# Self Sufficiency/Living off the Land or Off the Grid > Cooking, Food Storage, & Preserving >  Alpo......?

## hunter63

Just got back from the store.....was asked to pick up a couple of things......and showed up at the check out with :

6 cans of Alpo dog food....Choice Beef Cuts with Gravy
1 big bag of Tater Tots....Original Recipe
2 bottles of "Barefoot" Red  Moscato Wine.


Lady behind the counter (I know her pretty well) and I were kinda talking......
The lady behind me was looking at my purchases.....with a strange look on her face.

So I said, "Yeah we are gonna try a new recipe, saw it on Rachael Ray Senior Addition...... "Alpo beef with Garvy, casserole w/Tater Tots"

"And of course  we like a little wine with the meal....being beef it should be red..." 

I paid and walked out....as she was still kinda white looking.....

You know it actually sounded pretty good....and I'm still laughing about it.

I like being retired.

----------


## kyratshooter

Most stores today have a better selection of pet foods than of canned vegetables.

And being retired is fantastic!!

Me and a couple of friends had one whole section of a restaurant fired up with our political ranting the other day.  We just about had our own succession movement started.  

One of the waitresses asked if we were not worried about upsetting someone?

I told her we quit worrying about upsetting some wuss or political correctness when we qualified for the senior discount!

----------


## Rick

I don't know, guys. Being retired is pretty tough. I wake up, log on, go back to napping, wake up, log on. You'd think someone could develop some way for me to log on without having to wake up from a perfectly good nap. 

I've also determined I have the makings of a serial killer. If I ever find out where those @#$#@ are that cold call me I swear I will kill everyone of them just to eradicate the herd.

----------


## crashdive123

I am soooooooooooo looking forward to retiring.

----------


## MrFixIt

> I am soooooooooooo looking forward to retiring.


16 more years...sounds like a prison sentence...

----------


## LowKey

I'm willing to bet that I will never get to retire. Got about 10 more years and don't see it happening. 
Can't get out of my industry fast enough and let the know-it-all kids take over.

----------


## randyt

Most self employed plumbers never retire. A lot of the fellas I know still go to the office and they're in their seventies, not by choice. I will never encourage my kids to become plumbers or tinknockers.

----------


## Old GI

My special form of retirement - 1/2 the day scooping alpaca/llama poop and the other half trying to remember what I did.

----------


## hunter63

So Ok...been raking leaves......try for two bags a day minimum....My tree about empty...several others need to drop.

Postman stops and we talk sometimes.....so he stopped and ask if it was the first bag or second bag....Guess he kinda know me.
I was on the second and was ready to head in for a nap and he says...."You know the worst part about retirement....you never get a day off"......But everyday is Saturday.

Then he was lamenting his bad knees for walking all those years, before driving truck.....and the fact that many people retire and can't do much anymore.

Was telling me, his friends keep saying they are gonna do this or that "when they retire".......The best advice is do what you want to do now....while you still can.

Oh yeah.......Micky "D"s, small vanilla cone.....50 cents......
I like retirement.

----------


## natertot

By the time I reach the current retirement age, the retirement age will be moved to 120 years of age......... and no social security, either.

----------


## Rick

Look at the bright side. At least you'll be able to live that long. (pups, snicker)

----------


## hunter63

> By the time I reach the current retirement age, the retirement age will be moved to 120 years of age......... and no social security, either.


Bhohahahah, I spending yours now....hang in there boys.....we need the money.

----------


## natertot

Thanks guys, enjoy it!

----------


## Lamewolf

Just remember, after retirement comes that senior period of your life where you have your second childhood.  Yep, going back to diapers and bedwetting ain't all its cracked up to be !  :Wheelchair:

----------


## Tokwan

Nothing but Royale Canine for my pets.

----------


## hunter63

> Just remember, after retirement comes that senior period of your life where you have your second childhood.  Yep, going back to diapers and bedwetting ain't all its cracked up to be !


Waiting on Dirty Old Man status....Not old enough I guess.........so far still a "pig"....LOL

----------


## Rick

When my kids had kids I told them to practice and do a good job on changing those diapers. They'd have to change mine some day. I think that required Pepto Bismol for their dinner.

----------


## BornthatWay

I find that I seem to be busier now than when I was working. Of course some of it is being social. I love being able to meet folks for lunch.

----------


## klkak

> I am soooooooooooo looking forward to retiring.


Crash, I went R.O.A.D about three months before I retired. That was in May of 2001. Debra finely stopped bugging me to get a "real" job.

----------


## crashdive123

I worked right up until my last day for my first retirement in '96.  There's just too much I want to do now and working is getting in the way.

----------


## tundrabadger

I remember I called my dad a few weeks after he retired and asked him how  it was going.  


"oh, it's tough" he said "You know, I always used to get up early.  Well,  I can't seem to stop that,   so I'm up a couple of hours before your stepmother, and I'm forced to drink a nice cup of coffee and read the paper by myself"

"Oh poor you"


"And then, since I'm up early, I feel obligated to bake some fresh muffins for breakfast."


"Fresh muffins for breakfast every morning, Dad,  I don't know how you cope"  


"Yeah, and then your stepmother gets up,  so I have to make ANOTHER pot of coffee,  and she  has breakfast and goes to work, so I'm left by myself.  And being by myself, I feel like I have to go for a long bike ride"  

"okay,  I get it dad.  You're enjoying yourself.  You have nothing to say.  Stop talking"  

"And then I get back from riding my bike, and I still have all this time,  so  then I have to go out to my shed and do some woodcarving for a few hours.   And then, since I'm home so much, I feel like I'm obligated to cook a nice dinner,  so maybe I even have to  go walk down the street and pick up some free range chicken from the farmer's market,  and do something really nicer with it. "

"Shut up, dad"

"But enough about me.  How's work?"



Fortunately for the the continued amicability of our relationship, he did eventually get bored...I could tell because he sent me multiple emails per day about his cat....and started volunteering.  


I occasionally worry that that the longer life expectancies we see these days will deplete the Canada Pension Plan before I retire.  Then I remember that we no longer have mandatory retirement,  and opportunities for advancement are becoming scarcer,  so I will probably never be able to afford to retire anyhow, which is oddly comforting.

----------


## hunter63

I go to the gym 3 mornings a week, supposed to be for my cardo rehab......but I just enjoy getting out and mixing it up with other "survivors".

Got to know several people and we kinda worry about them if they don't show up.....so the girls that run the center keep tabs on them.
I let them know if I heading out for the reason.

Lady that uses a treadmill about the same time I do sometimes.....and we have talked in the past.
She came over and had to tell me a story...

She says, I just had my physical or as they call it now a wellness check.
Doc says that my heart rate, blood pressure, cholesterol  w,eight, and body mass were all Fine or good.

Then she says , I the past they have always been a little high?,.... So I questioned the Doc again.....He said, No they are all fine.

Upon returning home she says she checked last years report     and realized that she had a birthday.......They were using a different chart?

She says, "I finally aged into her body".....LOL

Guess she figured that my mind would work like this as well......and I would enjoy it.

----------


## LAZYBBRAND

That's too funny

----------


## Faiaoga

How was the Alpo?  It was probably as good as good or better than some of the tinned fish or potted meats sold in village stores when I was a Peace Corps volunteer. In fact, we volunteers became quite good at distinguishing the different brands and would argue vehemently about which brand was best.  Frankly, Alpo stew is probably better than some of the food I have eaten in school cafeterias. :Ohmy: 

To his credit, the survival writer Cody Lundin (When All Hell Breaks Loose) includes some recipes for rats and mice in his survival manual, and  he explains how Yavapai Indians considered pack rats a delicacy.  While I have eaten fruit bat. moray eel and other unusual foods, I have never experimented with pet foods - perhaps I should look for a good survival cookbook that incudes recipes for these.  Certainly, the price of pet food is a lot less than that of expensive "Y2K survival foods" that are advertised as being needed for coming disasters.   :Blushing:

----------


## hunter63

> Just got back from the store.....was asked to pick up a couple of things......and showed up at the check out with :
> 
> 6 cans of Alpo dog food....Choice Beef Cuts with Gravy
> 1 big bag of Tater Tots....Original Recipe
> 2 bottles of "Barefoot" Red  Moscato Wine.
> 
> 
> Lady behind the counter (I know her pretty well) and I were kinda talking......
> The lady behind me was looking at my purchases.....with a strange look on her face.
> ...





> How was the Alpo?  It was probably as good as good or better than some of the tinned fish or potted meats sold in village stores when I was a Peace Corps volunteer. In fact, we volunteers became quite good at distinguishing the different brands and would argue vehemently about which brand was best.  Frankly, Alpo stew is probably better than some of the food I have eaten in school cafeterias.
> 
> To his credit, the survival writer Cody Lundin (When All Hell Breaks Loose) includes some recipes for rats and mice in his survival manual, and  he explains how Yavapai Indians considered pack rats a delicacy.  While I have eaten fruit bat. moray eel and other unusual foods, I have never experimented with pet foods - perhaps I should look for a good survival cookbook that incudes recipes for these.  Certainly, the price of pet food is a lot less than that of expensive "Y2K survival foods" that are advertised as being needed for coming disasters.


So....Like here's the thing....the OP was a humorous happenstance that I managed to take advantage of.....with out premeditation, one of those "You had to be there, Hung the pitch high in the zone"......kind of things ......or could be called a believable joke at the time.....and it was...WACK, its up, it's up, it's...... OUTA HERE.

So honestly,....I.... didn't actually _EAT_ any of it, was for the dogs.......

But you knew that, Bhohahahaha

----------


## madmax

Wife signed up for drop yesterday after 3 years of himmin' and hawin'.  Papers signed.  Done deal.  She still has 5 years before it's over but you'ld think she was done already.

"What do you want to do today Hon?"
"I don't know.  Go to the Keys?"
"OK.  How long?"
"I don't know."
"OK. I'll load the camper."

----------


## hunter63

Nice, isn't it.......

----------


## Rick

What's "drop"?

----------


## crashdive123

It's what you do after you stop and before you roll.

----------


## Rick

Oh, yeah. Probably an age thing that I forgot.

----------


## Faiaoga

> So....Like here's the thing....the OP was a humorous happenstance that I managed to take advantage of.....with out premeditation, one of those "You had to be there, Hung the pitch high in the zone"......kind of things ......or could be called a believable joke at the time.....and it was...WACK, its up, it's up, it's...... OUTA HERE.
> 
> So honestly,....I.... didn't actually _EAT_ any of it, was for the dogs.......
> 
> But you knew that, Bhohahahaha


This being the USA. it should not be surprising that there really is a website that has information concerning different pet foods and evaluates them.  A little bit of internet research led me to www.dogfoodadvisor.com/  or Dog Food Advisor

Unfortunately, Alpo is not given a very high rating, but a good chef should be able to make Alpo stew more palatable.  Unfortunately, the website does not offer sommelier recommendations for the most appropriate wine.    :Chef:

----------


## hunter63

Well, it is usually recommend red for Beef(?)....LOL.....

California port, 2 bucks a gal in a paper bag, will do just fine.....we are doing "po boy" right?...Doesn't mean we have no class.

----------


## Faiaoga

We have class.............but mine is best described as "low"  :Stick Out Tongue:

----------


## hunter63



----------


## Faiaoga

Thanks for having the class to give a link to the film.  I was actually born at University of Wisconsin, Madison but have no memories of the place.  It looks like a nice campus.  :Sorcerer:

----------


## hunter63

> Thanks for having the class to give a link to the film.  I was actually born at University of Wisconsin, Madison but have no memories of the place.  It looks like a nice campus.


Lots of weirdo's.......Ah...Not saying you are a weirdo,......I mean, you couldn't help it, right?.......being just born and all....Oh Never Mind.

----------


## Faiaoga

I am not a weirdo because of my birth place.  I EARNED my weirdness by the following:

1.  Genetic. I am descended from a long line of Norwegian-American farmers.  Lutefisk, lefse and all that cheese does strange things to your DNA.

2.  Training.  A degree from UC Berkeley gave me a righteous education in weirdness, can you dig it?

3.  Experience.  Living in Samoa and learning how to bake breadfruit, taro, moray eel and pork over hot stones (the "umu") made me even more weird.  People in the USA cannot comprehend how it is possible to cook without a microwave oven and frozen TV dinners.

My birth in Wisconsin did not produce weirdness - but it helps.    :Cool2:   :Online2long:

----------


## Lamewolf

Walking into the Walmart one day and a group sitting by the door asked if I would like to donate to the local animal rescue.  I smiled and said no, and the lady asks me if I don't like dogs and cats.  I tell her I love dogs, and she asks well don't you like cats too.  And without smiling I said they're ok but they don't taste like chicken as I had been told.  You could see the blood drain from her face as I walked away.

PS: Dog food is required by the FDA to meet requirements as recommended for human consumption because folks eat it during depression times.

----------


## Rick

Buhahahahaha! I love it. Since all pet food must meet FDA standards does that mean folks eat iguana and canary food during lean times. (snort, chuckle).

----------


## hunter63

> I am not a weirdo because of my birth place.  I EARNED my weirdness by the following:
> 
> 1.  Genetic. I am descended from a long line of Norwegian-American farmers.  Lutefisk, lefse and all that cheese does strange things to your DNA.
> 
> 2.  Training.  A degree from UC Berkeley gave me a righteous education in weirdness, can you dig it?
> 
> 3.  Experience.  Living in Samoa and learning how to bake breadfruit, taro, moray eel and pork over hot stones (the "umu") made me even more weird.  People in the USA cannot comprehend how it is possible to cook without a microwave oven and frozen TV dinners.
> 
> My birth in Wisconsin did not produce weirdness - but it helps.


Those qualifications will get in to any "convention"....LOL.

----------


## Faiaoga

If there is a convention of Wilderness survival Forums, I would like to attend to see if my weirdness matches that of other forum members  :Cowboy: 

Because I have been away from Wisconsin for such a long time, it would be nice to return for a Norwegian-American Festival.  I could eat flatbrot, lutefisk and lefse, and listen to Ole and Lena stories.

Do you know why Norwegians live in Wisconsin?  They left Norway because the soil was poor and the winters were too cold.   They travelled west to a place near the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River; they came to farmland where the soil was poor and the winters were too cold.  So Ole said to Lena, "By Yimminy, this place reminds me of home - I think we stay"............and they did.  :Oops:

----------


## Faiaoga

If there is a convention of Wilderness Survival Forums, I would like to attend to see if my weirdness matches that of other forum members  :Cowboy: 

Because  have been away from Wisconsin for such a long time, it would be nice to return for a Norwegian-American Festival.  I could eat flatbrot, lutefisk and lefse  and listen to Ole and Lena stories.

Do you know why Norwegians live in Wisconsin?  They left Norway because the soil was poor and the winters were too cold.   They travelled west to a place near the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River; they came to farmland where the soil was poor and the winters were too cold.  So Ole said to Lena, "By Yimminy, this place reminds me of home - I think we stay"............and they did.  :Oops: 

Double post, my mistake. Why do Norwegian lumberjacks in Wisconsin use double it axes? So they can know for sure which side to cut with.   :Oops:

----------


## Faiaoga

> Walking into the Walmart one day and a group sitting by the door asked if I would like to donate to the local animal rescue.  I smiled and said no, and the lady asks me if I don't like dogs and cats.  I tell her I love dogs, and she asks well don't you like cats too.  And without smiling I said they're ok but they don't taste like chicken as I had been told.  You could see the blood drain from her face as I walked away.
> 
> PS: Dog food is required by the FDA to meet requirements as recommended for human consumption because folks eat it during depression times.


Out of sight.  My local supermarket sells 16 0z. cans of dog food - 5 cans for $5.00. Perhaps Hunter63 will share the recipe he obtained from Rachel Ray. We can put it in the official Wilderness Survival Forums Cookbook :Thumbup1:

----------

