When the hell did everything start getting so damn expensive?! I paid $3.39 for a pound of butter today. That is $0.89 more than I would pay, and $1.39 more than I think I should have to pay. Same with chicken broth. For my soup this evening, I ended up using homemade chicken stock because I could not bear the prices at the stores (and I was in three this afternoon). “But Sarah, isn’t using homemade stock, better than using canned broth?” Well, yes. But I was saving that last two-and-a-half cups of my stock for something that would showcase the stock itself more. Something like stracciatella. Not a recipe that ended up being disappointing.

I’m the same way with Diet Coke. Even though I am clearly addicted to it (once I quit for a month or so, and I cannot tell you the headaches I had), I refuse to pay more than a dollar for two liters. Sometimes the stores will hit a “We love Pepsi!” patch, and I won’t be able to get any at a reasonable price for two or three weeks. I will suffer through it, though. Last week Walgreens had them for $0.79. I was thrilled and bought four. Jon likes cans. I would be off Coke products entirely if I started buying cans. When I used to live in Los Angeles, the Ralph’s down the street would have a sale, round about once a month, when 12-packs were $2.00. Now, I will pay $2.50, but I still feel ripped off. And it’s hard to find even $2.50.

$1.59 for a half-pint of heavy cream. That’s one cup. I wait to buy spices and yeast until I’m at Cost Plus World Market, because they charge reasonable prices. I needed fennel, and the cheapest I could find it was $4.00 or something. Cost Plus? $1.50. Yes, it’s probably not the freshest ever, but if you toast and grind the seeds yourself, it’ll be fine. Still better than buying ground, I’d wager.

I am going to be an excellent cantankerous old woman someday.

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