I found a set of 4 Stove Drip Pans at WalMart, online, for about $18. The site seemed to say that these were available at my local store location on Ramsey Street. But, when I got there, and went in, this set of drip pans were not on the shelves or on display. There was a 2 set drip pan item, but it cost more than the 4 set I had seen advertised online. *I used the WalMart app to order & pay for a pickup order at the Ramsey Street location for later this afternoon. But, in a short while I checked my email, and saw that my order had already been filled, but a “substitution” made. They had switched my order from 4 pans to 2 pans, and at about a dollar more total. Ordering online appears to usually be cheaper. I had forgotten to specify that I did not want any substitutions, so I cancelled my original order.
I may have been out in my car when I found that the Spring Lake location of WalMart was also supposed to have this 4 pan set of stove drip pans. I ordered online, because it was supposed to be cheaper and I saw that my order should be ready sometime after 2:30 today. I went on to Pate’s and bought a few okra, a couple of smallish zucchini, some raw peanuts and found a package of pork stew meat that had been reduced. I think this was only a couple of bucks, it was cut up like I might want for the jalapeno & pork dish that I’ve been trying to make at home. Haven’t quite found the flavors, but it was very good at the restaurant… until the restaurant went out of business.
I went to Sprouts and bought some Turkish Dried Apricots and a small bag of Pretzel Crackers.
The first time I tried to use the WalMart “pick-up” app, I didn’t see any option to notify them that I was “on my way” or to let them know, “I’m here.” But, this time, and since that previous time, I have re-installed the WalMart app on my phone, so I may have been using an old app that didn’t include those options. This time while checking to see if my order was “ready” I did see the button to let them know, “I’m on my way.” And, once I was there, I saw another button to let them know, “I’m here.” And, with the “I’m here” option there was a place to enter which parking slot I had stopped in (#2 in this case) and what the color of my car was (white).
A young may, polite, came out carrying my order in his hands. He didn’t come around to my window, but I rolled down my front passenger’s side window and he asked my name. I said, “Gibson” and he handed me the drip pans, saying,”Have a blessed day,” and he quickly disappeared back inside the store.
I think you can see from one of the photos above, that they had printed out a sticker to go on my order, “B. Gibson.” Yes, when you have the right version of the app, it does work fine.
Months ago, the large front burner on my stovetop broke. I don’t know if it got too hot, but I know I didn’t smash anything down on it to break it, and it broke in one of the middle turns (this burner had 4 coils, but I see some have 5). Instead of calling maintenance to replace it, I just moved the large back burner coil to the front and then used the back burner slot to rest my unused pots & pans. I’ve noted since moving the back coil up that the large front burner seems to run hot. A 5 or 6 setting boils items, where on other burners it seems to be about an 8 or higher for boiling water.
Well yesterday, I finally broke down and ordered a replacement coil from Amazon.com. The replacement coil is supposed to arrive today by 10 pm. The coil was about $15. I think when I checked a long time ago, I didn’t see that I could order just the one coil, but there was a whole set of 4 (2 large & 2 small) at about $35 for the set. *Apparently these coils come in standard sizes, also differing by number of turns to the coil (mine only had 4 turns, but I see others have 5… and maybe 6 turns), and fitting Kenmore (mine) and other manufacturer’s stoves.
A few days ago, I ordered a new Samsung Galaxy 23+ phone from Consumer Cellular. I also ordered a new OCASE phone case for the new phone from Amazon.com. The new case arrived yesterday. When I opened the package and took out the new case, I immediately noted that it felt much lighter (and this I equated to more “cheaply made”). The OCASE case that I’ve used for my Samsung Galaxy 10+ feels much more like “real” leather, and it has lasted very well. I’m beginning to see wear in the corners & folds finally, but for several years it looked brand new. The 23+ case does not fit the 23 phone, you have to specifically buy the 23+ case for the 23+ phone. *Just checked on Amazon.com and both cases were faux leather.
I actually don’t remember the order of things as they occurred this morning. I went out grocery shopping. But, it seems like I heard a package being dropped at my front door, at some point, and when I looked there was an Amazon package (my replacement stove top burner coil) and on the door a notice from the US Postal Service at a failed attempt to deliver a package (my new Samsung Galaxy S23+ phone). As I read the USPS notice I noted that it said I could pick up my package tomorrow (10/28/23 Saturday).
I opened the Amazon package and took the replacement coil to the kitchen and took the front coil (which I had previously moved from the back) off, and moved it to the back. I then put the new coil in the front and turned the burner knob to “ON”. Sure enough, the new coil started to heat up and I turned it off quickly. This isn’t “rocket science” and only goes to make me question why I hadn’t done this sooner. But, from my original search, I might have overspent and bought a set of 4 replacement coils for $35 from Lowes. *So, now I have 4 working burner coils, and 4 brand new, shiny black drip pans.
The day slipped away and it became a little after 4 pm. I called to Alexa from my perch on my commode and asked how late the Post Office at Tokay was open today. I heard an answer that sounded like 5pm. I got dressed and headed to the Post Office. I know the notice said I could check tomorrow, but I seem to recall having checked a day early for some other item, a couple of years ago and they found the item, and I got it a half day early. That may have been a phone also, now that I think about it.
There was just a few people in line at the Post Office and I quickly made it up to the one postal clerk. He said he would check in the back to see if my package had come back from the delivery postman. It had, and I showed him my license that had both my name and current address on it. I took the package out to my car and opened it. I quickly placed the phone in the new OCASE case and noted that the phone was only about 50 percent charged. The charging cable for the new phone only had USB C Type connectors on both ends. My car has a Toyota charging cable that has a Type C connector on one end and Type A below the dash. So, I plugged my new phone into the Toyota USB cable and it started charging slowly. *But, once I got home, I plugged the new phone into my Chromebook charging cable, and it charged like lightening 100%. Well, maybe 20 minutes or so.
Got to check on putting the old SIM card into the new phone. Not sure if the old phone is working as a phone any longer. The old phone stopped working with Bluetooth to connect to my Blood Glucose Meter, and my car says no phone is connected although it is physically connected. Not sure if there was an upgrade that broke this. But, these things stopping was the impetus for purchasing the new phone.
TOTALLY UNRELATED [ 10/ 28/23 ]: Last year WalMart had bunches of corn on the cob for sale until I think November. This year they cut way back and only have a small cubicle of corn on the cob for sale. But I finally looked at it and decided to buy a couple of ears. Microwaved one tonight and boy, I do love corn on the cob. Also had some okra, and diced that up with a little sliced onion and fried that in a small skillet on the stove top. I had taken a sandwich bag of frozen chicken out to thaw a couple of days ago. Wasn’t sure if it was chicken or pork, because I had bought some thin pork chops a little while ago.
It was chicken and I diced it up, and started frying it with some onion in a pan, with a little bacon grease and some grapeseed oil. I also sliced up several of the colorful peppers that I had bought from the State Farmer’s Market last week. I checked in the fridge and there was a jar of pineapple chunks. I added most of these to the chicken & peppers. S&P and a little Agave Nectar and this chicken concoction was satisfying. The peppers were mildly spicy but not hot. The pineapple was sweet.
Publix didn’t have any White Mountain Bread for sale this afternoon, which is unusual. But, they did have a loaf that had the word “Tuscan” in the title. I bought a loaf. It is darker, but delicious. The chicken, peppers, pineapple, fried okra & onions, the corn on the cob and the bread all worked really well together. You might not think so, but I would have this again… and am not certain that I haven’t fixed something like it before.
Bill Gibson, II 