I did well on the diet front today. I consumed an estimated 1355 calories, and I walked for 40 minutes. My food intake:

Coffee with no-fat creamer
Scrambled eggs with spinach & cheese
Turkey sandwich
3 clementines
1 small piece spanakopita
1 mini piece Mediterranean pizza
Pepper strips & hummus
1 small sausage roll
1 cup plain popcorn
5 oz. wine

The last six items I had at a birthday party/open house for a friend of mine. I made the best selections I could from the buffet. Passed up the cake and sweets.

I also kept drinking and refilling a water bottle all day.

I'm not feeling too hungry right now. I actually feel pretty good. But it's still early. We'll see how I feel in a couple of hours.

I also walked to the party, which was 20 minutes each way.

Just to keep this financial, it was a no-spend day, and I got a free dinner. I made a birthday card for my friend, rather than buying one. It's not beautiful, but I hope it is charming. I probably should have taken her a little gift, but I didn't know what to get her; I don't know her tastes or her needs very well.

Anyway, I'm feeling very encouraged, but, of course, it's day one!

Well, yesterday was a little more spendy than usual, but my variables spending is still more than fine at 50% -- and only 7 days to go!

I got my passport photo taken -- it was $14, more than I expected. And it's not a great picture. I won't look at it too often, to preserve my self-esteem!

I gave $1 to a homeless man. I dropped a dime while I was taking out the bill, so I actually gave him $1.10!

I went to see Revenant with a friend. It was $7. The good news is I didn't have to pay for parking, because I figured out how to get my ticket validated.

Who has seen Revenant? I thought it was technically amazing, but terribly gory and a real downer for me. I could have passed. I had been warned about the bear scene, but that was only one of many, many bloody scenes. And there was no redeeming story to counterbalance, at least not for me.

I'm thinking of seeing The Big Short today; I think that might be more in my line. A movie about a financial crisis, what could be better?

My clothes are getting tighter instead of looser, so I have to address my weight issue. Not only will it help my self-esteem, but it is a financial issue. I can't -- I won't -- buy bigger clothes. I have several bins full of smaller clothes. The mandate is clear. The only problem is I will have to do things I don't like to do -- like be hungry, avoid the foods I love, and exercise. I've done this so many times, only to wind up back in the same place; it's hard to get up any excitement about it. But as they say in the UK (and I've adopted it) -- needs must!

So my friends, I will bore you with not only my three meals per day, but I will share everything I eat; hopefully to shame myself out of it. And I will share exercise, too. So I will probably switch from posting in the morning to posting in the evening, when all the damage is done.

Now for good news -- my refund has already posted! I'm going to put it in my e-fund/mortgage fund, along with some money I've been carrying in checking for too long. (Always thought I would open a new account at Chase and get a bonus, but I never had quite enough to spare). I'll do that later today, and then update the sidebar.

Today is going to be a day of looking closely at goals and solutions. I'm in the mood to be more responsible -- to myself.

Did you see our famous wind on the national news last night? Man! Was it ever windy. Unfortunately, I decided to walk to the bank -- I went out the door intending to drive, but it was so warm I thought it was silly not to walk -- and the wind, at that point, was pretty tame. By the time I got halfway there, I realized the wind was blowing tarps off construction sites, knocking over garbage cans and sending them barreling down alleys, basically picking up everything that wasn't tied down and throwing it around! I learned later that whole streets were blocked off because of the danger of flying objects.

I was fine, though sometimes I really had to fight the current to stay upright. It was so warm, that even with a high wind like that, my ears did not hurt.

I certainly couldn't stop at Walgreen's to get my passport picture taken, however. I looked like someone had used a mixer on my head.

So I got my quarters. I also bought a $1.49 coke on the way, mostly so I could stop and rest. And I gave $2 to a StreetWise vendor.

I didn't watch a lot of TV yesterday, because it was out of service for much of the day. Many people lost all their power, but mine stayed on, except for the cable.

Today I'm going to see "Revenant" with a friend after she gets off work. I think I'll try again on the passport picture. I just washed my hair and it looks pretty good today.

Looks like my Florida son is finally closing on a house. Cross your fingers! He's had a couple of disappointments, so I'm hoping this one goes through.

Now about my menu. I STILL haven't eaten a turkey sandwich, even though it will appear today for the third time. When I went to make it yesterday, I realized the meat was still pretty frozen. I had a peanut butter sandwich instead.

Today's Menu:

Breakfast: Toast
Lunch: Hot Turkey Sandwich
Dinner: Spinach/Cheddar Omelet

My congestion continues. I woke up with an awful headache this morning, but it's better now, after a couple of Advil. I'll use the MyPurMist before bedtime; that will help with sleeping. I used it in the afternoon yesterday, but right before sleeping would be better.

But good news! I logged into my credit union account and found that my account is already set up for the credit card I applied for! Perhaps the acceptance letter is in the mail -- or my mailbox, which I didn't check yesterday.

So as soon as the card comes, I'll start charging all my expenses to that. It should be easy to charge $2500 in three months, but if it gets difficult, there's always the grocery card trick. Or I could buy an Amazon card, which would always be useful for gifts. Then it will be $500 to snowflakes. Yay!

I'm doing a load of laundry now. I'm rethinking the walk to the bank. While it is warm, it is also very windy, and my ears are very sensitive. I don't want to add an earache to my woes. But if I don't walk, I will drive, and I'll stop at Walgreens, too, to finally get my passport picture taken. I really need to get going on getting the passport.

I watched Griffin & Phoenix on TV yesterday -- first time I'd ever seen it, and I enjoyed it despite the bittersweet ending. Then last night I watched Nothing In Common, which I've seen several times. For some reason it is one of my favorite movies; it just always gets me when Tom Hanks mans up to take care of his dad. This time, I really looked at all the Chicago scenery in the background. I wasn't a resident when I've seen the movie before -- it was really fun to identify locations that are familiar to me now. Several scenes were filmed right in my suburb.

I've gone back to reading the Chronicles of Narnia. I told my man friend I would do this -- it is his area of specialty as a scholar. The trouble is, I just don't resonate well with fantasy. It's not that I look down on it or anything, but it doesn't engage me. I will catch myself turning pages and never taking in a thing, because I'm thinking of other things, making grocery lists and such. Then I have to page back and re-read.

The kind of books I really like are contemporary novels that show a hero or heroine working through relatable problems, or going through hard times. For instance, I love to read novels about the Holocaust, even though I am not Jewish, or about the Great Depression. I like to read about relationships and I like humor and irony, and mystery, too! But fantasy -- it's just too "made up" for me. I see the puppet strings. I want to lose myself, not be aware of the storyteller all the time.

So, anyway, that's my rationale for being so slow to get through this series. It's actually quite charming, but at the same time it feels like doing homework.

Today's Menu:

Breakfast: Granola w/almond milk
Lunch: Cornbread & salad
Dinner: Hot turkey sandwich

Yes, same as yesterday. That's the problem with being single; so much leftover food. I actually did not have the turkey sandwich yesterday, though; I had popcorn late in the afternoon and didn't feel like having supper. I have to learn to stop doing that.

I had a good day with my grandson. We shared some Star Wars cereal, and played Word on the Street, Upwords and Tenzi. The time went fast.

I thought I would just crash and nap after his mom picked him up, but I ended up staying up till I went to bed at 9 or so. I didn't sleep great, but better than the night before. I am still pretty congested.

Financially, everything is on autopilot. No spending yesterday and I don't expect to spend anything today.

When I went to the grocery store the other day, I forgot to do one of the main things I went there for -- get quarters! Actually, I remembered after I had gone through the checkout line, but I didn't ask for any cash back, and the customer service desk wouldn't let me buy quarters without cash -- checks or credit cards were not acceptable.

I have enough quarters for one more load. I don't need to do one today, but I will tomorrow. Maybe tomorrow, when it warms up, I will walk to the bank and get a couple of rolls. The bank is about a 35-minute walk away. Of course, I could drive, too, but I would kind of like to make this 1/4 tank of gas last through the month.

Today's Menu:

Breakfast: French toast sticks
Lunch: Spinach salad and loaded cornbread
Dinner: Hot turkey sandwich

Variables spending is up to 48%, which is still very good for this time in the month.

The movie cost $8, and afterwards I stopped at the nearby grocery store and bought my ten items: toilet bowl cleaner, kitty litter, Jiffy corn muffin mix, boxed mac & cheese, lasagna (pasta), creamer, coffee, frozen yogurt, baby spinach, plastic storage bags. The total cost was $29. I also scored 3 plastic bags, since it was a store outside of my very green city.

The movie, Pride & Prejudice & Zombies, was not quite what I expected. I thought it would be funnier, more of a send-up. And of course the plot was very altered to make room for the zombies, which I didn't mind, but I thought it was strange that they made Lady Catherine a good character, when, in the book, she definitely was not. Anyway, English Castle, I think your students would enjoy seeing it and it would generate a lot of discussion among people who are studying Austen.

I'm getting ready now to have my grandson over for a little while. His mom is going to the gym, and he is not yet ready for school. I'm scrambling a bit, because I slept in after a really bad, sleepless night. But we'll soldier through together!

Today's Menu:

Breakfast: Toast
Lunch: Spinach salad & loaded cornbread
Dinner: Lasagna

Nothing much happened yesterday. I am getting over a cold, and had mucus in my throat and a sinus headache. I took a generic Benedryl and it knocked me out. Not in a good way, though. I didn't fall completely asleep but just kind of went into a comatose state where I felt like my limbs were stuck in cement. It wasn't a refreshing nap.

Today I feel much better and I will stick to Mucinex.

The lasagna I made yesterday was really good, and I think I will get two more servings out of it. I had a bit more pasta than I thought. I really like the Greek yogurt filling, and this is how I will make lasagna from now on.

I didn't heat up the corn chowder for dinner, because by early evening I was in my out-of-it phase, and I just made myself a peanut butter sandwich.

My frugal activity of the day was to enter codes in MyCatPerks. I had five empty cat food bags, but only two codes were accepted. So irritating. It has happened before. I sent them a grouchy email with the codes that were rejected as "invalid" and asked them to credit my account. I'm only trying to get enough points to get a coupon, but having the system not work right is such a waste of time.

I haven't heard anything from the credit union about the new credit card, but maybe now that the holiday weekend is over, they'll get to it.

I have a committee meeting today (by phone) for my professional organization. I'm not the Treasurer any more, but I am staying on the program committee in order to keep in touch. Other things looming today -- I need to do a load of laundry -- my "reds" basket is full -- and I'd love to get out to see a movie since it is Senior Day. Maybe, on Thrift-o-rama's suggestion, I'll go see Pride & Prejudice & Zombies. I'm a big Jane Austen fan, and I like the fun satires on her work as well. Since I am doing well on my variables budget this month, I think I have enough for a movie ticket! Now if I could just figure out how to park free....

Today's Menu:

Breakfast: Granola w/ almond milk
Lunch: Corn chowder, biscuits
Dinner: Lasagna

My grandson's Valentine Party was very sweet. He thought it up and planned it all himself. (Though Mom helped with the cooking.) We had a dinner of chicken noodle soup and turkey/cheese sandwiches on Hawaiian rolls, with strawberry/M&M brownies (or pinkies!) for dessert. We played Uno and Dixit. Both brothers gave me and the other grandma handmade valentines. He said he was making a new tradition. I hope so!

It was a no-spend day for me. My frugal activity of the day was to make banana bread French toast sticks. Some time ago I made two loaves of banana bread and froze them. One I had cut into slices and the other I froze whole. Yesterday I thawed the whole one and cut it up into sticks -- basically, thick slices cut in half horizontally. I doused them all in egg batter and fried them, then flash-froze them on cookie sheet. A few hours later I transferred them to a plastic bag. I should be able now to take out a few at a time and heat them up for breakfast whenever I want.

Today I'm going to make lasagna roll-ups. I have two lasagna noodles (is that what they're called?) left, which is a perfect serving size for me. I found a recipe to use Greek yogurt instead of ricotta. I already have the mozzarella and the sauce. I'm going to add some minced veggies to the cheese filling.

My other big meal today will be corn chowder and biscuits. The corn chowder has been frozen (and is now thawing in the fridge) and there is enough to last for several days. For the biscuits, I have a can of Grands.

I'm reading a Ken Follett thriller right now, and I have to mention that a side character who was introduced as being an odd duck was described as "someone who makes her own granola." I guess that's considered odd. I've been making my own granola for quite a while! Glad I'm odd; it pays off.

We got snow yesterday but we are not snowed in. I don't have to move my car for plowing. I don't plan to go anywhere today, but I may take a short walk in the pretty snow. It's warmer today -- in the 20's! Heat wave! We will have a real heat wave later in the week when it gets up to the 50's.

I won't publish my menu today, since I've already described it.

My grandson called me yesterday and invited me to a Valentines party today. Hmmm. I wonder what it will be. Probably snacks and valentines made at school. Cute.

Yesterday was almost a no-spend day. I did one load of laundry ($1.50).

I made a batch of granola, finished my mending (yay!) and reapplied for the credit card from my credit union. I got a message from them that my first application wasn't complete. Now I wait to hear from them. I can't imagine that I won't be accepted, with my high credit rating, but I do wonder if being retired will make a difference. I had to report a pretty small monthly income. Of course, I know I can handle a credit card just fine, but do they?

If I don't get it, no problem. I just want the $500 bonus. I'm doing pretty good with snowflakes, but I need a few big boosts if I want to raise $1200 like I did last year.

The deep freeze continues, but I am cozy inside. I love my radiator heat.

Today's Menu:

Breakfast: Eggs, toast
Lunch: Sloppy Gobbler, apple
Dinner: ??? Maybe provided at Valentine party? If not, spaghetti

Wow! I sat down and plowed through my taxes yesterday and was amazed to find that I am getting a $2024 refund from the federal government! I was expecting to have to pay. I had to pay $472 to the state, though. Already did that. I also paid TaxAct for the higher-level service, since I was not sure how my contract work would impact my taxes. That was $30.

I'm going to count the $30 in variables, in the fee category. But the state tax will come from savings, which is a moot point, since the federal refund, when it comes, will go into savings.

So I'm feeling pretty happy today.

I had a good day with my grandson yesterday. He was definitely under the weather, but we enjoyed playing video games. I think he enjoyed beating me time after time. We also played Uno and watched some episodes of "Uncle Grandpa," which I thought were pretty awful, but he enjoyed.

Today it is really cold, like much of the nation. I'm only going out to do laundry and take out the garbage. I don't really go "out" to do laundry, but I have to go down on the outside staircase. It is recessed, so pretty protected, but it is open to the air.

Other plans today are to do the mending (I'm going to keep mentioning this until I do it!) and do some filing, especially getting my taxes records in order. And once I get that done, I am "allowed" to work on my novel.

Today's Menu:

Breakfast: Toast
Lunch: Sloppy gobbler, veggies
Dinner: Mexican deviled eggs

My errands were completed in a northern suburb, where I had to go to return the CD to Cracker Barrel. There are NO nearby Cracker Barrels! Makes sense, since they seem to always be on highway intersections.

So I went to Cracker Barrel, returned the CD, and was reimbursed for all but $3 of the expense. I didn't finish listening to the book, but I can get it at the library.

While there, I bought a My Little Pony flying unicorn for my granddaughter, to give her for her birthday or Christmas. It was 40% off. However, it wasn't a good deal, because I saw the same thing in the grocery store, cheaper. Oh well. It was $4.

Then I went on to the grocery store, where I spent $37. This included two valentine cards and two little boxes of candy. Other than that I bought ten items, returning to my old system which worked so well. My ten items: Honey, brown sugar, toilet paper, oregano, eggs, paper towels, shredded cheddar, almond milk, and Greek yogurt.

I found a nickel, plus, at this grocery store, I paid a lower tax rate, and I got plastic bags, which I need for cleaning the cat pan! But it's not worth it driving that far on a regular basis.

I still had to find a post office to mail my packages, but I was very hungry. So I looked for a Chipotle. Using a gift card, I got lunch for only $1. And the burrito was so large it served as my dinner, too.

Then I went to the post office, where my packages cost $17.

Wasted a quarter on my way home, when I stopped at my library branch, only to remember too late that it is closed on Thursdays. The quarter was for the parking meter.

But all in all, a successful day.

Once home, I applied for an Alliant Credit Union credit card, which will give me $500 for spending $2250 in three months. I also signed up for the Peak Usage program with my electrical provider. If I can reduce my usage during peak times, I will get a credit on my bill.

I did not get to the taxes, or to the mending.

Today I'm going to babysit my grandson from 9:30 to 2, so my DIL can get some errands done herself.

Got a nice early surprise -- my $275 stipend from the College has already been deposited. It is scheduled for the 15th, but I guess President's Day affected that.

Variables spending is now at 38%, with 42% of the month gone. So I'm doing good there.

Today's Menu:

Breakfast: Banana bread French toast
Lunch: Will scrounge for something at son's house
Dinner: Sloppy gobbler, Refrigerator soup (didn't have it yesterday)

My grandson's tonsillectomy went well. I went to visit him after he got home, and he was tired and uncomfortable, but doing well. He even ate some pizza. I took him a Beanie Boo for comfort, a $6 expense for me. My only spending yesterday.

I had pizza myself, so it was a free dinner for me.

Today I'm going to run some errands. It's cold outside, but it's only going to get colder, so I might as well get them done. I'm going to get groceries and mail some packages. I also need to get some last-minute Valentines for the grandchildren.

I have my W-2 form at last, so I will start on taxes today.

While I was in Florida, a button fell off my capris, so I'm going to sew that back on before I put them away for the winter. I'm going to try to be more prompt about mending; I can procrastinate to a ridiculous degree.

Today's Menu:

Breakfast: Toast, stewed apples
Lunch: Refrigerator soup
Dinner: Sloppy gobblers

I'm back from vacation. It was altogether a low-key event. My cousin was unwell much of the time and I ended up taking her to the doctor twice. My kids couldn't make it down because my granddaughter was sick. It was cold, and I spent a lot of time wrapped up in blankets. But it was still a break and a change of pace.

My trip home was excruciating. I woke up at 3AM (after having slept VERY lightly for 2-3 hours). I decided to get up, since the taxi was coming at 4:30. When I got on the plane at 6:40, I was able to sleep, lightly again, on the plane. Don't feel like I was ever all the way out. At the Indianapolis airport, I had a long wait for my ride, who was stuck behind an accident on the highway. But I didn't dare stop looking for her, so I couldn't sit down or go to a restaurant or anything. When she finally came, I had a 1.5 hour ride to her house, and then a 3-hour trip home from there. I was bone-tired. I stopped on the way and bought a large Coke, which helped keep me awake. I was VERY glad to get home safely.

I pretty much crashed at home. I forgot to charge my phone overnight, and had to really work hard to bring it back to life this morning. I don't know if it's the phone or me, but when the battery dies, it is very hard to get it going again.

This morning I'm doing laundry and getting back to normal.

My grandson is getting his tonsils out in one hour. Only parents are allowed to visit, so I'm just there in spirit. Poor guy, I hope it all goes well, and I hope his throat isn't too sore when he wakes up. He is only six.

Okay, the money part. I've spent $167 on vacation -- $52 on food, $57 on gas, parking and taxi, and $48 on renting a book on CD from Cracker Barrel. I'll get most of that back when I return the CD, so I'll adjust my tracking then. I just had to have something to keep me awake on my drive home.

I've spent 24% of my variables budget, with 35% of the month gone. Of course, I'm going to have to do some catching up with groceries and such, but I hope it will be a low-spend month.

Today's Menu:

Breakfast: Yogurt, stewed apples
Lunch: Cheese quesadillas, salsa
Dinner: Egg salad sandwich, refrigerator soup

Well, my son can't come. My granddaughter has a bad cold, and is too fretful to travel. So my cousin and I are having a lazy day. I have a check roast with veggies in the crock pot, and I'm doing laundry. It has turned quite cold. I'm wearing my cousin's sweatshirts to get by!

I spent $15 at the grocery store this morning and about $10 yesterday. I also put a $50 birthday check in the mail for my son.

Tomorrow we will watch the Superbowl and on Monday we'll play cards with friends. Exciting times!

Florida is good for coin hunting. I've found .29 so far!

Trying this on my phone! I'm in Florida. I had a good flight. I spent about $30 on gas getting to the airport -- half to fill up my tank and half to fill up my friend's tank in payment for taking me the few last miles. Also spent $12 on food so far. Today we are just hanging out; no spending. My son and family are coming on Saturday, so tomorrow I'm going to grocery shop and cook. My cousin has been very talkative and I've learned some family gossip. So much drama I never knew! Glad my own life is pretty drama-free. Relatively speaking. I think this will be a pretty cheap getaway!

First day of February! And the last day before I head south. I am very relieved that the big winter storm they are predicting will be well north of the direction I am heading.

I have some leftovers from yesterday's meal that I will use up today. My DIL did not come for lunch -- she is dieting -- and I think she wanted to take advantage of some time alone. She came later with low-calorie mini-muffins. The kids and my son and I had a good time playing DixIt and Sheriff of Nottingham. A pretty cheap day's entertainment.

So today's goals are to use up the perishables, clean up, and pack. I am only allowing myself one on-board bag (which has to fit under the seat.) So I'm packing only three outfits (capris and T-shirts) and one pair of sandals and one pair of pj's. Planning to do laundry in Florida! I'm only packing items in "middle colors" -- so they can all be washed together -- and every top wearable with every bottom. The sandals are neutral and will go with everything. Wondering whether I will need my hair care items (dryer and flat iron) or if I should just go natural! I'll bet my cousin wouldn't mind me using her hair dryer if I need it.

I'm going to put my boots in the car in case I come back to snow.

I hope it's warm there, because that's what I'm counting on, but if it isn't, my cousin will loan me a sweatshirt.

Since I am staying overnight at my friend's before the flight, I also have to pack (separately) an outfit to put on that day -- something warm enough for the Midwest and cool enough for Florida! Whatever I wear on the trip down to Indiana will stay there till my return.

Getting excited!

Today's Menu:

Breakfast: Mac & cheese
Lunch: Veggie/cheese quesadilla
Dinner: Hamburger

I will not spend anything today, so I did my January recap. I ended up spending 99% of my variables budget. I went to the grocery store yesterday and spent $21. Two reasons: my grandson called me yesterday and I ended up inviting the whole family over for hamburgers today -- and while I was at the store getting buns and cheese and sherbet, I decided to get dry cat food and kitty litter in preparation for my trip. I also had neglected to log a restaurant meal in my variables budget, so all that pushed the total up to 99%. Still didn't go over!

So here's the recap:

Housing: $677
Care Repair/Maintenance: $612
Insurance: $304
Groceries: $211
Vacation/Travel: $179
Utilities: $143
Vet/Pet Supplies: $81
Gifts/Charity: $59
Eating Out: $48
Medical/Health: $32
Furnishings/Equipment/Décor: $28
Household Supplies: $27
Entertainment: $22
Personal: $22
Laundry: $17
Clothing: $8
Fares/Parking: $2
Grand Total: $2587

Not the great beginning I was hoping for, but there's nothing you can do about a car repair, which is the real wild card. And groceries -- twice my usual! Got to reign in there. Pet supplies should be low next month, as I am pretty stocked up.

I made the order to OTC Essentials yesterday. I "spent" $49 (free to me) on a Colace generic, a Zyrtec generic, mucus relief tablets, and 2 packages of medicated corn removers. I am really delighted that I will have $150 more to spend this year on OTC items. I'm so glad I cleared out my medicine cabinet recently! I really knew exactly what I needed.

On Tuesday I leave for my trip. I am driving to my friend's house in Indiana, and I will fly out of Indianapolis, so that I can use Allegiant Airlines, which flies so cheaply into Florida. But there will be some gas cost. I hope that I can park somewhere free near my friend's house. She will drive me to the airport.

My cousin will be able to pick me up at the airport. Apparently she is driving again, because she is taking her dogs to the groomer, who is near the airport. So I don't have to worry about ground transportation there. My cousin will foot the bill for food. In return, I will do all the shopping and running. We won't do much besides hang out.

I hope my son will be able to come over the weekend. We will celebrate his birthday. He has already asked for money to put toward a tablet, so I'll write him a check. I'm going to put a $50 limit on birthday gifts this year, so I won't be too much help in that regard, but he will understand. And he has lots of rich relatives (not mine!) who will help out.

I had a terrible night's sleep last night, and Iggy didn't help a bit, with his big mouth. I will probably be dragging today when the kids come over, but I'm still looking forward to it!

Today's menu:

Breakfast: Toast
Lunch: Hamburgers, chips, veggies, sherbet
Dinner: Soup?

Yay! My check from the museum finally came! I deposited it into my E-fund, but that is just a holding place, as it will be used for my two vacations next year.

I also got a catalog from UnitedHealthcare, which underwrites my supplemental Medicare insurance. Apparently, part of my benefit is the ability to order $50 worth of OTC essentials every quarter. I'm going to take advantage of that! I'm going to go through the catalog today and make an order. I think I will count it as a snowflake, too, since I would be paying for those items otherwise. All the products are generic, which is okay. The only medication I will miss is real Advil, and that is just because the candy coating makes it so easy for me to swallow. I'll report tomorrow on what I decided to buy.

I'm watching the weather forecasts. A storm is moving in on the day I am scheduled to fly to Florida. I am already reconciled that I will cancel the trip if it looks too bad. I am not comfortable flying in bad weather, especially freezing rain.

I am still working on the novel. Yesterday I added material I had written on the fly. It's pretty rough. Today I have to go over that and make it better. I'm really noticing it's harder for me to choose the right word. I know there is a word I'm reaching for, but I can't get to it. So I work around, and hope it comes back to me. The challenges of aging. The main thing is not to give up, because, while I don't think I'll ever publish this book, working on it is an excellent mental exercise.

Today's menu:

Breakfast: Granola, toast
Lunch: Turkey quesadilla
Dinner: Veggie cheese soup

Well, the shop couldn't find anything wrong with the car. They ran it through the car wash several times (which I'm glad about -- it needed it!) and could not find a leak. And the lock was working fine. We finally figured out that the wetness on the floor was the residue from the leak last week (which was fixed), and I hadn't noticed it before because it was frozen. When the temperature warmed up, it became wet again. They said it would take several weeks to dry out completely.

So, the good news is, the fix was real, and I don't have to pay anything more.

So yesterday was a no-spend day.

I got my monthly interest payment from my retirement fund today. The interest rate is locked in for a year, but I think we are nearing the time when it is adjusted. I'm thinking that with this market downturn, the payment may go down a little. I'll make it up, but such a balancing act.

Yesterday I got my 1099-MISC from the museum, and it does not count the money I earned in December. Of course, I haven't been paid for it yet, but I was wondering if it would be taxable since I earned it in 2015. Guess not. I was excited to see the envelope, thinking it would be the check.

Today's Menu:

Breakfast: Banana bread, fruit
Lunch: Turkey tacos
Dinner: Sloppy gobblers

Just dropped the car off at the shop. Hoping upon hope that this time the problems will be resolved, and hoping they won't charge me more. They shouldn't, but that doesn't mean that they won't.

My refrigerator is finally looking more cleared out. After the brunch, it was stuffed with food, and I couldn't see anything. I couldn't tell what I needed to use up most. Now I can see everything. People think my fridge looks bare, but really, if you live alone, it shouldn't be stuffed, because then you are wasting food you can't eat before it spoils.

I have spent a lot on food this month, but I'm proud to say I haven't thrown away any of it.

I went to see my 9-year-old grandson at lunch yesterday. Oops! I think a 9-year-old is too old for a surprise visit from Grandma. He was very much into trading Pokémon cards with his friends, and a little embarrassed to have his Grandma there, I think. I thought that might be the case, but I didn't want to ignore him, having visited his brother last week. Now I know. So is 9 the beginning of the teen years now???

I'm feeling like everything is on automatic pilot now. The bills will be paid automatically. I don't need to get groceries before the Florida trip. I don't need to pack yet. Nothing but the car really needs to be taken care of, and I trust that will be done, if not today, in the next few days. My variables spending is at 94%, and I have every expectation that it will stay there. Yesterday I was tempted to get fast food, to top off the tank, and to get a car wash, but I remembered that I am at 94% and all of that can wait. Only a few more days.

Today's Menu:

Breakfast: Toast, yogurt
Lunch: Egg salad sandwich
Dinner: Turkey casserole

Today was pay day. I paid my Discover bill and my mortgage, and updated all my spreadsheets.

I am still waiting for the final check from the museum. My boss emailed me yesterday about whether I had received it. I said no, and she said she would follow up. No further word. I do trust it is coming.

I am also waiting for my W-2 from the College. I believe it will be mailed to me at the end of the month, since I can no longer access it online. If I don't get it by the time I am home from Florida, I will give them another call.

I stopped in at the auto shop today because my car is once again taking on water and the lock is acting up. It was only fixed for a few days! I talked to the guy who helped me before, and he recommended that I bring it in early tomorrow morning and drop it off, so they can get to the bottom of it. I don't know why they didn't get to the bottom of it before, especially after charging me $611.

Yesterday I opened up the novel I am writing (but have put aside for quite a while) and made a few minor revisions. Overall I was pleased by how it read, which is unusual -- I usually hate my work! Today I have a bit more to add -- additions I wrote on paper and never got on the computer. Once I get that added and revised I can take it up again seriously.

I see some problems with it -- fixable, though. I have a tendency to introduce characters and then do nothing with them. I have to either tie them in or cut them out. I won't know which until I know exactly how the story plays out. Yes, I have a rough idea of how the story will go, but I know from experience that twists and turns happen while you are writing. Or at least while I am writing.

Anyway, it feels good to have some work to do, while I wait for work at the museum to materialize.

Today's Menu:

Breakfast: Scrambled eggs & spinach
Lunch: Cheese quesadillas & salsa
Dinner: Refrigerator soup & bread

My variables spending is at 94%, now that I've factored in the laundry I've done. I can't imagine I will have to spend more between now and the first, but you never know, do you? Still, I think I have managed to stay under budget this month, despite a shaky beginning.

My trip is only 8 days away. My brother texted me that he might come, too; then he kind of backed out because of an eye appointment. I asked him if he couldn't reschedule, and he said it took him a month to get it. Hmmm. Unless there is a pressing problem, I would take a trip before an eye appointment, but it's his call.

Tomorrow is pay day. I'll pay the mortgage and my Discover bill. Neither counts in my variables. I track my Discover spending when I make the purchase, not when I pay the bill. So pay day is not very exciting! But it's really nice to reflect on how unexciting my finances have become. No desperate wait for the pay check any more, it's just another day. I never stop feeling grateful that I got out of debt and built up an emergency fund.

Today's menu:

Breakfast: Yogurt, apple
Lunch: Spinach salad
Dinner: Spaghetti

My BFF just left -- early start to avoid wintry mix developing tomorrow.

Our fun weekend together did not break the bank. I am still under budget -- 93% spent. Of course, there is still a week to go in January.

I spent $32 eating out, $6 for a movie (Brooklyn), and shopping was $56. I bought some pajamas, some small gifts, and a baking stone, so I will not burn my cookies any more! We watched a couple of free movies on demand, and, of course, all the conversation was free.

It was a very good time, as it always is.

Now I'm bushed, from a short night's sleep, so I'm going to stretch out and recoup!

I'm feeling very satisfied that I could indulge myself a bit, and still stay under budget. I felt guilty over every penny I spent, but once I did the numbers, I felt fine!

Today's Menu:

Brunch: French toast, bacon, strawberries
Dinner: Egg casserole, spinach salad

BFF is coming! I'm looking forward to a fun weekend. Even though the east coast is getting pounded, we will only have flurries today, and a weekend that is relatively warm and clear.

After I picked up the car yesterday, I topped off the tank ($14). In the winter, I like to fill up whenever the tank gets halfway down. I don't know whether that is a good practice or just a weird idea I picked up somewhere, but it keeps me calm.

Then, I drove past PetSmart, and realized I should go in and buy more feeder blocks for the fish, since I have a trip coming up. While there, I saw a sale on cartons of Friskies cat food, so I bought two boxes. The total cost: $28.

Also, the car cost $611, not $580. There was a fee for hazardous waste disposal, as well as tax; not sure what that was.

So now the variables spending is up to 80%, and there are nine days left. And I have company.

My no-spend January didn't materialize at all. A few factors here: 1)Winter makes me crazy as far as stocking up and doing extra things to be safe. 2)I hosted a big party that was expensive, even though I really tried to use what I had on hand as much as possible. 3) I took a weekend road trip. 4) If I see something that I use regularly and it's on sale, I feel compelled to get it.

Maybe I can aim for a low-spend February, although I will have a week's visit in Florida, which will no doubt wreak havoc on my budget.

March, do I hear March?

Anyway, I will be happy if I even come close to meeting the budget.

Today's Menu:

Breakfast: Egg casserole
Lunch: ?? Out ??
Dinner: ?? Hamburgers ??

What I eat today will depend on what BFF wants to do, but I am thawing ground beef for hamburgers to eat sometime this weekend.

I took the car into the shop yesterday. They indicated that the wait might be long, so I accepted a ride home. I was having a really brain-dead day, because, first of all, I gave them my house keys along with my car keys, and they had to track down my car to give them to me before we left. Then, when I got home, I realized I left the phone in the car! Now that was a problem. I don't have a landline, and I live alone. I tried to communicate with the shop through email, but it didn't go anywhere. Finally, I sent a blanket email to all family members in the area, asking for a ride to the shop. My DIL, bless her heart, was online, and she drove me there after she picked the boys up from school.

Well, I got there, and the guy who was helping me said, "Where have you been? I've been calling you!" I explained that the phone was in the car. And he says, "Why didn't you call me?" And I said, the phone was in the car. So who else is brain-dead? So, of course, it was only then that the repair began, because they were waiting for my consent. So they drove me home again, and the car was kept overnight. I will be picking it up this morning. At least I got my phone back.

The problem was that the plugged drain from the sunroof caused pooling in the car which shorted out the system that controls the locks. The damage runs to about $580. Sigh. At least, this time, they will make a repair on the drain instead of just clearing it, so it shouldn't happen again.

The $580 will come from the EF, so my variables spending remains at 74%.

I went to the grocery before going to the auto shop. I wanted to cash in my change, as well as get some quarters, and pick up a few items. I spent $20, half of which came from the coins (pennies, nickels and dimes). I was disappointed that the change machine took a 10% percentage, even though I was getting a grocery store voucher. That is a change in policy since the last time I used it. I should have just taken an Amazon gift card, in order to get full credit, but I wasn't thinking fast enough. I was too focused on getting grocery store credit, which was silly. It's not like I don't have the money for groceries.

My BFF will come and visit tomorrow if the weather holds up. She is a very fearful, cautious driver, and she is listening to weather reports that are meant for the east coast. Even knowing it is not for us, she seems to be affected by it, like if there is bad weather anywhere, she needs to stay off the road! Sometimes I feel impatient with her, but I try to be understanding. I have my quirks, too. I do hope she works through it and she comes. But if she doesn't, I suppose I will save some money.

This is not financial, but I went to have lunch with my grandson at his school yesterday, and it was so much fun! It was so great to surprise him and get a big hug, and I also loved meeting his friends. Next week I will visit his brother as well. The little joys of being retired!

Today's Menu:

Breakfast: Granola w/almond milk
Lunch: Spinach salad
Dinner: Fried Rice

I bought my airline ticket for Florida yesterday - $167. To get that rate I had to book for Wednesday through Tuesday. I also have to drive to Indianapolis to catch the flight. I hate to be away from home that long, what with my neurotic cat, and the fish to be fed. You can get a 7-day feeder block, but I never believe it lasts that long.

But I want to see my Florida kids, and it is so nice of my cousin to invite me so I can do that.

I will probably have to rent a car, or figure out some kind of ground transportation, as there will be no one available to pick me up. But I'll deal with that later.

I'm doing laundry today - $3 - and later I plan to stop in at the school and have lunch with my grandson. While I'm out, I will go to the grocery store, for just a few things on my list -- I mainly need more quarters, so I won't be stuck unable to do laundry. I will also stop at the Toyota dealer to see if they can take a look at my car. More money out.

The airline ticket pushed my variables spending up to 71%. It will be a challenge to meet the budget this month. The car repair, however, unless it turns out to be cheap, will come from my emergency fund.

Today's menu:

Breakfast: Banana bread French toast, juice
Lunch: Veggie Cream Soup
Dinner: Veggie Burger

I spent the whole day inside, and I plan to do the same today. I want to remain blissfully unaware of just how cold it is out there.

Of course, staying inside encourages the no-spend day. Although I may get online to find an airline ticket. My cousin has invited me down to Florida. I may go on Super Bowl weekend, since there is a chance my son's family may visit my cousin that weekend. No promises, though.

Other financial things looming: my car needs attention. I think the duct that runs from sunroof is clogged again, and the lock is acting up. The key fob doesn't open the door (even though the battery has been replaced, and the fob is clearly functioning.) And as I drive along, the lock keeps clicking intermittently, like it's trying to unlock. I'm wondering if it's an electrical problem? I don't know much about automatic locks.

And I am still wondering if I should take Iggy to the vet. The cost -- and the trauma for him -- are obstacles, but I just wonder if there is something bothering him that I could fix.

My variables spending is at 50%, with 61% of the month gone. So I'm doing well, but either a car repair or a vet visit will blow that out of the water. Or an airline ticket!

But anyway, today will be a nice, indoor day, while I wait for the weather to normalize.

Today's menu:

Breakfast: Breakfast cookies/clementines
Lunch: Turkey-rice casserole
Dinner: Veggie cream soup

On Friday, I went to my grandsons' MLK Day performance. (They go to a school named after Dr. King, and they always have a great performance in honor of the day.) Such cuteness. It brought tears to my eyes.

Right afterwards, I hit the road. When I stopped at the museum, to turn in my badge, I got a nice surprise. My boss' boss asked me if I were interested in being placed on retainer. That means I would earn a monthly salary, whether I actually worked or not, and I wouldn't have to keep track of my hours or invoice the museum. I would just do special projects as they cropped up. I said YES! But they have to get it approved in the budget first.

My weekend in Michigan was wonderful. I had a great time with my brother and his wife, and a great time with my man friend. The cost of the whole weekend was only $43, which counted gas, road food, and the cost of a movie, "Joy." I also spent $20 on bakery bread, which I brought home. I just can't get bread like that in my area.

The weather turned arctic on the day I went home, and, in Michigan, there was snow falling and blowing, so visibility in some areas was really poor. But once I got south of Benton Harbor, the snow disappeared, and it was sunny and bright. So I started out feeling kind of nervous and edgy, but had a good drive home.

Today it is so cold, I'm not even going to do laundry, since I have to use the exterior stairway to get to the laundry room. It can wait. This is definitely a day for cocooning.

Today's Menu:

Breakfast: Toast
Lunch: Grilled cheese, veggies
Dinner: Turkey-rice casserole

Yesterday was a no-spend day, except for a load of laundry.

I tried to find my headshots, and it doesn't seem I have them saved anywhere. I really thought I did that when I retired, but they are not in any logical place. I emailed our secretary to ask if all our pictures where saved anywhere, and she responded that she had only one, and attached it. It was a smiley picture. So I will have to get that passport photo taken. It looks like it will be about $15. Too bad I passed up the opportunity for a $10 headshot at a conference I attended recently.

I didn't even get around to contacting the campaign consultant, or looking for airline tickets. I had a lazy day.

Friday is going to be even busier than expected. I was planning to leave in the morning to drive to Michigan, but my grandson is in an MLK program at 11:30 and I promised to attend. That means I will leave town about 1 at the earliest, and I have two stops to make on the way. Ah well, that gives me more time in the morning to get ready.

Sunday is going to be very, very cold, and that worries me a bit as I'll be driving that day. I'll be fine as long as nothing goes wrong -- my car has a great heater -- but I sure hope I don't have any travel problem that could sideline me. At least there is no precipitation expected.

My variables spending is evening out. I've spent 43% of the budget, but 45% of the month is gone. That makes me feel a little better.

Today's Menu:

Breakfast: English muffin w/cheese
Lunch: Corn chowder, veggies
Dinner: Omelet

No financial news today, other than racking up another no-spend day. I didn't leave the house, except to take out the garbage. One whiff of the frigid air made me happy to go inside again.

I got started on applying for my passport, which it looks like will cost $140. I may also need to get a passport photo taken. I'm going to look at the professional pictures that were taken while I was still working at the college; I think there may be at least one that was full head-on with no smile. If I can save even that much, it will be a good thing.

I got an email from my boss at the museum, asking me to bring in or send in my badge. She didn't elaborate, but I assume her boss got on her about not getting it back from me at the end of the year. She didn't mention anything about the budget, either, or whether there was any chance that my contract would be renewed. I'm thinking it's not looking good, but it's early days.

Anyway, I told her I would drop it off on my way to Michigan on Friday. On the same day, I will stop at the Field Museum to turn over the papers to the new Treasurer. Good thing I've got all day to get there!

I got onto LinkedIn and updated my profile, since I am no longer officially with the museum. Today I'm going to try to find the contact info for that campaign consultant who wanted my business card. I still don't have a card (my DIL is designing one) but I can email her my info, and something might come of that.

But I have to admit I am not fired up about finding new work. I really am enjoying not working. Even with being penned inside by the cold weather. It makes me smile, actually, to think about how I DON'T have to go outside in the bitter cold, when just one year ago I had no choice.

Maybe today I'll start looking for flights to Florida. Allegiant is having a sale. Since they are already cheap, I may find a real bargain.

Today's Menu:

Breakfast: Eggs & toast
Lunch: Cheese quesadillas & salsa
Dinner: Peanut soup & stewed apples

(Yes, dinner appears to be the same as yesterday, but in fact, I snacked on cheese & crackers late in the day and then didn't feel hungry for dinner. So today I will make the soup for sure. I need to use up the half & half.)