One Towel Family

Yup, it's been a while. In honor or Labor Day, I decided to post something. Jerry and I have become a one-towel family. Yes, we share one towel. Why? Well, it all started in S Asia. In our flat, it would get so humid that if we left damp towels just anywhere, they would mildew pretty quickly. We found a place near the bathroom that had a hole (I think for wiring). It was in a good spot relative to our ceiling fan for faster drying. I put a chopstick in the hole and started putting our towels there. Well, the top towel would dry fine, but the bottom towel would still mildew so we started sharing a towel. We got so used to it that we still share a towel nine months after moving back to the US. It's great because it cuts down on laundry.

Anyone else share a towel with someone?

Forgotten joys

Jerry and I just came back from our first trip to West U Library (since we moved back to Houston), a place we used to frequent quite often before we moved overseas. I had sort of forgotten about what a great place the library is until a friend and I were swapping ways to be frugal and she mentioned getting books, CDs, and DVDs at the library. If there are local libraries in K, we did not run across any. There is a National Library there, but it is mostly for researchers and it looked pretty run-down.

Anyhow, back to our local library. It's great! And here are some reasons why:

1. It's quiet.
2. You can borrow up to 10 DVDs at a time per library card.
3. You can renew books, DVDs, etc online.
4. There are even CDs to borrow.
5. Usually, a book sale (to benefit the library) is going on and you can purchase hardbacks for $1 and paperbacks for $2. Today, I picked up a Dorothy Sayers mystery novel and Jerry picked up a book written by AND autographed by Kirk Douglas!
6. You can go to the online site and browse all kinds of media from all of the libraries in the county, click on what you want and when it's available, you get an email. Then you go to your local branch and all of your items are waiting for you on a shelf in an envelope with your name.
7. There are computers to browse the web.
8. They host book clubs. Once my schedule gets settled, I plan to join one hosted by the library.
   
9. They provide tables and chairs to sit in while reading through magazines. Not like at the grocery store where you have to stand in the aisle. One time, (I cannot believe I am about to tell this story...) Jerry and I were at Kroger and there was an outdoor furniture display in the middle of one of aisles near the magazines complete with comfy seating options, including a weather-proof love seat. Can you tell where this story is headed? Well, we chose several magazines and sat in the gazebo for about a hour, enjoying our mags and the outdoor furniture. It was kinda fun and no one said a word to us.

Any perks we left out?

USA living after S ASIA living

Well, we are back in the USA and thus, I have changed one word in the title of our blog. Did you notice it? Well, since this was my forum for sharing about our transition TO S Asia, I decided to keep it as my forum for our life FROM S Asia. Here's my first post on this new topic:

Let's go Krogering!

First, let me say that I love Kroger - especially the one near our house. It was recently renovated to compete with HEB's Buffalo Market and I like all of the additions, particularly the coffee shop on the second floor that looks over the fresh food section. Love it!

Anyway, my first trip there after moving back was a little harrowing. I'd been to Kroger during previous visits back to Houston, but this was the first time shopping for groceries other than snacks and drinks. I was all discombobulated while trying to figure out what a good price was for things like produce and fruit. It was really bothering me. (My sister sagely opined that maybe it was because in S Asia we were always having to worry about paying exorbitant prices because we were foreigners. And I was carrying this over to the fresh food section at Kroger.)

Plus, there are SO MANY choices for everything! From different brands to sizes to convenience packaging to caloric/fat content. Too many choices and the store is huge. We were at Kroger for over two hours, I think, and we did not even fill a basket.

Then, it was time to pay. We went to the self-scan machine and I got unreasonably upset again. Jerry and I used to have a rhythm and we'd forgotten it. Well, we were getting in each others' way and getting on each others' nerves. Needless to say, we have decided to use the live cashier until we get our act together.

That was our first visit. Subsequent visits have gone better, although I am trying to remaster the art of using coupons. That has been a little crazy - trying to match the coupons with what the stores have on sale and remembering that the stores come out with new ads on Wednesdays and the coupons come with the Sunday paper. And I had completely forgot about double and triple coupons. There is so much to relearn.

There's much more we're readjusting to and I hope to post something at least once a week.

P.S. If you have couponing tips, I am very open to your suggestions. Gotta be frugal!