Written by Jeff Piersall | 04 January 2010

As we start the new year, it is interesting no matter if you are a democrat or a republican that we have a Congress that is willing to give itself a pay raise and to start debating if there should be a College Playoff system.  Can anyone just SCREAM foul?

Somehow we as the voting public have to say enough is enough and understand that until we get representatives who are willing to sacrifice and listen that we are going nowhere fast.

We can make a difference and let's start making sure that Congress understands that this is not acceptable.  We need to put our personal agendas to the side and take repsonsibility for staightening this out ourselves.  Congress works for us and is elected by us - they get themselves a "PAY RAISE" without us approving it first.

Wouldn't you like to give yourself a pay raise without your bosses' approval?

Written by Ryan Seeloff | 03 January 2010

I noticed this evening while getting some evening shopping done with my kids that the price for a gallon of skim milk had gone up over a dollar in a single day.  We paid $3.77 for a gallon of Walmart brand skim milk from the Walmart on Palm Bay Rd tonight.

Did the cows go on strike?  Did they throw milk bombs at the dairy farmer owners?  What the heck is up with this price increase?

I have not heard of any huge jumps in the price of oil so how is this increase justified?  Also, I called around to a couple of Publix locations from West Melbourne up to Viera and there does not seem to be price increase at any of the local Publix stores.

The cashier that rang up our order said that she heard this morning about the price increase and was not happy that she did not get some before the price went up.

Price gouging for gas I am used to, but price gouging for milk?

Hmmmm.  I also noticed how the price of ground beef was higher than normal at Walmart (The kids wanted my homemade meatballs tonight), but the other items purchased did not seem to be priced higher.

All I know is someone had better take care of the insubordinate milk makers that have caused their owners to jack up the prices of milk at our local Walmart.  Otherwise we milk drinkers will get our moo juice elsewhere.

On a more serious note, why would they have such a drastic increase on a product that their customers may come specifically to their store to save money on?  Pop a couple cents into other products and we won't notice, but a dollar increase on something we buy regularly???

Screw me once, shame on you.  Screw me twice, shame on me.  It'll be awhile before I head into that Walmart to buy a gallon of milk or anything else.

I may just cruise around tomorrow checking on the prices of milk at other stores.  You milk drinkers will want to stay tuned.  I'll even take some under cover photos of the actual prices.  Shhhh, don't tell them I'm coming or they might get the cows to take me out.

Written by Ryan Seeloff | 30 December 2009

What is The Fresh Market you ask?

Only the best (In my opinion and that's the only one that counts since this is my Blog) grocery store in the entire freaking world.

I encountered my first Fresh Market by chance on a trip to my hometown Virginia Beach two years ago.  My wife, kids, and I were heading back to our hotel at the beach and needed to stop at a grocery store for some stuff and could not find one.  Yes, things change in your hometown when you have been gone for more than half your life.

So, out of the dark appears The Fresh Market.  Not knowing what to expect we walked through the doors to find a very refined store full of surprises.  An enormous meat department with willing butchers on hand to fill your order, a produce department that looked like everything was just picked on the farm, a deli with some of the best rotisserie chicken to be found, a bakery that will blow just about any other away, and shelves filled with higher end products that you are used to finding at local favorites such as Petty's, Green Turtle, and Downtown Produce.

Now you might automatically assume that this is not a store for the common folk and we mere commoners would be turned away by the sky high prices.

Not so.

The prices in the bakery, deli, meat, and produce departments are in line with Publix and some items are downright bargains.  There are exceptions such as the best raspberries I have ever had that will set you back $6-7 per pint.  But you will not miss the quarter that each berry cost you as soon as you bite down on one.  If you are looking for pasta sauce don't expect to find Prego or Ragu on the shelves.  There are some pretty pricey jars of sauce on the shelves, but you will find similar prices at Publix for their higher end sauces.

There is a fine selection of wines and cheeses and a huge variety of candy that will keep your kids busy.

I never go on about a store like I did this one after we left that first time.  During that trip we went back three more times (In four days) and really were bummed when we came home thinking that we would not see the inside of the store again unless we took another trip.

Oh the wonders of the internet.  I got home and found that there were other stores in the southeast and the closest one at the time was in Orlando.  Located in the Dr. Phillips area of O-Town we soon found ourselves regulars at the store whenever we ventured over to Orlando.  We have turned my mom and step dad as well as my in-law's onto The Fresh Market, but have pretty much kept it to ourselves because it is kind of pathetic to be so excited over a store.

That has changed now that I know there is one just south of us in Vero Beach.  Went there today with my kids and it is even bigger than the one in Orlando.  And busier. The food is just as good (I had the best sweet potato of my entire life this evening from the Vero store).  I already know that a weekly trip down there is most likely on the agenda in the Seeloff household.

Pathetic? Yes.  Worth it? 100%.

Do yourself a favor and take a trip down to The Fresh Market in Vero.  You won't be disappointed.

Written by Ryan Seeloff | 22 December 2009

I had thought until this year that wishing at Christmastime was for the kids of the world.  Seriously, I can't remember the last time I truly wished for something at Christmas.

For many years I have been more concerned with making sure everyone around me got what they wanted and of course I would drop hints at what I would like.  It has been all about getting as much for my family and friends just assuming that the more gifts they received the happier they would be.

Every year I have spent the days leading up to the Christmas (Along with millions of others) making sure I had plenty of gifts under the tree for my kids and my wife.

This year something changed all of that.

In June my mom found out that her cancer was back after 18 years of being in remission.  Right away chemo treatments began and it was thought that the treatment would give her another 3-5 years.  At first the treatments seemed to be doing the trick, but as fall began it was clear that something was wrong.

In an effort to help out in my own spiritual way I told everyone that  all I wanted for Christmas was for those that were going to buy me presents to just pray for my mom instead.  I had hoped that this little statement might somehow give me a little more time with my mom.

Things took a downhill turn yesterday as my mom was admitted to the hospital because she could barely breath and has since lost her voice.  It seems that the cancer that started in her lungs and had spread into her lymph system, liver, kidneys, and bones had tipped the scales fully in its sinister favor.

Yesterday I spent the day with my and kids wandering around Disney property holding back the inevitable.  Today I saw my mom laying in a hospital bed in a really bad way.  Somehow I managed to hold myself together during the visit knowing that for her to see me hurting would hurt her even worse.  I knew that I had to be strong for her and could let it all out on my way back home.

I also know how much she wants to come home for Christmas and we are going to bring her home so that she can spend Christmas Eve with all of us.

My question is... How can a person wish for their loved one to hang on through the holidays while at the same time wishing they could stop suffering?  Is there a right answer?

My Christmas wish now is that my mom will be able to rest comfortably as soon as possible and know that we all will know that she will be with us always no matter where she is.

Remember this holiday season to say a little prayer for the family members that you have a chance to spend some time with and save a little spot at the end of that prayer for those family members that are with you in spirit.