Blow That Dough! -2021

[Winemaker]

good to know Bum! Only sleep in the room, will maybe do something else besides bunker.

There is a casino on the property, it is actually underground of the main entrance/driveway/front grounds. They have a ballroom dancing show nightly IIRC, and a few evening activities, live band, etc. There is also a grounds tour where some of the old cottages can be toured. These restored cottages, for example, is a cottage where U.S. Grant and his family stayed to escape the heat and humidity. Some of the buildings are old barns which are now used for glassblowing, metal working, and other crafts. We had a blast when DW and I went there 6 or 7 years ago. But being of the frugal nature, we went in February where the price was buy one night, get two free. I found the bunker tour interesting to a certain point, especially the ashtrays attached to the exercise bikes in the gym!

Make sure you look up the rules/regulations for dress code. While not strictly enforced, you will feel out of place not to follow the traditions of the resort.

 

[jollystomper]

Our non-planned, spur of the moment "Blow That Dough" activity for the month of July:

- New cell phones for both of us. Our were old (Samsung Galaxy S5 and S4), but worked for what me needed them for. The batteries could be replaced, another reason we used them for so long. But the few apps we use are no longer supported on that old Android version. I looked at going with newer used phones... but then decided what the heck, get something new so that this issue does not come up for several years. While we did not go the iPhone route, we settled for the Moto G Play 2021, and so far so good. Compared to the Samsung phone it (and all new phones it seems) is HUGE. With a protective case I feel like I am carrying around a weapon. The memory requirement is also interesting, Android is using more memory than mainframe operating systems , and seems determined to force you to store everything except pictures in the phone memory, which makes it work. Ah, the price of modernization...

The new phone also meant "Blow That Dough" for accesories - new case protectors, new USB-C cables and USB micro-to-C adapters for the charging stations in the house and car, new vent mounts, etc.

- New mattress. Somehow, we missed the fact that our mattress was approaching 30 years old. While it it not feel terrible, when we heard our words out loud we both said "why are we doing this?" So off to multiple stores to check out new mattresses. Wow have they more than doubled in size. And so many were too soft for us, I felt like I was sinking into jello. We finally found a couple that were firm enough. While trying to decide, the salesperson said "Come back in three days... your decision may be easier then> 3 days later, one of the mattresses went on sale for 35% off. Can we call it "Bow That Dough" when we get sometime on sale? A thicker mattress meant a new anti-allergy mattress cover for another $175.

- $250 gift for a nephew graduating from high school.

-Whittled the amazon wish list down a little: more dry-fit golf shirts for those warm, humid days.

- New sneakers. Blessed to no longer be in "wait until hole gets big enough that the electrical tape coated cardboard you put in to cover it falls through" mode. Now in "I should have 2 pairs of sneakers for walking/social events and 4 pairs for gym workouts, right?" mode. Went to a Reebok outlet and thought I was buy 2 pairs (walking and cross-training) for $150. But first they had a "buy one, one get 50% off sale", then they asked for my email, which was still in their system, which gave me an addition discount. My final cost was $87 for both pairs.

We will see what August brings...

 

[corn18]

Just bought a new MacBook Pro 16". My MacBook Air was not hacking it anymore. And since I don't travel on business anymore, the large size (and weight) of the 16" is not a bother. What a beautiful screen. I can see the number on my spreadsheets now. The Air didn't have the Retina display.

 

[RobbieB]

Just ordered up a seven hundred dollar stereo for my seven thousand dollar boat.

The 10% rule -

 

[street]

^ I like that. Even enough room on that ship to get up and dance.

 

[sengsational]

Bought a hydroponic grow tower last week....cannot wait to harvest herbs greens, and tomatoes in 3-4 weeks!

An all inclusive kit? Help me BTD with specifics?

 

[citrine]

An all inclusive kit? Help me BTD with specifics?

YES! The company is called Lettuce Grow and you can grow indoor or outdoor. I bought the 36 pod tower and the seedlings were free. They also have a smaller tower with grow lights for $100 off. I lost 3 seedlings to shipping and 1 because the stem broke and they credited me for that. It is also easy to propagate using Root Riot and your own seedlings so you are not dependent on the company to buy more seedlings. The kit comes with nutrients, ph down, ph tester, the tower, all the tubing, pump, etc. The grow lights are extra, but you can rig sometime up for a lot cheaper. Check out the site and if you buy, I can give you a friend code for $50 off

 

[RobLJ]

Weekend BTD

This hardly qualifies compared to the big splurges, but
my youngest (who is working/living at home programming for an insurance agency after he was laid off in Seattle) and I drove to San Francisco from Reno for the Sat/Sun Astros/Giants games. He loves baseball, as do I and we're both Astros fans from living in Houston for so long.

We met his older brother and 4 year old grandson (they live near Merced) for the Saturday game, which featured 8 home runs, which the grandson loved (particularly the water cannons behind us when the Giants homered and the kayakers fighting for the home run balls in the Bay). I paid for a hotel Saturday, then we had an early seafood lunch Sunday at 11:00 am, then Ubered to the stadium for the game, then drove back.
Really memorable; the yewt is a big fan of Oracle Park as I told him he would be. Spending on experiences for the yewts/grandkids is money well spent. Also, the yewt bought the tickets, so it wasn't that much of a splurge--beer, a couple meals, and the hotel.

 

[explanade]

How much are tickets and food these days?

 

[RobLJ]

I think the yewt spent 20-25$ apiece for tickers (7 total); a large slice of pepperoni was 10$ and chicken tenders (for the 4 year old) were around 15$. The winemaker paid for the food. Beers were 12$; the yewt and I split the cost for those.

How much are tickets and food these days?

 

[MRG]

Hmmmm. Microwaved fish. It would be just my luck to rent that room the next day.

Took DGF too Fingerlakes wine country. Bumped the hotel up to a king Jacuzzi suite. The nice restaurant was closed so we went to the fancy one instead. Over paid for two cases of wine, but it's what we wanted.
A BTD day for me, but I'm a piker compared to all of you above!

DW and I honeymooned on the east side of Seneca and had our dinner at sunset on the water. A $3.00 pizza and a six pack of Genny Cream Ale.

DW has been looking at Iceland cruises. Thinking she's found something on Windstar that's like 15k plus airfare. She hasn't said she wants to pull the trigger yet. Times change.

 

[Montecfo]

DW and I honeymooned on the east side of Seneca and had our dinner at sunset on the water. A $3.00 pizza and a six pack of Genny Cream Ale.

DW has been looking at Iceland cruises. Thinking she's found something on Windstar that's like 15k plus airfare. She hasn't said she wants to pull the trigger yet. Times change.

Flipside: We went to Charleston for a long weekend when DW was pregnant with our son. Stayed in a nice carriage house on the battery. Butler service, really nice time.

Now when we go back I think the price of that same spot is jaw dropping, and I wonder, how did I find that affordable almost 30 years ago?

 

[RobbieB]

Returned from Monterey, just wonderful! In addition to the $1700 hotel bill we ate 2 dinners and 2 lunches. Five hundred more with no booze. Yup, $100 each with a twenty dollar tip -

And yeah, we'll do it again for sure!

 

[street]

^ That is awesome and sounds like a great time, way to that dough!

I still in the processes of blowing some dough on that land deal. Things got started pretty fast and now waiting on surveyor for legal description, so lawyer can get things done.

My turn will come to blow some dough, I hope anyway.

 

[audreyh1]

Returned from Monterey, just wonderful! In addition to the $1700 hotel bill we ate 2 dinners and 2 lunches. Five hundred more with no booze. Yup, $100 each with a twenty dollar tip -

And yeah, we'll do it again for sure!

Awesome!

Did you take any photos?

 

[Surewhitey]

DW finally let go of the purse strings & surprised me with a RZR rental for the day & up to Imogene pass. Way cool trip to Ouray, Telluride and Pagosa Springs.

Well worth it.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

They say they might be slightly thawed, but when my mother used to send Omaha steaks they were still hard frozen. That would be tough to cut. And I don't have a vacuum sealer. I could saran wrap them and then put in a freezer baggie like I do Prime steaks from Costco, but I still think cutting frozen or nearly frozen beef would be hard.

Not getting a ~$50 Vacuum sealer to protect a ~$750 investment is false economy. BTD!

 

[Dtail]

DW finally let go of the purse strings & surprised me with a RZR rental for the day & up to Imogene pass. Way cool trip to Ouray, Telluride and Pagosa Springs.

Well worth it.

Very nice

 

[audreyh1]

We once did that pass from Ouray to Telluride with a group. Was fabulous! We even saw a multicolored train of otherwise SUVs coming up from Telluride. They were obviously doing some type of 4x4 road test. I don’t think they even license plates nor any labels on them.

A few days later we rented a jeep and I drove way up the Ouray side to some beautiful alpine meadows full of flowers and not far from the summit, but thunderstorms started building so scrambled to get back down.

Great memories, thanks!

 

[RockyMtn]

We once did that pass from Ouray to Telluride with a group. Was fabulous! We even saw a multicolored train of SUVs coming up from Telluride. They were obviously doing some type 4x4 road test.

A few days later we rented a jeep and I drove way up the Ouray side to some beautiful alpine meadows full of flowers and not far from the summit, but thunderstorms started building so scrambled to get back down.

Great memories, thanks!

They don't call it the "million dollar highway" for nothing!! Views, cost to build and the gold, silver and copper they took out of those mountains justify the name. Great Colorado road trip!!

 

[RobbieB]

Awesome!

Did you take any photos?

Yeah! View out the balcony;

Water goes right up to the hotel;

Jonathan Livingstone;

Otter social group;

 

[Koolau]

DW finally let go of the purse strings & surprised me with a RZR rental for the day & up to Imogene pass. Way cool trip to Ouray, Telluride and Pagosa Springs.

Well worth it.

Someone please cue C. W. McCall.

 

[MRG]

Someone please cue C. W. McCall.

Feed store isn't on main anymore.

 

[Ronstar]

DW finally let go of the purse strings & surprised me with a RZR rental for the day & up to Imogene pass. Way cool trip to Ouray, Telluride and Pagosa Springs.

Well worth it.

An excellent way to BTD!

 

[braumeister]

Still a cool place. I skied Wolf Creek last winter.