October 2015 Frugal chatter

[Frugalbigmama]

Good morning! Rainy damp day here today. Great day to finish up laundry and finally make my butter nut squash soup! So excited to see the end result. Will pick up rye bread today thinking egg salad sandwich with the soup will be a perfect work lunch a few days this week . Will go in the garage this afternoon and tidy a bit and take a few new pictures of things to sell. I need my garage back!

[Frugalbigmama]

FBM, you are an expert "never-pass-up-an- opportunity" woman! I wish I had half your energy and determination!

Well thank you! Have to keep kids busy and myself. And enjoy life!

[lizzie bargain]

Popped out to No Frills for a few items on sale. My brother and SIL are coming for quiche for lunch and then hopefully SIL and I will play some Scrabble.

[Crochetlady]

Got a call this morning. We`re invited to a friend`s house for supper tonight. I`m trying to get some towels done before we go.

[coupon girl]

granger -sooo sweet your children are

-well just sold my puzzles 23 of them for 15.00-the gentleman told me his 4 and a half year old daughter does adult puzzles with them -awesome I said

-well my brother is very weak -they took one tube out -his kidney function is not that great -his son went to see him yesterday -still in icu -the nurse told my sister-in-law -baby steps

-ashlyns 2nd party was yesterday -ohh so much fun my daughter-in-law's friend did a puppet show for them behind a wooden stand and red curtain
-she got a few clothing pieces mostly toys a few hard books ,a little helper kit for mopping and dusting -one friend bought her a cape you can colour on then wear it from mastermind -I asked her where she got it when we sang happy birthday to her all 25 of us -she cried -I just a bit overpowering for her all those people
-we had wings and pizza and cesar salad -veggies and fruit -came home at 8.00 and daughter and hubby slept over nice to chat to them -as my daughter goes to montreal on business for 3 days -ahhh

[YOU AND ME]

Not much going on today just emptying my cupboard as a friend of the family is putting in my new countertops,the kitchen will be out of commission for a few days.I will be glad when everything is done as i'm tired of hearing my dd complain.Well off to put my lasagna together so all i have to do tomorrow is heat it up in the microwave.

[jasperandchar]

@Crochetlady enjoy the supper with friends, no cooking for you (win win) @YOU AND ME your kitchen is going to look amazing, tell your dd to be patient or the cook will go on strike (haha)

Well here a copy of the email I have sent Metro head office about how I was treated yesterday, when I asked the butcher if he could package me 30 steaks (yes 30 steaks) to my weight/thickness etc. I will be calling the owner of the store tomorrow, let me know your thoughts

On Saturday I called Metro in Perth prior to going the store to confirm that the rib steaks were in stock as I live 30 minutes away.
When I arrived at the store there was a older lady with red hair who was filling the meat counter. It ended up that she was the person I spoke with prior to going to the store about the steaks being in stock.
I told her that I was looking for 30 steaks (15 packs of 2's) as the steaks were being sold in packs of 2 which was not an issue.
The steaks that were in the meat counter were mainly 2 pounds per steak on average. I asked if I could get 30 steaks cut to my preferences as we are 2 adults and 2 children and my children cannot eat a 2 pound steak neither could my husband or I. The lady said she would get a butcher.
A man did come out, I said that I would like 30 steaks on average to be $5 or more but no more than a pound. He rudely said "I'm not going to dig through the steaks to make your packages". He said what is here (in the meat counter)take it or leave it, there going to sell at that price and abruptly took off.
I was taken aback by his rude behaviour and the way he spoke to me, I felt degraded to be completely honest. I have never been spoken to like that from anyone in my life and certainly did not expect to receive such treated for asking for 30 steaks.
I can understand if there is no in house butcher that 1 can only take what is out there as the meats are received pre-packaged. BUT when there are 3 butchers on duty, I would not have expected to be spoken to or treated that way.
I have in the past at Independent grocers, ask that my meat be a certain thickness or weight and have never been told what the butcher at Metro said to me yesterday.
I was prepared to wait for the steaks to be packaged or told to return another day, time, etc, HOWEVER, not be treated like a 2nd class citizen.
When I got to the cash I was very upset, Betty was my cashier and I asked her whom I could speak with respect to how the butcher treated me.
She the lady over there, I can't remember her name. I spoke with that lady and Betty told her I just spent $200.00 on steaks. I told that lady that I purchased the steaks even though they were not the sizes I would have preferred and explained that I thought the butcher was rude, I could not remember his name or what he looked like as I was in total shock about how I was spoken to.
The lady said that she would go and find out what happened, she expressed that they have received nothing but compliments and I told her I was not complimenting the rude butcher.
She did not ask for my contact information or name BUT told me to complete this survey and my comments would be forwarded to the owner Brent. And that was the end of the conversation, I did not receive an apology from this lady for being treated or spoken to this way which also surprised me to be honest.
I will be contacting the owner tomorrow (Monday) about this matter.

Nancy

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Question of the day, do you ring the bell at the meat counter and ask for specific thicknesses or weights????

[thriftygranny]

Nancy, I do ask for specific cuts but at our neighborhood IGA, the butcher is great and accommodating. I haven't really asked anywhere else except at Independent once or twice and Coop, and those few times had no issues.
There was no reason to be rude to you at all, either he can do it or he can't. He commented he wasn't going to look through all the packages, is making me wonder if the meat that was on sale came prepackaged and he had no control over the sizes. Sorry he treated you so poorly, hopeful you get some resolution.

[Frugalbigmama]

Our RCSS had the 10 lb bags of carrots, beets and onions on for . 99 cents a bag! Grabbed a few more and will plan some freezer cooking accordingly. Tonight's dinner is rotisserie chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, carrots and green beans and brusheta bread with feta

[Frugalbigmama]

Dropped the oldest off at work. ( his dinner will be put in Tupperware) and took the dog and youngest to the dog park. My sweetheart met us there with coffee ( made both boys hot chocolate to go in travel mugs) Have tons to use up. Off to put my laundry away. So nice to be caught up. For today!

[jasperandchar]

@thriftygranny thanks for the kind words and your personal feedback

[jasperandchar]

Nancy, I do ask for specific cuts but at our neighborhood IGA, the butcher is great and accommodating. I haven't really asked anywhere else except at Independent once or twice and Coop, and those few times had no issues.
There was no reason to be rude to you at all, either he can do it or he can't. He commented he wasn't going to look through all the packages, is making me wonder if the meat that was on sale came prepackaged and he had no control over the sizes. Sorry he treated you so poorly, hopeful you get some resolution.

He wasn't going to dig through the steaks which I took as he didn't want to go through the steaks that were cut but not yet packaged was my thoughts BUT really it wouldn't have been that much trouble as he would have an idea by handling the meat an approx. pound or so. Anyways I just felt so degraded by the tone and the way he spoke to me....geez...

[coupon girl]

nancy nobody should be talked to in a certain tone -my goodness I worked a long time in customer service and I would never talk to people that way -he could have explained it better to you
-well my son called and told us he loved all of ashlyn's gifts -they are so blessed to have a great bunch of family and friends -she also got 225.00 from a few aunts and uncles on my daughter-in-law's side for her education fund -nice eh

[Crochetlady]

@jasperandchar If he couldn`t do it he should have politely explained. If he was too lazy to do it...that`s another matter. There was no reason to be be nasty about it. BTW I`m glad you got to stock up on steaks.

[Andit]

Good morning, everyone.

The leaves are starting to change colour. The brats are not impressed with the cooler temps, as you can see.



Had a busy couple of days, filled with theatre. Watched Happy Place again, as well as Forever Yours Marie-Lou (amazing actors, wonderful set, story not quite my cup of tea since it was about a dysfunctional family), and a tribute to Frank Sinatra (interesting tidbits about his life interspersed with song). The highlight for me was Marat/Sade - it was very different. Fun to see the sweetest actors I know in less than gentlemanly parts. And the use of music was brilliant - it had everything from military marches to heavy metal to flower power protest songs to punk. There was even an homage to 80s music videos, for those of a certain, ahem, vintage.
I also stopped by the local brewery. Big mistake. They were sampling the latest creation. Bad enough I'm hooked on their root beer, now I have to go in and have to make a hard choice, since Nightmare on Mill St is only available on tap. How can I not be obsessed with a beer with a cute name that tastes like pumpkin pie???

Better get ready for my exercise routine - my fellow exerciser had to cancel on me last week, so I got a reprieve. I doubt I'll be able to relax again this week.

Hope everyone has a wonderful day.