very meh

buttermilk pancake--too maple-y

cinnamon french toast--it was just ok

it's hard to believe

....that the month is more than half over.

the year is more than half over.

that we are 18 years into a new century & a new millennium.

brother's birthday 2018

"Your Birthday Predicts You're Independent"

Ever since you were born, you've loved doing your own thing. You enjoy puzzles and games. Anything that stretches your mind interests you. You are a quiet person - often lost in your own thoughts. Others find you completely mysterious. You have so much fun thinking, dreaming, and planing. You hardly have time for friends.

What Does Your Birthday Predict About You?

arby's is switching to coke products

so it's in the rotation of places to eat. even though it's kind of pricey, there are some things that sound interesting.

4th of july 2018

stay cool out there while BBQing & watching the fireworks (be safe with those).

and hope you gest good deals during the rth of july sales.

the rest of those molly & you things

had the ooey gooey chocolate & the double chocolate chip.

as i suspected, neither one was any good. we won't be buying anything else from this brand.

we may be taking a break for this cake in a cup thing for awhile. it's hot, they're not cheap & we're fat.

other cake in a cup thing

is from some company called molly & you.we go three & had the first, salted caramel, not long ago.

it wasn't good. left an odd after-taste & the microwave smelled like the stuff for like two days after.

i have little hope for the other two flavors.

we tried the ghirardelli one, not too bad. like i said before; these things are dangerous.

new reese's candy bar

it's called the outragous & it's like the nutragous, but with mini reese's pieces.

tried it not long ago & it's nothing special. kind of disappointed, really.

sunglassed test

"Your Sunglasses Say You're an Artist"

You are clever, unique, and a total nonconformist. Your sense of fashion is based on your own personal creativity. You need to be shaded from the mundane parts of life. You feel sunniest when you can express yourself freely and without judgment.

The Sunglasses Test

my birthday 2018

"Your Birthday Predicts You're Outgoing"

Ever since you were born, you've always been able to have fun. You find humor and joy easily. When things are rough, you are still optimistic. Your friends always inspire and delight you. You're always looking to add to your social circle. You need to be around other people to feel truly happy and energetic.

What Does Your Birthday Predict About You?

blogthings is back?

either people complained or i needed to allow more things on my computer thing that helps to block spyware, viruses stuff.

cake in a cup pt 4

continuing on with the duncan hines stuff. this time it was banana cake.

in short; not good.

it smelled like banana when you first put the water into the mix, but not after. it didn't taste like banana & it left a worst after-taste than the vanilla bean.

this is the first where it's a definite will not buy again.

in other stuff in a cup news

betty crocker has stuff in a cup that they call mug treats. and they include the topping.
unlike duncan heins who makes you buy it separately. the only good thing about that is if you want the vanilla bean with caramel instead of, say chocolate, you can do that.

ghirardelli has stuff in a cup too. being a chocolate company it's all brownies. they just have 4 & we got one. peanut butter, i think.

and some other company has them in single serve pouches for like $2. we go a few to try even though for the price of 2 you can get 4 from duncan heins or betty crocker or even ghirardelli.

this is very dangerous stuff.

cake in a cup pt 3

this time around it was the confetti cake.

i expected it to taste like the vanilla bean, but it ended up being white cake with confetti sprinkle things. just what you'd expect.

this goes on the list of most likely will get again.

cake in a cup pt 2

had the next one of the four things we got, brownie this time.

you add less water & cook for less time so it ends up with less stuff & denser too.

while it (surprisingly) did not leave an aftertaste like the vanilla bean one did, it still was nothing great.

cinco de miao

originally to commemorate the mexican army's victory over the french when they were trying to get their independence.

now it's an excuse for many people to drink too much booze & wat a lot of tex-mex style foodwhile claiming to be celebrating mexican-american culture.

new thing from duncan hines

called perfect size for 1. which is a fancy way of saying cake in a cup.

the whole "make something in a cup in your microwave" is a recent food trend that i've been wanting to try. so this kind of thing is dangerous.

we got four to check out & had the first earlier tonight. it was vanilla bean cake & while not bad it wasn't really good either.

my brother pointed out that it smelled "eggy" after it was cooked (baked?) and it left an aftertaste.

not sure if we'll get that one again & i don't hold out hope for the others. 

cinnabon muffin

a local gas station chain has cinnabon muffins. tried one not long ago.

most of the cinnamon/sugar stuff on top ended up in my lap. and the cinnamon itself tasted like if was only a grad or two above the really cheap crap. but the icing, was amazing!

i could eat a tub of that icing with a spoon & be happy. sick, but happy.

i've never had actual cinnabon stuff (none of their stores around her) but every time i've had stuff claiming to have cinnabon cinnamon flavoring it's been a huge disappointment.

but if the actual cinnabon stuff is anything like that muffin (hopefully with better cinnamon) i'd be glad i got it.

friday the 13

some of these are wors than others.

just trying to keep my head down & hope for the best.

wal-mart ricotta cookies

strangely bitter, it must be the ricotta.

have to remember that they use that in cheesecake & that can be kind of sour.

spring rain

april showers bring may flowers. so they say. but it also brings overcast days, which i like. and mud, which i don't.

st. patrick's day

try not to drink too much green beer.

hope you don't get pinch or otherwise hassled for not wearing green.

hope you don't get bothered by people who have had too much green beer.

i can't beleive

....that not only is it march, but it's the middle of the month.

still mad

....about the whole blogthings mess.

i guess that's what happens when you have a crap blog & rely on them for content.

girl scout cookies

managed to get some girl scout cookies the other day.

2 boxes of tagalongs, 1 box of savanna smiles & 1 on the new s'mores sandwich cookies.

the tagalongs are still good.
the savanna smiles do not have a strong.lemon flavor, as i feared they might.
the s'mores sandwich cookies are just OK. too bad they don't have the s'mores that look like gram crackers with a layer of marshmallow & covered in chocolate, but i think thy get that west of the missippi river.

stand-in (unoffical) quantum leap day

a few years ago, during a leap year, i (somewhat joked) that feb. 29 should be be quantum leap day. but since feb. 29 only happens once very 4 years, feb. should stand-in for the rest of the time.

well, it's feb. 28 again, so watch the series or read one of the novels (nearly as rare as leap day itself) or even some fan fic, if that's your thing. 

panara bread scones

i really need to stop getting them.

They're often dry & the orange one is kind of sour.

i think i like the idea of scones more than i like the actual thing.  the word "scone" always brings to mind english tea parties in rooms decorated with chintz where you have scones with clotted cream, crumpets and little sandwiches & cakes

valentine's day 2018

or singles awareness day, depending on what your relationship status is.

but really it's just a reason to sell candy, flowers, stuffed animals & sexy underwear.

i'm hoping to find some discounted candy tomorrow.

gluten-free pizza

my brother got it into his head to try gluten-free pizza. we got one a few days ago & it was terrible!

i understand some people need to have GF stuff or their digestion system will try to kill them, but if all GF stuff tastes even half as bad, it's a steep price to pay.

no wonder why our one neighbor's friend's husband (who has to be GF) eats chicken about 95% of the time.

super bowl sunday

or superb owl, as some are calling it, to avoid the NFL coming down on their heads.

i really hope those smug patriots don't win. and to thing, that once upon a time they were the underdogs.

too early

wal-mart is putting out valentie's candy, which is to be expected. but they also have some easter stuff out!

easter is april 1 this year (no joke) so they are really rushing things.

this is as bad as the christmas stuff starting to appear in october.

banana pudding

more specifically patti labelle's banana pudding from wal-mart.

normally they have a large thing for like $12.00, but i found small, single-serve things not long ago. neither my brother, nor i were impressed.

i don't know what it is about banana desserts, but they sometimes have this sharp, almost metal taste to them. maybe because it's not fresh?

so far all of patti labelle's stuff has been lack-luster. the sweet potato pie and the apple & berry cobblers.

tried cookie butter

tried biscoff cookie butter which is made from some kind of fancy cookie Europeans have with their coffee.

it was nothing special. kind of a bit of cinnamon or something in it. probably won't get it again.

the trader joe's speculoos cookie butter is supposed to be great, but i had ben & jerry's speculoos cookie butter core ice cream and was not impressed.