I've always been a fan of Sue Grafton's Kinsey Millhone series. So I was delighted to check out the CD of her latest, W is for Wasted, at a Cracker Barrel on my recent trip. But it contains 14 discs, and I had only a week to listen to it before it's due back. I've gotten through disc 10. I'm hooked on the story. But I have to go to Cracker Barrel tonight and return it -- which is nowhere close! It will be a bit of a ride. I've decided I'll just make it a treat and have dinner there, too. Then I'll have to find a copy of the book at a library so I know how it ends! Lesson: don't check out a BIG book on a short trip!

I've decided not to do it tomorrow, because I have the birthday party, and lots to do at home -- a ton of laundry, some cooking, some cleaning. All the stuff I don't do during the week.

I also have to get to work on applying for the university job. I want to take some time writing the best cover letter I can, since my resume is already completed and in the hands of the director. I'll submit the resume again, to HR, along with the cover letter, but as far as content goes, it's a done deal.

I bought a muffin and coffee at the station this morning. I'm going to have to bake something this weekend to stave off this habit. I have to say it does really help me get through the morning!

I was just settling down to listen to "W is for Wasted" last night, when my son came to my condo. It was my grandson's birthday, and I had ignored a call and a text! In my defense, the birthday party is scheduled for this Saturday, so I just didn't have it in my head that yesterday was his birthday. And I had the volume on the phone turned all the way down, so I didn't hear the messages come in. My son wanted to make sure I was all right and wanted me to come over for the pizza and birthday cake made for the "real" day.

I'm going to have to get better about remembering dates.

I had also started baking a meatloaf, which I took out of the oven and put in the fridge. I'll cook it the rest of the way tonight. I hope it will be all right!

The university job was finally posted yesterday, and the director sent me an email to alert me to it. That was so nice of her. So today I'll work on my cover letter and aim to get the application in tomorrow. I really hate doing that kind of stuff, and here I thought I would never have to do it again! But this job is good enough that it's worth trying for.

Thank you for your supportive comments yesterday. Today I'm feeling better. All is not lost just because winter comes each year!

I did a little grocery shopping last night ($20) and bought some little gifts for my grandson's birthday ($32). This morning I bought my train pass, at the new reduced cost of $79!

I checked my Discover card and I've reached the $2000 mark for this month, so it is no more spending until October. I WILL be returning the Sue Grafton CD to Cracker Barrel before week's end, which will prompt a refund on the card, but there is enough in pending charges to make up for it.

I will welcome the austerity of this coming week!

My grandson's birthday party is on Saturday, but my spending for that is done. So I'm just looking forward to a nice, quiet week.

The first week of October will be busy. I am going to a one-day conference, and will attend a board dinner for the speakers the night before. Then I am supposed to head up to my brother's house for his birthday on the weekend. That has not been confirmed yet, but it is something I really should do, if their plans allow.

Last night one of my co-workers was threatened with a knife when she went to look at a house to buy. The renter was apparently being evicted. She had quite a scare and doesn't feel safe now, since she filed a police report and her name is out there. I feel for her, and I hope the guy is locked up soon, for her peace of mind!

Even though the days are beautiful now, I feel the slow and steady approach of winter, in the shorter hours, the crisp mornings, the tinge of red and yellow in the leaves. It is a time of year I love and that makes me feel sad at the same time.

I am struggling with appetite issues. I am hungrier. I can't wait until I get home in the evening to eat, and I end up getting fast food on the way. Today I brought a bigger lunch, hoping it will help. Yesterday I spent more than $10 on food I shouldn't have had.

And I am feeling more depressed. Little things get to me. I feel alone and unloved, even when I know it's not true. Sometimes I have to work really hard to bolster my self-esteem.

Anyhoo, I did a load of laundry last night, but still have tons to do. I will just have to work at it this week. Not only do I have the regular week's worth, which I didn't do on the weekend, but I have the clothes from Goodwill to wash, too. I never feel like it is really mine until I wash it.

And for a bit of humor -- I looked over the intimidating job description last night, trying to figure out what to put in my cover letter, when I realized it was the description for a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT JOB! What a relief. A similar title, but a totally different kind of work. Now I'm stressing about why the job I'm interested in hasn't been posted yet -- I don't think I could have missed it! I do have to remember that big universities move very slowly, with all their cumbersome bureaucracy.

Had a great weekend in Indiana with my BFF. Spent $45 on food, $26 on gas, $7 on a movie (One Hundred Foot Journey), and $34 at Goodwill. They were having a $1 sale on selected clothing and I got some great stuff. Some is to give to my DIL's mother, who has lost weight. Some is for the grandkids. The one "decor" item I bought was a great little Santa figurine for my collection. It was also $1.

I also picked up $89 in expenses for my BFF, putting it on my Discover card, and she wrote me a check.

I rented "W is for Wasted" by Kinsey Millhone, from Cracker Barrel. It is so long, I am not nearly done listening. Guess I'll have to listen at home to finish it up!

The best part about working for a living is Friday. The promise of two days of freedom is intoxicating!

I will travel to Indiana tomorrow to spend the weekend with my best friend. We try to get together every few months, even though we live in different states.

It looks like I need to charge about $130 more on my Discover card this month to meet the $2000 goal. I think that will be easily done in my travels this weekend, especially since I plan to ask my friend to let me use the card for any activities! Plus, I still have the train pass to buy.

I have accomplished several planned tasks in this month's spending: bought airline tickets for my December vacation, as well as a ticket for my sister (will be reimbursed for most of it). Bought upholstery fabric for recovering my couch. Bought six tickets for a birthday excursion to Medieval Times. Bought replacement hardware for my kitchen cabinets. Bought cellular shades for my kitchen windows. Made a donation to my grandson's school fundraiser. Bought three pairs of shoes I badly needed. I also paid $100 to the hospital for my ER co-pay. The rest was charging all my groceries, pet supplies, household supplies, personal care, eating out, postage, Netflix, phone, and my usual charities. Although I have done too much eating out, and have driven the car too many times, for the most part I have been careful to find deals, and get the most for my dollar. So I am pleased overall.

Oh, and looking over my Discover bill, it looks like Spirit DID reimburse me for the cancelled flight, so that was a nice surprise!

The meeting I dreaded yesterday was not great, but not awful. There will be more of them as we move toward a campaign. I am so glad I am winding down my last year here.

Oops! Just wiped out my entry trying to save it! So, in short -- I got my RTA card, which will enable savings on my train pass to the tune of about $50 a month!

I have a meeting this morning which I dread. I girded my loins with a muffin and coffee at the station.

Going to visit BFF this weekend -- really need the face-to-face visit; she is my sounding board as well as true-blue friend. Will probably do that on Saturday morning, as traffic is terrible on Friday nights.

That's it! Much shorter!

Finally, my building turned on the heat. I put my hand on the registers this morning, and felt warmth. Oh, joy! Last night I came home an hour early, not feeling well, and went straight to bed under a nest of blankets. I slept straight through, and I feel much better this morning! Almost human!

It is still cold at work, however. I can't wait for the forecasted warm-up.

Yesterday would have been a no-spend day, but I bought caramel corn at the station. It is very hard to ignore when I am feeling stressed, or down, or hungry! The smell permeates the building. It is irresistible. I will have to be stronger.

The job I have been nattering on about has finally been posted, so now I have the task of making the official application. The resume is done, but I have to fill out the application, write a cover letter and submit a writing sample as well. The job description is very intimidating -- I would never apply had I not been asked!

Today the paycheck was deposited in my account. Profuse apologies from the business office for the delay -- I'm just so glad that things like that don't affect me any more.

I made my mortgage and credit card payments. I did not "sweep" the extra into savings this time; I will keep it in checking for an expected larger credit card bill.

My DIL returned my car last night after work, and I drove her to the El. I really wanted to take her to her hotel, but she was insistent that she would be fine on the train, which went straight to the hotel. Since my granddaughter was already safely tucked away at the hotel with her other grandmother, I complied. My GPS then directed me back home on a main Chicago street, but not familiar to me. It was interesting to drive through neighborhoods in Chicago. They are not so far away from me, but the style of life is so different!

On the way home, I stopped at Home Depot to pick up some cabinetry hardware I had ordered online. Since I was also near PetSmart, I stopped and got fish food. Two errands done.

I goofed up at work yesterday -- didn't pick up a message on my phone (thought it was a vendor). So I didn't know that someone needed something from me. Had to play catch-up this morning and eat crow. Oh, me. I hate acting like a senior citizen! But things like this make me feel like I SHOULD retire, and not even think about a new job!

It's supposed to be pay day, but we got an email this morning that direct deposit will not happen due to a technical error. I don't think it will have any impact on me. I only pay my mortgage and credit cards on pay day, and I have plenty of time on both. Direct deposit is supposed to go through tomorrow.

It was so great seeing my Florida kids this weekend. I had more time with them than expected, because my DIL's aunt and uncle weren't available for their designated time. I had breakfast and lunch with them on Saturday, and brunch and some time in the park on Sunday. My son flew back yesterday, but my DIL and granddaughter are still here. I may see them tonight -- they have my car! But they may drop it off before I get home from work.

I spent $38 eating out, but some of that was treating. I also spent $27 on groceries, and $8 at a garage sale (copper pan and pj's for my granddaughter).

On Friday evening, I picked up the upholstery material. It was delivered in two rolls, even though I specified that I did not want it in two pieces. I called the upholsterer, and they said it should be okay as long as one piece was 10 yards, which it was. The fabric cutter gave me a little extra to compensate. After getting the fabric I got a to-go box from Cici's pizza ($6).

I also bought tickets to Medieval Times for six - $174. That will be my grandsons' main birthday present. I will get them each a little Lego set for something to open, however.

Our cold snap is continuing. I'm freezing at home, freezing at work. Neither place has turned on the boiler yet. I sure hope we return to more summer-like weather soon!

Had another night of sleeplessness, then got up feeling awful. I would have stayed home from work if I didn't have projects that have to be done.

I got a call last night that my upholstery fabric is in so I drove again this morning -- the store is about halfway between work and home and I'll stop on the way back.

I missed a call from my son in Florida, but got the most delightful voice mail from my granddaughter. Pure gibberish! I wonder if they knew she had the phone? The family will arrive late tonight, but I won't see them until tomorrow.

Last night I was walking by Walgreen's and saw a man selling Street Times. It is a magazine that is sold by homeless people, giving them a way to make a little money honestly. I only had a $20 bill, so I went into Walgreen's and bought a .29 popcorn ball, so I would have the correct change. The magazines are $2. They are actually pretty interesting. The man who was selling them seemed very sweet and not your typical image of a homeless person. I wish I could help them all.

Yes, I took my car to a local car wash and found .83 in coins around the vacuum. The cost of the vacuum was $1, so in essence I only paid .17!

I also went to a different Home Depot and finally got my shade. Interestingly enough, I paid only $37, about $4 less than what I paid at the other store. And it wasn't a tax difference. If anything, the tax is higher in Chicago, which is where this store was located.

I am still not out of the fast-food funk, though. I spent another $8 on dinner and breakfast. So tired, so hungry, so disorganized! I am still managing to brown bag my lunches, though.

I spent around $380 on airline tickets yesterday. However, I cancelled one this morning (wrong airport) and will make another reservation later today, so that total will change. This is for my trip in which I will drive my cousin and sister from North Carolina to Florida. I'll be flying out there to pick them up and then will fly home from Florida. My cousin cannot drive for medical reasons, and my sister shouldn't drive for dysfunctional reasons! This will be an opportunity to have a good visit with them and to also see my son in Florida. Also, I am hoping that my cousin will let me charge a lot of the road trip expenses on my Discover card and then pay me back! This won't happen till December.

I just found a deal to take the family to Medieval Times, and I'm waiting to hear if the expiration date on the tickets will be a problem. My grandsons are fascinated with knights and falconry right now, so this would be a great gift for them. They both have birthdays this fall. The tickets are good through November 15, but my son's family has such a busy schedule I have to check with them before I can make a commitment! Hope we can do it; I think it would be a blast!

It's a cool, rainy day, with more coolness to come. This morning I set out to the train station but instantly walked into a downpour. I knew I would be soaked if I walked all six blocks, even with my rain jacket and umbrella, so I drove instead. I'll probably regret that this evening. The drive home is always so much worse than the drive in. But at least I can stop at Home Depot again to see if the shade is in, and maybe I'll get the chance to vacuum out my car interior, which is badly needed.

Yesterday I indulged in cashew caramel corn at the station. I felt really bad after I ate it. Not that it wasn't delicious, but it wasn't what I needed, and not how I want to spend my money. This morning I bought breakfast on the way in, but at least I brought some chili for lunch. I'm a little off these days. The darker mornings are getting to me. I can't wake up, and the very thought that I will soon be commuting in the cold and snow is depressing. With my future employment in limbo, I don't even know if this is my last year or not! Not that I'm complaining. It's a great position to be in -- either I will get one of two great opportunities, or I will retire as planned.

But this is one of those days when I wish I just could have slept....

I drove yesterday, with the intention of making stops on the way home. I wanted to get gas, get a manicure, and pick up the other shade from Home Depot. Accomplished two of those! Home Depot did not have the shade yet. This is the second time that I've gone back for an item that is supposed to arrive in a shipment, but didn't.

The gas was $33 and the manicure was only $8, which included the tip. I had a $10 gift coupon to use. I took my own polish in, and unfortunately forgot it when I left, so I had to take a lengthy backtrack in heavy traffic to go get it. It cost me $18 so it was worth going back for!

I got really hungry on the way home so I stopped at McDonalds and spent $3.

I arrived at work at 7 and got home around 7 as well. It was a long day. I didn't try to do anything once I got home -- I just fed the fish, filled up the cat's water and lay down to read. I should have done some laundry, but there was no way! I was bushed.

Today I'm looking into plane tickets. I'm going to fly to Asheville in December in order to drive my cousin to her second home in Florida. Then I'll fly back home from Florida. My sister is coming along, and I'm going to get her ticket to fly back as well. Now I'm just waiting to make sure that everyone agrees on the dates.

My Florida son is coming to visit this weekend! He and his wife will be spending most of their time with her family for some kind of event, but I will get a little time with them. I'm so excited! Every moment with my beautiful granddaughter is precious.

The spending has begun. Funny how uncomfortable it feels, how it feels like forcing myself! I've clamped down on myself so long, it feels curiously risque to spend money even on things I need.

To recap: I signed up to get a $400 bonus from Discover which I will earn by charging $2000 per month from September through January. I thought it would be a good opportunity to take care of some big ticket items I need to get anyway. I have the money on hand to pay the bill in full each month.

So this weekend I began in earnest. I decided I would tackle the problem of the couch. I have wanted to get it recovered since I got it (and I did go through channels trying to get it done for free. No dice.) The current fabric is a very cheap rough open-weave staticky acrylic that attracts lint and hair and then holds onto it for life. I went to a recommended upholsterer with pictures and measurements. She told me that the labor would be $800 and then there was the cost of fabric. She said that good fabric was $40 a yard, and I would need 15 yards. Well, this gave me pause.

So I went to furniture places to price the cost of a replacement couch. I didn't find anything. The fact is, my couch is perfect in size and shape, and the sleeper part of it is very comfortable. It's just the fabric I hate. Furthermore, I really had to look to find a couch that would fit through my door -- they are not easy to find. It is somewhere in between a normal couch and a loveseat.

So I decided to look for fabric on my own. I went to Jo-Ann's, and happened upon a 50% off sale for home decor fabric. It took several tries, but I found a suitable fabric that I could special-order (i.e. there was enough footage in the warehouse). It is REAL upholstery fabric, heavy and closely-woven. It is brick red in a subtle geometric print. With a coupon I got another 20% off, so I bought $600 worth of fabric for $245! I am so pumped. Yes, it will be expensive, but I'm just going to look at like a car repair. I'll finally get it right, after that unfortunate "crash" with the wrong godawful fabric.

So until the fabric comes in (one or two weeks), that project is on hold.

My next project was to replace some of my footwear. I walk so much that I have literally worn out two pairs of short boots (not snow boots) in the last couple of years. So I went to DSW and after much trial and error found a pair in both black and brown. I also bought a pair of brown loafers to replace the ones I scraped up in a fall. I will save the old loafers as "painting" shoes. The three pairs cost $158, which I thought was pretty good.

Then to Home Depot, where I tried to buy cellular window shades for my kitchen. I picked out two, which had to be cut to size. After the first one was cut, the second wouldn't come out of the box. Turned out it was damaged in some way. So I have to go back today and get another one, as there were no more matching shades, but there is a shipment coming in. I spent $100 on the one shade, and will spend another $100 on the second.

Other spending: $48 on groceries, $6 on eating out, and $10 on a trivet at Williams-Sonoma (to match one I already had). Then there was a little spending that DIDN'T go on the Discover card -- $1.50 for laundry, $1 for a garage sale basket, $3 tip for a haircut (used a gift card for the cut itself).

Later today I'll be buying plane tickets for a trip in December.

I'll get there, but I can see it will be a challenge to do it without spending foolishly.

I plugged in the cord last night before I went to bed and this morning the fridge is working! So either tonight or tomorrow I'll get the food back in! I took the opportunity, while it was empty, to clean the interior. It wasn't badly needed, but it will be nice to put everything back into a fresh environment.

I walked to the station this morning in semi-darkness. Soon it will be dark. I can't believe how quickly the season is changing. I love fall, but I'm not looking forward to winter, especially since there are predictions it will be worse than last winter. Last winter was the worst I've experienced in the last thirty years!

So last night after I came home from work, I looked over the freezer situation. I threw out the sherbet, frozen yogurt and pizza, but everything else seemed like it was probably okay. Judging from the last time I opened the freezer, I don't think the meat had time to thaw completely.

BUT, as I was loading the dishwasher, I brushed against the fridge and it was HOT! Then I noticed that the refrigerator part was not as cool as it should be. I thought, oh no, new fridge on the docket, but I did some internet searching and found that the coils were most likely frozen because of the open door and the probable cure was to defrost and unplug the fridge for 24 hours.

It was 9 PM, but I called my son and asked if he could take some of my food. Lo and behold, he came with a friend and my nephew, and they emptied the fridge and freezer in a flash and took it all away.

The fridge is now sitting unplugged, doors open. I am very hopeful it will work again when I plug it in at 9 PM tonight. Then I'll load the food back in tomorrow. Sheesh!

That means I'll probably be eating out till then, though I did have breakfast this morning from food in my work fridge.

And this is certainly a good opportunity to get the fridge thoroughly clean!

On the way home last night I stopped at Goodwill. Since I had a store credit my spending was only .91. I bought a pair of pants for a friend who has lost a lot of weight, and a Wysocki puzzle still in its shrink wrap. Might use that as a gift or just enjoy it myself.

Then I stopped at Home Depot and returned the LED bulbs that don't work with a dimmer switch. That was $27 credit.

I found a penny last night, and a dime and a penny this morning. Over the weekend I found a quarter and two pennies. Love finding the bigger coins!

This morning I noticed that the freezer door (on the top of my refrigerator) was cracked open. I looked in and felt around, and a lot of stuff was clearly thawed. There was "soup" on the bottom of the freezer that was probably sherbet. The pizza was soft.

I didn't have time to deal with it this morning, so I just closed the freezer door.

What do you think, is everything a loss? I had a lot of bread in there, which will be okay. Clearly the pizza, sherbet and frozen yogurt have to go. What about the meat and vegetables? I just read an article that indicates it is okay to refreeze meat. I don't want to make myself sick, though.

Speaking of being sick, I spent most of yesterday in the hospital emergency room. Turns out it was virtually nothing. I had what felt like a gall bladder attack, and I was starting to black out in my office. My colleagues called an ambulance. Even by the time they were wheeling me into the hospital I was feeling better, but they had to do their tests. They gave me two EKG's, two ultrasounds, and drew blood twice. In the end, nothing appeared to be wrong. The doctor said it might have been a spasm of the gall bladder.

So, I guess that's good news, but it was a wasted afternoon, and it cost me a $100 co-pay. And who knows what else I'll have to pay when it all gets sorted out. I'm pretty sure I haven't met my deductible.

So I'm scratching my head, thinking -- yes, I need to charge $2000 to my Discover card this month, but did the powers-that-be have to help out by emptying my freezer and sending me to the hospital?

This was my second-lowest spending month this year. Only $1888 out the door. Unless I forgot to count something!

Housing: $677
Fares/Parking: $202
Insurance: $160
Utilities: $114
Groceries: $107
Clothing: $95
Personal: $88
Gifts/Charity: $82
Vacation/Travel: $73
Eating Out: $62
Phone: $51
Entertainment: $43
Gas: $38
Furnishings Etc.: $33
Vet/Pet Supplies: $27
Laundry: $15
Household Supplies: $9
Car Repair/Maintenance: $5

This month will be different; I will be trying to spend $2000 on my Discover card (in a strategic way, of course).

My first attempt was a failure. I charged my train pass on Sunday, thinking it would post on Monday or today, but it posted on Sunday. So it won't count.

On Monday I spent $67 at PetSmart and $84 at the grocery store. A chunk of the PetSmart bill was for a double-sided scratching post with a padded bed on top. I'm hoping the cats will entertain themselves and lounge there instead of on the couch. It will also give them easy access to their favorite windowsill, so they won't have to jump on the radiator. We'll see. So far they're ignoring it.

As for the grocery store, I bought about twice as many items as usual (23). I took advantage of some deals.

I'm going to have to take my LED sconce lights back to Home Depot. They do not work with the dimmer switch. They flicker constantly. So much for that -- it's back to incandescent!

Well, I did some cleaning yesterday -- vacuuming, sweeping, laundry, putting stuff away. But then I got sidetracked because there were TWO of my favorite movies on TV -- "Shakespeare in Love" and "Cold Mountain" -- back to back. So I stopped and watched them, and I don't regret that! Hope to get more done today.

I'm planning a train trip into the city today, just to get my train pass. Have to do this before the month changes, or I will end up buying a ticket on the train on Tuesday morning -- and there is a surcharge for that. I'm going to take my grandsons with me, so we will probably buy a lunch or snack in the station -- so I won't really save any money! But it will be fun, and I need to keep doing things with the grandsons as long as they still think it's fun to hang out with Grandma!

I had an avocado getting ripe, so I made guacamole this morning. I had it for breakfast on a tortilla with cheese. My breakfasts are getting more and more unusual!

This morning I went to garage sales with my DIL. The sales are getting more sparse. Of course, there was a threat of rain, which probably discouraged people from setting up.

I spent $8 on myself. I bought a creamer for my "white cabinet" (a corner cabinet where I display white pottery), a small green shoulder bag, an Anne Klein rain jacket, a necklace, a scarf, and a set of three 1-qt. plastic containers with lids. For my DIL, I spent $50 on an original oil painting by a local artist. I could see she really wanted it but didn't want to spend the money. I told her it will be her Christmas present. I already have a Christmas present for her -- the Fiesta teapot -- so maybe I'll hold that until her birthday next year. Sigh. Some people are so easy to buy for, and some are so hard!

I believe the painting was a good deal -- this artist's work usually sells in the $200 range even for small pieces. It will be a nice investment for her family.

I also found a white tureen in an alley by a dumpster! It was missing the spoon and had a big chip on the rim, but, displayed in my cabinet, none of that shows! I needed a bigger piece in there, and it's ideal!

Other than that, I spent $1.50 on laundry. I believe I will hold off on other shopping until Monday, when I can start using my Discover card.

I was productive in the kitchen this morning -- I made migas for breakfast and then a dozen banana nut muffins. No other cooking required today -- I had a meatloaf sandwich for lunch, and for dinner, I have spaghetti sauce to warm up. I just have to boil the pasta.

There is some discussion of a cookout on Labor Day, but no real plans yet.

I really, really need to do some housework, and I'm really having trouble making myself do it! Wish I enjoyed it more -- I do enjoy when it's all clean!

It's starting to settle in. The headache, the sore throat, the sinus pressure. I DON'T want a cold, but at least I have a three-day weekend coming up, and I have gotten past the "interview," so I don't have to be attractive for a few days!

I am now leaving for the train station before sunrise, which makes it really seem like summer is over, even though it is still hot. Soon, the evening hours will get darker, too, and then it will seriously be Fall.

I forgot to check my mailbox on the way out this morning. I've been hoping to get my senior card before having to buy my monthly train pass. So now I can either buy the pass this evening, paying full price, or I can take a chance that the card is here, and travel downtown this weekend to get a reduced pass. If I ride this weekend, I might take my grandsons along so they can get another train ride. Monday will be too late. It's the first, and I would have to buy a single-ride ticket on the train to get downtown to buy the pass. It's complicated!

Yesterday was my first no-spend day in a while. But next month, I'll be working on my bonus for Discover, so I will be spending. (Another reason I want to delay getting my train pass. I'm hoping it won't post until after the 1st). I noticed when I logged into my Discover account yesterday that they are providing a nifty little tracking tool, which I will use religiously!

Yesterday I met with my former boss and the director who works for her about the wonderful job opportunity I blogged about previously.

I met them informally for lunch. I think it went well. I certainly liked the director (who would be my boss, if this happened). And I think she liked me, too, but of course the question is, am I the right person for the job? It sounds both exciting and demanding. I would really like to have a stab at it, but I think the competition is going to be pretty fierce.

At any rate, it was a very pleasant lunch, and it's really validating to know that my former boss has this kind of confidence in me.

I paid $10 to park, but lunch was covered. My only other spending yesterday was $1.50 to do a load of laundry after I got home.

And it's back to the real world and my real job today.

Yesterday afternoon I caught the train to the city at the usual time, heading home, I thought. Actually, it was later than the usual time, because the train was already behind schedule, lagging behind a freight train that was going SLOWER and SLOWER.

I was sitting on the train reading, when I realized it had been stopped for a while. And then came the announcement. It was stopped for good. The freight train had broken down, and my train was stuck behind it. We sat there for 30-40 minutes with no word on what they're doing to get us out of this situation.

Oh, and let me just say, we were stopped at an area where you did not want to get out. It was not safe.

Finally, they told us that if we walked back to the last car, we could get out on the platform and catch a train back in the direction we came from. So I did. I went back to station where I'd boarded, and as I was entering the station, I heard the announcement that the next train to the city was cancelled. Well, of course, the track is blocked!

So I found a taxi. I asked how much it would cost to go to my suburb and he quoted $60. I didn't see any other way, so I said okay. When we got closer to my suburb, I called my son to see if he could pick me up on the way. He was free, so the taxi driver dropped me off at a KFC and my son came and got me. The fare, with tip, was $46. I gave my son $10 for gas, so I guess I didn't come out ahead! Especially since I also spent $4 at the KFC, so that was exactly $60!

This all took a long time. I didn't get home till around 8, and I left work at 3:45!

And then I was so overstimulated, I could hardly sleep at all, and I am dragging now!

Just so glad my financial situation is so much more stable than it used to be, so that $60 for an emergency ride home is just a blip and not a disaster!

I did get back on the train this morning, and obviously the track was clear. I looked online to find news about the incident but could find no word about what happened to the people who chose to stay on the train. Maybe they got home sooner than I, with no money out, but I didn't like being trapped with no knowledge of what was to happen. So I'm glad I did what I did and I'm glad it's over!

It was all about the Wild Kratts this weekend! The brothers came to our local zoo and put on a program. My grandsons are crazy about them, so we devoted all of Sunday to the quest of meeting them in person. To put it briefly, it took two parents and two grandmothers standing in various lines (in sweltering heat) to get the boys at the show and at the autograph table. But mission accomplished. They both got to meet Chris and Martin, and both got autographs.

It was a pretty cheap day, too! I had free admission tickets (from a colleague whose husband works at the zoo). We paid $10 for parking. They tried to sell us admission tickets at the parking booth (not the usual procedure). We explained we had them already -- but it turned out no one was TAKING tickets at the door, so I actually still have the six tickets in hand. So we're going to get another free day later!

I spent $3 on water, and that was it. The other grandma bought ice cream for the boys, and my kids bought hot dogs (and delivered them to the grandmas as we stood in line).

After the show and autographs, we walked around a bit, but it was so very hot we gave out pretty soon. Good to know we can go back free and do the zoo properly. Probably in October, when it's cool!

On Saturday I hit a few garage sales and got a cardigan for $2, some toys for .75 and a necklace for .50. Then I went to the grocery store. I had a $5 off coupon if I spent $50, so I tried to spend as close to $50 as I could. The total bill, with savings off, was $49. I bought Truvia, a can of soup, poppy seeds, two jars of bouillon, cheese slices, Greek yogurt, eggs, cream cheese, wine, two packs of chipped beef, Canadian bacon, an onion, a red pepper, an avocado, four bananas, frozen yogurt, envelopes and two birthday cards. Double my usual number of items, but they were mostly small and light. I also spent $38 on gas and $3 on laundry.

Found another .02 in the Walgreens parking lot. I think it is my most regular money patch.

I am waiting on buying my train pass until I get my senior discount card. I have only nine days left before I have to buy it; I hope the card will come, but knowing bureaucracy in general, I think it's likely the card will come too late. Oh well, even so, once I get it, it will be good forever.

I drove this morning because I'm going to the dentist this afternoon. I had kind of a rough night, so I woke up hard, and on the trip in, I completely bypassed my exit. Then I got stuck in a long line because a traffic light was out. Not a great start to the day, but it should be a light day of work -- no bosses, a lot of staff out.

I got breakfast at McDonald's on the way -- $6. Kind of an indulgence, but I was feeling so awful I needed something to keep me going.

Looking forward to a weekend of sleeping and catching up. Lots of laundry to do! Oh, and I'll have to clean the aquarium again. BTW, the angelfish who had the fungus survived and seems to be doing better, but I lost a neon tetra -- complete surprise. The weird thing was that he changed color and when I discovered his body I thought a strange fish had somehow gotten into the tank and died! Weird.

Since I had the car, and it was Wednesday (Senior Discount Day), I went to Goodwill after work. I was looking for jackets/blazers for work. I found only one, a pale pink, which will soon be too summery, but it will be good for next spring/summer. I figure I can make it work for fall by wearing it with black.

I also found a pair of jeans, a pair of chinos, and a pair of capris. Not too long ago I gave away some pants that were too big, so it was good to find better-fitting pants to replace them. Then I bought some gift items: a shirt for my BIL, a brass gazelle statuette for my BFF, and some Pfaltzgraff bread-and-butter plates for another friend. And finally, an item to resell -- an Isabel Bloom sculpture (peace dove) which is worth about $20-25. Or it would be a good gift. The total bill was $32.

When I went over my receipt after coming home, I saw that I was charged $4.24 for SHOE/BLT/PRS. I did not buy shoes, a belt or a purse. Furthermore, I brought home 12 items but the receipt says 13. So somehow I was erroneously charged for something I didn't buy. The checkout girl was very sweet, and I don't get the feeling I was conned, but something was goofed up.

Here is the question. $4.24 is less than the savings I got for my senior discount, and I got everything at a crazy cheap price anyway. Is it worth trying to get a refund or a store credit? I could go back on Friday, when I drive again, but they are in a construction area, and I had an awful time last night just getting headed in the right direction to go home. I don't really want to do that again. What would you do?

Last night I went home, ate dinner, watched TV, and after about 45 minutes of toodling around finally noticed that the shades in the dining room had magically been hung on the windows! My DIL popped over during the day and did that! What a nice surprise, and the difference it makes in the dining room is amazing. No more glaring sun in the late afternoon!

I got a free tomato from a co-worker yesterday, so I had a tomato sandwich for dinner. The rest I chopped up, and today for lunch I will combine it with some salad greens, leftover steak fajita and salsa. I love using up bits and pieces like that.

I had a big meeting yesterday and work is heating up again. I am able to pretty much take it in stride, with so little time on the clock, and other irons in the fire. The drama seems pretty inconsequential. Nice to be able to look at it that way.

This morning I was in a deep sleep when the alarm went off, so I couldn't get going as quickly as I should have. I drove to the train station, to see if I could park quickly and catch the train, but no such luck. Not a single parking place. I drove. I also got a McDonalds breakfast on the way - $4. It is getting harder to wake up now that the mornings are darker; I'm just going to have to push myself.

Unfortunately I will have to drive again on Friday, so I can go to the dentist. That will also make it possible for me to go to the alumni dinner that evening, so I guess I will.

Students are moving in today. The campus is busy. Our sleepy summer is over!

Sometimes I feel like my blog is like Seinfeld -- a blog about nothing. Not nearly as amusing, of course!

No, nothing happened. After my free meals yesterday, I finished the work day, rode home, found a penny outside Walgreen's, ate a salad for dinner, drank a glass of wine and went to bed.

Nothing interesting in the mail. No enlightening conversations. No ah-ha moments.

So I am just going to stop and appreciate the wonderful blah-ness of my life right now. I think change will be coming soon enough, with all its drama and uncertainty. I'm going to enjoy the peace and quiet, while it lasts!

I am starting to think about how to spend $2000 a month come September (to earn my Discover reward). I believe I have to do it through January in order to get the $400 bonus. I'm going to check out whether I can charge my monthly assessment fees. I also wonder whether I can charge my mortgage payment? Also, I have some expensive items to purchase, so this will be as good a time as any to at least get some of them. I need a new mattress set, a new dining room set, I need to reupholster my sofa, and I need to get a washer/dryer installed (if I can figure out where to put it). If I decide to keep my car, I should get the exhaust system replaced.

I wish I had a crystal ball and could see whether I will get a new job or retire, because that would certainly color some of my decisions! But I just won't know for a while, so I'll have to be content to wait it out!

For someone who's trying to earn credit card rewards, I'm finding it surprisingly hard to spend money. I'm determined not to spend frivolously, though, so I just have to find the right balance.

This weekend I spent $54 at the grocery store and $13 at Kohl's. The Kohl's spending was a top that looks like two pieces, suitable for work. It was originally $36, but with a markdown, a $10 gift card and an additional 20% off, it came to $13.

I went to an impromptu picnic this weekend with my son's family, but since I had just eaten, I just brought a bottle of water. I enjoyed the company and watching my grandsons play.

We also had a games afternoon -- Bohnanza with the boys and a new South American card game with my son (can't remember the name). More cheap entertainment, which always seems to be the most fun!

I didn't do too much cooking this weekend, like I usually do. I had four petite sirloin steaks on hand, (two packages for the price of one. I cooked two in my grill pan, eating one for dinner and cutting up the other for steak fajitas later. The other two are in the freezer, which is getting pretty full! I'm going to have to concentrate on eating from my freezer soon.

I had my free breakfast at work this morning (opening day) -- apparently I didn't take enough, because I'm starving now! That's okay; a free barbecue on the College lawn is coming up in a half hour. And I think that will be the last of the free food events for a while, at least until Homecoming.

I found .65 on the train on Friday evening! And this morning I found another penny in a parking lot, so had .66 to add to my totals.