True Value! I stopped into the Litchfield store and purchased 5 packs for $1! They are American Seed and they have flowers and veggie seeds. There are lots more but I got Cosmos, Single Sensation Zinnea, Lilliput (I love the small zinnias and they blossom quickly! Zinnea, Dwarf Pumila Sprite Mixed COlors Zinnea, Giant Cactus Mixed Colors Zinnea, Giants of California Forget-Me-Not Gypsophilia, Covent Garden California Poppy, Orange I just love Zinnea!!!

Yeah, right. I also heartily disagree with some of his suggestions. Since I grow a big organic garden and can my own produce, canned fruits and vegetables always have a place in my basement/pantry. So does canned stock, although I make it myself and can it, it's not commercial stuff. I also always have canned beans for a quick bowl of hummus or to mix with some corn and salsa for a fast dip. Cheap protein and fast! I buy small jars of most spices and so they're usually not round for more than ayear, but I'm not throwing out that cream of tartar that is so hard to find here. What would I add? Store bought white bread is out of my pantry, I make all my own bread. Does that mean everyone should? Nope, but it's what's good for my "well stocked" pantry. Annie

We did not bring the BGE with us - it is quite large and difficult to move once it is assembled. Also, it can get broken fairly easily, or so I have heard. The house here came with an outdoor gas grill that is fairly large. If I make pizza, it will have to be rectangular, but that's okay - I've done that before. I'll have to bake it on a jellyroll pan, as that is the only baking sheet I have here that I have found so far. I'm still finding things that the previous owner left, including a rolling pin. I had already bought a rolling pin for $7, but that's okay because the pin I found needs a very good cleaning, and probably a sanding! I am staying inside most of the day, but I can go in the pool early in the morning, but if it is only 72°, it might be too cold for me to swim, even though the pool is 85°. I've changed the heating schedule for the pool so that the heater comes on at 5 am so that it will be warm enough for me by 7 am. I think that is the best time for me to get my exercise. It's already too hot for me to go bike riding, even in the morning, as I like cool temperatures for that, and 72 is not cool enough, especially with the intense sun we get here. Our air conditioning is good enough that I can still bake in the kitchen, and the oven is well insulated. I'll start some dough today and bake it tomorrow. I just hope I have a bowl big enough, or I might have to make half a recipe. I forgot to bring large mixing bowls with me. ETA: I found a bowl I can use - we bought a colander at Cárdenas that came with a plastic bowl and lid, and the bowl is large enough, but just barely. Nice that it has a lid.

Annie, I am guessing that where I live, the processed items are used a lot. I seldom see raw chicken in anyone's cart...lots of chicken nuggets and frozen chicken tenders! Different parts of the country means different items on the shelves, I guess. I think I saw 25-30 different kinds of frozen pizza yesterday. You know, your mom may have it right! Turkey tastes different, but it might be the gravy in the frozen pot pies. I make my own chicken pot pies (less salt) and wrap them for the freezer. No matter what I do, the gravy gets absorbed. I keep adjusting the recipe, but I think it might be that the big corporations can flash freeze the pot pies. My pies aren't as pretty as the store bought pies, but I am using a hamburger bun pan for the pot pies.