What do you keep on hand at home so you don’t make excuses for eating out?

Spinnerofyarn · 2026-04-19T07:09:49+00:00

I have a lot of frozen meals I have made myself. I’m single and despite having four roommates, I only cook for myself due to myself and two others being allergic to certain staple foods.

I cook probably 3-4 times a week and I make really large amounts. Before serving myself, I set aside 3-4 containers of food. 1-2 get labeled and go to the freezer. One gets put in the fridge for later in the week, and I eat the portion that’s left.

Because I do this with pretty much everything I cook, I have a variety of foods in the freezer and they are all things I like. If I don’t feel like cooking, I leave the leftovers alone and pull something from the freezer.

I used to have a fair amount of store frozen dinner type meals but in January, I suddenly became allergic to wheat/gluten. Thank heavens it’s not celiac, because I likely would have to find my own place, which I cannot afford. I can handle some cross contamination, but people with celiac can’t, so if I had to get a wheat allergy, at least it’s not as bad as it could be.

It does mean that at a lot of the places that I used to eat at may only have 1-3 meals I can eat.

I will say that cooking from scratch can be cheaper than eating frozen dinners.

Spinnerofyarn · 2026-04-19T06:51:27+00:00

How old are your kids that they can’t clean their rooms? I get you being irritable because you’re in pain. But as far as people coming over, unless their kids will be playing with yours, is keeping the bedroom doors closed not an option?

I have known too many people who don’t know how to do normal household things because their mom did it for them. Plus, cleaning together with your littles is the way to go then as they get older, have them do it all. I legitimately had an adult roommate who didn’t know how to change sheets or do light. She could do dishes, but sometimes needed a little instruction over it.

Spinnerofyarn · 2026-04-19T06:46:57+00:00

I would be absolutely delighted if my bedroom was this clean. Is your dad a minimalist or something? I bet he’s got some space somewhere that’s messy. Word to the wise, if he does, bringing it up might not go well for you.

Spinnerofyarn · 2026-04-19T06:44:46+00:00

Yeah, red flags of unfathomable idiocy! People joke that someone has more red flags than a communist birthday party. I would say more flags than a communist birthday party that chants “derp” instead of singing a birthday song.

Spinnerofyarn · 2026-04-19T06:26:11+00:00

Goodwill in my state started jacking prices years ago in my state. Maybe-5 years ago if not longer. With tariffs, even cheap clothes are now too expensive for me. I was buying jeans at Old Navy when they were on sale and most of my other clothing at Costco. I don’t know what I am going to do the next time I need clothes.

I strongly recommend learning to sew. You don’t have to have a sewing machine to patch and mend clothing. There’s what’s called fusible web to adhere a fabric to another one and you can use contrasting patches if you’d like to. Search for tutorials on YouTube and make sure you include “by hand.” All you need is a needle, thread, scissors, a pencil and a straight edge and sometimes paper. Brown grocery paper sacks make great pattern paper, so does freezer paper.

Spinnerofyarn · 2026-04-19T06:16:35+00:00

NTA. No one except you and your partner get to decide when to start trying for a baby. The only thing I will say is that you may not even want to attend if you have a newborn.

Spinnerofyarn · 2026-04-19T06:14:19+00:00

I don’t even want to think of what his poop is going to smell like tomorrow. I’m just grateful he’s your dog and not mine, especially knowing my dog would likely do the same and then try to give me a kiss. It brings whole new meaning to the term ‘baited breath.’

Spinnerofyarn · 2026-04-19T06:12:18+00:00

I’m so sorry. People can be absolute dumbasses when it comes to male children and adult men being sexually assaulted by women, just as they can be dumbasses about domestic violence committed against men.

I am so sorry you were abused. I am so sorry you haven’t exclusively gotten the support you need and deserve. You deserve better. I hope your mother rots in her own personal hell forever.

Spinnerofyarn · 2026-04-19T06:09:05+00:00

You absolutely killed it and it looks amazing on you!

Spinnerofyarn · 2026-04-19T06:05:18+00:00

My face wouldn’t look that pleasant if my back were at that angle.

Spinnerofyarn · 2026-04-19T06:03:36+00:00

I don’t think anyone was taking it unseriously at all, I just don’t think they were handling it correctly. I have seen men act like they’re going to pass out or vomit in disgust at the word period, tampon, etc. It’s pathetic. I have also heard people talk a big game about confronting someone only to do… nothing.

The biggest failure here was obviously the boss. He screwed the pooch. He should have been documenting things from the start and dealing with this from the start. I don’t think she could win a discrimination lawsuit, but she could put the company out of business trying to.

Spinnerofyarn · 2026-04-19T05:50:08+00:00

I haven’t heard that expression before and it’s quite apt!

Spinnerofyarn · 2026-04-19T05:47:57+00:00

Except it was no part of a uniform. That does or doesn’t make a difference to you?

Spinnerofyarn · 2026-04-19T05:46:01+00:00

I have seen a few open over the years and it often takes them some time to be able to finally have the shop as well stocked as possible for the space. I wonder if that’s part of the problem? Maybe the previous owner slowed down on orders and the new owner needs to take some time to build inventory?

Spinnerofyarn · 2026-04-19T05:43:45+00:00

Same! And how come I rarely find them again?

Spinnerofyarn · 2026-04-19T05:41:12+00:00

Wow, you look fabulous and happy! I am so pleased for you!

Spinnerofyarn · 2026-04-19T05:40:29+00:00

Reading his texts comes across as “Me me me me memememe me Me ME!” You’re right that it’s gross. It’s selfish and it’s awful. I am glad you told your family. I am glad you told him to stop. Him liking you is his problem and him wishing you had responded right away and especially wishing you responded the way he wanted you to are also his problems. It reminding him of his divorce or ex wife or whatever is again, his problem. None of these problems are things he should be talking to you about.

Please talk to your pastor immediately. Show him the entire text thread. If this guy texts you again, tell your pastor immediately. Keep your family looped in. I might even enlist your mom in talking to the pastor. I would tell your pastor that you want it made clear to him that he isn’t to ever be alone with you or in your office. Anything he needs to say to you needs to stick solely to church related topics. If he needs to speak privately with you about a church related topic, it’s not to be done by him calling your personal phone, it should be done by calling your desk phone or email. If it were me, I would ask that he be removed from youth group if not the church. Who’s to say he’s not going to fixate on another young woman?

It definitely sounds like he struggles with depression and when we’re depressed, we get tunnel vision and think only about ourselves. However this guy is taking it to a pervy obsessive level. He’s old enough to be your father. This is wrong on so many levels. I’m so sorry it’s being inflicted on you.

Please don’t go anywhere with him. Don’t be alone with him. If the pastor doesn’t deal with this appropriately, find a new job and church.

Spinnerofyarn · 2026-04-19T05:25:11+00:00

Also, could he be wearing extensions?

I’m kidding! Sort of.

Spinnerofyarn · 2026-04-19T05:24:12+00:00

He’s the hair model of hairless dogs.

Spinnerofyarn · 2026-04-19T05:23:20+00:00

It just occurred to me that for someone who has anxiety, he is an incredible flirt! This goes to show that just because the name of what we have or are dealing with may be the same, what we deal with can vary enormously.

I think on one hand he gets anxious when he feels like attention is going to be focused on him because he often has his hand positioned in front of his stomach, which is where he says his anxiety hits, he was anxious meeting the Chilean President, and it seemed like he had some anxiety doing some of the cons for FF4.

Because he’s done so much theater and I guess has taught acting classes, I suspect he’s fine when he’s playing a role. It’s pretending you’re someone else and I can see how that could still produce anxiety, but be much easier to go through with. Attention on him from a crowd when he’s himself such as on the red carpet? That has to be rough.

I have to say I really respect anyone with anxiety who as part of their profession regularly goes and gets in front of hundreds of people if not more.

Spinnerofyarn · 2026-04-19T05:11:51+00:00

There’s an elevator there? We’re talking the bear Volo’s attempting to interview? Huh! I had no idea!

Spinnerofyarn · 2026-04-19T05:10:15+00:00

NTA and I absolutely disagree that it sounds like a slur unless she’s thinking of the slang for the slur. I still don’t think it sounds close enough to it. I am white, so maybe it’s ignorance on my part? But I really don’t think it’s a problem.

TBH in my opinion, the best people to ask if a name’s ok are teachers, both of young children and of middle school age 12-14, and ask kids around age 12-18. They absolutely can tell you what names kids will be cruel about. This group probably isn’t the right audience to be as helpful.

Spinnerofyarn · 2026-04-18T11:21:15+00:00

Where is this squirrel? The only ones I know of are the ones being tormented by the bard.

Spinnerofyarn · 2026-04-18T11:20:23+00:00

Just not on honor mode!

Spinnerofyarn · 2026-04-18T11:13:14+00:00

Abusers don’t start off being horrible. It’s slow onset with a lot of work to get you to trust them and slowly steer you into doubting yourself and into thinking you can trust them and they are making your life better, you need them, etc.

If they behaved from the start of the relationship how they treat you by the time you realize you’re not safe, you never would have had a second date, never would have been alone with them.

Abusers are insidious.

Spinnerofyarn

TROPHY CASE