Dinner last night cost me $21, just a little bit more than I wanted to spend. That brings my variables to 7%. It was a cajun-style restaurant, and I had gumbo and a small plate of shrimp and grits. Delicious.

I got home at about 11:30, because I stayed a while to talk with one of my friends. (The restaurant was so loud, talking was pretty much shouting and straining to hear.) I came home really tired, acknowledging to myself I can't keep those kinds of hours any more.

Snow was coming down on the trip home -- beautiful, but it made the roads slick. I swerved coming around a corner, but didn't lose control.

BFF said yesterday she would come today. At this point I just don't know. We talked a while yesterday, and it turned out that rather than being sick, she was in a funk, worrying and stressing herself about things she can't do anything about. She felt better after our talk, but I am trying not to pressure her to get on the road. I want her to come because she wants to come, and I don't know if she's at that point. And slick roads will certainly not encourage her.

I used my Instant Pot yesterday for the first time. I turned the leftover prime rib into Italian beef for sandwiches. The process was pretty easy, and the meat was delicious. I can see I will use this a lot, but I have to figure out a place I can store it. I have a galley kitchen with almost no counter space -- just one area the width of a dishwasher, where I already have a stand mixer and a knife block, and another about 12" wide, where I have my coffee maker. The cabinets are full. Very challenging! I may be able to fit it under the seat in the breakfast nook.

A neighbor of mine left me a package of cupcakes and cookies, beautifully wrapped. I don't know her very well and was quite touched. I will take her a jar of jam today. I'm glad I have something homemade on hand!