My house has been on the market almost a week and I have had three "lookers" already. I haven't had any feedback yet on what they thought.

I have to get my dog out of the house for each appointment. So far I've been lucky. The first time I just took him for a walk in the park. The second time it was raining, so I drove to Cracker Barrel and had brunch, while he stayed in the car. (It was cool enough). The third time, today, I took him to my son's house and then the two of us went to see Shrek III. I know that eventually I will have to take him to the kennel or the vet and pay for the privilege -- those times when I know someone will come and look, but not what time. So far that hasn't happened yet.

Everyone warned me that keeping the house clean was going to be a nightmare, but actually it's much better than the fixing-up stage. I'm developing some good habits. Maybe I'll always be neat after this!

I've been eating out more than usual -- not really intentionally, but I am more inclined to accept invitations because I won't dirty the kitchen. Everything I cook is simple and I clean it up right away. I'm not making anything that calls for a lot of preparation. So I'm sure I will end up spending more on food while I am in this selling mode.

On Saturday I went with friends to Panera and then to an ice cream shop. Spent $7 at Panera; the ice cream was a treat. Yesterday I had brunch at Cracker Barrel for about $8 and dinner at MCL for about $13. Today I spent $13.50 on the movie, since I treated my son. I also spent $10 on a car wash today.

The Memorial Day barbecue I was planning to attend didn't work out -- rather, I'm sure the barbecue worked out okay, but my friends and I didn't get coordinated, so we ended up not going. Since I had a house showing, that worked out for the best.

Well, now that my house is officially on the market, I can stop pouring money into it! My goal in recent months has been to get it ready for picky buyers. My goal now will be to pay off the credit card debt I incurred.

I really wanted to pay cash as I made improvements, and I did the best I could. But there were unexpected expenses, and I had a tight timetable. I have added about $2000 to my credit card debt. So I'm going to chip away at that. Starting with NO shopping this weekend, no grocery, no nothing. I have enough food -- though I might have some pretty interesting menus with what I have on hand!

I've been invited to a Memorial Day barbecue and I'll have to take a dish. I'm thinking deviled eggs -- cheap and good. I even have the fancy Tupperware carrier.

I haven't spent anything for four days now. I've also had a lot of free meals lately. My realtor treated me to lunch on Tuesday. There have been leftovers from events at work -- good leftovers -- salads and sandwiches, that have provided several lunches and dinners. One day there was a ton of bagels left over from a morning meeting, and I saved two for two breakfasts. I used to feel guilty about grabbing the leftovers, but I don't any more as I've seen them throwing them out. Crazy waste!

I just saw Jeffrey's post about the new blog contest, which got me looking around for the results of the "Confessions" one, and I saw that -- I won?

I humbly thank everyone that voted for me. I've been so busy I totally missed the voting, as well as the third contest!

I spent this weekend cleaning the house. I also bought some items for staging it -- new towels, decorative pillows, plants -- about $100 worth! Hard to believe they cost so much. But it is my final step. I called my realtor today and we will meet tomorrow to get it officially on the market. Now I just have to keep it clean every day. Already I'm starting to develop some habits that I wonder why I didn't have before. Like -- I don't really have to open my mail and let it sit on the dining room table, do I? I can cook so I don't splatter food, can't I? I can put my dishes in the dishwasher right away, can't I?

Speaking of the dishwasher, a big part of my cleaning time was spent cleaning the lime off the heating coil. I didn't get it all off, but it looks a lot better. While I was in the process I was so frustrated I was on the verge of running out to get a new dishwasher, so I'm glad I stuck it out and saved the money.

If I hadn't watched all those shows on TLC and A&E I would never have spent so much time and money fixing up the house. I hope it proves to be a smart move. We'll see soon!

Right now I'm waiting for my handyman to come and paint the ceiling. (Hope it's not TOO long, I am taking off work for this.)

Yesterday I spent $1 for bottled water from the vending machine. So unlike me; I rarely buy water. Water is free! But I had gone for a diet coke, and the machine said "Make another selection." I pressed all the buttons for diet drinks and nothing came out. I pressed the water button, not expecting to get one, but I did. So I had a $1 bottle of water. Oh well, better for me than the diet coke, I'm sure, but I could have got water from the fountain.

I also bought a new book of stamps and some ones. $8.30. The raise in stamp prices snuck up on me. I still have more than half a book of the old ones to use up.

One of my colleagues wants to look at my house next Monday. He was assuming I didn't have a realtor yet, so I wonder if he is looking for a great deal. I can't afford to give him a great deal! I need one myself!

Yesterday I got a flyer from a car dealer with a scratch-off contest. Whoo-hee I was the grand prize winner! It was a little hard throwing it away. I know it is a scam, but it is easy to see how people get sucked into this. The thought that you MIGHT be a winner is so compelling.

I think of myself as someone who lives a simple life. I have a job with a moderate income, I live in a small house, I live alone, I don't eat out a lot, or party, or travel very much. I buy clothes at Goodwill, mostly, and an occasional movie is a real treat. I read a lot, but rarely buy a book.

Yet it really gets me, sometimes, how much a simple life costs.

This weekend I bought gas ($31.30), bought a gift ($30.29), bought pet supplies ($73.21), and a coke when I was on the road and dying of thirst ($1.37).

All that adds up to almost $150, when I wasn't planning to spend much at all! When I had decided to forgo grocery shopping to save a little. It just gets me.

I've actually had a pretty eventful weekend, for me. On Friday night I was caught in a huge traffic jam -- I almost typed "tragic jam" and I guess it was that, too. A car-motorcycle accident that took a life. Had I not stopped at the library on the way home from work, I would probably have been at the scene. It shakes you up. A young life gone. So sad.

On Saturday I went to a graduation open house for a former co-worker who graduated from law school. It was about an hour and a half drive away, so no small thing, but I'm glad I did it. It's nice to see people who are achieving their goals and so happy. He already has a job at a law firm, as long as he passes the bar -- which he will; he's a smart cookie.

On Saturday evening I babysat for another co-worker. She just had her first baby two months ago. Her husband just graduated also; earned an MBA and they are soon moving to Vermont. They went out for a celebration dinner last night and this was the first time they had left their baby with a sitter. He was a jewel. We watched TV, worked out in his "gym," had a bottle; then he zonked out for the night -- or at least as long as I was there! As I was leaving my friend tucked a Culver's gift card in my purse, despite my protests that I did not want to be paid. Well, it will come in handy sometime!

Today my son is working, so we will do some Mother's Day thing in the evening -- maybe see a movie. He told me yesterday he was officially given the job of wait staff manager in his restaurant. This has been talked about for a long time, but the restaurant is in its first year, and while it's been successful, the finances have been shaky. So the decision has been held off. Now things seem to be better. I sure hope they will continue to improve. This is great for my son; he will get a real salary now, but will still get tips. Since it is a high-end restaurant, the tips are very nice.

Today I will clean and finish touching up the paint. Tomorrow the bedroom ceiling gets painted. Thursday the living room carpet gets cleaned. After that, I'll be ready to put the house on the market.

Today I spent $2.36 on a Mother's Day card for my daughter-in-law. It's her first Mother's Day, and I wanted to recognize that. Couldn't find a First Mother's Day card, though! I'm sure they exist. I also called my son and told him NOT to send me a gift. He and his wife have a lot of expenses right now, and I don't want them spending money on something silly.

I have a brand new grand-niece -- that's three! Along with two grand-nephews. And if I count the children on my ex's side of the family, I have six grand-nieces! But they're spread all over the country, so I rarely get to see any of them. I wish we were one of those families that all stay in the same town. I would love to baby-sit!

Tomorrow the pad under the corner of my carpet will be replaced. The dealer quoted a price around $100 -- mostly for the labor.

Then I called the carpet cleaner. They quoted a price of $115. After setting the appointment I called back because I'd found a $20 off coupon on their website. She said she would put it in the work order, and that I should print off the coupon. However, there is an expired date on the coupon which I didn't notice. It's confusing, because the link to it said "May Specials" and the expiration date is March. Well, I'm going to hand him the coupon and see if it flies.

I never reported on how dying my pants worked out. Only fair. Even though I followed the directions to the letter, the dye is a bit uneven. For some reason it is darker at the bottom hems. Also, some random stains, which I hadn't noticed before, are significantly darker. Oh well, they will do for knocking around. It was worth a try.

I'm planning to skip grocery shopping this Saturday. I have enough on hand to make do, I think. Instead I will shop at PetSmart -- get my cat food, Greenies, my dog's glucosimine chondroiton. I'm going to try to limit myself to shopping at only one place each weekend. Might be a challenge, but I think it will help control my spending.

I had a no-spend day going, but then I noticed that Netflix charged my Discover card, so technically, it's a spender. I did get Little Miss Sunshine in the mail, so that makes up for it!

I came home early from work because a carpet guy was coming to check the pad. We decided to replace a 4 x 6 area of padding. I hope the carpet cleans up nice after that. I'm a little worried because he showed me that the back of the carpet was stained, and that might come through when it is shampooed. Ugghh, I'm so sick of this stuff.

My realtor called today to say, "Ready?" I had to say no. I won't get the ceiling painted till Monday (unless it rains this week -- my handyman is apparently working outside somewhere). I didn't get any promises about when the pad will be replaced. But I went out on a limb and said, "Two weeks." She's going to put an ad in the realty magazine that will be published in two weeks. So I've got a firm deadline now.

Yesterday I touched up the paint in my living room, stairwell and hall. Today I touched up an area in my bathroom I missed -- didn't see it until I bathed this morning and had a different vantage point!

I got a new computer at work today. What a pleasure it is to use! Makes me wish I had got a desktop for home. I don't think I'm really a laptop person.

Yesterday's retreat netted me breakfast, lunch, and snacks to take home. There was a lot of stuff left at the end of the day, so I asked my boss if it was okay to take an orange juice and yogurt. She said okay!

I was invited to an open house on Saturday for an ex-colleague who is graduating from law school. I haven't figured out yet what to get him. Maybe an Olive Garden gift card? I'm sure he and his wife are in the mood to go out!

It's been a bit of a spendy weekend, but I've gotten some things done.

Yesterday I grocery-shopped, buying only the loss leaders at Kroger - $18.16 (saved $15.71). Today I went out to lunch at IHOP with friends. I frugally ordered the senior 3-stack, only $2.99 -- but it turned out one of my friends picked up the tab. I paid the tip, which was $2.50. Then this afternoon I went to Wal-Mart, buying mulch, flowers, and wind chimes ($117.52). A lot of money, but it really perked up the curb appeal. No deals, unfortunately.

I got quite a few things done on the house, too. Besides all the lawn work, I painted the bathroom, and touched up the kitchen, laundry room and a lot of trim. Emptied a bookcase so I could move it -- that is the area where the rug has to be pulled up to check the pad. Hung a picture. Cleaned the limey fixtures in the bathroom. Did all my laundry, too! And even made myself some corn on the cob, which was so delicious. Still have to touch up in the study and living room. I'm getting closer...

Tomorrow my office goes on a retreat, which means -- free lunch! Woo hoo!

Yesterday I did a little spending at Wal-Mart -- about $6 for "sundries," and also went out for a $15 lunch -- didn't have any control over that one, it was a work event. Nice, but I rarely pay $15 for a lunch! But today was a no-spender.

I made a $200 error in my check register -- the wrong way, of course. Thank goodness I check my account online everyday, because I caught it before I was charged any fees. But I had to transfer the money from savings, which is a bummer. It's funny I didn't notice that I had $200 extra to play with when I was paying my bills.

I called ServiceMaster today to make an appointment to clean my living room carpet. I discussed the kitty potty problem with the lady on the phone and decided that I really need to check out the pad before I try to clean the carpet. If the pad has been soaked, then cleaning the carpet would only pull that crud up through it. So I'm having someone come next Tuesday to pull back the corner and take a look. I'm sure it is soaked, judging from what happened to the other carpets. So more money out the door. However, I don't want to knowingly sell damaged goods to someone else.

I also have to paint the bedroom ceiling. It was patched, and I thought the patch didn't show, but in a good light it does. I'm going to have my handyman do it. I have had lots of trouble with rotator cuff injuries and I am afraid to try holding a roller over my head.

The bathroom needs another coat of paint, and some of the trim needs another coat, too. But I am really close now. Once I get those things done -- and get the house clean -- I can put it on the market.

No work tonight, though. Once I close up this laptop, I'll kick back and read. I'm reading a really good book on Mary Todd Lincoln; I think it's called "The Emancipator's Wife."

This is my real profession. I am actually in the research end of fundraising, and I work ‎for a very large institution that is just completing a $1.5 million campaign.‎

I think I have some special insight into how to make your charity dollars do what you ‎want them to do.‎

Give only if you want to

That’s right, a fundraiser is telling you to give only if you want to. NEVER allow ‎yourself to be pressured or guilted into giving. That’s not what true charity is about. If ‎you give just because you are being polite, you will feel crummy about it. If you give ‎because it is heartfelt, you will feel like royalty, no matter what size the gift.‎

Give only if you have the means

You’ve heard about the 80/20 rule? Welcome to the 90/10 rule. 90% of our donations ‎came from 10% of our donor base. The truth is that most charities are overwhelmingly ‎funded by people with significant wealth. They are people who have accumulated so ‎much money, they truly don’t get a kick out of buying anything any more. What they ‎DO get a kick out of is giving it away to a cause they believe in. ‎

The rest of us -- the everyday, but generous people -- are only contributing about 10% to ‎the bucket -- all together!‎

I’m not saying this to imply that small gifts are not appreciated, or that small donors are ‎not generous. Believe me, I know, small donors are actually the MOST generous when ‎you consider the percentage of their wealth they are donating. Many million-dollar ‎donors are not particulary generous because they have $40 million more untouched in ‎their stock holdings. I think I could spare a million if I had 40 million more to live on!‎

My point is, if you are really financially stretched, for heaven’s sake, don’t feel that you ‎are obligated to donate. You will do more for the common good by taking care of your ‎own needs and those of your family.‎

Make your gift count

If you have decided you truly want to donate, then be sure your gift is going to count. ‎Check out charitywatch.org to see what organizations get high grades for administrative ‎efficiency. You don’t want to give to an organization that uses half of your money to pay ‎its officers. Also, if you are giving to a large organization, remember that you can ‎designate your gift to a certain area. If you are giving to a university, for example, you ‎can donate to the school you graduated from, or to a program that is near and dear to your ‎heart.‎

Don’t worry too much about mailing costs

On the other hand, don’t get too upset if you get multiple mailings, or if you think the ‎brochure is too nice, or if you get a freebie you don’t want. Many administrative costs ‎are actually donated and are not taking away from your gift. Don’t try to contact the ‎organization to cut down your mailing soliciations or to set restrictions. The time it takes ‎to for staff to set up and maintain special mailing instructions is more expensive than the ‎paper and postage. If you don’t want it, throw it away!‎

Send in your matching gift form

If you work for a corporation that matches your gift, be sure you send in the form. It’s ‎not necessarily done automatically. Some companies actually double or even triple your ‎gift. This is a great way to multiply the power of your gift with no added expense to you!‎

Don’t forget to claim your deduction

Your generosity will pay you back when you file your taxes. Be sure to keep your ‎receipts and remember to claim special credits. For instance, in the state of Indiana, up to ‎half of a donation to an in-state educational institution can be claimed as a credit on the ‎state tax form. Also, remember that you can claim up to $200 in charitable giving on ‎your federal form without receipts. I always claim the $200 because I donate gifts-in-‎kind regularly to Goodwill and other similar agencies, but I don’t bother with the receipts ‎unless I am giving something large and valuable (which hasn’t happened yet!)‎

I had a no-spend day going, but I decided I MUST stop at Wal-Mart and get some Shout. I'm going to try to save my stained khakis, even though I know it's a slim chance the ball-point ink will come out. Maybe I can dye them dark if it doesn't work. Anyway, that was $2.41. I paid with change from the garage sale. I have a lot of change, I'm going to have to work it down.

I got my $15 refund from PayPal for buying a $30 pot on Cooking.com via PayPal. I had totally given up on getting that money, so it was a nice surprise. I'm going to put it on the credit card next month -- the one I supposedly pay off every month, but since I've been fixing up the house, it's getting harder and harder to pay it off.

My handyman did not come and fix the ceiling today, so I gave him a reminder call. I hate to be at someone else's beck and call. He does work for a lot less than the professional handymen, but it's a lot of work to get him to work! He does do a nice job, though.

Tomorrow I am committed to eating out with my boss, and the day after we're having a "welcome lunch" at a restaurant for a new employee. It amazes me how much other people eat lunch out. I amaze them because I bring my lunch every day.

I'm wondering, though, if I'll eat out more when the house goes on the market. I'll have to keep it clean every day, which means I might want to do less food preparation. Especially since I have this black range that is so hard to clean. It gets smeary.

I had a bit of a diet victory last night. After dinner I figured out the average number of calories I ate every day in April. Then I got hungry! I wanted to eat again so bad, but I didn't want to have to refigure. Finally, I told myself I would eat at midnight if I was still hungry and it could go on the next day's count. Well, I made it; I was asleep at midnight and I didn't eat again until breakfast this morning. It wasn't so bad. I don't know why hunger freaks me out so -- I know I'm not going to starve!

Sorry I've been incommunicado lately. I've been busy doing (guess what!) work on the house. Everything is done now except for the ceiling repair -- and top to bottom cleaning. I even had the garage sale this past weekend -- but I can't tell you what I cleared, because I was so tired I didn't count the money I started with, and I still haven't counted the change I brought in. Suffice to say it was over $100. The ad was $42.40 -- two-day run. Next time I'll just do one day; that's too much of a cut. I also ruined a good pair of khaki pants because I wore an apron with a pen in the pocket. The pen was poking through the fabric and drew on my thigh all morning as I was moving around. I'll try to treat the pants, but I don't have high hopes.

Just did my month's end summin' up. It's been a blowout month. I spent $3868, well over my average of ~$3100. Several reasons -- $877 in home repair costs (which included some new carpeting), $493 in vet costs (my dog had to have a toe amputated), $219 in gifts (and not one occasion!), $140 in lawn & garden (shrub trimming in addition to lawn mowing). Gas, groceries, eating out, miscellaneous were all higher than usual. Oh, it was just that kind of month. I just hope and pray I can reel it in next month.

I had 8 no-spend days -- but I spent a lot when I was spending!

I AM proud that through all this stress I've maintained an average calorie intake of 1770 and I lost three pounds this month.

Well, I haven't been here for a while. I've been so busy with the house, pushing to be ready to show by the end of the month. I feel like I've done a lot, but all I can think of right now is that I've finished painting the two bedrooms and I've replaced a set of closet doors. Now I'm trying to pull stuff together for a garage sale, which I will hold on Saturday. I'm gathering a lot more stuff than I thought I had.

I've been to another funeral since I was here last -- the sister of the aunt who died several weeks ago. It was not a great surpise that the two sisters went close together. They were always very, very close, and they were both ill. It was good to see family and pay my respects, but the trip cost me a day and half, which was stressful, when I'm working so hard to get ready to sell. Fortunately, I did not have to pay for anything but gas; food and lodging were covered by someone else.

As far as money matters go, I am continuing to dribble money away. Today I bought some frames, a lampshade, and some artificial flowers just to pretty things up. I've given my handyman another $175 for his work, and he has yet to replace the hinges on the kitchen cabinets and hang some shelves. I have to have the ceiling fixed, also, and that will not be cheap. I also have someone scheduled to trim all the bushes. Some time I will total everything I've spent fixing up the house, but not right now; it's too scary!

I would say it's looking nice, but right now it's a wreck, with everything pulled out for the garage sale. I'll be glad when THAT's over!

My carpet was installed today. As much as I hated spending the money, I am thrilled with the result. And, once they pulled up the old carpet, I saw very clearly why the spots never came clean. The damage went all the way through the pad and into the floor. I poured some bleach on the floorboards before they laid the new pad; hopefully that will keep smells at bay. Since the cat who made the mess is gone, there is hope that the carpet will stay clean.

After pulling all the furniture back in (part of which was setting up the computer again and untangling all the cords) I was too tired to do anything else. I rested a bit and then went to Menard's (my home away from home) and bought some ceiling paint ($12) and returned a switchplate ($2). Then I grocery shopped ($42) and filled a prescription ($24). I also paid the carpet-layers $10 to carry a heavy futon down to the garage.

I feel like I haven't done much. Maybe after I get off the computer I'll scrape the wall again. Oh joy!

My dog took his bandage off today, but it was with my permission. His foot appears to be pretty well healed, and he doesn't seem to be bothering it too much. We are both very happy he is not wearing the cone on his head any more. I hope, oh I hope I hope his foot does not get infected again.

I have been invited to my nephew's wife's baby shower tomorrow. It is a three-and-a-half hour drive away. I want to go, and I think I will, if I can get going early enough in the morning.

While I was out, my handyman came and installed one, and only one, cabinet knob in the kitchen. I wonder what the story behind that is!

Well, progress is being made on my house, but I have privately decided that I will not try to get it on the market by May 1. I understand that the realtor believes it would be best, but I am just not ready and I'm not willing to kill myself getting ready. I will graciously accept the consequences of being a little late on the market.

In the past couple days my handyman has replaced the bathroom fan, put up a shelf in the laundry room, installed a door, replaced three vent covers, and replaced two light fixtures. I have finished stripping wallpaper in a bedroom and have begun cleaning and scraping the wall. Tomorrow new carpeting is being laid in another bedroom. My handyman has yet to put knobs on my cabinets, install closet doors, fill holes and paint two rooms. I arranged to have a different handyman (with more expertise) fix some ceiling problems. He called today to put it off until May 1. Thank goodness I had already decided I wasn't going to meet the deadline, or I would have blown a gasket!

I'm also having my lawn guy trim my shrubbery, though when is still a question mark. And somewhere in the midst of this, I must have a garage sale and clean the garage. And clean the house -- and have the carpets shampooed.

I think my new deadline is June 1. At least.

I continue to just spend money left and right. I hate it. I really hate it. I had no idea that selling my house would be so financially draining. Every time I think there can't be anything else to buy, something else comes up.

I did have one piece of luck. I was going to buy a bathroom cabinet because I want to take the one I'm using with me. I actually bought one at Wal-Mart, but once I got it out of the box it was so cheap looking I took it back. Then I happened upon some nice decorative shelves I'm no longer using. I'm going to hang them in the bathroom for storage. They'll look nice, and they're free!

I can hardly wait until I can be frugal again.

I met with my realtor again last night and she gave me the valuation. It was right on the mark of what I expected -- asking price $97,000; worst case scenario $85,000. (I won't actually go that low. I would take if off the market and wait a year before I would do that.) Despite being prepared, I was very sad and depressed when I went to bed last night. Today I feel better, so I guess I'm just going through emotional cycles as I work through this process of moving away.

I still have lots of work to do. The wallpaper is almost down now, just a few strips to go. The steamer actually didn't turn out to work as well as just using DIF, though I think it helps to pre-loosen it. I think it will be really helpful when I have to scrape the glue off the wall.

My realtor really wants the house on the market by the first of May. That's only a few weeks away. I wish I had more time; it is very stressful. My handyman, who said he could start on Monday, didn't show up. He is like that. I should get someone else, but he is a family friend and kind of a sad case. He did say that nothing on the list was very time-consuming except for the wall prep, which I am doing myself.

My dog is adjusting to being a "cone-head." He has learned how to eat and drink and how to get up and down the stairs. He still bangs around and knocks things over, but he's getting better, and his attitude is better. Still, we will both be thrilled when I get to take it off on Friday. It is nice that his bandage is staying intact and I don't have to worry about it.

Well, it was back to my favorite place today -- Menard's. I'm being sarcastic, but actually I do have to say the people there are very nice. Anyway, I spent $24.48 on paint, vent cover, switchplates, tape and scrapers, plus a very cool tool for painting corners. I also spent $26.49 on a Scunci steam cleaner. Hope it will make the wallpaper stripping go faster. It does look like a neat little machine, but I haven't tried it out yet.

Then it was on to Wal-Mart, where I got a variety of supplies for $49.60. The most fun was two Golden books for my grandson's first Easter. One was Richard Scarry's First Bunny Book and the other was The Pokey Little Puppy, which I loved as a kid. Of course, they won't get to Kansas City by Easter. Sigh.

My third stop was Kroger, where I spent $53.49 on groceries, saving $18.28 on various deals. One thing I bought was a beef kabob -- on sale because it was ready to expire -- but I ate it for lunch; what a treat! Only $2.

I took my dog with me in the car, just so I could keep checking on him that he wasn't chewing his bandage. It stayed on last night. Hooray! If we can make it till Monday when it comes off, I will have accomplished something.

Yesterday I stripped off two more sheets of wallpaper, painted the first coat on the bathroom and painted the baseboards in the kitchen and living room. Today the day is already half gone just running errands, but I will get back at it as soon as I finish up here.

Yesterday -- or I should say the night before last -- my dog removed his bandage. (If you're not up to date on my blog, he had surgery on Monday to remove a toe that was infected). I had to take him back to the vet, and they had to sedate him again to put on a new bandage. $41. They sent him home with an Elizabethan collar over his head. He spent the night wearing it, but in the morning he couldn't get back downstairs -- the collar is so long it tripped him up when he looked down. It also makes it almost impossible for him to eat or drink because it knocks the bowls over. So I took it off. I had taken it off and put it back on successfully the evening before, but this morning he simply would not let me. I didn't want to get bit, so I called the vet and asked if bitter apple on the bandage would help. They reluctantly agreed that it might. I don't think they understand how hard I tried to get that collar back on. Forty minutes of frustration and tears! Well, now the bandage is tasting pretty bitter (I assume) and I will hope for the best. The bitter apple was $7.47.

Also, since I've talked to you last, I've gone out to lunch (birthday event at work). Spent only $6.29 including tip, and had enough left over for my dog's dinner. I also bought a baby shower gift online, $36.88, including shipping. The shower is for my nephew's wife and is being held next weekend in a neighboring state. At this point I am planning to make the trip, even though it is inconvenient timing, because I haven't seen my relatives there since Thanksgiving.

I'm feeling pretty gloomy about finances in general; my credit card debt is higher due to the home repair, and I keep having unexpected expenses. My emergency fund disappeared into the house months ago. It makes me wonder, do you have to be wealthy to sell a house these days? The expectations of buyers are so high. I guess that's what it's like in a buyer's market.

Today I am scraping glue off the walls where I stripped off wallpaper. Awful job. I'll never be a house flipper!

Spending last month was $3200 on the nose. Quite a bit more than February ($2380). $909 went to home improvement, as I barrel toward putting my house on the market. My realtor tells me I must be ready by May or plan to sit a while.

I also spent $233 on the vet, and $139 for vacation and travel. I spent $109 on gifts. Other than that, my spending was pretty low. For instance, I spent a record low $50 on groceries! That was due to a free gift card and a $10 off coupon at Aldi's. That low grocery bill did NOT make my eating out higher! I only spent $28 eating out. So I'm doing very well in that department. And I had fifteen no-spend days!

Oh, if only I didn't have to spend so much on the house! Today the guy from Carpetland came to measure the space that has to be recarpeted. He convinced me that I should not do just part of the bedroom, or it would look bad; I should do the whole thing to make it look right. He offered to use the good part of the carpet to redo the hall, so that will save me some. It's a small room, only 10 x 10, but it will not be cheap. And it was just done in 2004! Never say pets are not expensive!

I also need to get a new medicine cabinet. The one I have is handmade and an unusual shape, but it does not have proper shelves. My recent vast experience of shopping at Menard's has shown me that getting anything to fit a non-standard piece is A. expensive and B. almost impossible. So I think it will be cheaper (and easier) to just buy a crappy medicine cabinet that looks new than it will be to fix up the old one. I'll take the old one with me and fix it up at my leisure.

I also have to take down wallpaper -- I've already started, but it is so tedious, I'm thinking about buying one of those little steam cleaners -- not only to get the rest of the paper off, but to clean up the gluey residue on the wall. I know you can rent them, but I am just not in the mood to lug around a big industrial machine. Anyway, I have a lot of cleaning to do.

I'm so tired; there's so much to do. And to top it all off, my dog had his toe amputated today, and he is miserable! And it cost $400. Oh well, it was necessary -- it was an infection that wouldn't heal. Oh great. As I write this, he just knocked over his water dish on my living room carpet and came within a half inch of peeing on a brand new mat. I give up!

My son called me today to let me know his dad's aunt had passed away. She was someone who was very kind to me, so I want to go to her funeral. The problem is, it's a three-hour drive away, and since it appears it will be scheduled fairly early on Thursday morning, I'll have to go Wednesday night and stay in a hotel room. So much for saving money. At least I will probably share the ride with my son, so we can split the gas.

My son also had news about his work life. He has taken a new part-time job because, once again, it is looking like the restaurant where he is working full time will close. He hasn't quit the first job, so he'll have two jobs for a while. If the restaurant closes he'll try to go full-time at the new job. The new job is at a brew pub; he'll probably enjoy that.

Today I spent $11 on dry cleaning. Oh, and the rolls still haven't been delivered. That kid is not much of a salesman!

I bought some rolls -- some time ago, from a little boy who came to the door. They are from a local restaurant, famous around here for their wonderful homemade rolls. The little boy has called a several times over the last few months to collect his money. He always gets me at work, and I tell him to come and collect after five. He doesn't come. I don't get my rolls. I'm waiting for him again tonight. I'm not out any money and it's not a matter of national security whether I get my rolls or not, but I would like closure!

That's just what's on my mind tonight. Financial news -- I called a realtor today and she will come and look at the house this Saturday. I'm not near ready to put it on the market, but I'd like to get a professional opinion.

I spent nothing today (unless I get my rolls!) and I think I've racked up quite a few no spend days this month.

Next month, I plan to pay off a couple of credit cards (all new debt, from the remodeling). That will leave me an impressive $27 a week to spend! (After bills, of course.) Should be interesting.

That's me. Picky, picky, picky. I asked my handyman to caulk the top of the tile baseboard, hoping it would look better. It looks different, not better. I brought up the idea of adding a border of smaller tiles, and he agreed it would look good, but it would be expensive. Then he offered the idea of wood trim, which would be cheaper but would still finish it off. I will think it over while he is off on another job this coming week.

I also returned the knobs I bought for the kitchen cabinets. They were the wrong color, too brassy. The knobs I exchanged them for are more of a brushed nickel, which will look good with the stainless appliances. Unfortunately, they cost me $25 more, which I didn't even realize until I got to the checkout. Again, picky, picky, picky.

In other spending today I fared better. I used a gift coupon at Kroger and got $15 worth of groceries for .22. Then I got my hair cut, using a $1 off coupon, so the total with tip was $13. I bought a book of stamps for $7.02. And I also bought some screws and a bucket at Menard's for $3.66. At the same time I returned a threshold I won't use for $5.28.

I am doing well on my diet, too. Today I went a little over 1700 calories, but I'm stuffed. Two bean wraps with salsa and a little bit of cheese did that. Whew!

Two diet savers -- and money savers: I pop popcorn in a paper bag in the microwave -- two tablespoons of kernels makes about four cups. Spray with fake butter and sprinkle with salt and it's a great, filling, cheap snack. Also, I love Fruit 2-O, the bottled water flavored with fruit juice. I stopped buying it and just make my own. Pour a little bit of juice over a full glass of cubes and ice water and it tastes just the same.

Well, I haven't wanted to admit it to myself, but no matter how much I move this lump of debt around, it is still debt. I'm talking about $1400 that I've spent on my remodeling projects. I thought I was going to pay it off in a couple of big payments, but it isn't happening, so today I shifted it to a low-interest card and added the sum to my debt total. Sigh. I'll cross my fingers and hope that the investment will be worth it when I sell the house.

I came home from work today to find that the tile baseboard has been grouted, but I am somewhat disappointed at the way the edge looks. I didn't get the bullnose (?) tile for the baseboard -- I should have. My handyman obviously did the best he could but the edge looks a little rough and unfinished. Now I'm wondering if I could make it look better by adding a row of skinny little tiles on top that would have the proper finished edge. More money, of course. I don't know if I'm being finicky or if it really does look bad.

Yesterday was a friend's birthday, and she treated ME to lunch! Bad me, I didn't even know it was her birthday. She had a gift certificate that she wanted to use, and insisted upon treating me. I wanted to pay the tip, but I only had a ten and a one. She wouldn't take the ten, so I gave her the one. So I had a $1 lunch, but feel a bit bad about it, especially after she told me it was her birthday. She is very low-key about her birthday, and we're not in the habit of celebrating, but still. I was the one who came out ahead.

Well, even though I'm not doing great money-wise now, I have gotten back on my diet. (Can I only do one or the other?) I am counting calories and trying to stay below 1700 a day -- it has been going well for almost a week now, and that counts the time I spent with my son's family on vacation. They were an inspiration, in fact. My daughter-in-law wants to lose her post-pregnancy weight, and my son -- well, he's just very disciplined in his eating habits. I'm proud of him -- he didn't get it from me!

Thank you for your kind comments on my homecoming frustration. I'm feeling better today, more philosophical.

My building collected cash yesterday for the custodian who lost her home. I didn't have any, but this morning I took out a bit from savings. I started to give it to the woman who is collecting, but she said they got quite a bit yesterday and it's already been delivered. She asked if I would wait, because she has enough to tide her over now but will need more in the future. I said OK! I'm really glad there has been such a good response.

Home again from vacation at my son's house. It was a nice respite from my real life. As soon as I got near my home turf, the money starting falling out of my pockets.

To pick up my car from the airport parking lot was $40. Then I picked up my dog at the vet. Boarding costs were $67.50, and medical costs were $232.50! That covered his annual exam, blood work, toenail clipping, vaccinations, flea & heartworm medication for the next six months, and antibiotics for the infection in his toe that has been hanging on for a year. Since it is very unlikely that the latest round of antibiotics will do any good, I am probably looking at surgery to remove the nail and part of the toe. That will be $400. At least.

Then I went home to find that my tile floor will cost $125 more than estimated. I don't even want to talk about that!

I'm frustrated. It seems I never get ahead; in fact, I can't keep from falling behind.

One of the custodians in my building lost her home in a fire yesterday. She was in an apartment. Now she has nothing -- just the clothes on her back. She is staying in a motel free of charge, but she will need help getting on her feet. This is a time when I would love to have extra money to give away, but I am socked in with all these extra expenses. It really makes me mad when I can't afford to help someone!

On Saturday I made a breakfast casserole with leftover ground pork, eggs, torn-up bread, cheese, milk and asparagus. It was delicious! It was actually a brunch casserole, since we didn't get around to eating breakfast till pretty late in the day.

When grandson was rested and fed, we bundled him up and went to Burlington Coat Factory, so I could look for a warm rain jacket. It was not that easy to find -- it seems that even with a huge selection, a rainproof coat with a little bulk is a rarity. My son did find one, however, and it is also fully reversible -- mauve on one side and light beige on the other. It was only $37 including tax, definitely a good find.

Since it was St. Patrick's Day, we stopped for Shamrock shakes at McDonald's. Then we came home, and in the evening, the kids went out for their anniversary while I babysat. It was the first time I ever got to babysit for my grandson, and he was a jewel!

Today I took my son grocery-shopping ($51) and in the afternoon we watched the Purdue-Florida game. The full game was not carried on TV here, so we also watched on the internet. It was funny, because the TV showed the running score at the top of the screen, and it was ahead of the game we were watching on the internet. So we always knew when a score was coming up! The score would change, and then we would watch for the play. Too weird.

We made chicken tacos for dinner, and soon grandson will experiment with cereal for the first time. The video camera is ready!

This is the best kind of vacation. Family, good food, no schedule and time to relax.

Here I am in Kansas City! Grandson and his mom & dad are peacefully sleeping. I had lots of quality time with grandson yesterday and got some nice smiles. He's five months old and cute as the dickens.

I stayed to the resolutions I made about my trip here. I drove & parked at the airport, bought nothing at the airport, and packed light. I do have a confession to make; when I considered whether to drive & park or take the shuttle, I forgot to factor in the gas! Duh. So actually, the shuttle would have been cheaper, but, in fact, I couldn't take it because my flight left so early in the morning. The first shuttle run would have got me there only a half-hour before takeoff, so it was never really an option.

After arriving in Kansas City, I went with my son to the library (he's a big reader like me, and is totally converted to the library now). Grandson came along in his "bucket" and seemed to enjoy the library as well!

Soon it was time for lunch, so we met my daughter-in-law at Wendy's (she was working and I hadn't seen her yet). I treated them; it was $16 for some pretty healthy salads and a sandwich; a pretty good deal, I thought.

Then I asked them what the baby needed, and the answer was pants! He has been going through a spell of ruining his pants with -- well, you know what. So we went to Old Navy and I got three pairs and a cute little jacket as well for $31. I applied for a credit card to get a 10% discount -- in hindsight probably not worth the hassle -- but I also got some coupons which I gave to my daughter-in-law, as she is an Old Navy fan.

Then we stopped at Border's because it was nearby and I wanted to get pick up a bag of coffee. My kids don't drink coffee, so didn't have it on hand. Border's was switching from one brand to another so I was able to get a bag of premium beans for half-price, and they ground it, too! $4.83 all told.

Then we came home for some down-time and naps. My son ran an anti-spyware program on my computer, and it is running much better. Soon my daughter-in-law came home and we had a very frugal and tasty dinner of dirty rice. After the baby went to bed we watched "North Country," snacking on popcorn, then all went to bed.

I have a totally unrelated question. Did anyone else make the online purchase through PayPal which promised a $15 rebate? I never got the $15. I wonder if I did something wrong....

I finally did my state taxes and will send the forms off tomorrow. I'll be getting $114 back. Not bad. I'm glad I didn't Turbo Tax it.

I guess I'm going to keep my Netflix subscription. I signed up for the $5 a month version -- 2 movies a month. That's about all I really have time to watch. I would get a better deal with the $1 machine in the grocery store, but I like the option of getting older movies -- and I like getting them delivered.

Other than my Netflix indulgence, I am trying hard to keep everyday spending down so I can funnel everything to my home improvement expenses. I have to be extra mindful. Today I forgot to take a lunch to work, and I was debating whether to eat out or drive home. I did neither. I ate what was available at work. Someone had brought in cookies and donuts. I had some yogurt in the fridge, and some microwave popcorn in my drawer. Yes, I know, terrible, terrible nutrition, but I didn't spend anything, not even gasoline.

I've been thinking ahead about how I can save a little on my trip. I researched whether it would cost more to drive and park, or take the shuttle to the airport. Driving & parking is a little less, so that's what I'll do. That means I will pack light, because it's such a hassle carrying bags on those airport buses. Also -- I usually buy a book at the airport -- it's been a way I treated myself in the past. Not this time. This morning I thought I might go to Goodwill to pick up a book there, but then I decided -- no, I'm not spending anything! I went to the library instead, and checked out some small paperbacks that I can carry on the plane. I am planning to buy no food in the airport. I'll make a sandwich that I'll eat in the car on the way. I'll drink water from the fountains -- if I can find them!

Another expense is boarding my dog. No way to save on that, except to cut down the time. So I asked my son if he would pick him up Monday morning (he'll be out of town until then). While my dog is at the vet, which is where I board him, he'll get his shots and his nail trim, so at least those expenses will be combined.

In other news, my cousin emailed me today to let me know that the addition on her house has not been started due to permit problems with the septic system. That made me wonder why I am purshing so hard to get my house ready to sell, when my living space at the other end isn't even started! I know she really wants me there, but it seems like the timing is off. I emailed her with my concerns, but she hasn't answered yet. I would really feel better if I didn't feel so pressured to get my house on the market this spring. It is much harder than I thought it would be, and more expensive.

No spending yesterday or today.

No more work done on the house.

My son called today and told me he may soon be out of a job -- the restaurant where he works may close. So he's considering a move to Chicago where he can stay with his dad and perhaps find a better job in a better market.

This does not thrill me, but I want him to get on his feet. He has always struggled. He didn't finish school; he's had some bad jobs and bad roommates. He's his own worst enemy but he's had bad luck, too. Sigh. I want things to get better!

On Friday I'll fly to Kansas City to see my other son. He is married with a baby and much more settled, but he is struggling financially, too.

Could this be hereditary?

Anyway, I'm looking forward to bouncing my grandson on my knee, and only wish I could just snap my fingers and be there. Unfortunately, I have to pack, drive to the airport, park the car, yada yada yada....

Well, the bathroom tile was laid yesterday but not grouted. It was 11:30 p.m. by the time the tile got in so I sent my handyman home. There were several problems -- the room is not square and the tub is not straight, so the job required a lot of cutting. Then we ran out of tile and had to go get more. Also, my handyman was working with a quick-dry product that ended up making things more difficult for him. I felt so sorry for him that I bought him dinner. ($3.89 at Wendy's)

Also, when he tried to reinstall the toilet, we found that we did not have the right size bolts. (The old ones couldn't be reused). So the toilet is standing, but I can't use it till it is bolted. (That's okay, I have another!) My handyman had to fly to Houston today for a week to do a job there -- a previous commitment -- and I'm leaving on Friday for Kansas City -- so this won't get finished for a while. The good news is, since the job isn't finished, I didn't have to pay him yet!

Other good news -- while I did have to buy more tiles, at the same time I returned extra tiles from the backsplash, and I actually came out $13.40 ahead!