When I moved overseas from Japan to the USA, I mailed myself a bunch of things. I declared the contents of the boxes on each mailing label along with an approximate value. However, I didn’t declare them a second time when I travelled myself. Never had a problem.
I don’t know what the absolute legally proper way to do this is, but I can speak to my experience.
Thanks to both of you!
I have been invited to a 2 day bachelorette event - it is for SO’s best friends fiancé. I get along with her but we don’t hang out except for periodic couple get togethers. I met her friends a few times but am not comfortable around them- I’m usually pretty good with engaging everyone but they all make me feel awkward because they are their own group/cliche and I am the outsider.
I originally said I would “probably” do one night, and when I received the itinerary I was put out. $200 for 2 nights, $150 for one night- of which funds go towards Airbnb, dinner and snacks (for the night I wouldn’t be attending), breakfast (again won’t be attending); or $60 for those not staying but coming up to cover food and goodie bag (including tshirt).
Plus parking, plus spa (not obligatory), plus dinner at a fancy place (I’m never opposed to this but with preferable with people I enjoy), plus night out in Toronto- I told SO that now that I see this I really don’t want to go at all.
So my random question is - I feel that I should still throw some money towards this (since I gave a tshirt size and half committed to one night). How much should I contribute? I was thinking $100, but thought I would get feedback and opinions from this group.
I think no more than $60 - you are not even going, so that more than covers the tee and any other shared expense.
My vote is to check in with the organizer, and when you let them know you can’t go, ask what you should contribute for your portion of the AirBnB + the shirt. $100ish does sound right. Presumably they booked a place that would accommodate the number of people who said they were going, so they accounted for you when doing the accommodation math. I would guess that they can easily change the meal plans for fewer people (take you off a reservation or buy less food), but they couldn’t change the AirBnb at this point.
I think Bernadette is correct in terms of etiquette. That’s what I would do; pay whatever it is so that others don’t take on extra due to you not going, but not more than that.
Thanks for the feedback! I will connect with organizer.
K so after some hard thinking (and discussion with my hair stylist lol she is a friend) I decided not to go at all to the bachelorette. I reached out to the organizer and told her that I won’t be able to attend but I’m willing to pay for any costs. She reached out this morning and said not to worry about it, hope everything is ok, and if things change I am welcome to join them.
Thanks for the help navigating this!
I’m so glad things worked out with the best possible outcome!
Bread making folks:
Why does our homemade sourdough not absorb butter as well as the commercial sourdough we buy? I don’t think it’s too moist- we had that problem and solved it via a longer ferment because we keep our house too cold. What else could we be missing? Does homemade bread just not soak up butter as well?
Could it be the butter and not the bread? I know to save costs butter formulas have changed.
Nah. Because my toddler is picky and still won’t eat OUR bread so we get a daily side by side lol.
Commercial sourdoughs may have emulsifiers or some starches that are affecting this property. Just a guess - something they add to stretch out shelf life.
Oh that’s a thought. Does anyone know if any of this stuff could effect texture like that?
(Seattle sourdough if it’s not legible I imagine it’s online too)
Are you making toast?
I don’t make sourdough, but I do bake a lot of bread and I have never had buttering issues, though my homemade bread is denser than commercial sandwich bread.
Yep, for buttered toast with breakfast. So we make a loaf, slice it and toast it. (And a slice of store bought stuff for her, lol)
The shade.
I am curious what specifically would affect butter absorption properties! I have never thought of butter as being absorbed, just being spread on the surface of the toast. Maybe the enzymes? They’re like… helping the bread digest the butter? Just spitballing 
I would take photos of the side by side, but we just used the rest of the bread and are about to travel so we’re not making a new loaf before we go! But think, “disappears” and toast becomes yellow colored, versus little pools of butter sitting in some spots, if that makes sense.
Maybe your homemade sourdough is just stronger. Are they otherwise the same texture and flavor?
