Bouncing off the Walls

Isn't this pretty perfect in every way? The fancy, cheerful, brightly colored foils?
The egg shapes, which promise rebirth? The ribbon?
I spotted one box left this morning at Kings in Montclair and pounced.
Originally $20, but everything in store is now 10 percent off, so, jackpot!
It is for Punchy's Easter basket, and Dan will probably cop one or two of the eggs, too.
I plan to sidestep even a taste of my family's Easter treats. I am not like them.
One bite of chocolate and I will go down the rabbit hole.

I am under stress, like most of us in this coronavirus pandemic, and overeating.

I just threw out the pack of Double Stuf Oreos. I cannot share a home with them. Please understand, in my frugal childhood house, the Nabisco name, even the old-time slogan or jingle [Nibble a nab from Nabisco] was revered, and Oreos were a precious commodity, stashed high in a closet so they could be metered out. The thought of throwing them out would never have occurred to us. My three siblings and I were slim. A sleeve of Oreos on a day we drove to Rockaway Beach was indeed a treat.

My parents did the best they knew how. They both grew up poor, the children of immigrants. I don't blame them. But the Oreo hiding then has led to the Oreo bingeing now.

And, even without Oreos, Punchy has been bouncing off the walls. Today was a rough day. I set my alarm for 7 to get to Kings supermarket and score paper towels. I tied a Burberry cotton triangular neckerchief over my nose and mouth, and found it hard to breathe. Kings, which is pricey, is offering 10 percent off your entire purchase through April 11 [or 12?], which is great. I decided that in the face of the coronavirus shelter-in-place rule, I would try and get everything for a week in one stop. Everything we would need through the Easter holiday--and I did. [But darn it, I forgot popcorn kernels, salsa verde for Fig and salted cashews.]

SHOPPING/STOCKPILING IN THE FACE OF CORONAVIRUS
Items in yellow are related to fighting the virus, major villain and pain in ass.

Kings cart held a smallish $23 Easter ham; a fresh crab cake for Dan's holiday entree; a $13 solid Lake Champlain Chocolates bunny and the last $20 box of pretty Godiva foil-wrapped choc eggs for Punch; jelly beans, crunchy chocolate treats, hot pink Peeps, Cadbury eggs and fun yellow plastic eggs to fill; 2 boxes Junior Mints and Swedish fish for vegan Figgy; a small beauty product each to put in daughters'  bunny baskets; small Lindt chocolate bunny for Dan; a big $12.99 potful of the most beautiful orange/raspberry-sherbet colored tulips; half-pound lox, a treat we hadn't had lately; 2 gallons of milk; 4 dozen eggs [one to give to my neighbor, who lent us some]; Paas Easter egg dying kit for Dan and daughters; Paas egg dying cups; luxe pint of Graeter's ice cream from Cincinnati--ostensibly for Punch, but I ate half; pound of hickory smoked bacon; pound of butter; 2 vegan cheeses; 1 pack shredded Swiss for a quiche; 2 frozen pie shells; 2 packs shredded mozzarella for pizza; big pack grilled pizza bread; 2 frozen Amy's vegan pizzas; Van's waffles; big Grey Poupon mustard; jar mayonnaise; last two small Heinz ketchups on shelf; big frozen French fries; 2 packs vegan spring rolls; box of Annie's mac + cheese; 2 cans good Italian tomatoes; pack of corn tortillas; jar vodka sauce; good fresh stuffed shells from nearby Lodi; Callie's frozen biscuits; 2 packs Vermont Bread Co whole-wheat English muffins; good rye bread; 2 English cucumbers; organic beets to roast; sliced Jarlsberg cheese; tomatoes on the vine; box of triple-washed romaine and one of triple-washed baby kale; 4 paper products; multipack paper towels; another Chlorox virus-killing spray; bananas; whipped cottage cheese; jar of good local peanut butter from NYC; last 2 jars crunchy Skippy on the shelf; Fritos Scoops! [big weakness/big mistake]; pint organic half and half; two half-pints organic heavy cream; large pack fresh mushrooms for quiche; vegan orange cream frozen bars; 3 bags coffee [high-end Stumptown, Wicked Joe from Maine and Starbucks]; box GrapeNuts; Quaker old-fashioned oatmeal; 2 large sweet potatoes; 2 bottles Chlorox; laundry pretreating spray; 2 cans red beans; 3 lemons; large jar artichokes; pack of Tylenol in case we get sick; tube Colgate toothpaste; $8 bottle vegan green salad dressing; one roasted chicken; coconut oil; and large Johnson’s baby 🍼 powder.

I think I got it all, and counting the 10 percent off whole order, it ran me $518.95. I have never spent so much at once in a grocery store, but that's what happens when you try to buy for a week [family of four, 3 meals a day] and also include all Easter basket treats and holiday dinner. That's a lot of money.

In addition to all of the vegan dinner fixings for Fig, it included 6 family meals for me, Dan and Punch: 

1. Easter ham and crab cake meal.
2. Freshly stuffed shells with vodka sauce.
3. Homemade pizza for all.
4. Mushroom/Swiss quiche.
5. Cheese quesadillas.
6. Salad with roasted chicken and tomato.
7. BLTs.

Other expenses yesterday and today:

• $1.25 ATM bank fee. 
• $1.20 paper bag fee at Kings [after I used my 4 bags from home]
• $93.75. Ladurée Paris. I ordered tea sachets, tiny meringues and two beautiful candles for Easter, counting shipping. Treats I can have instead of candy.
• $44, Easter treat shipped to someone special.
• $199, Stich Boutique in Madison, NJ, pretty floral Easter skirt; wrap dress at  half price; and Commando camisole. I was feeling an urge for beauty amidst all this ugliness and fear.

total spend Tuesday and Wednesday; $858.15.

ongoing monthly spend as of April 8: $906.76.

avg daily spend: $118.35.