Re: An embarrassing lesson

[Guest guest]

Marie,

I can relate to you and your shopping habits. As I used to do the

same. I used to go shopping every Saturday morning. And every

Saturday I would buy the same stuff..it got to the point where the

cashier at the store would say $64.00 before she was even done

ringing me out! I would buy three of the same salad dressing (I

still have 7 in the fridge) just in case I were to run out! Who the

heck could eat three big bottles of salad dressing a week? Not me. I

am happy to report that I went shopping today...the first time in

three weeks and my bill only came to 50$! Buying less and using the

stockpile I have!

Bren

> Hello everyone,

>

> It's Marie checking in again with a story against myself. Sorry

that this is a bit long-winded but it needs some background

information. I must start by explaining that my parents were raised

during the depression and they instilled in me the necessity to

hoard everything possible because you never knew when it would be

needed. For them it was, of course, a necessity but I can remember

as a child wondering why my mother actually needed a whole drawer

FULL to bursting point of little rolls of string. Well, I inherited

her habits and then some!!!!!

>

> When I go shopping I always buy enough food for a fortnight - even

though I go shopping every week. The stupid thing is that the shops

are quite close by so there is always the opportunity to pick up

forgotten items any day, I don't have to have huge stocks on hand at

home 'just in case'. Would you believe I actually bought three

(that' t-h-r-e-e yes 3) packets of Mexican spice mix last Saturday

even though it is readily available and one packet lasts us at least

2 months!! We would be able to survive for 6 months without going

grocery shopping by using what I have in stock at home - fresh fruit

and vegetables, milk etc excluded of course. Having all this stuff

at home I must confess to cook enough for at least twice as many

mouths as there are to feed. Well, you can guess the next step

can't you. My frugal upbringing gives me a dread of 'waste' or

throwing anything away so the leftovers go into my mouth instead of

the bin. When we have guests I also go overboard - to put it mildly.

>

> I have just told you about (confessed to!!) my

overbuying/overcooking/overeating/overweight cycle. I know it is

wasteful, unnecessary and bad for my health but I seem to just be

drawn to buy two where one would do. When I cook I cook for an army

and there's only so many times we can have left left-overs. I think

I got a helping hand today from a most unexpected source. Our

Maltese friends are going to be in Holland for a conference next

weekend for a conference. As they aren't going back to Malta until

Tuesday we invited them to come to dinner next Monday night. The

reply I received, an extract of which I have included here, really

made me take notice of the effect of my over catering - they have

been here to dinner before so they are 'experienced' Hans and Marie

guests.

>

>

> > Hello Marie,

> >

> > Thank you for your invitation for dinner today week, we are all

looking

> > forward to that!

> >

> > None of us seem to have any allergies to any kind of food, (the

only

> > allergy

> > we seem to have in common is to work!), however we wish to

remind you to

> > take it easy on the amounts. Although all of us appreciate a

good meal,

> > the

> > most important thing is for us to get together in a light and

comfortable

> > atmosphere!

> >

>

>

> While I guess it is a bit embarrassing to be asked by your guests

not to serve so much food it is JUST the kick in the backside I

need. As a hostess I want my guests to be comfortable and enjoy

themselves and not to remember the occasion as a 'food orgy' (or

should that be 'gorgy??!!??!!) I must remember to thank Lucie when

I see her for making me sit up and take stock. It came at exactly

the right time for me.

>

> SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO - here is my next challenge - if you don't

need it don't buy it. It should do wonders for both the diet and

the 'new me'.. If it isn't there I can't cook it/eat it can I? I

really do hate waste so I am now going to challenge myself to buy

only what I need for that week and cook only what we can eat. It

will be a metamorphosis if I can manage it!!

>

> Isn't it great to be able to look at ourselves from someone else's

point of view and learn lessons! Of course it is a bit embarrassing

to be told 'slow down, you're overdoing the food' by friends but

what a great challenge Lucie has thrown down to me. Wish me luck!!

>

> Cheers to you all,

>

> Marie

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Marie (or however you pronounce it!)

So, you've finally learned the " if you don't need it-don't buy it " thing.

It's international, ya know! I go shopping often for groceries, the

minimarket is 2 mins away and it's open every day but Saturday. I don't buy

HUGE amounts but I do have a tendency to buy because " maybe I'll need it " .

That is not something good to do for a person who is on a budget or is

trying to lose weight! (ME)! Anyway, I go through my fridge weekly and threw

away " science experiments " -today it was a can of hairy pineapple slices, a

petrified 1/2 lemon and 1/2 grapefruit (also rock hard and as dried out as

the lemon.) A dozen eggs can last past the expiration date, which happens to

be a month. How many eggs can the ddoggie eat without getting clogged

arteries! The veggies sometimes are unrecognizable as veggies and need to

be combed. Hey, I'm a SHE! But at least I've stopped picking up other

people's junk by the garbage bins. Folks that have good stuff that they

don't want to throw away put it out for people to take. I've been

decluttering my house and REFUSE to collect other peoples stuff. If I need

it-I'll buy it!

Take it from me, kiddo, it ain't easy to go from excess to regular. My hands

keep reaching for the things I don't need. I'm NOT a packrat (thank G-d), so

I don't obsess about it. I know that you are up to that challenge and it

will be helpful to be accountable here at WLB! I use this group as my

conscience- " how can I post a loss at WLB, if I continue to gobble up

everything in sight? " I wish you luck, m'dear and let us help you!

((((((((((HUGS))))))))))))

Geula!!

p.s.: My ddaughter's name is Irit pronounced EeReet, but it's a hard name

for anyone outside of Israel. I'm glad I'm Oma, because NOBODY is able to

say my name (in Holland) except you, of course...