Today’s photos are from a post on this date, 2013, found here.
There’s not much going on here this week. This morning, when the house cleaner, Rafael, came to clean the house for the once-a-month-included cleaning, we headed out to the Publix grocery store, refueled the golf cart at Walmart, and made a quick trip to the liquor store for wine.
We haven’t been doing sundowners much while staying in lately. We decided we didn’t need to do sundowners as often as we had in South Africa and have saved most of our cocktail hours for those nights we go out to dinner and a few occasional nights at the house.
Also, the cost of wine is much higher here than in South Africa, and although one bottle of wine lasts me three nights, the wines I like are about $15 per bottle, as opposed to the price we paid while we were in Marloth Park. I don’t see a need to spend $5 daily on wine. I’d instead not drink until the weekends when we go out since it’s $10 to $12 for a 5-ounce glass of wine in a restaurant.
I don’t mean to be a tightwad, but I monitor what I spend to keep our budget on track. It’s hard enough with the cost of groceries here. Each quick trip to Publix for a few extra items we didn’t order or couldn’t get in our weekly online Kroger order is at least $100. This adds up.
Today, as we perused the aisles at the market, we were shocked by the price of any meat, whether chicken, beef, or pork, let alone the cost of fresh seafood, which is a shocker. We looked at a small 2.5-pound smoked ham, and it was $39. We can buy a similar-sized beef tenderloin in South Africa for half that cost, providing us with three dinners for the two of us.
Recently, with company coming for dinner, we purchased two t-bone steaks to cook at the house for $20 each! We won’t be doing that again. That’s ridiculous! We can buy two meals in a restaurant for that price. Sure, we spend more going out with a few drinks, taxes, and tips, but getting out for dinner a few times a week is an excellent way to connect with people and get out of the house.
The drive to Publix was pleasant today, even in the hot weather. It’s fun to get out in the golf cart. When he fueled it today, Tom only needed to add less than a gallon of gas. What a great way to get around!
Speaking of the hot weather, it’s a scorcher again today. Right now, the temperature is 96F, 36C, with humidity at 47%, but the dew point is an uncomfortable 86. The highest recorded dew point was 95 on July 8, 2003, in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, on the Persian Gulf. That’s way more uncomfortable than what we’ve experienced in Africa.
While we were out and about today, I stopped in a spa to inquire about getting a pedicure before we leave on July 28. I asked about bringing my polish for two reasons; one, I’ll have the polish for any necessary touch ups; two, it’s more sanitary to use my own polish rather than the polish they use on so many other patrons.
The manager told me they don’t allow people to bring their polish “for sanitary reasons.” That made no sense to me. Then, I asked if I could buy polish there and have the nail technician use the one I purchased. The answer was still “no.” They don’t sell polish there. Go figure.
Tom drove me to another nail salon where they didn’t care if I brought my polish or if I wanted to buy a new one from them for the technician to use. I booked the appointment for July 26, two days before we departed. The cost for the basic pedicure is surprisingly only $30. I expected it to be much more.
Tonight, we’re having leftovers, and we purchased ingredients at Publix for tomorrow’s dinner, a favorite keto ground beef, and mushroom casserole with enough for three nights, to which we’ll add fresh green beans and a salad each evening. Then, on Friday, we’ll head out again.
That’s all for today, folks. For our family and friends in the US, have a safe and enjoyable Fourth of July!
Be well.
Photo from ten years ago today, July 3, 2013:
