Good suggestion on the coils & freezers. One is defrosted, but I'll check the other (and all probably need coils checked)..

Thanks for the suggestion about checking the breakers one at a time. Perhaps there are really two problems here - a billing error PLUS increased wintertime consumption, making it seem more dramatic than normal...part of what's throwing me off is that we really haven't changed appliances/lifestyle much year after year (except for that space heater), so the big leap is really messing with my head...

Thanks for the suggestion about checking the meter daily - I'll start a log and check when I get home (mornings are a little too hectic to pull off)...

We've been to a couple of parties at that pool - it's really great.

Also, the Everett Children's Museum is really good too...

It's like a bacon intervention!

After doing a few more searches on teh interwebz, I guess I'll just let it go - better safe than sorry! Thanks for the advice!

Part of the problem is that I don't even have a sell-by date. I know I bought it out of their fresh case on 10/1, and it's been in the back of a pretty cold fridge ever since. It was well wrapped in plastic bag and then tightly in butcher paper, but that clearly is a lesser standard than vac-sealing. It doesn't have the tell-tale signs that would normally turn me away from bacon - discoloring, slimy texture, off smell - but the age was making me suspicious.

I'm not sure of the sourcing on their bacon. It might be made there, but I suspect its probably made by a local producer and provided in bulk.

I'm totally onboard with the freezing, BTW. Unfortunately, I forgot about the package until just now - I came across it when cleaning the fridge. I usually put three strips together into a little roll and then store all my rolls in a ziplock bag - that way I can easily pull out a single portion at a time...

I've had both, and can vouch for the tastiness of the vegetarian option (although I preferred the meat one)...

Good to know - thanks very much for the clarification!

Should I be at all concerned about this note from the link you provided, or should I just put the biodegradable items in the compost bin regardless?

"Caution: A large number of products advertised as “biodegradable” do not compost in the Seattle system. Because the intent of the City’s program is to minimize landfilling, products designed to be “biodegradable” in a landfill are not acceptable in Seattle. Be sure the products you buy are approved compostable."