The dinner at the Trustee's house was just right. Pulled pork on pretzel rolls, cheese and crackers, salami tray, salad, and mushroom/onion brushcetta. I also had some red wine, and then champagne which was served for a toast in celebration of meeting our fundraising goal. (If only that were really true. We met our PARTICIPATION goal but the money total was sadly low. Oh, well, I digress.)

I had planned to stay for a short time but ended up staying until 8:30 and was part of the last group leaving. Had some good conversations! Some of it touched on the frugal and not-so-frugal. My new boss mentioned how her mother scolded her for having a section of her closet with brand-new clothing, tags still on. Really? She said her sisters regularly update their couches and their cars, so I guess it is in the blood. Or in the upbringing! I'm always struck when I'm in a social group that NOBODY is like me, even if they complain about being poor. How can it be so odd to live within your means? And be happy about it?

Today I have not been out of the house once -- though I will take a walk later if it cools down enough. I cooked some salmon for lunch. I am now sure. I do not like salmon. I keep trying it, and I keep not liking it. I'm going to make patties out of what is left over and season them enough so that I don't taste the salmon.

I also stripped the rotisserie chicken to make salad and I'm simmering the carcass in a pan of water to make broth.

I ran the dishwasher and I'm still not out of the liquid. I think I can run it one more time after this. THEN I'll be hand-washing. When I did laundry I used the last dryer sheet, so I'll have to use liquid fabric softener for the rest of the month -- which is fine, I like it, but I usually don't catch the cycle in time. I'll have to set a timer. Maybe if I can force myself into a routine I won't have to use dryer sheets.

On Thursday night I returned my DVD's to the library and got two more -- Gran Torino and the Love Guru. How's that for opposites? I also checked out another book by the Icelandic mystery writer Arnaldur Indridason (yes I had to go look at the book). I like his work. Interesting characters, interesting mysteries, and a nice, gloomy Nordic atmosphere. I need to be reading it in winter in front of a roaring fire, but we can't have everything!