Bug in My Coffee

Work went MUCH better yesterday.  Showed up wearing my Spidey red shirt, my favorite bandana, and a ready to try again attitude.

Day went pretty darn well at that.  I think the Spidey shirt helped.

And today I have the ENTIRE day off.  My big plans include removing all the clothes from my closet that no longer fit, or I stopped wearing.  I'm excited to get cracking.

As for the blog post title, I just now opened a new bag of organic decaf and right there on the top was a little maggot looking fellow.  I called the company, they're sending me a new, hopefully bug-free bag.

Meanwhile, I'm also waiting for Tim's new computer to arrive, which was purchased ENTIRELY with money saved from couponing.  How frickin' cool is that?

That's all from me.  Cheers and boogie boogie.

Work Sucked

Yesterday was filled with a series of errors and miscommunications that all equaled a suckin' muchin' day.

But I still want to go back today because I love cooking.

Add to it, there's something thrilling about when things go smooth on the line, and everyone is communicating.

It just clicks.

And now I understand why professional cooks in Hell's Kitchen get confused and make stupid mistakes.

While I'm a long way from Hell's Kitchen, I have a better understanding of how kitchens work and more important, how I work within them.

Time to grab my cleaver and get back on the line.

Finding My Groove

This work week is going MUCH better.  I'm adjusting to the change in work schedule, which for me meant going from steady opening prep cook hours, to all over the place pizza shoppe hours.

I still work both kitchens, but for this month, only one set day in prep.  Mondays.

And last night I was able to stay out past 10PM, which is almost a nearly never for me.  Not only that but I drank cafe caffeine drink past 7PM.  And I've NEVER done that.

Even better, I'm working on the cookery book again.  Started back last week.  Did an experiment with dinner rolls baked in cupcake tins.  Did not go well.  But that's okay because I enjoy the trial and error process.

Here's the photos.  I oiled one side and sprayed the other.  The oiled side tasted better, while the spray side tasted more oily.  Texture-wise the rolls were dry, flavor-wise they were good.  Overall, the formula needs a rewrite. 

Left side sprayed.  Right side oiled.

Straight from the oven.

Completed experiment.

Happy Eating & Boogie Boogie :-)

Paying for Toothpaste?

Then you're doing it wrong.

It's a right of passage for every couponer to get FREE toothpaste.  And today marks the fourth month of my couponing journey. 

So far we've paid off the TV, bought a zine printer, saved a little, paid some debt, and bought a computer.  But Tim says he still doesn't have enough toilet paper in his bathroom.

And check it out, last week I landed 4 razors, 16 blades and 4 shaving gels for a total price of $5.20 (includes tax).  Actually $5.14 because the store owed me 6 cents in overage for the 2 free dental flosses I purchased as well.

How great is that?

Until next post, have a groovy day and oogie boogie night.

Single Toothpaste Breakdown:
$2.69 Regular Price (6.4oz/181g)
-$1.19 (store sale)
-------
$1.50 Today's Sale Price
-$0.75 Coupon
-$0.75 Coupon Doubled
-------
FREE Total Price (I got a total of 4)

Promotional Razor Breakdown:
$21.20 (4 Promo Packs w/Tax)
-$16.00 in Coupons (4 coupons each worth $4)
--------
$5.20 Subtotal
-$0.06 Subtracted Overage (from FREE floss)
--------
$5.14 Total Price Paid for ALL 4 Kits

The entire lot cost $5.14 and includes, 4 razors,
16 blades, and 4 shaving creams.

I just made this Tim's new screensaver.

Red Shirt

At my first job (prep), I must wear a particular kind of shirt.  But for my second gig (pizza), as long as it's a red shirt, anything goes.

I'm wearing this new Spider-Man shirt today.

Next, the hunt for a red Wonder Woman shirt.

And, if I get my hands on one of these, I'm totally buying more than one.  It would be wrong, not to. 

Bye Bye Comfort Zone

I've been juggling both my prep cook and my new pizza job.  The second job is not solely prep, but instead a bit of everything.  It's a small privately owned pizza shoppe, who believes in cross-training.

And nearly everything is scratch-made.  Love that.

It's been a tough go at first.  Working tickets is not the same thing as prep cook.  For me, the line is harder.

Bye bye comfort zone.

The good news is I still come home and play in my own kitchen.  The other night I made more stuffed bagels and today I woke thinking about dough and what I can do with it.

Also tried capicola for the first time at work.  Then I bought some at the market.  Sliced paper thin.  Just tastes better that way.  I don't know the science behind why. 

Meanwhile, Tim and I are on a mini staycation.  He's been sampling MS Publisher, and I'm fixin' to play in my kitchen, then catalog a stack of coupons.

You Boogerbutts have a groovy weekend.

Cheers and boogie boogie.

Bagged & Tagged

Check this out.  I bought a new FoodSaver for $14.88

$84.99 - Target in-store price and with tax, $90.09.
$76.49 - Target online price.

Only when I got to the store, I didn't know it would be higher.  So I asked for a price adjustment and bam, I got it.

Hot dog.

But wait, it gets better.

$84.99 -- Before Tax
-$8.50 -- Price Adjustment
-----
$76.49
-$10.00 -- Manufacture Coupon
-----
$66.49
-$10.00 -- Target Coupon (my Target allows stacking)
-----
$56.49
+$3.39 -- Taxed
-----
$59.88
-$5.00 -- Promotional Target Gift Card
Given after buying on-sale, and couponed garbage bags.
-----
$54.88
-$40.00 -- Promotional Visa Gift Card
Tim received when he bought his printer and ink, at Staples.
-----
$14.88 -- Total OOP (out of pocket), expense.
Total savings with real in-store price - $75.21

How 'bout them apples?  Not too shabby.  Now, if I really wanted a zero out of pocket purchase, I could have bought more garbage bags, but given I was out of garbage bag coupons, it wasn't the logical choice.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have several pounds of 59 cent per pound chicken, that needs bagged and tagged. 

Cheers and boogie boogie.

How's it Hangin'?

They're dingle danglin' pretty good over here. Tim started his new zine, Wiggy turned 1, Bug's still a trouble maker, and next week I start a 2nd kitchen job.

How's it hangin' on your end?