It’s 67° out…

…. and people are dressed for winter. 

Honest truth; we didn’t get up at the crack ass of dawn for Black Friday sales, but we at least made it out by 10 this morning. 

Where it looks so dreary and cold, we keep expecting snow to start. The view as I am typing this is gloomy and grey, which is nice, but it seriously is a New England type day, not a Florida day. 

If only I were up north, I’d definitely not be wearing shorts and a t-shirt today. Probably be wearing long pants and a t shirt. But at least I have my hoodie with me, because I needed it at one point.

Only because this afternoon we were in Costco and it was damn well cold in that building. Other than that, all the big box retailers we hit prior, I was fine. It’s just too bad that it seriously looks like snow. 

Poor other beings… thinking we are about to get ice crystals rained down on us… They were so dressed for the middle of December, you’d really think it was about to do something other than slightly baby drizzle. 

Speaking of Costco, yes, I bought stuff. As per my post about price checking, proof the Orgain powder is on a slight sale, I took pictures.

Notice it’s the 2.07 lb can for $33.99. The one I buy from Amazon is 2.02 pounds and is currently listed as $26.49. It’s a matter of .05 ounces and $7.50, as well as 18 servings vs 24 servings. 

If I really wanted the bigger bottle from Amazon, especially on a subscription model, I’d have to go with Cafe Latte as my flavor of choice. One time purchase is $36.99 and subscription is $35.14. Which is more money than buying the vanilla version at Costco right now. Plus, given the previous purchases from Amazon, I bet anything the coffee flavor will fluctuate in price; and it won’t be in my favor most of the time. 

I’ve very rarely paid over $29 with the 2.02 can. Seriously.. out of the last 30 odd purchases, we are talking like twice it was more than I expected. But than again, you’ve also go to tack on tax to it. Much like you do when you go to any retailer. Expect extra services rendered.

So it’s all a matter of “finding a better deal” and even on Black Friday, not every store is created equal. I totally understand that concept. Which is all the more reason you make sure you check prices.

Like I needed an external optical drive (I mentioned briefly yesterday). I found one that we use at work, so I put it in my cart on Amazon. Waited for Black Friday sale, even though the drive was marked pretty good (like around $20). But because it’s a big holiday sale, I was able to get $3 off for the purchase. 

Three bucks is three bucks. I’m waiting for the hack to become true - allegedly, if you let something sit in your cart long enough, the price goes down by a teeny tiny percentage. 

Big allegedly because I haven’t seen it ring true quite yet. 

But yeah, I’m sitting out here, having made a cup of coffee a minute ago, listening to the neighbors IN THEIR POOL and watch the world around me while wondering when the colder stuff is going to come in. 

If only Chester didn’t want to go on long adventures, we’d take a walk. But he has a mind of his own and pulls you too far and wide because he doesn’t want to be home. 

He only looks innocent. He was in the middle of jumping around and hopping like a bunny when I took this photo. 

For real. He hops like a bunny outside. He gets that excited when he sees grass, he can’t help himself and starts going crazy. 

In the house, he uses the floor plan as his own personal gym. He runs from corner to corner, in and out, jumping over all his toys and beds (he’s got 4.. he is that spoiled. He tends to move them around a couple times a week… by himself. We think he was an interior designer in a past life. 

Anyway, all photos were taken (and edited) on an iPhone 11 (running 17.1.1) and this post was created using a Magic Keyboard and Logitech Mouse as I’m still not back in Fort Myers. 

I do have to point out, I finally charged the keyboard yesterday. I’ve had it since January 2021, and have been using it with the single charge it came with. True, I don’t use it every single day; only when I’m traveling or need to prove a point. But it says a lot about the functionality and longevity of the product if it can run on the original charge for close to 3 years. Again, I don’t use it everyday, so it will be different for everyone. I just think that’s pretty swell if the battery can last that long. 

I can’t say the same about the mouse as it takes a normal AA battery. We all know how long those things last. 🙄 I don’t want to jinx it, but I probably should be carrying the battery separate. I’ve heard horror stories about batteries exploding and I’ve seen the gross chemicals come out of ones that have severely worn out their welcome in products.

Plus, I read somewhere to always keep your battery out of your camera. 

Quick internet search suggests that in order to “prevent unnecessary battery drain, it is generally advised to remove the battery from the camera if it will not be used for an extended period of time, such as when storing the camera for weeks or months. This will help preserve the battery's charge and prolong its overall lifespan.” 

With another suggestion of: “If you are storing your camera for an extended period, it is recommended to remove the battery and store it separately in a cool, dry place. This is especially important if you live in a region with high humidity, as moisture can damage the battery and affect its performance.”

The quotes were taken from the first two hits in a Google Search and are from a site called KentFaith. The website, based on further research, is a China based website specializing in cameras and accessories. I cannot attest to the validity of their products, but the points regarding battery use is common. 

Another site said removing a battery also prevents problems with battery leakage (if it starts seeping chemicals, etc). This makes sense because again, when batteries start to rot, what happens? The insides become outsides and you have chemicals everywhere.

Ok, stop talking about it. Don’t think about it.

It’s time to go in because I’ve been at this post for an hour and my phone is dying (speaking of battery drain). I’ve been on it most of the day, and now it;s down to 15%. I’d like to plug it in and get back to another episode or two of Loudermilk. 

Stay warm.

Cheers;