Originally Posted by Squirrel

I can't believe they are gonna cut the MBTA commuter lines at weekends! Do they think people don't work in Boston at weekends?

Originally Posted by Bob

Which is easier said than done, when you either don't have a garden, or you have a water ban.

Window boxes only go so far...though I think this spring we're going to try some inverted cans hanging above the sink at our new place as it gets more sun, for herbs and tomatoes.

And how expensive is a bag of soil these days? A tiny bag around here costs around $20, it's mental.

Originally Posted by tamms_1965

I know it is easier for some than others. I didn't have much sunny space at my old place so I could barely grow a few tomatoes where there should have been flowers. My daughter is doing an urban (potted) garden this year, butI'll be taking all the supplies (except pots). Where I live, the college has set up "community" plots at the college and in various spots around town that the locals can use for free...they have to apply, etc, and volunteers help teach folks about gardening. My old town did nothing like this.

I've really got on the "buy local/grow you own" bandwagon in my community since moving here. I've volunteered to grown some extra stuff for my dad and kids as well, but I have the luxury of great soil and good farmer friends (and free water in my rain collection cistern and a well).

Originally Posted by cheers

Prices. How about navel oranges for 68 cents a pound. Progresso soup 99¢ a can. All on sale. Potatoes $1.57 for 5 lbs. Oh and cereal for $1.68 a box.
Again $2.98 a gallon for gas.

Originally Posted by Bob

Damn, that's good going.

It's $5 for a manky bag of oranges, about 4-6 oranges depending on size. Those soup cans are $1.50 and spuds are $4-7 a 5 lbs bag...and own brand cereal starts at $2 a box

Originally Posted by Bob

It's the commuter rail, not the T...plus if you're on the greenline, it's always a gamble you'd get anywhere anyway

Originally Posted by Squirrel

..It would be better to have higher fares and a 21st century system that is kept up-to-date than cheap prices and a scrape-the-barrel system.

Sorry for the hijack. (Btw noone mentioned Stop & Shop or Star Market. Are these Boston area only supermarkets?)

Originally Posted by Egg and Cress

Yes, we ARE bothered by what's going on around us!!! I, for one, just don't know what to do about it. The only thing I know to do is to shop each of the stores only for their reasonably priced products (i.e., "on sale") and do more "scratch" cooking. My boycotting certain products certainly doesn't work since all the major companies appear to be in bed with each other. It irks the snot out of me to note that the canned goods now have only 14.5 or 15 oz. rather than the original 16 (the basis for so many recipes in my mother's and Betty Crocker's cook books), but the prices have gone UP! The only grocery stores I can go to are either Wal-Mart or Kroger - there's no Safeway or SuperLo Foods in a decent area nearby, the nearest Publix is 175 miles east of us, Schnuck's has left the city, and the Whole Foods shop is over-priced shite!

So, tell me how to have an impact on food prices and other kinds of inflation. Write to my congressman? HAH! Tried to - messages wouldn't go through. Contact the stores? HAH! The store managers don't care, as long as they get their paychecks - the area managers are totally clueless and e.mails to the home office go unnoticed. Raising Cain in the store to get them to open more registers only gets you moved to a register manned by a "supervisor" to get you out of the store before you incite others to riot. There's no one in the produce department to point out the rotting and inferior fruit and vegetables to (this applies to both Kroger and Wal-Mart), and nobody in the Memphis area seems to give a crap about customer service!

We drove to Nashville and back yesterday to go shopping at Publix (who has quite a range of British foods - Kerry Gold butter, mushy peas, Heinz Baked Beans, HP Sauce, chocolate digestives, Carr's Ginger Lemon biscuits, etc.) just to find Kraft White Cheddar Mac & Cheese because it can no longer be located in the Memphis area. Publix' private label of that product is a good substitute, but others pale in comparison. The staff at that Publix (and 2 others in the Nashville area) have been cheerful, attentive, helpful and efficient every time we've been to any of them - contrary to what another poster indicated previously. Prices seem comparable to Kroger.

We buy very little Kroger meat - pork chops come from Aldi and I've become a convert to their ground beef as it's leaner, tastier and not as expensive.

My OH and I could go on and on - he, a whinging and moaning Brit and me a trappy American (as he puts it)! It does no good to turn a blind eye and ignore reality, "keep calm and carry on" or any other thing - we are sorely bothered but, like everybody else, frustratingly helpless to change it.

That do it for ya?

Originally Posted by Bob

It wouldn't be so bad if the MBTA was cheap, but it's not

Originally Posted by Squirrel

It's funny how people moan about the London transport system, the high prices, constant upgrades and work, and say things like 'other countries manage to run their systems more cheaply and efficiently.' I guess they got that wrong. It would be better to have higher fares and a 21st century system that is kept up-to-date than cheap prices and a scrape-the-barrel system.

Originally Posted by cheers

I hope you understand that I'm talking(writing) tongue in cheek re. grass is greener and the nonsense from the candidates.

As for service I can think of a international store were they give outstanding service. Maybe it is because of the community I live in.

Prices. How about navel oranges for 68 cents a pound. Progresso soup 99¢ a can. All on sale. Potatoes $1.57 for 5 lbs. Oh and cereal for $1.68 a box.
Again $2.98 a gallon for gas.

Hang on I'm being weighed down with all the 'lolly' I'm saving.

Lets see now..I can't afford eyeglasses. I can't afford teeth work...

Originally Posted by frrussre

Crappy cutbread is $4.49.

Reg. Frank R.

Originally Posted by Boiler

Just nudged under $2.90.

If you can wing a membership (free) and can deal with the quantities, the Restaurant Depot has very good prices, better often than Sam's and a much bigger range.

Originally Posted by Egg and Cress

There's a new RD opening in Nashville, reportedly on the 1st of Feb.! Shame we aren't in the food or non-profit business so we'd qualify for membership. From the website, looks really interesting, though. Sighhhhhhhhhhh........