CB in the City

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!

The contractor called and quoted a price of $2,750, which is very acceptable to me. I was figuring it might cost $5K. He is going to come on Thursday, when he will inspect the ceiling and the layout, and we will talk about dates then.

Last night's baseball game was cancelled during the first inning. A storm suddenly materialized. The game was halted and postponed for 30 minutes, but then it was cancelled.

I was quite surprised at the behavior of the other team and its fans. While our group was masked and socially distanced, they were acting like there had never been a pandemic -- all clustered together and maskless. I guess they didn't get the memo.

There is another game tonight, but we are having a similar day weather-wise, so who knows if it will take place?

At least I had the chance to talk to my son and warn him about the help I will need clearing the living room when a date is decided upon. He was all for it, even suggesting he hook up the TV in my bedroom. I can't get cable in there, but I can watch Netflix and Prime Video.

Since this is the last day of June, I'll do my recap later. I don't plan to spend anything today.

It's Monday, so I have started a load of sheets and towels.

My friend P, who is in the process of moving into a retirement home, has been asking me to order a few things for him on Amazon. He is very tech-unsavvy. He was going out to buy things, and I told him to please let me order for him so he wouldn't endanger his health. (He is close to 80 and has several underlying conditions.) I am glad he has consented to let me help. He just sends me a check to cover the cost.

Speaking of Amazon, I received a subscribe-to-save order yesterday -- six packages of pellets for the cat littler box. I already have five on hand! When I got the notice that it was coming, I didn't look closely and I thought it was the pads, which I do need. Dang! That's $42 I didn't have to spend. Oh well, they will get used eventually, if Iggy hangs in there that long.

Then I went to order the pads, but I found that the kind I like are no longer available. I decided to hold off till next month (i.e. two days) since I'm going to have to do a little research to figure out what I do want.

This evening my grandson is playing in his first baseball game of the year! There are many rules in place to make it safe. One of them is that spectators cannot use the bleachers and must bring their own chairs and wear masks. The boys will not use the dugout, but will spread out on the sidelines, wearing masks, when they are not in the field. I'm very excited, and I hope it is not cancelled because of rain!

No word from the contractor yet.

I said earlier that I needed to apply in July for my ride-free card, even though I don't think I will be riding the trains for a while. I got a letter saying that my benefit has been automatically renewed for another year, due to office closures because of the virus. So yay, I don't have to go through that process.

I didn't do much yesterday. I spent a lot of time reading, because I am reading a book on the Libby app, and I want to be sure I finish it before it disappears. I still don't really like e-books, but I'm getting used to it. In this case, I borrowed the e-book because I have the second book in the trilogy from the tiny library. I don't want to start the story in the middle.

Today will be hot, and I don't think I will do much today, either. But I did make biscuits for breakfast from an AllRecipes recipe, called "Butter Swim Biscuits." Mmmmm. They are indeed very buttery. The butter is baked in, not applied after baking. And they were very light and fluffy and easy to make.

I am going to make chipped beef in white sauce later on and serve it over a biscuit. Then I'll freeze the remainder. I'm also planning to make tuna salad today.

I haven't heard from the contractor this weekend, but I wasn't expecting to, since it is the weekend, after all. Hope I will hear from him on Monday.

I added something new to my short term goals (which, as it is turning out, are not very short-term). My kitchen floor tiles are cracking, and one of them actually started to flake yesterday, so it's on my list to replace the tile floor.

Sigh. Vintage homes.

I asked for three quotes yesterday from Angie's List for the ceiling repair. One is local (in my suburb) and has lots of experience working in vintage homes. He also has numerous good reviews. He asked me to send pictures yesterday, which I did. He replied that he got them and would send an estimate shortly. Of course, the estimate may be revised when he looks at the situation in person.

One of the others replied that he works only in plaster -- and I don't want to put new plaster up. I am not trying to do a historical restoration here. The other replied through an assistant that he is taking estimate appointments for the second week in July. He is in Chicago, obviously very busy. I haven't replied yet, because I have a strong feeling that #1 is the right guy.

We had very strong storms yesterday, but it looks like we escaped damage in my neighborhood. But we did have a rainbow!

Test results were negative for my ex's wife, so none of us were exposed to the virus. Whoopee!

Today I am going to proceed with trying to find a contractor for the ceiling. I also need to go to Walgreens to pick up a prescription, and I will buy a few grocery items, too. Any time I don't have to go into a grocery store I consider it a plus. Walgreens is never crowded, and I can buy my few groceries at the pharmacist's window, making it a one-stop visit.

Our state is heading into Phase 4 today, which means indoor dining, hair dressers, gyms, theaters and museums will be opening up. However, I am not changing my current habits. It's pretty obvious what opening up has done to other states, and I would just as soon stay well. It is not fear; it is caution. Big difference.

I AM looking forward to spending some time with BFF when the ceiling comes down. Social isolation has been the only hard part of this challenge for me. She is as cautious as I am, so we will visit from a safe distance in her large house. Both of us old ladies have vowed not to get sick!

I have not yet heard whether my ex's wife has tested positive. She is supposed to get results today. Till I know whether I need to get a test, I'm just on hold.

I felt productive so I did some extra cleanup in the living room this morning. Swabbed the radiator, deep-vacuumed the furniture, wiped down some areas that usually get a quick dusting. This afternoon I'm going to focus on paper filing. I did finally catch up on my big backlog, but there has been just a bit pile up. I decided to make paper-filing part of my living room cleanup, so that I will get to it regularly.

I found a lamp online that I would like to order. It's $60 before shipping, so I'm going to wait till the month turns. It's not that I don't have the money; I would just like to put that expense on a fresh sheet. It's a mission-style Tiffany lamp. It's going to go where the aquarium used to be.

I finally got an answer from my property management company, but all they had to say was they didn't know what contractor other residents had used and they suggested HomeAdvisor. I'll probably go with Angie's List, as I am more familiar with that.

It's been so cool and lovely for several days. I hear it will be hotter tomorrow. I am always a little disappointed when I have to turn on the AC.

I didn't try to call any contractors yesterday because something else came up. My ex's wife, who was at the Father's Day picnic, is home with a fever and she got tested for COVID-19 yesterday. She won't know until Thursday whether she has it or not. If she does, I have been exposed and I have to get tested.

Until this is resolved one way or the other, I really can't get started on the ceiling, because if I have to quarantine myself, I have to do it at home.

As long as the ceiling remains stable this isn't a problem. I eyeball it several times a day, looking for any change. If the repair does get pushed back, that gives me time to save more money. I would love to be able to pay for it in cash.

Other than that, yesterday was pretty uneventful. I did a couple of loads of laundry, and I mopped and vacuumed the dining room.

Today I'm going to make Chicken Cordon Bleu. I haven't made that for a long, long time, but yesterday I realized that I actually had all the ingredients on hand, so I'm going to go for it.

Today is another street sweeping day, so I have to move the car. I'm going to take a spin in it -- get a car wash, because it's filthy again from the storms and the tree droppings. I was planning to go to Walgreens to get a few things, but while my health status is in question, I should stay inside the car. So I think I'll just do some sight-seeing. Just seeing something outside of my own neighborhood is energizing.

Yesterday a nice young man came in response to my Freecycle ad and took the old tank and all the accessories away. It feels so good to have that whole episode done.

No movement forward on the ceiling repair. I put in an online question to the property management company, asking for help in securing a contractor. There has been no response, other than a stock answer that they have received my message. If there is nothing today, I'll proceed on my own. But I would like their input, because I know others in the building have gone through the same thing.

I posed a plan to BFF that when the time comes, I come to visit her for a few days, while they take down the old plaster. She was okay with it. What to do with Iggy though? He can't stay while the work is being done. BFF has an elderly cat that won't get along with him. DS has a cat that bullies him. I hate to board him. Since he was a shelter cat, I'm afraid he will think he has been abandoned again, and with his age and the state of his health, it might be traumatic.

But since I am nowhere near getting the work done, I won't worry about that yet.

I did two loads of laundry yesterday (and I will today) and two utility bills were withdrawn from my bank account. Variables are at 75% with just a week to go.

We had a nice day in the park for Father's Day, enjoying perfect weather. Since we have been cleared for gatherings under 10, we sat together at a picnic table -- seven of us -- and then set up chairs in the shade after eating to sit and talk. Lunch was fried chicken and sides from a local restaurant. Once again, several hours went by very quickly.

My ex surprised me by giving me $100. I've mentioned before that after our divorce (which he initiated) our financial situations went in opposite directions. His star rose and mine fell. He wasn't very nice about it at the time, and seemed intent on getting the lion's share, and making my life as hard and miserable as possible. But a lot of time has gone by, and for the sake of the kids we have made peace. In the last few years he has taken to giving me money at odd times. I think he is finally feeling a weight on his conscience, though why he never did before is a mystery to me. Whenever he gives me money, I take it, because my losses from his actions have been incalculable. It will be helpful to have this extra bit of cash when I get started on the ceiling repair.

Which I plan to do tomorrow! I'm going to call our property management company to see if they have recommendations for someone to do the work. I'm also going to call my insurance agent to see if they will cover any of the cost. I'm guessing not, since it is an age issue -- the old plaster is just giving out after 100 years up there. But it doesn't hurt to ask.

I'm also going to offer the old fish tank on Freecycle, and hope that someone will take it off my hands. (And down the stairs!)

No spending today. The lunch was paid for by my son's family -- and I even brought home a few pieces for tomorrow!

Well, it's been quite a time with the new aquarium and the old. I transferred the fish yesterday evening. That was not easy! They are very quick and hard to catch! I'm sure it was more traumatic than it had to be because I had to try so many times. But I got it done. Last night they just huddled together in shock, but today they are very frisky.

No sooner did I get them moved, than Iggy jumped on TOP of the new aquarium to check it out! Scared me to death -- it is covered, but it is not a very sturdy cover and that could have been a disaster. So I experimented with a few different knick-knacks to discourage Iggy's path to the top. Here is a picture of what I ended up with:



This morning I got to work on emptying and cleaning the old aquarium. It was very tedious -- lots of baling, then siphoning, then more baling. I had to scoop out the gravel, which I boiled in a pan on the stovetop to get rid of the black algae. I'm not reusing it, but someone else might. I'm going to offer the aquarium and its parts on Freecycle once I get done with the cleaning.

All of the accessories -- the filter, the light, and the heater -- work, and they cleaned up pretty well. I was thinking I would just throw them away, but now I can see they have a lot of life in them yet.

What I haven't done yet -- I haven't cleaned out the actual tank, although the water is all gone. The tank is still very heavy, even without water, and I may have to have my son come over and move it to a place where it's easier to clean. I sure don't want to drop it.

I really hope someone wants it on Freecycle, because then they can be the ones to take it down the stairs. It's a good tank, with all the parts, and I'm throwing in extra filter pads and an extra bulb. And the gravel if they want it!

I did throw away the ornaments -- they were not worth cleaning up.

Before the fish ordeal, I went to Walgreens yesterday to pick up a $20 prescription. I also bought two Father's Day cards ($4 each) and a packet of hair bands for $5. My hair is long enough to pull back in a ponytail! Well, just barely, but now that I have the bands I'll be ready.

I also participated in a peak savings day. Between 1 and 5 I turned off all the electricity, and I will get a credit on my next bill. It was a little warm without the AC, but not too bad.

The outlet extender came yesterday, a day earlier than projected. I have the aquarium all set up. Now I'm just waiting for the 24-hour period to play out before I add the fish. Hope that will happen without trauma.

I ordered a set of washcloths, a picture frame, and barber scissors from Amazon yesterday. $60!

I remember once talking with my SIL about bargain hunting and trying to save money, and she said, "Sometimes I wonder if it isn't better to just get what you need and not worry about it." That's kind of how I'm living now, after a lifetime of deal-seeking. I'm just getting what I need, mostly ordering online, and buying groceries wherever I can do it with the least contact. I'm not seeing a big difference in overall spending. Groceries are more costly, but I am apparently compensating in other ways.

I wonder if this will keep up after the pandemic is over, or if I will go back to my old ways.

Variables are at 71% with a week and four days to go.