Dillon's Odds and Ends

Back to School Specials are Starting

19 cent notebooks

Close Out V05 at Dillons

50 pounds for $6.99 on close out

The sale cycle ends tomorrow so move quickly on these deals.  I forgot to post that many back to school items are on sale at Dillon's. This is the time of year to stock up up on paper, pens and markers. If you miss this sale, I'm sure many other local stores will be running similar sales in the next couple of weeks.  I always try to buy enough notebooks and highlighters to last me a year. 

I also cruised by the discount rack and picked up some chai tea mix at half price and some cheap dog food. The last time I purchased Kibbles & Bits, I paid $27 for 35 pounds.  "This is ridiculous," I thought as I hefted the bag into the grocery cart.  "I can't afford to always eat exactly what I want to eat, so why can the dog?"

I was so excited to find the 50 pound bag of dog food for $6.99.  "Look!", I said as I proudly pointed at the bag of dried chunks. My husband frowned.  "I've heard it can upset your pet's stomach if you switch brands," he replied with concern.  "Well,  it's cheaper to feed him Tums than Kibbles," I retorted.

Since I have began really tracking my household expenses, I have noticed pet food and supplies make up about 10% of my weekly grocery expense.

A friend once commented, "You will never know true freedom until all the kids leave the house and the family dog finally dies."  I found her comment hilarious.  Then at a business conference, I repeated this bit of humor to another woman about my age who responded, "My dog just died". 

I laughed uproariousy at her dry sense of humor. 

"No seriously, my dog of 16 years just died. I am heart-broken without my little Rags," she said, stifling a sob. I never make many friends at conferences.

Our large dog is a light eater but the two little cats demand a mighty gourmet buffet of soft food, preferably with lots of cat gravy.  Then there is the litter issue.  Until recently, I was buying the very expensive clumping cat litter which cost about 8-9 dollars a week. "Why couldn't I just have a gambling problem instead of a cat?" I would think each time I purchased litter.

My cats love to sit outside on the deck all day.  It is apparently beneath them to use the "outside facilities".  Both will lounge outside all day and then literally run to the litter box the moment I let them inside.

 "Pee in the grass, you say old man?  How barbaric!" they seem to sniff.

They even purr with a bit of an colonial aristocratic English accent.

At one point, I attempted to make my own cat litter. Whatever you do, DO NOT make your own cat litter. You are probably already living on the edge by storing diluted fabric softener in a bottle. Especially do not attempt to make your own cat litter out of paper from your shredder.  While it may give you immense emotional satisfaction to line the cat box with your shredded credit card statements, trust me you will soon tire of picking up tiny pieces of paper your cat will most definitely track all over the house.  Even I have my cheap limits.