Simple Things

I was supposed to go on vacation this week, to a resort on the Gulf. DBF and I decided not to go, for a couple of reasons, and I saved 3 days of that vacation time for later.

But took yesterday and today off. I was just thinking I’m really happy we didn’t go. I had some expenses come up (see Swedish Death Cleaning post), and I’m just really enjoying being at home.

We went to breakfast yesterday and it cost $55 including tip for two of us. Not even a Bloody Mary or a mimosa! I had scrambled eggs with smoked salmon, cream cheese, grits, toast and coffee. $19 before tip just for mine.

I made brunch this morning. eggs, vegetarian sausage, bagel, watermelon, coffee. The whole thing probably cost $3 at the most, I didn’t have to put on a bra, and I got to eat it watching hummingbirds in my backyard with my dogs.

More and more I appreciate the simple things that don’t cost much. I was reading the inflation figures this morning and I realized I’m fortunate in that inflation doesn’t really affect me all that much, especially if I stay home.

I’m sure we’ll go on vacation later. But right now I really don’t mind a break and a meal in my back yard.

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“We went to breakfast yesterday and it cost $55 including tip for two of us. Not even a Bloody Mary or a mimosa! I had scrambled eggs with smoked salmon, cream cheese, grits, toast and coffee. $19 before tip just for mine.”

Just about any restaurant around DFW will be $13-15 for eggs/bacon/hashbrowns and toast with coffee. Some more if you get things like smoked salmon, etc

CHeapest place is Waffle House where you can get out for $11-12 plus tip. Less if you do eggs/hashbrowns/toast.

Other fancy places can be $20 each.

Restaurant prices are up 10-15% here. And climbing. Help wanted signs all over but the problem is they only give folks 28 hours a week - and 4 hours here- six here…very few ‘full time jobs’ that come with benefits. People can’t live on 24 or 28 hours a week. New folks might only get 18-20 hours - after, of course, they are told ‘lots of hours’ available. So they find other jobs quickly.

Resort restaurants struggling. Many cutting back hours or days open - not enough young folks taking jobs in places like Cape Cod and other destinations.

Are they busy doing ‘study groups’ and ‘environmental work’ to get points for college admissions? Not working but ‘interns’ or something else? Used to be teenagers would go off and help camps run, take waitress jobs at resort destinations (and get bunk housing), etc.

Latest inflation number near 9%. Not going down. Seems like it will be repeat of the 70s and 80s where treasury bills hit 13% in 1981.

t.

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CHeapest place is Waffle House where you can get out for $11-12 plus tip.

6 Bits of Waffle House Kitchen Slang
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/538460/waffle-house-kitc…

Of course, being Waffle House, there was a special spin to these toppings and the call-in lingo for servers and grill operators. Customers can order their hash browns scattered and smothered (with sautéed onions), covered (with melted cheese), chunked (with grilled hickory smoked ham), diced (with grilled tomatoes), peppered (with spicy jalapeño peppers), capped (with grilled button mushrooms), topped (with Bert’s Chili), or country (with sausage gravy). If you’re really hungry, or really brave, you can also go “all the way,” which means you’ll get all eight toppings served on scattered hash browns.

AC prefers mine crispy scattered, smothered, covered and topped

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Big Breakfast at McDonalds is still abt $6 plus beverage.

Scrambled eggs, sausage, hashbrowns, biscuit, and with or without pancakes.

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Big Breakfast at McDonalds is still abt $6 plus beverage.

Scrambled eggs, sausage, hashbrowns, biscuit, and with or without pancakes

To each his own. I’ll pass. I’d rather eat the occasional $20 breakfast.

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Ditto. I enjoy fine dining on occasion, or do it yourself at home.

Recently celebrated our 30th anniversary and took our two adult children. Wine, appetizers, steaks, desserts and the owner brought us free champagne. Not cheap but a great couple of hours.

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"Big Breakfast at McDonalds is still abt $6 plus beverage.

Scrambled eggs, sausage, hashbrowns, biscuit, and with or without pancakes. "


Any more, the fast food outlets have become so unreliable that I really hate to
even consider a short-cut meal. The hours are irregular, the quality is increasingly
iffy at best and they tend to offer drive-through as their premier service.
The chains are not much better.
Local restaurants are doing a better job around here - and are getting our business.

Howie52
DW is on a low-carb, high protein - moderate fat diet and has lost 55 lbs since she started.
We keep an eye open for restaurants that serve a good salad, riced cauliflower and minimal
carb adders.
They don’t tend to be low-priced - but if the price is too high we eat at home.

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I’d rather make my own. Come to think of it, I often do. Pan scrambled, or over easy eggs. Bacon, please, really crispy which I can never get at any restaurant. Hash browns straight from the potato. (Don’t fall for all the fancy rinsing and drying and waiting for more drying. Put a pan on to heat the oil, then grate the potatoes. When you’re done grating, the oil should be hot. Put the potatoes right in. Any slight purple they might get turns back to white as soon as they start getting hot. 5 minutes on one side to get good and brown, then 3 or 4 more to brown the other side. Lots of crispy, just a little of the soft on the inside.

As good or better than most restaurants, and barely $3, maybe less.

I save the restaurants for dinner, where they’re better than my cooking.

—Peter

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"Big Breakfast at McDonalds is still abt $6 plus beverage.

Scrambled eggs, sausage, hashbrowns, biscuit, and with or without pancakes

To each his own. I’ll pass. I’d rather eat the occasional $20 breakfast."

Well sure, but no point in complaining of the cost when you do…

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To each his own. I’ll pass. I’d rather eat the occasional $20 breakfast.

It’s all about balance for me. I just paid $4.25 for a donut because I wanted to support a cause. OTOH, paying 150% over last summer for a lobster roll is tougher. My likely strategy will just be fewer this year.

2/3 of my income was set in 2011 with no COLA. I suspect more “strategies” to come.

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Well sure, but no point in complaining of the cost when you do…

I really wasn’t complaining about the cost, but rather just appreciating my enjoyment at eating a simple meal at home, which was also less expensive.

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