JanH's Journey to Freedom

trying to remember the name of someone you know, but can't think of it with them standing right in front of you? I ran into a kiddo that went to school with DD. After he said hello to me, my mind went totally blank. Thank goodness for name tags.

Once I was at lunch with a woman I've known for quite a while and another lady came up that my kids took swim lessons from for years. I remembered her name, but when I went to introduce the woman I'd been having lunch with for the past hour, I drew a complete blank. I just laughed and told her to introduce herself.

I called the girlfriend of a great friend of DS's the wrong name for six months. Same first initial, but wrong name. I finally got it right--just when they broke up.

I have a black hole in my head where names go and they don't come back. I can remember numbers--Hubby's and kids social security numbers and even mine and Hubby's drivers license numbers. I can remember all the addresses and phone numbers of my family members. I can remember all the birth dates. But names, forget it. Wonder if there will ever be a cure for this.

Anyhow, I did manage to get the sales from Walgreen's that I went for. In spite of my lapse of memory there. Good thing I took a list.....

I have started a list of things that I need to make habits and that in the long run will save me money. So I will pay myself for:

1. Drinking all my water every day--keeps me healthy and out of the doctor's office. Pays $1 per day.
2. Exercise. Also keeps me healthy and out of the doctor's office. Pays $1 for each day of exercise.
3. No driving days. Combine and plan trips--saves gas money. Pays $1 per day.
4. No spend days. Saves money not spent in stores. Pays $2 per day.
5. Go a week using up breakfast foods. Saves grocery money. I tend to stockpile too many breakfast foods. Will plan at the beginning of the month and then not buy during the month. Pays $5 per week that I don't buy more breakfast food.

That's it so far. I know that people might think that paying yourself for things you should do is not actually making money. But I figure that each thing will eventually save money so part of that money can be used to pay myself when I accomplish it. I need to post these somewhere so I can stay strong. Here's to our Challenge this year. Good luck Everyone!

Name of a hilarious song Ray Stevens did a number of years ago about a convoluted family tree. A few days ago, a friend of DD's thought I was her big sister. Amused her--flattered me! Then a couple of days later, a clerk in a store thought I was possibly my son's wife. Amused me, but left him and his wife (standing out of the line) speechless. My DS and DIL are talking about having a child soon. Got me thinking about that song. Hmmmmm...wonder what my grandma name will be when it gets here.....

Using up items is making it fun with menus. I had a bunch of leftover potatoes and some extra eggs from baking so I got the idea for potato salad. Then, since it was so warm out, we thought we might grill hotdogs with DD's gift to Hubby of a handy-looking thing that rotates the dogs on the grill for you. Along with the kids in the neighborhood shooting off fireworks, it was eerily starting to feel like the 4th of July. Unfortunately, after making the potato salad, the weather got nasty and we settled for BBQ. Okay, now that's 4th of July, also. Weird. Now if we only had some homemade ice cream. Wait...I think DD left some vanilla ice cream in the fridge when she left. This is getting creepy...

Some are financial and some are not. Here are the ones I had been musing over for the end of December....

1. Increase Charitable Contributions--I use to give more than I do now. Need to figure out which local charities I will give more to.

2. Pay off one auto loan. We have two. Paying off one will free up car to give to DS and then goodbye to payment AND auto insurance payment for it. (he pays for his part of insurance, but we pay for ours)

3. Keep EF at 6 mos. while paying down CC. I just feel better that way.

4. Pay off 3 CC and close 1.

5. Get all CCs down to 30% usage. This is getting closer all the time, but there is one or two that is higher because of tuition costs and such.

6. Lose a pound a month and walk/exercise again.

7. Start a house project book and try to fit in a project a month. Don't try to do more than one a month so I won't burn out.

8. Eat healthier. Add vegetables back into our diet. For some reason, vegetables disappeared from our table. Weird.

9. Keep in better contact with far away relatives.

10. Plan a trip with Hubby this year. We haven't gone on a real vacation together in a loonnngg while.

That's it so far!

I finished my first Breakfast Challenge. I was not going to buy more breakfast foods for myself for the four weeks up to Christmas. I had so much in the pantry, that I wanted to use up and rotate it. I am paying myself $5 for each week, so that means there is $20 to add to my local CC. I am going to put that on this next bill that is due next week. The big thing is not only did I use up food I already had, but that I was disciplined enough to finish a challenge. I almost forgot a couple of times in the store, but then realized that even though I carry a list, I sometimes get a couple more things that we normally use to add to the pantry. I found that I need to THINK a bit more--not on what I can use, but on what I can do without at that time. I'm wondering about buying a couple of items for breakfast at the beginning of the month and seeing if I can use it all up by the end of the month. Continuing the challenge sort of. I really only need to stockpile more in the hurricane months. I guess my next Breakfast Challenge is to see about doing the challenge each month. It's funny how excited you can get over something like this.....

I needed another gift for DD. Since a gal pal of hers gave her a nice vanity case--cute, sorta pale lime green with white polka dots--for her birthday awhile back, I decided to find this little store and buy a matching tote thing so she had a thing to put some clothes in when she hops around the state visiting. I found the store without too much trouble and had to park down and across the street. No problem. Went into the store and, wow, they've got a lot of stuff, but I didn't see any obvious green/polka dot luggage. Since I was sorta wandering about, the lady asked if I needed help. I asked about the luggage. Turns out they don't carry it anymore. But, WAIT, she had something......She went into the back and I was just hoping it would be a big enough something for DD to carry a couple of day's worth of things in. She rolls out a HUGE suitcase. Light lime green with white polka dots. And did I mention HUGE? I just stood there and said it is a bit......large? She said that it is all that is left. I asked the price, thinking that it would be over 100 and I could just walk away. But she said I could have it for $35. Wow. Yep, she could put her whole wardrobe in there, including the vanity case. Yep, she'll never lose it on an airplane conveyor belt. Yep, she probably can NOT get it into her trunk...but I bought it anyway. Here I go. Rolling a huge lime green, dotted suitcase down and across the street. Didn't even try to get it into my trunk--just sat it on the front seat. I got home and hoped my neighbors (who think I am a bit strange) don't see me wheeling a green suitcase up the walk. I parked it in the entryway because I wanted to see Hubby's face. I left to mail a box, so I missed him by a few seconds. He was calling me when I got in the driveway. I just went inside to see what he thought. He was speechless. Needless to say, I'll have to buy a tree bag or something to put it in as wrapping. Or maybe they make humungous bags for people who lose their minds and buy things like this. She will be able to use it when going somewhere in her boyfriend's truck, but I have to come up with something else for her to carry in her car, I think. If nothing else, it will be a huge laugh at Christmas (pun intended).....

Got the new pay stub today for Hubby's new job. The last one was abbreviated and didn't have the 40lK stuff, and I decided to wait until the first full one to see how it would affect the budget. Even though he is getting more pay, the retirement deduction is higher and so is the medical stuff. All in all, it is a little over 100 less for each two weeks. So I went to the spreadsheets and started to play. What is so great is that I can see right away where it will affect us. This budgeting thing is great. So I adjusted a few accounts that have been a little underutilized for now and the figures all seem to add up. We'll see how it does.

I simply cannot wait to see how paying off these debts will affect the budget. It seems such a slow process, but I am trying to learn patience....

My sense of humor is well---bent. My immediate family really doesn't get my humor. I guess when you have been ill, you tend to see humor in some really crazy places. That's why when I found this on a depression disorder website, I could appreciate the humor that put it there.

http://ww12.e-tractions.com/snowglobe/globe.htm

Be sure and shake the globe. And have your computer sound on. Don't judge me too badly....I take pills for this.....

Okay, now I know things are getting crazy. And I am not working like so many. And I do this every year: juggling a couple of birthdays, an anniversary, Christmas, programs to attend.....So why did I find a can of green beans sitting on a chest in my bedroom? I remember taking them out of the pantry last night....Thank goodness this year I have a Christmas budget to keep me on track and keep my lists together. Sheesh!

On another note, Hubby's new company gave us a $50 gift card for a local grocery. That was really nice, considering we have only been there a short while. We've had a debate on what to spend it on. I'm going with his ideas since it is his gift. I am actually being the frugal person on this one......

I get so excited during the last week of my financial month. I want to see the numbers. Never thought that would happen. But like Dorothy, I am learning that I have had the ability to get there inside me all along. Even in finances. I just needed help to point out the way. That's where this community has really helped. Along with awesome ideas on how to turn things around and ways to utilize what you have better, I've quit thinking I was financially challenged. I know now that I can do this. Just click my heels and say--There's no place like debtfree, there's no place like debtfree.....

I don't know if we are going to put up the tree this year. A handful of years ago, we had a problem with pets and trees. Bigger dog never bothered anything in her life, unless it was edible by humans (or strange doggie poo in the yard--ewwww). That year, DD got little dog she saved for--right before Christmas. Cutest little puppy arrived on plane no less. Then DS arrived from college. DS's roommate had left his kitten--don't know who he thought would take care of it over the holiday, so DS had to bring it home with him since he was the last to leave. So we had a new puppy and a kitty. Soon after they arrived, Hubby and I went out to get a couple of last minute things. When we arrived home, there was no ornament or tree in sight. Everything was gone. DD sat in the living room. She said through clenched teeth that the tree was GONE for this year. She and a friend had repacked every ornament and tree limb and replaced all the boxes back into storage. What a job! Seems kitty and puppy were having a grand ole time climbing the tree, crawling through packages, getting stuck way in the back and driving DD crazy getting them out when they cried. This was when we still had the BIG tree. So we spent Christmas without the tree. Now, this year we still have little doggie, who doesn't bother the tree anymore. But we also have DD's kitty who LOVES tissue paper, bows, tape, wrapping paper, bags, ornaments, green growing things, etc. So Hubby and I have been contemplating no tree. We think we might put up DD's old little tree on the dining room table......

Definitely need to add to the fence money. Growing up in the country, the kids had pellet guns and bows/arrows for target practice. Of course, we had fields to set up hay bales and targets away from animals and people. And strict parents. Today, little doggie was watching backyard kiddo from the long windows on the glassed-in back porch. I heard a loud pop and doggie ran into the kitchen. I looked out and sure enough, backyard kiddo had a pellet gun of some sort. Now, he could just have had a ricochet, but tell me what parent allows a child to shoot a gun in a crowded neighborhood? Sheesh! Our kids had only nerf gun things and had a blast with the neighborhood "battles." I checked all the windows and I can't find a crack yet. Oh well, time to really focus on getting that fence money. I think that instead of paying extra on my CC bill with my challenge money, I will put it into the fence fund. In going over my budget, I have a little extra going to most of the CC anyway and had a little extra left over this month in there to add to one of the cards. So a refocus is in order....

The therapist called this morning and she had a sick child. Understandable with the weather being so crazy. Cold today and then warming back up by the end of the weekend. Anyway, I rescheduled for Tuesday. It will give me time to coordinate my random notes into something cohesive. It cracks her up when I bring my notes and lists. She says no one comes with an agenda! I often have a list of things I want to learn or accomplish or understand. It's a good sign--I can THINK again. For so long, my brain function was so limited. For those who wondered, I have dysthymia (a low-grade depression disorder--medicated), mild OCD (not like Monk--I am not spotless--I do other things, but have learned how to overcome a lot of them, wonder if my medication works on that...hmmm), severe panic disorder (medication--thank goodness, got tired of nearly passing out in movies, restaurants, grocery stores, driving the car, etc., now I just get a little anxious in crowds but nothing serious), and a mild form of bipolar (non medicated--managed). Overall, I am doing great. The panic disorder really kicked in after the birth of DD. My body chemistry was so out of whack that I couldn't regulate my temperature well, and don't get me started on the wacky hormones. I remember really getting scared when I realized I had gone from a mostly "A" college student to not understanding how to turn on a copy machine while volunteering at a school. And they had just showed me how. I would be driving somewhere and not remember how I got there. I couldn't find my way home a couple of times. But I made it through. Some terrific people recognized what was happening and stepped up to help me. I've been told that bipolars are really creative. Many composers, artists, writers, and statesmen have had some of these things. So I'm in good company.

Probably too much information that you didn't want to hear. But I wanted to thank all of you for the support! It can be a lonely road. I've known several others in my lifetime that had to keep their stuff hidden cos of employers, family, etc. I am fortunate that I can share. Like those who helped me, I want to encourage others who are hurting and don't know why. I am in a priviledged position in that I can do this without reprocussions. Thanks again to this community of great people....

My house-- and-- me. I have been struggling a lot this last year. Didn't know where it was coming from. The docs were worried about a major depression and were going to up my medicine. But I had some really great leaps forward this year and wanted to wait and monitor myself closely. I go to see the docs again in a couple of weeks. Trying to understand what is happening now, I had a lightbulb moment. I sat down and wrote (well I paced about and then wrote) all I could think of connected to the idea. I think I could be on to something. I think my problem now is knowing how to deal with emotional issues. I feel things really deeply. I had blocked a lot of emotional stuff while I was undiagnosed and unmedicated, so now I have to learn to handle my deep emotions without caving in. I've been so busy raising kids and stuff that I had the didn't see the forest for the trees sort of thing. So I decided to call my therapist. I haven't been in two or three years, so I hoped that I could still be in her system. Got an appointment for tomorrow. I'm excited. I hope that this will be a turning point. Just like being here has been a turning point for my financial situation. She can teach me skills that I haven't learned yet. Or at least help me better understand the process. I don't want to go back to not feeling things except anxiety. I don't want to change who I am, just better understand how to live with myself. Some of my disorders are medicated and some are managed. So far, so good. I like who I am, I just don't always understand how to live with who I am. This might be the next step. Knowledge is powerful. And helpful. It is a journey.

I saw a sign on a church on a trip: Keep going--even the snail made it to the ark.

I'm going to get up and clean house and prepare to meet this new challenge.....

Hubby's vacation money came in. After the taxes (yikes!), I decided to let things sit for a bit and ponder it. I know we need to use some of it for repairs like new doors for the front and back of the house. But I thought I might be able to make increased payments on a credit card and push the process forward a smidge. Well, I worked with the spreadsheets for a while. I already had a sheet that automatically adjusted for payments and interest and another sheet that showed percentage of use. (See, I AM listening!) Hubby helped me set these up. Then, today I got curious--and then brave--I set up a sheet that showed interest paid on each credit card and totals. OUCH! I PAY THAT MUCH EACH MONTH IN INTEREST???? Facing the problem is the first step. Now, I need to figure out step two. A plan of action. I am motivated more than ever to do something about this. Look out credit cards....this is WAR!

I can't believe I've been gone five days. Last Thursday dawned bright and sunny and was 75 degrees and way humid. I knew the weather was going to change, but they were predicting 90 percent rain so I was going to wait the rain out before I traveled to see the college kids. The rain never really materialized, but the cold and wind did! DD called and said that she'd gotten out of class early and Hubby called and said that it was icing up north so better go ahead and leave. So I loaded up the car and packed the cat and off we went. Right into the teeth of the weather. Wow, the wind was blowing so hard that I could hear it whistling around the car. And I was either driving into it or it was crosswise of the road and fighting it for two and a half hours was a trip. Poor kitty. Thought that DD would love to spend some time with her cat, but I don't drive with the heat on much and the poor thing got cold. DD and I went to a concert that night that she had to attend and we had to hold on to each other to cross the street to the car. And COLD! Now I know what the guys here have been going through. We hit the hot chocolate. Hubby came up the next day so we could attend one of the concerts together. Kitty rode back with him while I stayed another day to see a third concert. Would have like to have stayed and seen the steel drum band concert that DS used to be in (bass player) because the carribean music is fun and the band has a blast. But after five days and three concerts, I was ready to get home. Got so much to do with Christmas. The drive home was sunny and mild. Today will be getting out all the receipts and trying to figure out how badly I butchered the budget.....

I have 15 extra pounds that I carry. I'd love to lose them and I know it would be healthier. I gained a bunch when I started a new medicine--it was a side effect. But the doctor says that I can't use that as an excuse anymore because at the med level I'm at now, the medicine isn't the problem. My eating and nonexercising is. So I need a new strategy. Years ago, I used to play tennis all the time, ride my bike everywhere and take long walks in the country. But after moving to a bug-infested, humidity crushing, heat searing hothouse, I haven't been able to keep up anything outdoors. Hubby won't go with me because the bugs eat him alive. It's hard to walk with a guy who looks like a demented windmill, flapping and swatting all the time. For some reason, the bugs don't like me at all. But the humidity makes it hard for me to breathe or something. I can't last long. So we tried walking in the mall. I can't really do that because I'm too near stores.....and the lights and crowds get to me. So I'm thinking of setting up a fund for a treadmill. I've seen blogs of people who walk and some have treadmills, so I got to wondering about getting one myself. I could save little by little. Meanwhile, I'm going to watch my eating. It should be easier now that I don't spend so much money on so much stuff to eat. I could plan better and be sure and include lots of good for you food. This frugal living could also help my health....

The day started out rocky. Woke up to Hubby very, very sick with a migraine. He took some more medicine and we both went back to sleep. Then he woke me up to call for him because he didn't have the number for his new boss. He gave me a number of a co-worker--or so he thought. I was still groggy so I called someone and left a message. It wasn't the co-worker. Don't know who got the message and in the shape I was in, no telling what I said or even if it was coherent. We both rested awhile longer, then he left to tackle work. Seems I was running in mud today. Did get some errands run and since I was in a slump, I knew better than to go into the stores and browse. I would have bought something. I did go to the hardware store where I checked out an advertised special on a device I had been needing. Turned out it doesn't start til the first of the month. I didn't read the fine print. Oh well. I'll try again. Can't believe I left without looking at anything else. We both got home and ate in, then I realized when I checked my calendar that Hubby had a haircut appointment--in five minutes. Good thing it is only a few blocks--he made it. I have realized that making financial plans and a budget has really helped. I ended up only spending for Christmas stamps if Hubby sends out his cards this year and for the out of state friends that we write, medicine already in the budget, and a couple of bills. And the haircut was in the budget. I can't imagine how I lived without it before.

We're bracing for the bad weather that is plaguing the rest of the country. It will be almost 80 here tomorrow and drop with wind chills into the teens by friday. That's a huge drop. And a couple of inches of rain. Weird to run the air conditioning to clear out the humidity one day and the heat to keep from freezing the next. I like things a lot more gradual than this. Especially since I have to be out in it this time. Yikes. Hard on the ole system. The 20+ mph winds are going to be awful.

I have been collecting lists the last couple of days. Going to try to get the rest of the information by the weekend. Then I will sit down and plan. I'm getting a late start on Christmas, but at least I am now moving forward.

Everyone take care of yourselves in the severe weather we all are having...

is my chest freezer. After seeing how the gang here utilizes their freezers, I reevaluated how I use mine. Before I started using my freezer as a storage locker, I mostly put frozen bread, ice cream, vegetables and some fruit in the freezer. If I put leftovers in there, I promptly forgot they were there and eventually had to toss them out. So I didn't really use the freezer well. Now, I find myself freezing everything. And then using it again. Wow, the amount of stuff I used to throw out! And I find myself cooking from scratch more because I know I'll freeze part of it and not waste it. Since the kids all left on Friday, I've been freezing everything left from the holiday. This could be the start of something beautiful...

On the Breakfast challenge. I have a lot of breakfast foods around. I have also spent more than I should have on the grocery budget for this far into my month. So I decided to challenge myself to use up breakfast foods and not buy anything more than milk for breakfast for as many weeks as possible. The goal is Christmas. I've made my list and going to post it on the fridge so when I get tempted to cheat, I'll see my goal and try to keep on it. (If I find a big sale on the usual food, I'll buy it and set it aside for the future and not part of this challenge--but only a good sale!) I am going to pay myself $5 for each week not buying any breakfast foods. That will go with my water challenge to a CC. My goal is to only stock up when things are on sale and learn to use what I have.

I have very few diamonds. And not large things. Just a couple of things bought as gifts and with meaning. It is time to get one of them cleaned and the setting checked. So I went to get it out. And it wasn't there. It wasn't anywhere. I looked through every possible place in the house. Hubby joined the search. There weren't many places I would have put it. I didn't care about the money. But I did care that it was a meaningful gift. So I felt horrible about it. Hubby knew that I might have put it away for him to take if hurricane evacuating this summer because I was on a trip with the kids. So I looked through a couple of boxes still unpacked. Nothing. Rats. Gotta be here someplace. After a frustrating time this afternoon, I pulled one of the boxes on out of storage and took another look. It was a box of inventory receipts and inventory pictures. Why on earth would I have put anything else in there? Guess what, that's exactly where it was. I guess I slipped it in there thinking it was the box of old pictures of my grandparents and other mementos that I can't replace. The plastic boxes are identical. I probably wouldn't ever have looked in there again, but Hubby knows my brain. Sheesh. I'm glad I don't own much expensive stuff because I can't keep track of what I have now. Also made me realize that quality of meaning is more important than quantity. Maybe I should look at all the things I buy that way. Should get me to buy less.....

The food is all put away--what's left of it! The dishes are done. We've played a game, laughed a lot, and watched a video of DS playing in a new Christian band. They are really good. Hubby has gone to bed. The kids are all watching a show. DD has a migraine coming, poor thing. DD had a great idea she got from online. She put all our names in a hat and before we ate, we drew a name and told what we are thankful for in that person. It was really sweet. I wished I'd had time to call my folks, but I'll do that tomorrow. They probably spent the day with the rest of my family near to them. I hope so. Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving day. Maybe you just enjoyed a day to yourself. Maybe you had to work. Whatever you did, I am thankful you are here on this site. Thanks to you all...

Everyone is asleep. It's almost 11 here and DD and guy are still asleep. Hubby is napping in his chair--preturkey. Course he still wakes up at 5 or so. So I guess he was due a nap. Kitty is napping, too. Dogs are at the vet so that the chaos is a little controlled. DS and DIL will arrive this afternoon. Probably after their nap....

DD is cooking the turkey and stuffing. I wasn't going to cook my stuff til she was finished. The turkey is tiny--only 9 pounds. We have to do that because the oven is very old and small. So it won't take too long to cook. Our meal is in the evening since we are waiting on the rest of the bunch. So I have plenty of time.

I am contemplating making noise. Right now, the only noise in the house is the clicking of computer keys.......

DD called last night and she's coming home today. And she wants to cook the turkey and stuffing.....awesome! I need to go back to the store (shudder) and get the stuffing stuff because I really didn't think anyone liked it but me. Who cares--if she wants to cook it, I'll buy it. I bought so much to restock because I didn't know how many would be here how many days and needed meals. I told the checkout people that Hubby would get home 10 minutes after I unloaded the car. It was like 20 minutes. He carried in the water and the dogfood. Sheesh!

Hubby does like his new job real well so far. Nice to see him smiling when he comes home. And the boxes of reference books and materials have left to a new home. And he doesn't seem to have the really long hours like before. I really like that, too!

Not sure where everyone is going to sleep. I think we overlap for a day. DD and boyfriend here Wed. and Thurs.--then off to boyfriend's family. DS and DIL here Thurs. evening to Friday. Then they leave for a playoff ballgame that DIL has to attend or the wedding they were going to attend--whichever one they are able to go to. Hubby and I will chill on the weekend. We usually don't have time for each other on the holiday, so that will be nice. I think I will use the quiet time to plan the rest of my holiday shopping for the family. But I can't seem to get anybody's lists. My nephew has a sports injury that might require surgery, so his family is a bit busy right now. And my DS is just plain forgetful and hasn't answered the gazillion times I've asked. I'm going to give them a deadline--then they get whatever....

Inlaws left today. I'm going to fix an extra cup of hot tea and mull my menus. I usually get all my food a couple of weeks ahead, then perishables before the last weekend. I now only have two days before Thanksgiving and not even a menu. It will be crazy today at the grocery. We've eaten so much cool stuff the last few days, so Hubby and I thought that turkey sandwiches and football would be enough for us. DS and DIL will eat their main dinner at his inlaws, they really don't need another big meal. DD, though, loves tradition and will be hugely disappointed if we don't have all the "fixins" for the big day. So, another cup of caffeine and I'll wander off to get ready and brave the world out there. At least the money is in the Holiday fund.....

What a week! Inlaws came in last Wednesday. Had a real nice dinner with them. DD came in Thursday. Spent about 12 hours Friday on the road with her doing all the doctor's appts. and stuff she had to do and loved spending the time with her. Went Saturday through Sunday to see DS perform. I have heard him play classical, jazz, funk, but classic rock and roll from the 50's era type music was a first and lots of fun. Returned to fill out papers for Hubby's new job--he doesn't know where all the numbers are buried in my files--and had a nice dinner with Inlaws. Collapsed in bed last night and slept 9 hours.

Hubby started new job today and he was happy anxious. Can't wait to hear all about it.

Either my drugs are working real well this time or Inlaws and myself are really having more of a meeting of the minds. We all seem to have changed somehow. It's fun to enjoy getting together! I think that FIL wants to come out in the spring and help me get some more "reconstruction" done on the outside of the house since I'm working on the inside this year. We had to replace some boards when we reroofed after the hurricane and the whole thing needs to be repainted and the front porch completely redone. He can do that sort of work real well--might have found the answer to my prayers!

On a financial note, I shudder to see what the damage is. In times like these, you have a lot of eating expenses. However, FIL has paid for most meals. We have paid for some and DS paid for one. It's been worth it though. Might need to budget for company visits. That way, we already have some set aside for gas and food.

The word from the HR department at the old company that Hubby gets paid the vacation he accrued for NEXT year! Taxes will be awful, but the money will be put to good use. Having been here awhile, my brain follows another pathway on what to do with it. We'll set it aside for now to evaluate it. Since he's been there so long, he gets several weeks' vacation pay. I am excited to perhaps replace the doors and invest the rest or pay off DD's tuition or ........

I'm waiting on the furnace people so I played around with this and this is what I have so far....

1. My kids don't think I'm funny.
2. I love to read books on history.
3. I read every little sign in a museum which drives my family crazy.
4. I don't really like to drive.
5. I was the best softball player--in elementary school.
6. I was used as a school science experiment in junior high because of my hair.
7. I was probably the only kid in school whose bedroom furniture was antiques.
8. I love blue jeans, hot chocolate, bakeries, and local pottery.
9. I had friends on every sporting team and band in high school and attended almost everything--I was the world's biggest fan.
10. My voice, but not my face, was used in a multimedia presentation at a company where I worked in college. I don't know why because it sounds annoying to me.
11. Before I was born, my mother had a dog named Jan. If I want to send my mom through the roof, I just tell someone I was named after the family dog.
12. I love tin roofs. I had one in college and loved the rain and the squirrels playing acorn hockey in the afternoons.
13. I love rain and thunderstorms.
14. I love small town cafes.
15. When I was little, I was deathly afraid of a volcano erupting in our back field.
16. Hubby was high on flu drugs at our wedding and we giggled through the ceremony. Fortunately, the preacher was sweet and hard of hearing.
17. I hardly ever talk on the phone.
18. I love geneaology--I grew up in a family of older people. I loved the stories.
19. I turn into a hermit at times.
20. I actually HAD a pony growing up, but I was scared of him.

I know that month one is running around somewhere in uncategorized...

Our month two ended on the 14th, and I am analyzing the results. The bills were pretty much on target so those will not be adjusted. The credit cards are going down slooowwwwllllyyy, except for DD's tuition card which went up. No more payments til the end of December, so I hope to pay some of that off this month and next. I think we will have some vacation money coming at the end of November that is unused at the old company. That, we can set aside for the next tuition and not add to the card. A step in the right direction.

We did go over eating out by $20 and the book line went over by a bit, too. Neither have that much in them, might need to adjust those amounts if another month shows a surplus somewhere else for the third time.

The plumbing made the house maintenance fund over by a whopping 375 dollars. I still had 100 from last month, too, so I am over 275 in that dept. I am keeping a separate sheet for those accounts that we carry over. Like dental/medical and auto stuff. So far, that is the only one that we have clobbered. Might need to up that one, but I'm not sure where the money would come from.

Still putting my dollars into the envelopes for the workboots, water cooler, and baseball tickets. Have them in the budget so I'll remember to do that each month. Funny to have a line in there for 4 dollars....

Hubby had a surplus again in his "vices" column. Good for him! Course we've all been on his case about a couple of things to be healthier. So that might have helped.

Having Inlaws here and going to see DS in a music thing will take some extra cash and probably do a number on the gas and food bills. I have used the Holiday/Christmas Club money for food for Thanksgiving. The tickets for the musical is going to come from some money the kids owe us. So I am not paying out any money for it, sorta.

I am hoping for once to get through a holiday season relatively intact. I would like to control things more and not start January with a feeling of being knocked out by the finances. The cool thing is the feeling each time you start the next month's budget. It's a feeling that you've got a clean slate for this month...go for it!

Got my hair cut and Hubby went to get his drug tests and physicals. He just had his old company's annual one a couple of weeks ago, so he's done this twice in a month!

Pulled all the stored stuff from my "storage locker," aka, freezer (see weirdest freezer items entry in my blog) a couple of days ago and found the end of the plug under the dogfood bin and plugged it in. Got it up to speed and bought ye ole Turkey to put in it today. With Inlaws coming tomorrow, don't think I'll get as much of my shopping done. And we have an old wall oven that is a bit small. So I have to have a little bird. I go early so I can get one that fits. Funny that I buy bird size--not according to how many people--but according to how big my oven is. The year the oven element went out, we bought a turkey breast and cooked it in the crockpot. What you will do if you have to.

Really need to get up and running on the last of the things to do before company. I am going to wait til Hubby returns home before I do the rodeo that is trimming and washing the dogs.....

I don't know if someone sent me an email from this site, but if you did--I accidently erased it before I read it. I'm such a computer dork. So Sorry.

Went to the dentist today for cleaning. Didn't have to pay anything today, but I have a filling that needs to be replaced cos it is corroding my tooth. I used to faint at the page of "projected patient cost" cos I didn't have the money. I can't fathom why a small piece of material is over 400 (my part). But now, I've been putting aside some money in my dental/eye account so I hope I will have most of it by January--when I made the appointment for. Another thing this site has helped me with.

I have a long list of things to do before Inlaws come on Wed., but no energy to get them done. Need to just get up and go. Maybe forward motion will help.

I have only two more days til the end of month 2 in our little world. I am excited to see how we have done this month.

Hubby has to go tomorrow for his drug/physical/whatever tests. One more step to getting our ducks in a row.

Need....to.....get....myself....off....this....chair....and....get....working....