Stocks took a big dip lower today, but managed to recover quite a bit of that this afternoon.
There may have been some relief from the lack of screaming headlines from the first day of the US-China trade talks.
Gold and silver gained a bit as the US Dollar gave up some of that short term overbought condition as Noted yesterday.
Tomorrow will be the Non-Farm Payrolls report. The economic calendar with the specific forecasts is included below.
Costco is now delivering groceries for free in my area. I gave it a spin and it worked out remarkably well. All the items were placed on my porch, but in true Costco tradition they were not in a bag or a box. This is going to be handy going forward when I need heavy or very bulky items that I do not feel like dragging from the store to the car, like the 40 lb bag of Audubon bird seed or the six carton pack of organic chicken bullion that I use to moisten the Health Extensions Little Bites Dolly food. Or the massive cube of paper towels, or the clumsy case of bottled water.
They have opened a new Whole Foods near here in the past month or so. I have never been to one of these before. I must say they have an interesting collection of modernistic urban rangers shopping there, at least during the week when I go. What do they call Yuppies these days? I just don't know. Their prices are on the whole ridiculous and the quality does not justify it.
I typically hit the local Shoprite which is fairly day-to-day pedestrian, and a lot of specialty shops for things like meat and prepared foods. And Costco of course for bulk items and Aldi's for low cost value and some specialized German products. But if I am a more upscale, exotic mood I can go to Wegman's and get the same higher quality and selection at much more realistic prices than WF, if I am so inclined, at least on the items I would buy. Whole Foods selections of sushi and Asian items are rather thin.
For non-food items, non-guy stuff, I buy online from places like Amazon. The queen and I decided long ago that it would be good for our marriage if I never went into Kohls or Bed Bath & Beyond or Marshalls with her. She was a professional, a connoisseur of the selection process (and returning things from a floating inventory of purchases). I would generally hang out in a nearby Lowe's or Home Depot until she called.
I do miss cruising stores with the queen. She knew more about shopping and prices than most Wall St analysts, which is probably why I know so little. She liked to keep me in my place as designated driver and sherpa. We always had fun doing the simplest things. We had a collection of favorite stores and little restaurants.
We respected our boundaries. and appreciated our individual areas of expertise. We always seemed so different but yet so complementary. My weaknesses were her strengths, and vice versa although she rarely admitted any weaknesses except mice, spiders, yard work, machinery, organized sports, and tools.
And maybe that kind of mutual respect and caring is one element for a long life of happiness and contentment.
Have a pleasant evening.
