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And yet another one for fl

i will willingly pay more at a brick and mortar store to help them survive. i don't want to end up without a choice.
i also don't shop at walmart (for similar reasons). even as a poor, i put principles above price.

/luckily i don't live someplace without lots of options.
//i'm not buying diapers and gallons of milk every other day, so i blame nobody if they shop there.
In or parish, walmart and Brookshires, several Dollar stores of various brands, two local and two chain auto parts (lots of logging, so lots of parts needed) a couple pharmacies, a good hardware/lumber yard and outside of eating,, that’s pretty much it. So, walmart stays busy because there is not much choice. (and the local pawn shop is the only LGS but it’s pretty much of a pawn shop and not much of a gun shop.).

So, unfortunately, we do a lot of online stuff. Buy what I can from the folks at Diamond in Monroe, when I’m there, but that is simply not very often anymore. Simmon’s in Bastrop and McKinney’s in Ruston have prices that are sky high, but we do some business with McKinney’s. Plus, no gunshop, even Simmon’s carries the quantities of components we use shooting Precision Rifles (and before that Handgun Silhouette). A hunter might go through 20-30 rounds per year. That’s the folks who they cater to.
 
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ranking came out...

sma1Lqp1MaKx.jpeg
Micheal is by far the worst storm I have witnessed in my 40 years of Gulf Coast living. Looked like a damn Tornado 80 miles wide came through.
 
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Personally I thought it was freaking awesome to not see 47 Amazon, 12 UPS and 9 FedUp trucks on my cul de sac today.

I say get out of the house and go shopping for yourself.
I hate on line shopping and delivery.
Ha!!! It does get annoying. However, it seems anytime I want something even slightly offbeat, Lowe’s/Home Depot don’t stock it.
If I’m shopping for tools, I usually go to kctool or chadstoolbox. Unless…God forbid I don’t have it or I’ve misplaced it. But, that said, I do tend to try to support SMALL business and do order some online to delivery at Lowe’s. But, I understand…don’t want to end up with no choices.
 
Personally I thought it was freaking awesome to not see 47 Amazon, 12 UPS and 9 FedUp trucks on my cul de sac today.

I say get out of the house and go shopping for yourself.
I hate on line shopping and delivery.

Ya have to remember, I don't own a car. If I were going to "Get out of the house," I'd have to do it by Uber/Lyft... which I could do, but even they were not running yesterday or today. Hopefully, tomorrow, so I can get to the grocery store. And, hopefully, they've been able to restock (it was horrible there on Monday... absolutely nothing on the shelves). You know the "Panic Party" everyone does when there's the threat of tropical weather. :(
 
Ya have to remember, I don't own a car. If I were going to "Get out of the house," I'd have to do it by Uber/Lyft... which I could do, but even they were not running yesterday or today. Hopefully, tomorrow, so I can get to the grocery store. And, hopefully, they've been able to restock (it was horrible there on Monday... absolutely nothing on the shelves). You know the "Panic Party" everyone does when there's the threat of tropical weather. :(

Our last trip to Publix on Tuesday was for ice cream.
We came home with this:

20241007_194157.jpg
 
31Iqzq7u33L.jpg

no pun intended.

As it turns out, I went back to the store today (Uber/Lyft) for some additional shopping. This was about 3pm after my last tutoring class. Wally World was "P-A-C-K-E-D!!" But most of the shelves were full. They had what I needed, including plenty of ice cream (but only the larger 2 pints of coffee). Uggghh.

But, wouldn't ya know it.... By the time I got out of the store, it was about 3:50p. And I called for an Uber/Lyft, and none were available. Not a single one! And you know how they keep egging you on ("Driver is only 8 min. away.... 6 min. away ... 5 min away.." etc. it would get down to like 3 min away and then a couple of minutes later, it would drop off and see we're finding you a new ride.... which of course, would not be there until 19 minutes later. That would happen 2-3 times. And I kept going back and forth between Uber and Lyft to see if one would get here sooner. Finally, after an almost 2 hour wait and with almost all of my ice cream melted, a Lyft finally came, and I got home. and my ice cream into the freezer. I tried a Kondike bar a second ago. Not bad. It kept its integrity. Will see how the two pint tubs do a bit later. But lesson learaned. Don't take an Uber for shopping except for early in the morning when they are plentiful.... certainly not during evening rush hour and certainly not with frozen/perishable groceries.

Good news is, the cul-de-sac is totally dry. I need only go out and rake/sweep leaves, etc. in the morning. The back yard river is down to almost a foot below the retaining wall and receding fast. So maybe it won't be as big a deal as we thought.

Oh, and sorry.. no "Tillamook Mudslide' flavor there, either! :ROFLMAO:
 
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As it turns out, I went back to the store today (Uber/Lyft) for some additional shopping. This was about 3pm after my last tutoring class. Wally World was "P-A-C-K-E-D!!" But most of the shelves were full. They had what I needed, including plenty of ice cream (but only the larger 2 pints of coffee). Uggghh.

But, wouldn't ya know it.... By the time I got out of the store, it was about 3:50p. And I called for an Uber/Lyft, and none were available. Not a single one! And you know how they keep egging you on ("Driver is only 8 min. away.... 6 min. away ... 5 min away.." etc. it would get down to like 3 min away and then a couple of minutes later, it would drop off and see we're finding you a new ride.... which of course, would not be there until 19 minutes later. That would happen 2-3 times. And I kept going back and forth between Uber and Lyft to see if one would get her sooner. Finally, after an almost 2 hour wait and with almost all of my ice cream melted, a Lyft finally came, and I got home. and my ice cream into the freezer. I tried a Kondike bar a second ago. Not bad. It kept its integrity. Will see how the two pint tubs do a bit later. But lesson learaned. Don't take an Uber for shopping except for early in the morning when they are plentiful.... certainly not during evening rush hour and certainly not with frozen/perishable groceries.

Good news is, the cul-de-sac is totally dry. I need only go out and rake/sweep leaves, etc. in the morning. The back yard river is down to almost a foot below the retaining wall and receding fast. So maybe it won't be as big a deal as we thought.

Oh, and sorry.. no "Tillamook Mudslide' flavor there, either! :ROFLMAO:
But you have Bluebell. I prefer it over Tillamook.
 
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But you have Bluebell. I prefer it over Tillamook.

Frankly, I don't recall seeing "BlueBell" there, either, but I do see it on their "Online Shopping and Delivery" website. I saw their "Great Value:" house brand (much cheaper than anything else) as well as Hagen Daz, Ben & Jerry's (I'll never touch that BS :mad:), etc. BlueBell could have been there. I'll look for it next time. :)
 
As it turns out, I went back to the store today (Uber/Lyft) for some additional shopping. This was about 3pm after my last tutoring class. Wally World was "P-A-C-K-E-D!!" But most of the shelves were full. They had what I needed, including plenty of ice cream (but only the larger 2 pints of coffee). Uggghh.

But, wouldn't ya know it.... By the time I got out of the store, it was about 3:50p. And I called for an Uber/Lyft, and none were available. Not a single one! And you know how they keep egging you on ("Driver is only 8 min. away.... 6 min. away ... 5 min away.." etc. it would get down to like 3 min away and then a couple of minutes later, it would drop off and see we're finding you a new ride.... which of course, would not be there until 19 minutes later. That would happen 2-3 times. And I kept going back and forth between Uber and Lyft to see if one would get here sooner. Finally, after an almost 2 hour wait and with almost all of my ice cream melted, a Lyft finally came, and I got home. and my ice cream into the freezer. I tried a Kondike bar a second ago. Not bad. It kept its integrity. Will see how the two pint tubs do a bit later. But lesson learaned. Don't take an Uber for shopping except for early in the morning when they are plentiful.... certainly not during evening rush hour and certainly not with frozen/perishable groceries.

Good news is, the cul-de-sac is totally dry. I need only go out and rake/sweep leaves, etc. in the morning. The back yard river is down to almost a foot below the retaining wall and receding fast. So maybe it won't be as big a deal as we thought.

Oh, and sorry.. no "Tillamook Mudslide' flavor there, either! :ROFLMAO:

Makes sense that food and supplies are making it, they probably have similar setups to this emergency fuel distribution point near Tallahassee.

Some of the trucks and drivers are from as far as Pennsylvania to help out.
Screenshot_20241012-053241.png
 
Frankly, I don't recall seeing "BlueBell" there, either, but I do see it on their "Online Shopping and Delivery" website. I saw their "Great Value:" house brand (much cheaper than anything else) as well as Hagen Daz, Ben & Jerry's (I'll never touch that BS :mad:), etc. BlueBell could have been there. I'll look for it next time. :)
Its around.
SmartSelect_20241012_055504_Chrome.jpg

Half gallon or pints. Lots of great flavors. This is just their year round flavors. Lots of rotational flavors too. Two missing row labels are strawberry, pistachio almond, buttered pecan, cherry vanilla, coffee, and black walnut.
Screenshot_20241012_055948_Chrome.jpg
 
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Holy cow! The waters finally receded today. Being able to flush a toilet and poop inside is a luxury at this point. 2 days in, and still holding strong!
My bathroom drain’s were backing up as well. In the middle of the day after the storm a heavy equipment truck showed up in my street, opened a man hole and cleaned it out.
Drain’s working fine again. Power came back on after 24h, I got lucky. Many are still without.
 
Its around.
View attachment 8522529
Half gallon or pints. Lots of great flavors. This is just their year round flavors. Lots of rotational flavors too. Two missing row labels are strawberry, pistachio almond, buttered pecan, cherry vanilla, coffee, and black walnut.
View attachment 8522554

Hmmmmm.... That "Dr. Pepper Float" flavor looks interesting.... I'll have to see if they have it.
 
My bathroom drain’s were backing up as well. In the middle of the day after the storm a heavy equipment truck showed up in my street, opened a man hole and cleaned it out.
Drain’s working fine again. Power came back on after 24h, I got lucky. Many are still without.

From what I understand, my "Sewer" drains are different/separate from the "Storm" drains. So no danger there. The plumbing worked just fine.
 
Hmmmmm.... That "Dr. Pepper Float" flavor looks interesting.... I'll have to see if they have it.
I know it looks good. Along with the A&W and the cookies and cream varieties. Problem is nearest bluebell is 6.5 hrs away. I will be going to Houston for Christmas with my family though. Problem is I don't think I'm going to be able to catch all of the rotationals I want. Cookies and cream cheesecake, cinnamon twist, oatmeal creme pie, and chocolate brownie truffle.
Screenshot_20241012_073618_Chrome.jpg
 
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But you have Bluebell. I prefer it over Tillamook.
No thanks. Bluebell is gross…too many artificial ingredients
 
No thanks. Bluebell is gross…too many artificial ingredients
Just as an update to your 2015 article, Bluebell closed completely for a year after that and revamped their facilities.

Do some searching and you’ll find that there are listeria outbreaks in food almost weekly by all sorts of companies that sell nationally. From vegetables to meats to peanut butter and on and on. Recently almost 10 million pre-cooked chicken vacuum packs sent nationwide to restaurants and institutions were recalled.
 
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Just as an update to your 2015 article, Bluebell closed completely for a year after that and revamped their facilities.

Do some searching and you’ll find that there are listeria outbreaks in food almost weekly by all sorts of companies that sell nationally. From vegetables to meats to peanut butter and on and on. Recently almost 10 million pre-cooked chicken vacuum packs sent nationwide to restaurants and institutions were recalled.
Makes me wonder how exactly this happened…… or made happen. Perhaps by “design” ?
 
Makes me wonder how exactly this happened…… or made happen. Perhaps by “design” ?
That’s possible I suppose, as it would be fairly easy to introduce into a supply chain. This from a quick search:
________

Listeria monocytogenes, a disease-causing bacteria, can thrive in a wide range of conditions, including:
  • Temperature: Listeria can grow in temperatures as low as 31°F and as high as 45°C.
  • Moisture: Listeria can survive in environments with low moisture content.
  • pH: Listeria can survive in a pH range of 4.6 to 9.5.

  • Salt: Listeria can tolerate salt content up to 20%.
  • Heavy metals: Listeria can survive in the presence of trace amounts of certain heavy metals, such as copper, zinc, and iron.
  • Listeria can be found in many places, including:
    • Soil
    • Water
    • Decaying plants and animals
    • Ruminant animals
    • Floor drains
    • The intestinal tracts of humans and animals
    • Manure

      Listeria can contaminate food and cause illness. It can grow rapidly on food that comes into contact with contaminated surfaces, even after cleaning and sanitizing. Listeria can be found in many foods, including: Soft cheeses, Luncheon meats, Smoked seafood, Salads, and Unpasteurized milk.​

    • To reduce the risk of Listeria, you can:

    • Protect produce from drips and condensate
    • Deep clean non-food contact surfaces
    • Allow surfaces to dry between uses
    • Avoid using high-pressure water to clean

 
Frankly, I don't recall seeing "BlueBell" there, either, but I do see it on their "Online Shopping and Delivery" website. I saw their "Great Value:" house brand (much cheaper than anything else) as well as Hagen Daz, Ben & Jerry's (I'll never touch that BS :mad:), etc. BlueBell could have been there. I'll look for it next time. :)
My wife worked for Blue Bell a long time ago and her cousin still works there. In fact, a big chunk of the family still lives in Washington and Grimes counties.

My parents-in-law old house sits on one hill across from another hill where the "new" creamery (new about 50 years ago) makes stick ice cream.

the house
1728761805073.png


then had to google scoot down the street about 50 yards to see the tower over the trees.


1728761863474.png
 
As it turns out, I went back to the store today (Uber/Lyft) for some additional shopping. This was about 3pm after my last tutoring class. Wally World was "P-A-C-K-E-D!!" But most of the shelves were full. They had what I needed, including plenty of ice cream (but only the larger 2 pints of coffee). Uggghh.

But, wouldn't ya know it.... By the time I got out of the store, it was about 3:50p. And I called for an Uber/Lyft, and none were available. Not a single one! And you know how they keep egging you on ("Driver is only 8 min. away.... 6 min. away ... 5 min away.." etc. it would get down to like 3 min away and then a couple of minutes later, it would drop off and see we're finding you a new ride.... which of course, would not be there until 19 minutes later. That would happen 2-3 times. And I kept going back and forth between Uber and Lyft to see if one would get here sooner. Finally, after an almost 2 hour wait and with almost all of my ice cream melted, a Lyft finally came, and I got home. and my ice cream into the freezer. I tried a Kondike bar a second ago. Not bad. It kept its integrity. Will see how the two pint tubs do a bit later. But lesson learaned. Don't take an Uber for shopping except for early in the morning when they are plentiful.... certainly not during evening rush hour and certainly not with frozen/perishable groceries.

Good news is, the cul-de-sac is totally dry. I need only go out and rake/sweep leaves, etc. in the morning. The back yard river is down to almost a foot below the retaining wall and receding fast. So maybe it won't be as big a deal as we thought.

Oh, and sorry.. no "Tillamook Mudslide' flavor there, either! :ROFLMAO:
Take cooler bag with you. I ve got several in both vehicles. Wouldn't want to use for long term storage but they work nice for keeping frozen food frozen between store and house.


The Tilamook mudslide is good, but I wish they did a better job of distributing the fudge so that you don't get big blocks of undippable fudge. Would be better if it was more of a sauce like in fudge ripple
 
Take cooler bag with you. I ve got several in both vehicles. Wouldn't want to use for long term storage but they work nice for keeping frozen food frozen between store and house.


The Tilamook mudslide is good, but I wish they did a better job of distributing the fudge so that you don't get big blocks of undippable fudge. Would be better if it was more of a sauce like in fudge ripple

I'll consider that. I rarely go to the store myself, these days. I use their delivery service. I just can't right now as they've suspended it during the Hurricane. But, in essence, it's the same thing as sometimes those deliveries can take 1-2 hours to reach you. I wish the drivers would use those cooler bags but most do not. They leave the groceries either in the trunk or on the back seat with no AC running. And the ice cream will come melted anyway.

But when I do go, I might be able to use one.
 
Or buy a car

C'mon.... you know the story behind that.

At present, my expense on Uber/Lyft and the occasional rental car is well below the price for buying the car, for fuel, maintenance and (most importantly) Auto Insurance. And I really don't need to travel as much as I used to. And with JTAC going down, it's even less of a need.
 
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I do. And I remember our conversation about it.

I grew up with the freedom of owning my own vehicle, regardless of the expense. I know you didn't.

In my mind and budget, it's worth the expense to not rely on Lyft, Uber, public transportation, etc for my ability to go to and from where I choose.

6 months ago, I used the bus to go and pick up my van from a repair. I rode the 45 minutes to work with Rebecca. Once there it was almost 3 additional hours to get to Dale Mabry and I-275 area.

In a car, that's 45 minutes.

No way an I giving up my freedom to travel, for the likes of waiting for a Lyft. (pun intended)
 
A foam aieplane on my pool deck. Before the storm, and after.
I have so many trees down, flooding occured, cats and dogs living together, and this plane remained unmoved.
 

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I do. And I remember our conversation about it.

I grew up with the freedom of owning my own vehicle, regardless of the expense. I know you didn't.

Actually, I did. And I was just as active then as you are now. I'd drive to and from NJ to Cape Cod every year, as well as taking the ferry across to/from Martha's Vineyard. I drove myself down to Florida several times when I moved down here. I went everywhere.

These days, I just don't feel as much need to go anywhere, as you still seem to do. Certainly not worth having to incur all that expense to get back into it. Perhaps, if I hit the Zillion $ Lotto, I might return to it. Until then, I'll rent a car if I really need to go somewhere. But I haven't lately. And, again, with JTAC gone, I have even less of a need.

In my mind and budget, it's worth the expense to not rely on Lyft, Uber, public transportation, etc for my ability to go to and from where I choose.

Understood. Not for me, though.

6 months ago, I used the bus to go and pick up my van from a repair. I rode the 45 minutes to work with Rebecca. Once there it was almost 3 additional hours to get to Dale Mabry and I-275 area.

In a car, that's 45 minutes.

No way an I giving up my freedom to travel, for the likes of waiting for a Lyft. (pun intended)

Like I said, my need for that is not as great as it used to be. If something ever should come up, I'll rent, like I did when going to JTAC. I still think it cheaper than the complete expense of buying and maintaining the car, fueling it and paying the insurance.
 
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Actually, I did. And I was just as active then as you are now. I'd drive to and from NJ to Cape Cod every year, as well as taking the ferry across to/from Martha's Vineyard. I drove myself down to Florida several times when I moved down here. I went everywhere.

These days, I just don't feel as much need to go anywhere, as you still seem to do. Certainly not worth having to incur all that expense to get back into it. Perhaps, if I hit the Zillion $ Lotto, I might return to it. Until then, I'll rent a car if I really need to go somewhere. But I haven't lately. And, again, with JTAC gone, I have even less of a need.



Understood. Not for me, though.



Like I said, my need for that is not as great as it used to be. If something ever should come up, I'll rent, like I did when going to JTAC. I still think it cheaper than the complete expense of buying and maintaining the car, fueling it and paying the insurance.

I could afford a Denali on what I would spend to travel to the range and three or four matches each month…and have cash left over.
 
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