I say yes, you say no, OR People are Strange

Happy anniversary to the thread! 

Athena, real, positive change for women in India will undoubtedly be slow. But I saw the passion of those protestors. They are still out there demanding justice for all. I truly believe that we'll see some improvements soon. At the very least, I think police will start taking rape victims seriously, instead of knee-jerk blaming them for their assaults!

How are you holding up, Kam? I just ran into another friend who retired today from my agency -- about 8% of our headquarters staff of 200 retired at the end of the year. Wow! And it seems as though a BUNCH of people (CSRS Boomers) are going on June 1. It will be interesting to watch the vacancy announcements -- there is "shrinking the government" and then there is "unable to perform critical functions." Since most people are doing the work of 2 or 3 people already, it could get interesting fast.



L

A wiser child never lived. BTW, I think Emilia wrote your previous doggie manifesto, Blue! Very labradorian.

Athena, that picture was slow to load for me, but good things are worth waiting for!

By coincidence, my sweetie called just now to ask if he should pick anything up from the food coop.  Three guesses what I asked him to get . . .

Linda

LOL ... somebody mentioned cake for our anniversary earlier and I was thinking brussel sprouts would be more appropriate.  And Athena provided them

Now where is our bartender? 

I just peeped at the other side, and i think could use a White Russian.  Double vodka please.

Hi barkeeper!  It's cold here ... how about an Irish Coffee?   

A toast to your retirement Kam!!!  Wishing you all kinds of good things as you jog away from the rat race.

That's a Steven Spielberg production?

I'm adopting this term for today....(I just heard it on RM)...I feel like a "Privledged Beligerent."   So far, that is what retirement feels like.  It's kind of like the hugest birthday, like turning 40 or 50 or, well, I don't know anything past that, yet. 

Beam and coke please.  Ah, Blue.  I loved that piece.  Saw it some time ago and did not completely remember the end/answer.  It is true though.  Animals are without guile and while some things that are done look a bit horrific ( especially cats who follow a pecking order  ) it is standard behavior and tolerated and accepted....once established then life goes on pretty much without a hitch.  I'm a bit more famaliar with feline pecking order more so than the dogs....but I think all animals have them 

It would be wonderful if we could take a few lessons from them as they do become bi-partisan and quite good to each other once the pecking ceremonies have been gone through. 

Paula.....glad you are getting out of the fog and able to get back to yourself.  I very much hope your dh's interview works out to the satisfaction of everyone.  I recall going to some love-in's....lots of dope-smoking hippies there.  I say went, as in walked through some of the parks they were using.....interesting then.  Lots people just stoned and being nice to each other and anyone they encountered.  This was some areas/parks around Detroit suburbs in the mid 60's.  I was newly married so it was more of a Sunday afternoon past-time adventure for us. 

Beautiful brussel sprouts.

Jackie

I bet few of us are disciplined enough to write it down. Budget? What's that? We make sure we have sufficient for the bills and don't run out at the end of the month on the discretionary stuff.

Kam...I wish I could tell you.  I guess I'm the ....... when I'm out of something I replace it type for the most part and since we are only a family of two for yrs.  I never paid much attention.  I read labels basically to make sure we aren't getting additives and dyes and other things that you shoudn't have so am probably not terribly thrifty, but we are not huge eaters so our food allowance was generally one of the lower allowances. 

Sorry I'm not more help.

Jackie

I haven't really done a budget either, but a few times I've added up my food shopping trips and I've been shocked (though realizing food prices are about 35% higher here than a more populated area).  I've heard people say $240 per person and I can't even come close to that eating organic.  I've found when I do eat meat, it is actually cheaper. I cooked an organic chicken last night ($14) and it will probably yield atleast 6 meals, so $2-3 per serving, but I can go through $4 of kale a day!  I think it is more efficient to cook for 2 or more...I do end up wasting a lot of food.  Due to this transitional time, I am tracking my expenses closely.

Want to have some fun? Show your age by remembering the price of some typical food item.



I remember milk as being .43 for I think a half gallon. My mom cut it with powdered milk (yuck) to stretch it. Bananas, 10 cents a lb I seem to recall. Gasoline of course was around 35 cents although my tiny child brain remembers a sign from long ago in the teens.



A grocery store was not much bigger than one of those Dollar stores now.