It's the end of July. I won't spend anything today, unless I buy something at the baseball game tonight (and that hasn't happened yet all year.) But if GS2 is there, and the ice cream truck goes by -- I might get something. If so, it'll go on next month's spending record.

July was a very expensive month. Here is how it played out:

Home Repair/Maintenance: $1375
Housing: $774
Car Repair/Maintenance: $683
Insurance: $656
Taxes: $330
Utilities: $179
Groceries: $148
Fees/Services: $96
Furnishings/Equipment/Decor: $64
Phone: $51
Personal: $42
Vet/Pet Supplies: $41
Medical/Health: $26
Gas: $18
Laundry: $12
Entertainment: $9
Eating Out/Takeout: $7

Grand Total: $4511
Variables: 51%

The home repair expense is the first half of the ceiling repair -- which hasn't been scheduled yet! But we discussed August, so I expect to get it scheduled soon.

Car repair: replacement of the coolant system.

Insurance: semi-annual auto insurance payment

Taxes: second semi-annual payment of property tax

Groceries: my average this year has been $140, so it's pretty much on target, but I would like to reduce this.

Fees/Services: AAA membership

Furnishing/Equipment/Decor: a new lamp

Personal: Deoderant, pads, conditioner

Vet/Pet Supplies: pads for litter box

Everything just seemed to fall on me at once. Thanks to a generous gift from my ex, I am afloat.

No plans today aside from the baseball game. This is not a tournament game, but a makeup game from a previous rainout.

There will be no baseball this fall -- nor flag football -- due to COVID restrictions.

Another month down. Maybe we are one month closer to the end of this pandemic.

Why is it when virtually nothing is going on in your life, and just two measly things are set to happen, they happen at the same time? My appointment to pick up my books at the library is at 10:10. Then I get a notice that the gas company is going to turn off the gas at 9:30 and they want to relight pilots in each unit after they make their repairs -- so residents are advised to be available.

I can't really figure out how to change the library appointment, so I'm going to keep it. It should be very fast. I am betting that the repair will take some time. If they miss me, I can arrange to have them come out and relight the pilot. I don't need gas. I can work around it. The only thing I use gas for is the stove.

I was planning to take coins to the bank, since I am going to be out anyway, but now I won't, since I will want to get home fast. I have a jar full. I hope the bank has a counting machine, because I can't find my roller papers. Maybe I don't have any any more.

It has cooled off a little, so it is reasonably comfortable without the air conditioning. That's good, since I need to run the dishwasher.....

Yesterday's game was a win, and cool and breezy to boot! It was the last game in the regular season. Tournaments start next week. That means that baseball could end soon, if our team loses.

I thought it was cool enough last night to leave the air off, but I didn't sleep well. Now it's getting sticky again. I'll turn the air on, but I wish I didn't have to. The units are so noisy. I love the peaceful quiet when they are off.

I used some leftover cheese and mushrooms in an omelet this morning. I have just enough lettuce for another salad, and I will make some tuna salad for sandwiches. That should get me through today, and part of tomorrow.

I am taking up Wink's grocery challenge. Is it Wink? Are East Coast Saver and Wink the same? Anyway, I would like to spend less on groceries, too. It's been kind of out of hand.

One of my books is ready for pickup at the library. I had to make an appointment to pick it up. That will be tomorrow morning. I will stay in my car, in the designated spot in the underground garage, and they will bring it out to me. Interesting.

I had to move the car for street sweeping at 9, so I decided to run errands. I went to Panera and used my gift card to buy bread and bagels. I got a great deal on the bagels -- they were selling a baker's dozen for $6.99. I also bought a breakfast sandwich and coffee. I was planning to sit outside to eat, but the tables were not shaded and the view was the parking lot. The restaurant was almost empty, so I ate inside for the first time since March.

Then I went to Sam's, where I bought strawberries, apples, blueberries, granola, creamer and Drumsticks! Okay, that last was a total splurge, but I have been having nostalgic cravings for them and I just sort of ran into them on the freezer shelf, where they were saying "Buy me! Buy me!" Can't wait to treat myself to one. Total cost was $40.

I bought gas for $18 while I was there. Variables are now at 45%.

I stopped at a tiny library and returned three books, and took one. I wasn't expecting to do that, since I can now put books on hold at the real library, but it was a favorite author, Hilary Mantel.

Now I'm just resting before the game -- which won't happen till 6. The temperature is cooler and the humidity is lower, so it should be a pleasant evening.

Yesterday's game was very hot indeed. I found a spot in the shade; then moved about halfway through because the shade had moved. There was a brisk breeze that helped a lot. Still, it was very, very hot. I was exhausted just from sitting in the heat.

After the game was over and our team tromped the other, I treated myself to a lunch from McDonalds' drive-through. A chicken sandwich and a large Sprite were $7. I ate in the car as I was driving home. I really enjoyed it. I hadn't had any take-out food for quite a while, and I get sick of my own cooking.

After I came home, even though I had left the AC on, it took me quite a while to cool off adequately. I just read and watched a little TV. I got a surprise call from my sister, who almost never reaches out. She is seeing a therapist who gave her a homework assignment to get in touch with her family. We had a good conversation, one which, I hope, will encourage her to keep it up.

Today I'm doing that load of laundry that wasn't quite big enough yesterday. I have the air off this morning, but I think the humidity is going to force me to turn it on again. And we haven't even gotten into August yet!

It's going to be a scorcher, and here I am going to a baseball game at high noon. Really counting on finding shade.

I found an exercise routine on Healthline -- a bodyweight routine scaled for beginners. Since I have been away from the gym so long, I think I'm back to being a beginner. Some of them look pretty challenging. I will tackle my first session after I get back from the game.

I did not do the laundry yesterday as I had planned; I didn't have quite enough for a full load, and I'm not going to do anything but full loads.

I started a new book from my tiny library cache. No word yet from the library on the holds I placed, but the staff probably isn't working today.

I made biscuits this morning, and I ate a couple for breakfast along with a dish of applesauce. Tomorrow I will make a white sauce with chipped beef, which I will pour over a couple more. I may go through a drive-through for lunch today, since I will be out at lunchtime and in the neighborhood of all the fast food places. Dinner will be a salad.

I ran the air all night and slept well. This morning I turned it off, but now, three and a half hours later, it's probably time to turn it on again. I had to turn it off this morning so I could run the dishwasher. Having both of them on would have blown a fuse.

Logged another no-spend day; my variables are at 37% with a week to go.

The days are passing pretty quickly but I am feeling a general lack of accomplishment. For one thing, I haven't exercised much because of the heat. I'm going to try to change that; just find some simple daily exercises I can do inside. Non-bouncy ones, so I don't drive my downstairs neighbors crazy. Most days it's been too hot even to take a short walk. I've been doing the housework, slowly, but haven't worked on any projects. I don't operate well in summer.

I'm going to do a load of laundry today.

I am finally ready to return "The Stand" to the tiny library -- maybe early tomorrow morning when it's cool again. The heat is cranking up after a few pleasant days. I placed five books on hold at the public library. With any luck, some will be ready soon.

Yesterday I ventured into Chicago for an evening baseball game. It was a little hairy getting there -- and finding parking -- but the park where the game was held was beautiful, green and shady. Unfortunately our team lost, but only by four points, so it wasn't a disgrace.

I had milk and cookies yesterday -- that's A2 milk. I did NOT have a reaction, so I may indeed just be intolerant of the A1 protein, rather than lactose-intolerant. I didn't much care for the taste, but maybe after drinking almond milk for so long I have forgotten the taste of real milk.

The real takeaway here is that I can use the A2 milk for cooking and baking, even if I don't care to drink it by the glass. Almond milk does not substitute well in recipes -- even the ones that say it works. It's not the same.

AND, an update on the carbon litter pads -- I forgot to turn the tray around yesterday and I think that was because IT DIDN'T SMELL! I did it this morning and I did not notice any particular odor. So I'm saying, it works! However, I have to say the improvement might be due to the drop in temperature and humidity instead. I'll have to see if it performs this well in hot weather.

Nothing on my calendar today, so I'm going to wear PJ's all day and do a lot of reading! I'm finally getting toward the end of "The Stand." I have to say, it's not what I expected. A small portion of the book was dedicated to the pandemic (which killed off most of the population in a week, so quite different than our pandemic); most of it is about the aftermath, and now, a standoff between supernatural forces of Good and Evil. Not sure this book would be everyone's cup of tea, due to the graphic content -- and it is so very long (I have the uncut version) -- but it is always interesting.

First of all, last night's baseball game was awesome! My grandson made the winning run in overtime with a steal to home. It was very exciting. I actually broke a blood vessel in my thumb from clapping! (Just looks like a bruise.)

The company that manages the free OTC items called me yesterday with a problem with my order. One of the items is out of stock. I need to figure out something else to order today.

I got a notice from my insurance agent that I had earned $98 for using the DriveWise program. I think it will appear as a credit on my next payment, which will not be until January!

I inserted one of the carbon pads into litter box yesterday. I am not noticing any odor today. Usually when I walk past the closet where it is kept, I get a whiff. So far, so good.

My grandsons' school district has decided to begin the school year with online instruction. "Enhanced" in some way -- I don't know the details. I asked my grandson last night how he felt about that, and he said it was good. He said the only thing he misses about school is the social life, but he hopes to do more Zooming and such in the fall. DS and DIL are very relieved.

BFF, who lives in Indiana, texted me that her school district is opening up fully but mandating masks for children older than 8. As she pointed out, the ones younger than 8 are most likely to be, well, unhygienic. It's curious. Indiana is one of the states surging, now reporting more cases than they had in the previous peak in March/April. This will probably make it worse. BFF is very glad she is retired and no longer teaching.

There is another baseball game tonight; this time 45 minutes away. I'll have to get gas.

Yesterday I spent $38 on food at Walgreens, and $42 for toiletries/paper goods. It was more than I expected to spend, but I bought many items in duplicate in order to take advantage of a lower unit price.

Variables are now at 32%.

My little fan, which I use to dehumidify the bathroom, didn't work when I turned it on yesterday. I moved it to a different outlet and it still didn't work. Later in the day I became aware of a quiet background noise -- the fan was running! Apparently I hadn't turned it off. So maybe it will continue to work for a while and I won't have to replace it right away. It's probably something I will order online rather than pick up at a store.

I sat down and ordered my free OTC items yesterday -- this time I got Vitamin D, 2 containers of Tums, Pepcid, and generic Lactaid.

And that reminds me -- I am apparently not one of the people who is helped by A2 milk. I will have to just drink a glass of it to be sure, but I am having reactions to food made with it, like cream of tomato soup.

I got an email from Walgreens saying my statin prescription is due to be refilled. They do this so early -- I actually have almost a whole bottle, and it's not because I have neglected to take it. Anyway, I decided to switch to Optum-RX, which is a mail order prescription service through my Medicare Advantage plan. Through that, I can get 3 months' worth for $0.00. Can't beat that. My statin is cheap, but free is better. I will see more significant savings when I switch my other prescription, gabapentin, but it is not due for refill yet.

It remains nice and cool. I'm really glad -- not only do I get to have the windows open rather than running the air, but tonight there is a baseball game. Should be perfect baseball weather.

Today I'm heading out to Walgreens to pick up some groceries and toiletries.

I'm also going to sit down and make my summer order of free OTC items, which is a benefit of my Medicare Advantage plan.

Yesterday I was vacuuming in the dining room and I knocked off the edge of the table! It's fallen off before, but I thought I had repaired it. I rescued the hardware and set it aside with the slat that came off. Table repair/refinishing is now a bigger priority, but of course I have to get the ceiling done first, and that won't happen until August. Oh, this is all happening so slowly, and there is so much to do.

It has turned nice and cool and I haven't had to run the air much. I even slept without it last night. The electricity bill is pending now in my bank account, and it is only $35, much less than I was expecting. It must mostly reflect the time before the weather turned so hot.

It's been a nice no-spending period, but today's trip to Walgreens will change that!

Oh yes, the carbon pads for the litter box came -- in fact, my nice neighbor brought the package right to my door! -- but I won't be testing the pad until the current one has to be replaced, and that will be tomorrow. I will let you know, Dido, and anyone else using the Breeze litter box system.

There was a baseball game scheduled yesterday, but morning storms made the field too wet, so the game was cancelled. Therefore, I had a long day of being inside. I did a lot of reading.

My one excitement of the day will be getting the new litter box pads from Amazon. Fingers crossed!

I have been watching "Turn" on Netflix. It's rather gory, and half the time I don't exactly follow what's going on, but I really like that period of history (early America) and the settings and costumes are spot on. I once lived in Williamsburg, Virginia, so I am very attuned to that era.

And I just started watching "Breaking Bad," mainly because DIL likes it, and it got so many Emmy awards. I have to admit the first episode has got me interested, although the subject (high school teacher making meth) is not exactly up my alley.

No cooking planned for today -- I'm already set with stuffed pepper casserole to warm up for lunch, and a beef and cheddar mini-sub for dinner (with soup). Breakfast was blueberry pancakes and bacon. I'm eating good!

Today's housework will be vacuuming and mopping in the dining room. My new method of one room at a time is working well. But I don't clean the whole room in one day. I usually devote two or three days to it, so I don't have to do too much. I much prefer this to my old method of panic-cleaning everything because someone is coming. This way the house is reasonably tidy and clean all the time.

No laundry today. I will switch out towels but no washing linens till next Monday. Saving those quarters!

I ordered 100 pads for the litter box from Amazon on Friday -- $41 after using a coupon and my cash back from the Chase Amazon credit card. I ordered carbon pads this time, which are supposed to control odor better. They should arrive on Monday.

Variables are at 28%.

We have been experiencing record heat -- heat indexes above 100 -- and I have been running the air most of the time. I do give it a rest in the morning, when the coolness has built up overnight.

Yesterday evening I attended my grandson's baseball game. I was worried that it would be too hot for the boys to play, but it didn't seem to affect their performance. There was a gentle rain about halfway through that helped a lot. I was sitting under a tree, and there were breezes, so I was not particularly uncomfortable.

The high school in my city published a proposal for school this fall -- 100% e-learning. There may be pushback from parents who want the school to babysit, and students who want to socialize, but I think it is a good thing. Clearly the virus is getting worse. The school, large as it is, cannot accommodate 4000 students and keep them socially distant. It would be a petri dish of disease. I hope the lower grade schools follow suit.

Last night's baseball game was well attended. Too well attended. There were many games going on in the park and it was crowded. Most people were wearing masks, but there was not much in the way of social distancing. I felt uneasy.

There are two games this weekend, both away games at different parks. Maybe there will be more space. Maybe the heat will keep people away. If I feel uneasy again, I will leave. I think my grandson will understand; he is a pretty smart guy.

No financial news today.

This is the start of a heat-up. It's nice right now, but I will probably be running the air all weekend.

You may notice in my sidebar that I am reading "The Stand" by Stephen King. It is about a pandemic -- much worse than ours -- but there are familiar echoes in this story.

Today I'm worrying about the coin shortage. I have only one roll of quarters in reserve for laundry. That will go fast.

I'm going to stop washing linens every Monday -- let the sheets go for two weeks. I will change my bath towel every week, but I'll let them pile up before I wash them. I do have quite a few that I don't use because they're the wrong color or slightly frayed, etc. I hang onto them in case of a leak, or something, but now is a good time to use them for their original purpose.

As far as clothing goes, I'm already hand-washing my bras. I'll try hand-washing other things as well. I hear the bathtub works well as a laundry basin!

If worse comes to worse, I can ask my ex if I can use his machine. Maybe the kids and I can have a laundry party at his house, since they are in the same situation.

With any luck, the shortage won't last too long.

This morning I thoroughly cleaned Iggy's litter box (all the components separate -- it's a Breeze box). I also washed the floor under the box. It is definitely much fresher in there!

My variables are only at 23%, which is very good for this time of the month. However, neither the car repair nor my property tax payment is included in that, since each exceeds $200.

Got the car this morning! It cost $681. It's running great.

On the way home I bought groceries at Jewel, a traditional grocery store. I spent $54, not as much as I thought it would be. It's the first time I've been in a regular grocery store since the pandemic began. There were several instances where people came within 6 feet, but everyone was masked (it's required) and I think I'll be all right. It seems like the real danger is extended personal contact within enclosed spaces.

I also returned my library books in the outdoor chute, finally!

Today is payday, so I paid all the bills; credit cards paid in full. My savings is back above $1000; I'm feeling quite relieved.

There's a baseball game tonight! I've missed two -- it will be good to get back in the swing, haha.

My car MAY be ready today. That's if the part comes in, and if they have time to fix it after that. I'm really not expecting that it will be ready. I just hope it will be ready tomorrow.

Plans for today are doing a load of laundry, cleaning in the kitchen, and finishing the book I'm reading.

Food stores are holding up well, but when I get the car I will fill in the gaps. For instance, I have sandwich rolls in the freezer, but no filling for them. I have no milk of any kind -- powdered, evaporated, regular or almond. I have nothing fresh except some apples. As far as vegetables go, I have only one bag of frozen green beans. It's time to do some shopping. I think I will go to Jewel, because I would like to try the A2 milk, and I think they are the only local store that carries it.

Yesterday my ex dropped by with a check to cover half of my ceiling repair and the car repair. I am pretty flummoxed. I don't know where this sudden generosity is coming from, but right now I won't look a gift horse in the mouth! I feel quite relieved. I won't have to go into debt.

I let my contractor know that he can schedule the repair at his convenience. I hope the heat will let up enough to let him do it.

My son sent over some Irish butter and syrup. When he picked me up at the auto shop, I told him about returning my groceries at Aldi, and that my only regret was missing out on the butter and syrup. My grandson brought them over. I sent $15 to cover the cost. I made apple pancakes for breakfast!

I finished the last piece of pizza for lunch, and I'll have a light supper. There are still a couple of servings of mac and cheese for the next two days.

I'm doing my linens laundry today. It's cool enough that I don't have to turn on the air. Second day in a row!

I battled a headache all day yesterday. It finally started letting up around bedtime. Maybe watching "My Fair Lady" did it. One of the sillier musicals, but I love Audrey Hepburn, and the music.

I am in full scrimping mode. Since I had to return my groceries on Friday, and I don't have transportation, I am making do with what I have. I can walk to Walgreens if I must, and I can always ask my son to get something if I have to have it, but I am going to try to power through this. Today I'm going to make toast and peanut butter for breakfast, mac & cheese for lunch and pizza for dinner. The last two are leftovers.

Yesterday was fairly cool in comparison to the way it's been, so I ran the air only for a few hours, and I was able to sleep without it last night. I have participated in "Peak Savings Days" twice this summer -- a voluntary program in which you reduce your electric usage for a certain period of time in order to earn a small credit. (The real purpose, of course, is to help relieve the load when usage is high.) I am hoping the electric bill won't be shocking, but it probably will be. It has just been so hot.

Well, I did not luck out with the car repair. I went to AutoZone, and learned there that it was a problem with the coolant sensor. I took the car to Kia, but they had just had two mechanics quit, and they couldn't take me until Thursday. They did assure me that driving my car till then would not be a problem. I went to Aldi and bought $28 worth of groceries, came out and tried to start the car -- couldn't. After I gave up, I called AAA and then returned the groceries, since I know from experience it would be a long process to get home again.

When the AAA came, he was able to start the car, but he escorted me to the auto shop nearby, to make sure the car wouldn't die on me on the way. The shop was busy, so I had to drop off the car and go home. My son came and picked me up, and later in the day I got the call that the coolant system had to be replaced, and it would be $650+. I sort of lost my hearing after that. He explained it all to me, but I didn't hear it.

There is a part they won't be able to get until Tuesday at the earliest, so I am carless for a while.

Of course, I haven't paid yet, but this extra expense is going to be the straw that broke the camel's back. I'm going to go into debt again.

Now I'm really hoping my ex comes through with his promise to help with the ceiling, but I can't count on that.

It's only money, right? This certainly makes me identify with the people who are struggling from losing their jobs, etc.

I woke up with a headache this morning. My neck hurts too, so I think I slept in a bad position. I don't think it's stress.

It's beautifully cool this morning. It won't last, so I will enjoy it while it does.

Today it is nice and cool after a stormy night. I wish it would last. I ran the air for most of the day and all of the night yesterday.

I did a load of laundry yesterday, which was my only spending. Variables remain at 14%.

I finished up my French onion soup yesterday at lunch, and made a frozen pizza for dinner. The soup was so good, I just kept eating it, rather than putting in the freezer. I plan on making mac and cheese (from scratch) today.

My freezer is beginning to look about half full.

My big errand of the day will be to go to AutoZone, where, I hope, they will tell me the check engine light is on for a insignificant reason. Here's hoping. Otherwise, I will go from there to the Kia dealer to deal with whatever is wrong with the car.

Ball game tonight, if the car is working.

I wish I could report a windfall, or a payoff, or some kind of success with money, but I am just in a holding pattern right now. It is less than a week till payday, when I can start feeling like I am making progress again. My variables are at 14%. I haven't bought much of anything so far this month.

The lamp I ordered (last month) arrived yesterday, and surprise! It was much smaller than I thought it would be. I obviously didn't look at the dimensions very carefully. I like it, and I don't want to pack it up and send it back, so I found another place for it. I moved some other lamps around, exchanging shades, and I've arrived at a temporary solution for the space in the living room I was trying to fill:



This is the new lamp, in an unexpected spot -- the bedroom -- but I like it!



Down the road I will find a bigger lamp for the living room, but I'm saving my money for now until I get the ceiling done.

Tomorrow morning I plan to take up English Castle's suggestion and take my car to AutoZone. There is an away game in the evening. I hope I can go. It doesn't start till 7 pm, so I'm taking Deet!

By the way, that string hanging down from the shade is not a cobweb! I hadn't cut off the tags yet because I wasn't sure about it yet.

Yesterday was a day of some drama. First of all, it was a peak savings day, which means I was invited to reduce my electrical usage as much as possible between the hours of 3 and 7, in exchange for a credit on my bill. I turned everything off, including the air. Since I was planning to leave at 5 for the baseball game, I thought it wouldn't be too bad.

No sooner did I turn it all off, I got a message from the property manager that there was a gas leak, and the gas had been turned off. There was never any further information on that. This morning I turned on a burner, and it was working. I didn't need to cook, so it was a non-issue for me, but still a little unsettling that there was a leak.

At five I headed out to the game, but after a few blocks I noticed that my malfunction indicator light was on. I stopped and looked it up in my manual. Apparently, it is much like a check engine light. The manual advised that I cease driving and take the car to a Kia dealer.

So I went home and missed the game. I won't actually take the car to the dealer for a few days. I would rather wait till my Discover card cycle closes, just in case it turns out to be a big expense. I also won't drive the car for those few days. There is nothing I need right now.

Of course, it was really hot at home, and the sweat was pouring off my face. But I was in for a penny, so I decided to sweat it out. At seven I turned everything on again, and it wasn't long before I cooled off. It wasn't a pleasant evening, though.

This morning it is cool -- for the time being -- and I have a fan running.

Yesterday was a very quiet day for me. I had one load of laundry to do, and I did a bit of vacuuming. No cooking, it was too hot. I filled my time with reading, watching TV, and playing computer games.

I had a serving of the French onion soup I made the day before, and it was delicious! Instead of heating it up under the broiler, I warmed up the soup in a pan, and toasted the bread and cheese in the toaster oven. Then I just put the warm soup in a bowl and popped the toast & cheese on top. I'm going to have another serving today, and then I might put the rest in the freezer.

For dinner I had what my mom used to call a "salad plate," which hardly ever had salad on it! What it really was was kind of a curated collection of items from the pantry and fridge. The point was -- no cooking, in addition to using things up. My salad plate included sliced peaches, crackers and peanuts.

There is a baseball game scheduled tonight, and it will be hot. Wish this heat wave would leave; it's definitely affecting the quality of life.

We had a nice picnic yesterday. At first it seemed too hot, but after sitting a while under a large shady tree, we started to feel the breezes from the lake, and it was really quite pleasant.

My ex offered to help with the cost of the ceiling repair. I don't know if he was serious. We'll see. I asked DIL what she thought was behind his recent behavior, and she said he had helped them with some things, too, and he just seemed to be feeling generous.

I ran the air all night last night, and I think it really helped me to sleep better. I turned it off this morning, because I am concerned about running the window units all of the time. I don't think it could be good for them. Not to mention what the electricity bill will be. It is pleasant this morning with the windows open, but when it heats up again, I'm turning them back on.

I miss the days when I had central air.

Yesterday was uneventful, except that it was hot! And noisy! People were setting off fireworks nearby late into the the night. I did not get much sleep. I am hoping to take a nap after today's picnic in the park.

I am also hoping that everyone used up their fireworks and I won't have another night like that.

I don't really have much in the way of picnic food on hand. I've decided I'm going to pack some cheese and crackers, an apple, and some cookies. Water, too, of course. The highlight will be the conversation, and sitting under a shady tree by the lake. It's so hot I don't think I'll have much appetite, anyway.

I made some French onion soup yesterday -- a very wintery dish, but I needed to use up my onions. I didn't eat any, and I think I will probably move it to the freezer.

I won't be doing anything for the 4th today. However, tomorrow I will meet with the fam in the park for a picnic. These picnics and baseball games are saving my sanity.

Yesterday I went to the bank to get quarters for laundry. Since I was halfway to Panera, I went on from there and used my free $10 gift card to buy bagels and cream cheese. That will take care of six breakfasts to come.

The rest of the day I stayed home, as the temperature rose. In the evening it was quite uncomfortable -- probably because of the dew point. Still, stubborn as can be, I didn't turn on the air and slept all night without it, knowing it was going to cool off eventually. It is nice and cool this morning (for the time being), but I had a pretty restless night. We are in for a spell of hot weather, so now I'm resigned to turning on the air when it gets too hot.

My AAA membership hit. I had a trial for one of the premium services, which offers a much longer towing range, among other things. In the interest of safety I decided to keep it and did not cancel after the trial. Now the first payment is hitting at the wrong time, but I will just suck it up.

Variables are at 14%, with the inclusion of the $96 fee.

Our team won by one point, after coming back from eight points behind. Very exciting! So cute to see the boys at the end, lining up to do the "good game" hand slap, but instead tossing their hats, in respect for the no-contact guidelines.

My phone froze yesterday and it was quite a while before it rebooted. It's been glitchy in other ways, and, of course, replacement has been on my list for a while. But I don't want to do it now, when I am so strapped by the ceiling repair! I will if I have to, though. I can't be without an operational phone.

Today should be a pretty calm, do-nothing day. It will be hot. In fact, we are in a hot spell. I ran the air all day yesterday, and I will probably have to turn it on soon. I have been able to do without at night, sleeping under the ceiling fan.

It should also be a no-spend day. But I am looking forward to receiving my new lamp!

The ceiling contractor came today and looked over the ceiling and the layout of my condo. I gave him a check for half of the total cost, and I will give him the other half when the work is done. Right now it looks like that will be August. He will send me some possible dates.

I am going to be careful to spend as little as I can during this time. This being a cash transaction, I will be a little cash poor.

Soon I will be going to another of GS1's baseball games. I will be taking the chair with the faulty bag. I have tied the strap to a plastic loop, but I don't know if it will hold. I can't sew the strap; it is too thick.

Since the chair itself is mostly fine, I may invest in one of those log carriers to haul it around. That will be easier than struggling to get it in the bag, anyway.

But I will also put a new chair on my wish list for my birthday.

My grandson's baseball game was so much fun! They won by 10 points, which didn't hurt -- but it was just fun to be out among people (socially distanced and masked) and cheering for the team. The weather was great, warm but with a cool breeze, and I found a place to plant my chair in the shade.

I noticed that the strap on my chair's carrying bag was ready to break. It's a heavy chair and I really need that strap. I tied it, but it's a temporary solution. I may have to get a new chair, because I don't think I can just get the bag.

It's July! Here is my June recap:

Housing: $774
Vet/Pet Supplies: $198
Utilities: $179
Gifts/Charity: $118
Groceries: $107
Furnishings/Equipment/Decor: $74
Household Supplies: $53
Phone: $51
Medical/Health: $49
Gas: $19
Personal: $19
Laundry: $18
Car Repair/Maintenance: $13
Entertainment: $9

Grand Total: $1732

Variables: 85%

Pet Supplies included the new aquarium, specialty kidney care cat food, and a bulk order of pellets for the Breeze litter box.

Gifts -- two birthdays.

F/E/D -- A mouse pad, outlet extender, washcloths, scissors, and a picture frame.

Personal -- shower caps, mask, hair accessories.

Car Maintenance -- just two car washes. (Car is still dirty. I give up.)

Groceries were the lowest they've been since the pandemic began!