CB in the City

I got a call from the ceiling contractor yesterday, and he sent over the painter to look over the situation. It sounds like they are going to schedule the repair for next week. I started to move the small things in the living room already.

When I tried on one of my new bras from Kohl's, I realized it was way too tight! Even though I ordered the same style and size of one that I am wearing. I guess it must be stretched out. So today I'm going to exchange them for a larger size. Since I will be out, I'm going to take advantage of a birthday coupon at DSW and try to find some booties for this winter. I tried to get them just before the pandemic, but, once again, online ordering didn't work out so well.

I was intrigued by Disney Steve's assessment of his spending this year. I took a look at mine, and my average spending total is almost exactly the same as last year. But it breaks down differently. I am spending more in house repairs (surprise!), car repair, medical and gifts/charity. I am spending less on furnishings, gas, clothing and travel. I am spending a bit more on groceries, but I intend to fix that!

Pay day is not usually exciting anymore, just routine -- but today I made the final payment on my car, so to speak. When I bought my car, I didn't have quite enough to pay cash outright, so I charged the balance. I charged it to a no-interest card. Today I paid it off, well before the time when interest would kick in. I already adjusted my budget to pay that amount to my mortgage next month, and from then on. That is exciting, too.

Yesterday BFF let me know that she had $116 for me from the time when I had an antiques booth in her town. She used to pick up my checks for me, since she lived there and I didn't. Yesterday she found a file folder labeled "BOOTH" and the cash inside.

At first I was delighted, and then I realized it was unlikely that it was my money. The store always paid by check -- why would she have cash? And I keep a close eye on my money, as you all know, so I would have known if she had not passed on a payment to me. So we talked about it. She decided that perhaps it belonged to her daughter-in-law, who had also had a booth at one time. Well, her DIL couldn't remember anything about it, and insisted the money must be mine. In the end, we decided to split it, since no one can seem to remember why the money was set aside and who it belongs to. BFF is going to send me a check for $58.

I picked up my new bras yesterday at Kohl's. Picking up curbside was an easy process.

Today is going to be one of those quiet days. I'm going to do some cleaning in my bedroom, another load of laundry, and a bit of menu planning.

We are having a spell of very comfortable weather, so my AC units are having a nice rest, as well as my electric bill.

My son needed a ride from the auto shop yesterday. While I was out, I went to Walgreens and spent $21 -- $6 on groceries (nuts and candy), $12 on cosmetics (brow pencil), and $3 on a get-well card. Variables are at 49%. The candy was for a fund-raiser to support teachers.

My monthly total for groceries is $33. I'm really working that pantry and freezer!

Otherwise, everything is on autopilot. Tomorrow is pay day. The bill payments will flow out. All is well!

Yesterday was the first baseball game organized by the baseball academy my grandson attends. It was held in a very professional-looking field -- however, there was not a bit of shade anywhere! Parents who were already in the know brought umbrellas and sunshade canopies. I roasted. Thank goodness, at least I wore my baseball cap and shaded my face a bit.

The boys lost badly. Altogether, not a good event.

I spent $8 for lunch. Later in the day, I spent $45 for two new bras, which I ordered from Kohl's. I'll pick them up curbside in a few days. Variables are at 47%.

I spent the rest of the day resting and recovering. Funny, it wasn't so hot at home. I didn't even have the air on. But on that field -- excruciating!

This morning I started a load of laundry, and I'll probably be doing that for several days.

My belated birthday party at the park yesterday was fun, but I also got very tired. I don't know why since I was just sitting. I think maybe I was tensing up a lot when the conversation turned serious. (Nothing bad, but stressful.)

My kids gave me a set of sheets, and my ex gave me another check. This one was $271. He says this is what he does for other family members -- $200 plus age. It makes me a little uneasy, but I can't deny that I need the boost.

When I went to bed (early) my leg muscles hurt, and I couldn't settle down. I feel like I never fell fully asleep, but I did sleep because I had terrible nightmares -- fear-for-my-life kind of nightmares! I am recovering today. There is a baseball game in a few hours -- I hope I am feeling up to it. The ball park is 45 minutes away.

The lamp arrived, and it was easy to assemble. I'm including a picture. I also got the shower basket, which went up easily, and I'm hoping it will stayed affixed. I'm not supposed to use the shower for at least 12 hours, so I'll just take a sink bath this morning.

Yesterday was a day spent inside. Every time I do that, I feel I have done my part -- to keep myself and others safe.

Tomorrow I will meet my kids at the park for my birthday celebration. My ex and his wife may come, too -- that wasn't made clear. If they do, they're welcome.

The $98 payment from Allstate hit the bank. That was really more than I was expecting for using DriveWise. I haven't actually driven that much, times being what they are!

My lamp is supposed to arrive today. Can't wait to see if I got it right this time!

I ordered the lamp yesterday -- $140 -- as well as the shower basket -- $21. Variables are at 40%. I'm supposed to get the lamp tomorrow.

Allstate notified me that it has sent my DriveWise refund to the bank -- hasn't hit yet -- but it will be $98.

Everything else is on autopilot. Pay day next week.

My birthday yesterday was very low-key. My son brought over some flowers and cake. We are going to have a birthday party on Saturday, because GS2 has the sniffles, and my birthday present hadn't arrived yet, anyway.

I talked to my other son and several friends. My Oregon grandchildren are working on something to send to me.

I am going to order my own birthday present later today. Another lamp -- this time, I hope, the right size. I'm also going to order a shower basket and maybe a new bra.

I have had hard water stains in my bathtub that I haven't been able to budge for a long time, despite a lot of scrubbing. Yesterday I got serious and looked up different methods. I chose the vinegar bath method. I soaked the bottom of the tub for four hours in a vinegar and water mixture. The stains mostly came up! There is still a little crustiness around the drain, but it is not noticeable. But I intend to keep working on it. And I swear I will wipe down the tub after every use, so this doesn't happen again!

Anyway, that's why I want to get a shower basket. Now that my tub looks so much better, I want to make it look completely better! I have been setting bottles on the edge of the tub, but I can see that they are leaving residue stains, even though I am careful to wipe them down. So I'm trying again with a basket that attaches to the tile wall with adhesives. The one I'm going to order has good reviews for stick-a-bility. And I won't put anything heavy in it. So maybe this one will work.

Yesterday I was filing papers and I realized I had to pay my wheel tax, and I had to do it in person in order to get my senior discount, which is 50%. It certainly seems like a very bad idea to require vulnerable seniors to show up in person during a pandemic. I don't understand why they can't get the discount to work on the online payment. Oh well.

The cost was $42.50. Since I was already out, I ran three more errands. I deposited my coins at the bank and "bought" another roll of quarters. I returned some library books to the outdoor bin. And I went to Aldi and picked up some staples: $27. That is my first expenditure in the grocery challenge. Variables are now at 19%.

We had a derecho yesterday! And possibly, a tornado. It happened around 4 in the afternoon. I got an emergency alert on my phone and the sirens went off. I went to the basement (with a chair, a book, and my phone) and waited it out. I was the only one there! I couldn't see anything but I heard a lot of racket. When the all-clear came I went back upstairs. There was no damage I could see in my neighborhood, but there was lots of damage nearby, according to the news. Not homes, but trees and cars. I always felt somewhat safe being so close to Lake Michigan, but apparently it hit very close to the lake, so that has been a false comfort!

I'll take a walk this morning and see what might have happened in my area.

My two-meals-a-day plan is going well. It is keeping me from grazing all day. It forces me to plan a meal, which encourages me to eat a more balanced meal. It seems to be better for my digestion. I do have a small snack in the evening when I take my medications.

I woke up this morning to a high-pitched whine. Both of my air conditioners seemed to be emitting this noise. I turned them off. I hope, when I turn them on later in the day, the whine will be gone.

My two meals today: breakfast will be blueberry pancakes and Apple Brown Betty (both leftovers). Dinner will be sloppy chicks on biscuits. I'll figure out something to go with them later. Perhaps just an apple.

Tomorrow is my birthday. I think I will buy myself the lamp that I want. I won't pull the trigger on the order until tomorrow. I want to make sure my Discover pay cycle closes first.

The heat has returned. I ran the air last night, then turned it off this morning. It stayed pretty nice most of the day. This old building has such thick walls, that once it gets cool inside, it stays that way for quite a while. I turned the air on again around 4 pm, when it started to feel sticky, and I'll keep it on through the night, so that I'll sleep well.

I didn't do much of anything today. Another load of laundry - $1.50. Iggy threw up on his quilt; otherwise I wouldn't have bothered. Mostly I read and watched TV, and caught up on family news. It was definitely a day of leisure!

My grandson's baseball season, that is. They lost today to a team that, I have to say, was pretty amazing at both offense and defense. Our team played respectably, but the other team just blew them out of the water.

I thought that there would be no Fall Ball, and that is partly right -- the city league will not hold games -- but my grandson will be playing games for a baseball academy where he takes lessons, so there actually will be more games to come.

Despite the loss, it was a lovely day, sitting under a tree and enjoying the breezes. My other grandson had a great time operating his remote control Jeep, which was very entertaining to some little ones.

I ran a load of laundry yesterday afternoon - $1.50 -- and I bought a gift on Amazon for a friend - $14. Variables are at 9%.

Our team won again, and advanced in the tournament. The next game is on Saturday.

The park was crowded, which was concerning. Also, there were so many people not wearing masks, even though there was a big sign requiring it. Every time I go to a game, I just hope I have been careful enough, and lucky enough, not to pick up the virus.

Today will be a stay-at-home day. I'm planning two meals -- blueberry pancakes for brunch, and sloppy chicks for dinner, along with a side, probably corn. I cooked a chicken breast in the Instant Pot to make the sloppy chicks. After it was done, I shredded it and mixed it with some barbecue sauce and a little broth. It was delicious! There is quite a bit left over, and I have three mini French rolls to use up, so I'll be having sloppy chicks for the next three days. I am quite used to having the same meal several days in a row, so that is no big deal.

I am pretty well stocked, and I think I may be able to avoid the grocery store for quite a while! In the freezer I have the makings for spaghetti, a pizza, and several containers of leftovers. Also, there are two more good-sized chicken breasts. At some point I will have to buy produce.

It's a nice day, and I will get out for a walk. It is good for the spirit, as well as the body!

It was another thrilling game last night. Our team did their signature come-from-behind moves for a victory in the last inning. There is another game tonight as they move forward in the tournament.

However, I feel so lousy today I'm not sure I'll be able to go. I couldn't sleep last night, and when I did, I had nightmares. I'm going to try to nap today, and not do any more than I have to. This insomnia/fatigue is a recurring problem for me, and I don't think this pandemic stress is making it any better.

I realized this morning that my Fitbit hasn't synced since July 26. I've gone through all the troubleshooting but I can't get it to sync. I think it has gotten too old. It is a Charge 2 device. The face is cracked. I don't think I'll replace it, since I really haven't paid much attention to it since I started sheltering at home in March. It was a gift, not something I ever thought I had to have.

Grocery challenge is going well! I haven't had the need yet to buy anything (other than the pet supplies, which I don't count in groceries). News reports say that grocery prices are shooting up; good time to cut back.

My spending at PetSmart yesterday came to $54. In addition to cat food, I bought fish food, aquarium filters, and Nature's Miracle. Variables are at 7%.

I had four books ready for me at the library! I was only expecting one, so that was a nice surprise.

As for taking my coins to the bank, I learned that they did not have a counting machine, but they gave me wrappers. I came home and wrapped up $9 worth, which I will deposit next time I go. It was mostly pennies. I was able to "buy" 2 rolls of quarters -- that was the limit. I still have a partial roll, so I have enough to get me through more than a month of laundry.

Nothing is going on today except that there will be a tournament game tonight. If the boys lose, that will be the last game for the season, and there will be no fall season. For baseball, that is -- there will still be a fall!

In a few minutes I'll be heading out to run some errands. My first stop will be to pick up books at the library, then I will take coins to the bank, and, hopefully, take away some quarters. Then I'm going to PetSmart to buy cat food.

I tried to give myself beach waves yesterday, following some online directions to twist strands and then twist two together. I secured them with clothespins and let my hair dry naturally. Well, it turned out to be something, but not beach waves. It looked pretty crazy yesterday, but it looks better today.

My home exercises are making me sore. Maybe I'm not supposed to do them every day. The website I'm using doesn't say. I am at the beginner level and doing the least amount of reps, so I don't think I'm overdoing it.

Our cool weather continues and I am loving it!

Thanks for your comments on haircuts! I have decided to let my hair go for a while after all. I'm just not ready for an interaction that close. A haircut isn't an emergency; it's something I can definitely put off.

I stayed in all day yesterday and I will do so today, too. So there won't be any spending.

I signed up this morning to take part in a study of COVID-19 run by my healthcare provider. I will check in on an app every morning, reporting how I am feeling, possible symptoms, whether I am following guidelines, etc. It does not provide any direct benefit to me; it is rather a tool for healthcare professionals to learn more about the transmission and spread of the disease.

Plans for today: vacuuming soft furniture, making smoothies (plural, because I will freeze some), cooking chicken for future recipes, doing my exercises, reading, and more episodes of Breaking Bad! Very hooked on that show, though it's mostly sad.

Tomorrow I have an appointment to pick up books at the library, so I will also do my other outings -- the bank and PetSmart. Big day!

I'm wavering on the haircut thing. I had decided that I was just going to let my hair grow, because of COVID, and for a change, but I find myself looking at haircuts online. One night I was looking at shaggy pixies, and last night I was looking at the messy French bob. Right now my haircut is a long bob, slightly shorter in back. It's in between chin length and and shoulder length. I'm finding it kind of hard to manage, because my hair is wavy, but not in a very attractive way. But I am able to pull it back now, so that is a plus. Sigh. I guess I'll wait. It's money-saving after all.

I was much more vigilant yesterday about sitting up for at least a half hour after eating and taking medicine, instead of my usual lounging around. And I had a much better day. I guess I need to learn new habits. I also have to be better about not eating when I'm not hungry. Duh! There are better ways to treat myself!

Since my birthday is coming up, I picked out a set of sheets on Amazon and put it on my wish list. I looked for a table lamp, but the ones I liked were more than I would ask anyone else to pay. So I'll handle that myself.

I decided not to order the pet supplies I need. I have a $10 in-store coupon for PetSmart, and I have a gift card to use up. So I'll be making a trip there in the near future.

I got a notice that another book on hold is ready for pickup. I made an appointment to pick it up -- first available time was on Tuesday! The website said that they will be stopping pickup in the underground garage on Wednesday. I wonder what the new system will be. Maybe the library is opening up more and patrons will come inside to get their holds.

I placed four more books on hold. I seem to be reading faster than I am getting books.

I spent nothing yesterday except $1.50 for laundry. I hope to make this a low-spend month.

I didn't spend anything yesterday, so my July recap holds.

It was a great game last night -- GS1 hit a double at a crucial moment, and the team won by three points after being behind for most of the game.

I was very uncomfortable last night with indigestion. I have no idea what food is bothering me -- it seems to be any food. I thought I was having a heart attack until I sat up and the pain went away. I am very short on sleep today. I was bothered not only by that, but also by a sharp nerve pain in my foot. Then I woke up with a headache, but Tylenol helped with that.

I'm going to take it easy today. I do have a game tonight, but if I'm feeling bad, I won't go.

Now that it's a new month, I'm going to order some cat food and probiotics.

I found a tear in a pillowcase yesterday, so a new set of sheets is back on the list again. The piecemeal set which is my backup is falling apart. I'll look around online today to see if I can find any bargains.

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.