i've been unfaithful

... to Costco.

Yes, I've been cheating. I’ve been shopping at Sam's.

If you know me (or my mother) at all, you know of my love for all things Costco. Christmas decor, panties, wine, laptops, and my personal fave -- giant wedges of Parmigiano Reggiano ... you can find it all at Costco.

The problem du jour is that the nearest Costco to us up here in NH is an hour away. We made the drive twice, and it was annoying as hell.

Sam's, on the other hand, is about 5 minutes from our house -- so it's easy to do the math -- hence my problem with fidelity to my long-time love, Costco. Ugh.

So Sam's it is for the time being, as far as bulk purchasing in the Farrell household.

I do however, feel somewhat better about the whole thing since I recently found some cute outfits for Paige at Sam's -- the types of outfits I'd usually find at my beloved Costco.

Oh, and they also have big wedges of Parmigiano Reggiano. Score.

costco -- my friend, my love

I joked with Ty before we got our orders that I didn't care where we ended up, as long as there was a Costco within reasonable driving distance. And I wasn't kidding. At all.

So Boston works out swell for me. Yeah the food is supposed to be delish, the weather beautiful, and the potential for adventure, great.

But, truth be told, one of the first things I Googled when we found out we'd be heading to Boston was Costco locations in the area. Thank you, military Gods -- there are indeed Costcos galore in Beantown.

Here's an example of a great Costco item purchased this afternoon -- a trio of finishing salt for only $23. Killer price. My three containers are 8.1 oz, 15 oz, and 11.75 oz. Dean and Deluca sells a 3.5 oz container of Cypress flake salt for $13.50.

Costco is the best. And it'll be nice to have a friendly face waiting for me in New England.

the calm before the storm

Looks like we're about to get hit by our first storm of the season tomorrow. Tropical Storm Edouard is churning in the Gulf, right off the coast of the Louisiana. And current indications have the dude pointing squarely in our direction, as far as landfall. So the Houston/Galveston area is currently scrambling to prepare (this one really snuck up on us).

I headed out to Kroger and Costco this morning to stock up on the essentials, which I hate to admit, I hadn't done yet this hurricane season. Costco was a mad scene, of course. I dreaded even going inside, but surprisingly, people seemed to be much more friendly and helpful than usual. People were patient, helpful with one another, and smiling.

Times like this always make me proud of my neighbors, and proud to be a Houstonian and a Texan. Tough times seem to bring out the best in us.

Anyway, it doesn't look to be too fierce a storm. But a hurricane is a hurricane. You just don't mess with 'em. Hopefully we won't even need our batteries, flashlights, and bottled water. But as those of us who've been born and raised on the Gulf Coast always remember, it's better to be safe than sorry.

costco -- why I love her so ...

• Less than a mile from the house is that beacon of American gluttony. That oh, so marvelous place that serves our desire to have everything all in one place (aka ... laziness) -- Costco! I don't know what I did before Costco. Really. I can't remember ... it's all a blur.
  
  
  There are so many reasons to regularly head down Bunker Hill to Costco ... let me count the ways:
  
  
• Their GAS PRICES! Need I say more?
  
  
• As part of my ongoing summer project (scrapping), I just ordered over 300 pictures for development. They were ready for pick-up an hour later, for less than $30! Costco will also mail them out to you for FREE, if you so desire. Can't beat that with a stick!


• Their wine section is top-notch. Our local Costco has a super-knowledgable and friendly sommelier who is always willing to lend a helpful opinion or suggestion. Three bottles of La Crema chardonnay for $29.99?! C'mon! That's a steal!
  
  
• Fruit. Always fresh. Always yummy. I especially love their raspberries, blueberries and limes. You can get a ton for very little money.
  
  
• It*se*bit*se panties by French Dressing -- they're awesome! And no creeping up! :)
  
  
• Books, books and more books.



• Scrapbooking paper (who knew?!)
  
  
• Gorgeous flowers



• Spinach salad with poppyseed dressing



• Fresh feta-stuffed filet migon



• Tortilla-crusted tilapia
  
  
• And my personal FAVORITE -- their huge wedge of parmigiano reggiano. You seriously, seriously, SERIOUSLY can't beat the price anywhere. We always have a big chunk in the refrigerator for cooking, or just nibbling on with some wine in the evenings before dinner. Amazing.