#MailCall: #ProductTrials & #Samples #NonProfits #Causes #TryB4

Looks like I'll be trying and reviewing some vitamins over the next few weeks, as I received a product trial kit yesterday via UPS. I also got an Amazon order, a coupon for a free Noosa Yogurt, some lovely (surprise) note cards from The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation along with a donation request, and some organic mesclun lettuce seeds from Tasty Bite's The Good Seed program where one is provided with free seeds to grow produce and asked to share a successful harvest with a local food bank. I participated last year, but unfortunately the seeds I received never propagated. (Although I tended to them diligently, I think the extreme drought may have been too much for squash.) Hopefully, this round will bear fruit.

I'm nearly ready to start planting my garden this year.

The #SundayFunday: #Recap and #Unwind #Keurig #Coffee #VeggettiPro #Spiralizer #Zoodles #Drinkwell

Sunday is one of my favorite days, the true weekend, I use this day to catchup and reflect on the week past. Pup and I head out for a leisurely constitutional to kick things off and then I make coffee and turn on the morning news programs --- I regularly watch CBS News Sunday Morning with Jane Psuley at 9:00a, but otherwise will flip channels between the different shows to find stories of interest --- when we return.

I might read a few magazines, do a little browsing online (often following up on news bits mentioned on the morning broadcasts), work in my garden (seasonally) and/or watch a movie or two. It's a day of rest, where I try NOT to set an agenda, but enjoy What Dreams May Come whenever they happen to arrive. (Sometimes I do work on a Sunday, but unlike Saturday, I aim for this to be the exception, rather than the rule.)

Spring Break is ending, which means my little niece is headed back home to prepare for school restarting. So we should have peace and quiet to contemplate and wallow. What's that sound? No thing. Not a creature is stirring --- exactly how we like it!

After a relaxing morning, we plan to play around with our new toys later today. The furbabies' Drinkwell® Multi Tier Pet Water Fountain arrived via post yesterday; while I've got my Veggetti Pro Vegetable Spiral Cutter and a Nifty Home Products K-Cup Storage Drawer for my Keurig 2.0. (As I don't generally buy the prefab K-Cups as a rule, preferring to use a refillable K-Cup filter --- less waste and I can grind my own coffee beans fresh --- I figure I can store other coffee ritual paraphernalia in the drawer, which also acts as an elevated stand for the Keurig brewing machine.)

I got the storage drawer for free at Sears using SYWR points and I only paid $3.77 OOP for the Veggetti Pro at Sears after deducting SYWR points. The pet water fountain is a reward (freebie) available through the Purina Catchow Perks program for which I redeemed 275,000 points that I'd earned over the last year or so. (It states to allow 4-6 weeks for Catchow Perks rewards to arrive in the order confirmation email I received and yesterday marked a few days shy of "4 weeks" from the date of my order.)

Perhaps, we'll make zoodles for dinner....

We got the #meats + a #CamoCap! #Prizes #Coupons #Camouflage #DiscoverOldWisconsin #MailCall

The postwoman flagged me down as I was heading off to a meeting yesterday to say that she had a package for me. Turns out it was the prize from an Old Wisconsin contest that I'd entered last month. Didn't know what to expect as the contest terms merely stated "enter to win an Old Wisconsin prize package."

Inside the padded envelope were two Buddig meats coupons (any item up to $0.99 x 2), one Old Wisconsin meats coupon (any item up to $5.99), an Old Wisconsin Camouflage Logo Cap and a nice letter thanking me for being a loyal fan of the brand. Not a bad haul. The fam is already fighting over "the meats" --- I think Pup has an edge --- and I'm digging the camo cap. All win!

Old Wisconsin Prize Package

#MailCall: #WeHonchos #SwitchYourSnack + @EdgeOf17 #Bluray #Prize #Foodie #FilmFan

Received the Edge of Seventeen Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD prize that I won in a contest. Teen angst movies have been so pitiful lately, but I'm hoping this one is watchable at least. It got a decent amount of critical acclaim; however, the "hype machine" (mainstream movie media) often praises lackluster efforts. I plan to check it out this weekend. I like both Woody Harrelson and Kyra Sedgwick, but know nothing of Hailee Steinfeld. Hopefully, it lives up to the ratings. (For what it's worth, IMDB has it as a 7.5 out of 10.) We'll see for ourselves. If it sucks, I'll trade it for something better or give it away. Was willing to take a chance on a freebie. This is basically a free movie rental.

Also, got a free product coupon for Honchos Tortilla Chips (Deep River Snacks) from a Super Bowl eNewsletter signup promotion to "Switch Your Snack" to a better-for-you offering. Honchos are Non-GMO, mainly Organic and Gluten-Free with "no bad stuff." Looking forward to trying these out. Can't decide which flavor, though --- apparently, comes in Nacho Cheese, Peach Habanero or Ranch. Perhaps in allegiance to my home state, the Peach State, I should go for the habanero one. (Honestly, I'm partial to peaches, but being a native Georgian, this may be inbred.) I'll pick up a bag to munch on while watching the Edge of Seventeen this weekend.

Not a bad mail day, yesterday.

The Postman Delivers... #MailCall Fun + Online #Rewards = A Good Day in the Neighborhood

The day before yesterday was a good day. As detailed in my earlier post, the postman delivered my Authentic Soda Society reward, One Year of Free Cheerwine (soda) and that was a win, but it wasn't the only thing I got in the mail. I also received a sample packet of Zuma Green Juice (healthy shake mix), a bottle of KFC 30 SPF Novelty Sunscreen (smells like chicken), a coupon for a Free Organic Valley Organic Balance Milk Protein Shake, a sample packet of Truvia Nectar and a coupon for $25.00 Off Mobil Oil (5 individual quarts or a 5-quart jug) at Advance Auto Parts. What a haul! I'm looking forward to trying out everything. Well, except the motor oil and the sunscreen, neither of which are intended for me, but are meant for my "twin" who will get a kick out of both, undoubtedly.

I was in such a good mood from receiving all this fun stuff in the mail, that I also cashed out some Kellogg's Family Rewards (KFR) points for a $5.00 Papa John's eGift Card and used it to buy myself dinner. I decided to try one of the new sides, the Wisconsin Cheese Stuffed Cheesesticks which are currently 5 bucks on promotion. Thus, I only paid a total of 35-cents, or the tax, OOP. (The cheesesticks were very tasty.) After dinner, pup and I took a nice stroll around the neighborhood and then sat in the front yard and watched the sunset. As it has been hitting 70 odd degrees the last several days, and we're now in the middle of January, supposedly Winter but more like Spring, we were quite comfortable. Turned out to be a wonderful day.

Do the Moscow Mule

TWINE by True Fabrications

Over several months, I've encountered a number of articles that discuss how the Moscow Mule is enjoying a surge in popularity and how many of the folks who order this drink in various bars and restaurants are in turn "walking out" of said establishments still clutching the copper mugs in which the beverage is typically served. 

Of course, I started lusting after a copper mug of my very own — give me the precious — but I wasn’t about to swipe one from my neighborhood bar. Well, on Friday the postman delivered this sweet pair of hand-hammered copper mugs that I’d ordered. Can you say reward? I felt like dancing. The mugs came with a Moscow Mule recipe card included in the box. These things are really beautiful. 

These burnished copper mugs will look amazing hanging over my bar. And I’d be happy to mix up a Moscow Mule or two for any guests, provided the mug stays put. Not that I don't trust my houseguests, of course.

NOTICE: This post is a reblog from (the now defunct) castlemodern.tumblr.com. It was originally published 28-Feb-2016. Post may be edited or updated from its original text. 
[CM started on Tumblr, but moved to this more robust platform. Old posts are being ported to the new site, one by one.]