What's on your Monday Menu RNYers?

Yaaaaay 10 more workdays until retirement! And yaaaaay looks like you made it home without storm complications...that's a definite Yaaaaay

Yes, I just made it - It was raining pretty hard by the time I got home but the wind hadn't started. And yes, 2 more weeks only!

How did you travel go, Liz? I hope everything was smooth!

Yes for the most part. Thanks for asking! The OH conference was really good (especially the 2nd day).

next week? Wow - that went fast!

Yes it has gone fast for the most part though some of the days have DRAGGED. I hate seeing what is being left behind unsupported or supported badly (not because I am leaving but because of the reorganization that hastened my retirement). And some of the announcements on people in new jobs are blowing my mind (but I am being as quiet about that as I can as I really don?t have the right to say anything now).

Good morning!

B: 1/2 can tuna mixed with 1/2 cup 1% cottage cheese, 1/3 cup cut up broccoli and cauliflower, salt and pepper to taste.

L: 1 cup beef barley vegetable soup. My wife was souping again this weekend. It's freakin' awesome.

S: Unknown but maybe a protein shake

MS and AS: Oikos 000 chocolate yogurt.

QOTD: In the morning I take a calcium pill, then walk to work. At lunch I take a multivitamin and a Vitamin D and C. At supper I take a Vitamin B Complex (Thiamine) and another D. 2X per week I take a B12 sublingual, and at bedtime I take the other calcium.

This weekend was OK. Not that I want to open up a can of worms on the internet, but I'm curious on your thoughts as you read this.

I bought a parka at Value Village. It's a really good branded down-filled one, that I know will keep me warm, but I have really struggled lately with Value Village. Their pricing is getting ridiculous. The retail on this coat is quite high, so paying $75 for it isn't bad when you think of it that way, but when the next coat to it is similar in quality, different in name but half the price, I have to question their motives. It's not retail. There is no production cost or shipping cost when things are donated and brought there by people. Overhead is not as high as a department store. If the 2nd coat had fit me I'd have bought it instead. Their pricing is sporadic at best, and for a few dollars more, new clothing can be found at department stores. If I were in a financial position where I "had" to shop there, I would be hard pressed to find anything that was in good shape for a decent price. Soon they may have to change their name to just "Village". Rant over.

LOL

As regards Value Village, I would find that annoying! Do they use their proceeds to support a cause, like the Salvation Army stores (presumably) do? That would be, to my mind, the only justification I'd find somewhat logical, if not entirely palatable from the end consumer's viewpoint.

As far as I can tell, they're a for-profit organization, unlike some of the other thrift stores (Goodwill, Salvation Army, presumably). Their charity they donate to is Canadian Diabetes Foundation, but I have no idea what percentage. I'm assuming a small one, given the price hikes. just seems illogical to me to price things so inconsistently. I looked at some jeans there because I'm blowing through sizes so fast and try to avoid buying "new" (except t-shirts I guess). One pair of "Columbia" jeans beside another lesser-known brand, same colour, same style and cut, and feel just as good of a quality, but the Columbia ones were $25.99. The others were $7.99. That just feels like a "punish the poor and working class" that often frequent thrift stores. I'm not poor, but I'm very much working class with a family to outfit.

Lucky for me we've been able to make the drive to the thrift shops in Michigan once in a while. It's a bit of a hike, so we have to plan it but I think that'll become more the norm.

I do recommend swap.com if the thrift are too expensive in your area. this is my referral link fyi- not trying to shill/advertise for them but if you don't like what you buy, just print off a return label (free) and send back.

https://refer.swap.com/s/hvbmhs

high end brands for great price- they were 50% off last night so I did buy a few things :)