We had a very productive board meeting last night. And the box lunch was awesome! From Corner Bakery -- my favorite place as some of you know! I ordered a roasted veggie sandwich, which I ate last night. I put aside the side items -- chips, fruit cup and cookie, and I will eat them today. It's all logged in myfitnesspal and I'm under my calorie limit.

However, the two free dinners I've had this week have been offset by the cost of parking. $15 for just a few hours last night. Parking in the city is a nightmare.

I signed up to be in a focus group next month, sampling food in the cafeteria. I'll get a free breakfast, and also a $15 gift card to use in the cafeteria. So there's my $15 back!

Before the meeting, since I was early, I went to a nearby Macy's and bought 5 pairs of socks for $21. My receipt says I saved $28. Still a lot for socks, I think, but they are a nice quality and I hope they will last a while. I go through socks quickly with all the walking I do (when my knee is working!)

And it will be back to walking next month. My knee is much better, so I'll get a train ticket again next month and make that daily walk to and from the station. Even if the cost of driving and training turn out to be the same (I'm testing the theory this month), it is much more relaxing and safer to take the train. And there are no spending temptations en route!

Just got the invitation to my niece's July wedding. I think I've figured out my outfit. I'll wear a dressy black skirt (I have a short one and a long one) and an off-white top that has a lacy texture. I just need to figure out a scarf or jewelry or something to finish it off. I even have suitable shoes already. So I think the only expenditure will be the accessories and perhaps some lacy hose.

Now to figure out the gift, and the accommodations!

Yesterday I went to a workshop at a nearby university, and then went to the Happy Hour following, since free appetizers were promised. It turned out my whole dinner was paid for since it was $1 hamburger night! (However, if you want toppings on your burger ... you pay more per item).

Tonight I'm going into the city for a board meeting and the president just emailed me asking for my box lunch order. So a free dinner tonight as well! My food is really stretching this week. On Monday night I made chicken fajitas and I had enough left over for lunches yesterday and today.

It's a short week for me, since we have Good Friday off. That's good for the gas tank.

No decluttering yesterday, since I didn't get home from Happy Hour till 8:00. Tonight will be even later, since the board meeting starts at 6:00, so nothing will get done today, either.

I have $2.81 left on my Kohl's cash and two days to use it, so I have to remember to pop in and buy a pair of socks, or something.

Went over my limit on the diet yesterday, so it's back on the wagon today!

Taxes are done, so I concentrated on pay day tasks. I had balances on three credit cards -- my original Discover, which is still the default for some automatic payments, the new Discover It card, which I got for the reward (already earned but there is still a balance), and my BankAmericard Cash Rewards card, on which I'm currently working toward the reward. Altogether it only amounted to $470. I only had $200 on the BankAmericard, but I've got two more months to spend $300 more. Then, I believe, I'll get a $100 reward.

I transferred $500 into my slush fund and $500 into my EF. (For the latter I used mobile banking for the first time, so we'll see if I did it right!)

I paid my mortgage.

I finally gave up my paper check register and I'm now keeping an excel version that I created. Then I keep the balance in my smartphone, so I know how much there is when I'm out and about. I could probably put the spreadsheet in my phone, too, if I knew how to do it! Does Evernote handle spreadsheets, does anyone know?

I did three-fourths of the planned errands yesterday -- I mailed the gift ($6), exchanged the ink cartridge ($1), and picked up the prescription ($6). I did not go to Goodwill, but that's okay, I may have another box to add.

Today I am going to a professional workshop. I've already paid the $10 fee. There is a planned happy hour afterwards, so if I decide to stay for it, there will be a little spending there, as well as figuring out how it will fit into my diet. I'm catching a ride, so I guess I will do whatever the driver wants to do.

The dreaded meetings yesterday went well. I have a lot more work to do, but a clearer direction. Despite all the drama of a few weeks ago, nothing has happened in terms of staff members leaving, though I think they are all still working on it!

We have snow on the ground today! I had to clean off my car! It's actually quite lovely -- one of those snows that turns all the trees and bushes into lace. But still not very welcome in the middle of April!

I e-filed my state tax this weekend. Yeah, Illinois, for providing free e-filing! It was pretty painless, too, except for two things: I owed more than I thought, and I had to submit numerous times only to eventually figure out that the problem was simply too many characters in one field. (My retirement fund has a very long name).

So I thought I owed $1, judging from the information that came up while doing my federal taxes on TaxAct. But it is actually $66. That's okay, just means less to put in savings tomorrow, but taxes must be paid!

I did a bit more decluttering and cleaning. I went through my bras and took out the small ones, to save for my EVENTUAL weight loss, and the shabby ones, to save for emergency oh-heck-no-clean-bra days. I completely stripped my bed and washed the mattress pad and dust ruffle. I put some more clothes in the Goodwill box, and got the box down to my car (needed son's help for that!) Digging a little deeper in the hall closet, I found some Christmas ornaments and decorations that needed to go to the basement with the others. I also found the drill bits to go with the drill that I gave to my son. I'm taking baby steps, but I'm getting things done.

I went to Kohl's and used my Kohl's cash to buy two tops and a swimsuit for my granddaughter. The swimsuit will go in an Easter package. The two tops will wait for later -- I'll try to find bottoms to go with them.

I spent $38 at the grocery, keeping to ten items: popcorn, granola, toilet paper, body wash, wine, chicken breasts, deli roast beef, strawberries, mini peppers, and baby spinach. I turned in my "winning" Monopoly pieces to get more -- ended up with quite a bunch, but all duplicates of what I already have.

I forgot to pick up my prescription, so will have to do that tonight. I also need to exchange a printer cartridge, mail my granddaughter's Easter package, and take the box to Goodwill. I'm already tired from a poor night's sleep, so I hate thinking about doing all this stuff after work!

I caught up on "Call the Midwife" on Netflix. I thought I had missed a lot, but actually had seen most of the episodes. Next I have a whole season of "Mad Men" to watch.

I have two meetings today -- just one of those days to get through. It's also cold and rainy, with snow in the forecast. Really? Too depressing.

So I took a box of donuts to work yesterday for our farewell event. At the end of the day, the box was still half-full. Had I left it there, they would have sat for the weekend and been thrown out Monday morning. So I took it home.

This morning I had one for breakfast, and then froze the rest in individual bags. I figure I'll eat them a little at a time, as a treat now and then. Not sure how good they'll be after being frozen. We'll see!

I read an article on making donut chips, much like bagel chips, and I might do that for the grandsons.

Errands, laundry and housework are on tap for today, as well as the warmest weather of the year! Enjoy, everyone!

I had a $10 coupon for Fannie May candy, so I stopped at a store on the way home and got Easter candy for the grandsons -- $28. Yeah, that's a lot for candy. But they don't get it very often and I think they're old enough now to enjoy the good stuff.

For my granddaughter, I think I will buy a swimsuit I saw at Kohl's (will use my Kohl's cash) and will also include a couple of new outfits I got at Goodwill. She is too young to want a real Easter basket, and heaven knows, she has enough stuffed animals and the like.

This morning I got gas. The price has shot up in the past few days so I spent $49, the tank being near empty.

With gas over $4 a gallon, this will not be a cheap month for commuting by car. Oh well, I will be back on the train next month. I can't remember if I've shared this already, but a friend has told me that seniors get a half-price discount, so if she's correct, in a few months my ticket will only be $65. That'll help!

This morning I also stopped at a grocery and bought donuts for work -- $7. This is the departing colleague's actual last day, so treats were encouraged.

Looking forward to catching up on things this weekend. My knee is feeling better than it has in a long time. I don't know what's done it -- whether it's the prescription pain killer, or the fact that I'm walking less, or my muscles getting stronger -- but I'll take it! Feeling better is giving me more energy to get things done.

I did not declutter too much yesterday. I cleaned out my train bag. I did not get to the papers in my office, as I had hoped, because other work interfered!

I'm sitting here with my free coffee from McDonald's. I've actually gotten it three times during their promotion. It saves me from having to use one of my Keurig cups. I feel a little embarrassed to go through the drive-thru and just ask for one free item, but it's their promotion, right?

I did not do the state taxes last night, as I got home too late and tired. It will be a good weekend task.

The only decluttering I did was to box up another box of books and mail it to my sister.

What I did last night was go to a good-bye party for a colleague. She got kind of a raw deal -- she's an interim director but was told not to apply for the permanent position, since they already had someone in mind. So she quit. Seems to me it's not really legal to tell someone not to apply. Anyone can apply, am I right?

Anyway, she has behaved with a lot of class. I think she is happy to be re-inventing her life and getting away from the toxic atmosphere here. Sad, but true.

I spent $5 for pot roast nachos which I counted as my dinner. The glass of wine I ordered was picked up by the office account.

I spent $6 to mail the package to my sister.

Tomorrow is my weigh-in day. I'm going to do it once a week only, on Fridays. I hope I will see at least a small loss. (The pot roast nachos, while sounding like a splurge, was a half-order and was within my calorie limit for the day.) (Oh. And they were delicious!)

I think I will try to declutter my work desk today, unless there are fires to put out.

Five more days to pay day, which is only exciting to me because I get to make a transfer to savings! I'm expecting to transfer $1,000 this month.

My doctor's visit yesterday didn't really provide me with a solution. My x-rays showed good knees without arthritis, so I guess that's good! But they didn't give any insight into the pain. He is guessing a meniscus (sp?) tear, but he is not in favor of surgery for such tears, feeling that it leads to bigger problems by decreasing the cushion between the bones. He is more in favor of pain management until an actual knee replacement is viable.

That could be a long way off, since my knees are essentially good.

That said, I am much better this week; the pain is now localized in one spot which is where the muscle attaches to the bone. My PT feels this is symptomatic of a deeper issue, and that I might need to get a second opinion. Then she released me from PT with the admonition to keep up my program at home.

So I'm kind of in limbo. What the doctor said makes sense to me, and I appreciate that he is being thoughtful about the whole process rather than grabbing the chance for a surgery. I think he is showing integrity. On the other hand, I want to end the pain! My prescription is helping, and he is encouraging me to get injections, but I've had bad experiences with those and really don't want them.

As for the decluttering project, I made some progress yesterday. I went through all my winter hats, gloves, scarves etc. and stored them away. I threw away one pair of gloves, and several scarves needed laundering. I cleaned out the floor of my bedroom closet, throwing away several tote bags and a reading pillow that my cats have been lying on and covering with their hair. They aren't worth the cleaning. I started on my big hall closet, making a little space but there is much more work to do there. Mostly I just got rid of baskets. And I cleaned up the cat pan area, which is a never-ending task. I organized my purses, but I probably should get rid of some. Haven't made the decisions on those yet.

As for financial news -- my medical visits yesterday cost me $15 in copays and $3.50 in parking.

Declutter, that is.

Well, I did some. I cleaned off my desk, which was stacked with mail. Most of that went into the garbage, and the important stuff was filed.

Since I have new sheets, I cleaned out the sheet drawer and set some aside for drop cloths. I had two brand-new king-size top sheets that I was saving for sewing projects. I admit now that that will never happen, so they are going to Goodwill.

And since I have new saute pans, I took the old pans off the rack and they are going to Goodwill, too.

And I untangled the wires behind my TV set. That was in the process of trying to make Netflix work. Did anyone else have buffering problems this weekend? I finally gave up. I may cancel if I continue to have problems. Don't really like watching a show two minutes at a time.

I did two more loads of laundry. And I advanced several more levels in Candy Crush. OK, a major time-waster there.

On Sunday evening, I went out to dinner with my DIL's mother. The kids are in Florida for spring break, so we are both at loose ends. We went to a local restaurant that is a refurbished firehouse. I maintained my diet and had thai chicken salad, $13, counting tip. My dinner partner had a big burger that made me salivate, but in the end I was satisfied with what I had.

I'm supposed to go out to lunch with a colleague today, but she's having plumbing problems, so it might not happen. Luckily, I do have food on-hand in the break room fridge.

Tomorrow I'm taking the day off to get my x-ray and to meet with both the ortho surgeon and the physical therapist. I went to the x-ray facility on Saturday without checking hours (bad me!) and of course it was closed.

Spent $38 on groceries. I bought 18 items this time, mostly because Green Giant frozen vegetables were on sale for $1, and I stocked up. They are great for lunches.

I did not do my state taxes -- procrastinating, procrastinating.

I have stayed under my calorie limit on myfitnesspal every day since I started. Though yesterday was VERY CLOSE. I do not plan to weigh myself again till Friday.

I guess that's all folks!

Except for doing laundry, that is. $1.50.

I returned the second hand vac last night. Between that and the laundry I didn't have any time for de-cluttering. Hope to make progress on that this weekend.

I made the appointment with the ortho surgeon -- not the one who fixed my ankle, but someone in the HMO group. Then I looked him up and found that he had many stellar ratings, so I feel good about it.

I need to get an x-ray before I go (next Tuesday). I'll try to do that this weekend. I have to check on hours.

I'm so excited that I am making these steps toward getting better.

I've started tracking my food intake on myfitnesspal again (and I just downloaded the free app to make it even easier). I find that if I plot out my meals and snacks for the whole day, it's much easier to stick to it. So far I've gone three days without being uncomfortably hungry. I've lost four pounds! But that's not real, that's the difference between the doctor's scale and mine.

Another thing to do this weekend is to tackle my state tax. I'm going to do it on paper, but I have to download and print out the form.

Happy Friday, everyone!

Well, lo and behold, I now have not one, but two hand vacs from Bed, Bath & Beyond! I posted a few days ago that I had a confirmed delivery but no package, so I contacted BB&B. They ordered another, and they both turned up together! Now I have to take one back to the store. I'll do that this evening.

I'm relieved that no one stole it from the vestibule.

I mailed a package yesterday - $6 - and bought gas - $38. I looked for cheap prices on GasBuddy and was very pleased to find the lowest price right on my route home! $3.72 at a Thornton station.

I didn't do any real decluttering yesterday, but I did do a load of laundry and loaded the dishwasher. That was all I was up to in the evening. I guess you could say that I decluttered the laundry basket and the sink.

I did not make a call yesterday about my knee -- now I see this morning that I missed a call from my GP's office, so I'm going to see what that's about first. I tried to call back, but the nurse isn't in yet.

But I am feeling pretty comfortable with the new medication, and driving instead of train-riding is proving to be much kinder to my knee (because I can do less walking and stair-climbing). Driving is pretty nice for running errands, too. It was easy to stop at the post office last night, and tonight I'll stop at a BB&B right on the way. And it's quicker. I've been getting home before 5:30, and with the train, I get home at 6, or later, if the train is running late.

And in ways, it it less stressful. I don't have to worry about catching the train on time. If I wake up a little late, I don't have to rush in a panic. Driving, of course, is more stressful than riding, but so far the drive has been uneventful.

All that said, I still think it is likely I'll go back to train-riding after this month, or after my knee heals. It will be interesting to see how the cost compares, though.

Oops, forgot to add another expenditure. I ordered a couch cover from nomorerack, only $28. Hoping it will make my rough, staticky couch easier to live with.

It was a good month...

Housing - $677
Furnishings/Equipment/Decor - $167
Groceries - $115
Utilities - $89
Eating Out - $89
Gifts/Charity - $81
Clothing - $72
Vet/Pet Supplies - $53
Phone - $50
Gas - $38
Fees/Services - $33
Laundry - $21
Personal - $20
Business - $10
Miscellaneous - $9
Entertainment - $8
Medical/Health - $7
Household Supplies - $4
Grand Total - $1543

It was lowest-spend month yet this year. Not buying a train ticket helped! Also, one of my utility bills came in April instead of March.

I did just a bit toward the decluttering challenge last night. I cleaned out the front seat of my car! I found a pair of earrings and a penny! And stuff to throw away, of course.

Today I am mailing a box of books I've read to my sister.

I need to get my knee stuff set in motion today, but I'm trying to make a decision. I would really like to engage the ortho surgeon who fixed my ankle, but he is not in the preferred group for my HMO. My GP is willing to refer me, but he says that I would have to get all the x-rays and other testing done with my own group and then physically take them over to this doctor, each time he wanted a test done. I don't really want to add that level of complication, especially since I have the big commute already complicating things. But I really like the doctor and I know he is a fantastic surgeon. If I go with the HMO group, it'll be the luck of the draw. I'm leaning toward an HMO surgeon, since I had a terrible experience with a previous HMO -- they really don't like you to step out of the circle. But I wish I could have this surgeon!

My spending today -- $5 for breakfast. I packed bread to toast at work, but realized on the way that I had no spread for it (I keep a small tub at work). I didn't want dry toast so I splurged.

I am back on myfitnesspal tracking calories. Taking some weight off this knee is a long-term strategy that will make a difference!

Oh, I forgot to share that I negotiated free parking for a month at work! I just explained my situation, and I was given a medical pass!

I'm scheduled to go in for a DTaP shot, but I'm going to see if the doctor can take a look at my knee. I hardly slept last night for the pain. It was the second night in a row like that. It feels better now but I'm afraid as soon as I stress it by walking or doing the stairs, it'll hurt again.

I donated $3 yesterday toward gift cards for Student Worker Appreciation Day.

Later today I'll do my March recap. I think it would have been pretty good if not for my last minute spending flurry. But I bought things I needed.

I parked on the street yesterday (at work) where the sign said there was a six-hour limit. I moved the car after six hours -- just a few feet away. It didn't look to me like the cars were marked in any way, though I suppose there could be an electronic monitoring system. Everyone at work says you don't get a ticket unless you leave it overnight, but I hate to take a chance.

Just added two more cents to my found money. My next goal is to get it up to $35!

Chase has offered $200 if I transfer $15,000 into a savings account for 90 days. I'm thinking about it. I could transfer it back to the credit union after I meet the terms. I need to check into the difference in interest, though $200 will certainly outstrip any interest earned.

I used to love going shopping, but now I hate it. I hate having to spend money on something I need. It's crazy, I know, but somehow in my financial growth journey I eradicated pleasure from the shopping experience.

This weekend I bit the bullet and went shopping for shoes and sheets, both of which I needed. Since Kohl's was promoting a sale, I went there. I bought a set of Croft & Barrow 550-ct sheets for half price, and two pairs of Naturalizers for 30% off. Then got another 15% off for using my Kohl's card, plus $20 in Kohl's cash. Altogether I spent $139, and saved $112, not counting the Kohl's cash. Now, I know the retail price is inflated, but I still felt I did pretty well. I'm pleased with the shoes -- I have a hard time finding comfortable shoes for work. These are soft loafers, and I got the same style in black and in brown. Just have to make sure I don't put on one of each some dark morning!

I also bought pet supplies at PetSmart and Target, spending $37 -- but I hope the supplies will take us through April. I had a $3 coupon for PetSmart. I spent $32 on groceries, sticking to ten items. I got a haircut for $17, including tip. And I ate out twice -- once at McDonalds because I was out and about and hungry, and once at a new restaurant where I met up with a colleague to transfer some supplies for an event. She suggested lunch, and I agreed because these social opportunities don't come along too often. So eating out cost $15. Add to that $3 for laundry, and that's my weekend!

I did get to spend some time with the grandsons, and had dinner with the family (and was sent home with leftovers) so it wasn't all spending!

Today I drove to work, since I woke up too late to catch the train. But I am driving, anyway, through the month of April, for two reasons: to take it easier on my knee, and to gauge how the cost compares to the price of a train pass, now that I have to pay $30 more. The first challenge is figuring out free parking for a month. A parking pass is $100 annually. There is no monthly option. There is a free lot, but it is 4-5 blocks away. There is street parking, but only for six hours at a time. Tomorrow I am going to look into the possibility of a temporary pass, citing health reasons. I don't know how that will go, but I'll try.

I received the set of Bialetti saute pans. Oh, I love them! I made French toast on Saturday morning and they browned up like a dream on the ceramic lining.

I did not receive the Shark hand vac, although UPS confirmed delivery. I called BB&B this morning and they will send another and put a trace on the lost package. I hope it was not stolen, as packages are left in a vestibule that is open all the time. (But it is set way back from the street, so I doubt that a thief would just wander in....) Perhaps a neighbor took it by mistake. If it turns up, I can return to the store. The only down side for me is having to wait longer for the vacuum. And of course, wondering whether this one will be okay. I've never had a package problem before....

Last night the board that I serve on held an informal dinner event at a Greek restaurant downtown. I spent more than I usually do -- I guess I just decided to have fun and not worry for a change. The entire bill for drinks and dinner was $37 -- well, that's not really so bad, is it? Now that I look at it in black and white it doesn't seem like so much of a splurge.

And I really did have fun! It was a great group of people, lots of lively conversation, and the servers outdid themselves.

As it turned out, the restaurant was pretty close to the station, so I didn't have to get a taxi. I did have a bit of a walk in the rain, but I had company, which made it easier. I guess I pushed myself a little too hard, though, because in the night the pain in my leg was really bad.

I don't know if I've mentioned this before, but my brother's wife recently sold a business she started about 10 years ago. It was pretty successful, and I knew they were going to get a nice chunk of change. However, I just looked at pictures of the new house they're buying, and I'm taken aback! 3,800 square feet, situated on a lake with docking privileges, a pool in back, glass walls looking onto the lake -- it's pretty spectacular. I can tell my brother is kind of taken aback, too, but he says he is not going to stand in the way of his wife enjoying the fruits of her hard labor.

I'm not exactly envious -- well, I guess I am, a little. I wouldn't want so much responsibility, but I wouldn't mind having a little more of the good life. It just seems so odd that the siblings all live so differently. My sister throwing money away at every turn and living pretty much in squalor, my brother living in splendor, and me in a little walkup hanging on by my fingernails.

Oh well, it will be a nice place to visit!

There was no announcement yesterday but I got a little more information. Two people in our little unit (7 people) have indicated they are leaving -- one is actively looking for another position, and one is going into an entrepreneurial gig full-time. There is also the possibility of a third person leaving, depending on how some circumstances in her life turn out. And a fourth person is considering early retirement in the summer.

One of those people is the supervisor of this unit.

If all four leave, it will be pretty ugly.

The talk about reorganization, however, is mainly about adding at least one position to our unit rather than taking away.

I'll just continue one day at a time. The last time the supervisor's position was open, I was the interim (with no pay raise, I might add). I don't want to do it again. It is a thankless job, and I just about went crazy. I don't have the expertise. I'm good in my field, but not in IT and finance, which is what the supervisor's job entails.

I wish I had left a few years ago when I still had the chance.

But on to happier news -- I'm going to a dinner in Greektown tonight. OPA! It's cold and rainy today, so I'm going to indulge in a cab ride from the train station if the weather continues like this.

I found a penny last night and a quarter this morning.

If I stay on target, it looks like I will transfer $1000 into savings on pay day (a little over two weeks away).

Not a word at work about the changes ahead.

If anything happens, it will be today, since the boss is out tomorrow and Friday. So my guess is if he has something to say, he'll say it before he leaves for the week.

In related news, the Trustees officially decided to reduce the College's retirement contributions. It won't affect me, though, because the new rules won't go into effect until after I retire.

I went to physical therapy last night. My therapist feels that I am not responding to treatment as well as I should, so I'll be making a trip to the doctor, probably after the next (final) two sessions. I may have to get an MRI to figure out what's happening in my knee. The IT band problem is still there, of course, but it may be a response to a bigger problem in my knee, like a tear where the muscle attaches to the bone. I don't like the idea of more surgery, but if surgery is what it takes to get rid of this pain, I'm on it.

Well, happy hump day, everyone!

Well, nothing happened yesterday. I was told to expect more vacancies, more shuffling of duties, maybe some reorganization. Nothing, not a word. Maybe the shoe will drop today.

My hand vac burned out and died. With two indoor cats, one long-haired, I REALLY use the hand vac to keep my furniture clean. Should use it daily, in fact. So when I got a 20% off code from BB&B in my email this morning, I went ahead and ordered a Shark. There was free shipping for purchases over $49, so I added a set of three saute pans that were on clearance, 40% off. These are the Bialetti pans with the white ceramic interior and red enamel on the outside. My current saute pans are a wreck -- cheap to begin with, old, scratched, with burned-up bottoms. I am going to enjoy having good tools to work with! Plus, the red pans will look so much better hanging on the rack. They will go with my red toaster!

So I guess I'm done with the challenge. I think I've learned what I've needed to learn. Now I need to concentrate on replacing things, judicially, of course. Good quality at the best prices. I am still in the market for new work shoes and a new set of sheets.

And before I retire in a year and a half, I should get a new mattress set, a washer/dryer unit, and get my couch recovered. And my DIL is watching Craigslist for me for a good used dining room set. THEN I can retire!

With a week left on the challenge, I am at $0, even counting the $10 in extra income this month.

I had a bad day on Friday. I got some bad news at work, which may affect my job -- not so much danger of losing it, but danger of being thrown more work and responsibility than I can handle. I will know more today.

Anyway, it threw me into an emotional tailspin, so I turned to my comfort zones -- food and Goodwill. I did keep it down to $16 spending, so I'm not reporting a real lapse, so much as a blip.

And my Goodwill trip yielded some nice future gifts, especially for my granddaughter -- some brand new clothes in her next size up.

For myself, I bought a pair of jeans. Yeah, I just bought a pair a matter of weeks ago, but I'm going to have to donate them back. They are too low-cut, and I am just too old for that. I spend every minute pulling down my shirt while I'm wearing them. Enough of that. The "new" pair are classic Lee's, much better for me.

My upsetting work news made me leave my phone charger at work, so I wasted a lot of gas charging my phone while driving around this weekend.

The good thing was I didn't grocery shop, and I did all the cooking I was planning, so I am well-fixed for all my meals this week.

With so many in this community losing their jobs, or on the brink of it, it seems foolish to be upset that my job may be TOO MUCH. Heck, for all I know, I may lose my job -- I don't know how this is going to play out. As I say, I'll know more today.

But listen to this -- since Friday I've found .78! Three quarters and three pennies. Love it!

Woo-hoo! My favorite day of the week (except for the weekend days, of course!)

Practically no one is at work today. Spring break is next week, but looks like everyone is starting it early.

I found two more pennies on the train this morning. I also got a free Sara Lee snack cake yesterday evening -- they were handing out samples and coupons in the station. I don't know if I'll use the coupon but it's serving me well as a bookmark!

No spending yesterday.

I should probably do my state taxes this weekend. I only owe $1, so it just seems like such a waste of effort. Wish I could just send them $1 without all the paperwork!

My son found an affordable new home to rent in Florida that he's very excited about, so everything is on the up and up for him. He loves his new job. And my DIL's mother finally found a job at a new upscale grocery store, and she will be looking for a condo to buy as soon as she gets on her feet. So all the family news is good!

I'm looking forward to a cook-in this weekend. I made a list of possibilities on Evernote: crockpot lemon chicken, granola, zucchini bread, Mushroom-Swiss croissants, eggplant casserole, egg salad, soup broth, ricotta bruschetta ... can hardly wait to get going. The only part I dread is all the dishes to wash!

This time 4 pennies -- one in front of Walgreen's and three in front of an apartment building.

I saw three rabbits on my walk to the station, and thought, "How did they survive the winter?" The hardiness of wildlife amazes me.

We had a freaky snow this morning, but now the sun is shining. We're supposed to hit 50 degrees later. Freaky.

I spent nothing yesterday, so I'm still hanging on to my $6. However, I've earned $7 in snowflakes this month, and I just finished a Pine Cone survey so another $3 is on the way. So I'm going to say I have $16 left!

I have a work-related expense coming up that I won't count. Dinner in Greektown next Thursday. I'll be going to represent the board. Really looking forward to it!

I'm also looking forward to raiding my pantry & freezer this weekend and cooking up a storm. Ironic that I just bought the grocery cart and now don't have the money for groceries! I think I'll be okay, though. For one thing, I have about five servings of lasagna left. I have a large chicken breast that I will stretch in some way. I have cheese and eggs and quite a few vegetables that need to be used up. And I have all that sauerkraut! This will be fun.

Last night I found .11 in the parking garage when I went to physical therapy. This morning I had to pass up two pennies on the train -- too many people surging through. Didn't dare stop and bend over!

My therapist added a new exercise and last night I paid for it. I feel better today, though the early morning was rough. I will continue the exercise but will not do so many reps.

I am still hanging on to that $6. I really wanted to buy breakfast in the station, but this exercise is all about learning how to say no to wants.

I will forgo grocery shopping this weekend and have a pantry/freezer raid. The only thing I might have to buy is cat food.

I noticed that the sheets I put on my bed have a big frayed hole. I have three sets, so I'll be okay, but I will be on the lookout for bargain sheets.

Another expense coming up is shoes. I have boots and sandals and not much in between. I need to buy some simple loafers in black and brown to get me through the transitional seasons at work.

And my hair is in my eyes! A haircut is in order. But not until April.

I'm looking again at the possibility of installing a stackable washer/dryer. If it would fit in my bedroom closet, that would be an easy place to install the hookup, as the bathroom is on the other side of the wall. We'll see. That might be a summer project.

Found two more pennies this morning in Walgreen's parking lot. They were pretty banged up, so I think they've been there a while under the snow!

I wore regular shoes today for the first time all winter. Boots no longer needed! I can't tell you how good it feels to walk on dry pavement. Winter is finally over!!! Even a freaky cold snap will not set back the progress that's been made!

Knock on wood, my knee seems to be getting better. It's not back to normal, but it's better. I am still very careful on the stairs, because I'm sure that's what took it over the edge in the first place.

I realized that I forgot to log a cup of coffee I bought on Saturday while I was waiting for stores to open. So I really only have $6 left in my challenge!

Of course, I have more than $1,000 in checking, and I'm carrying around $55 in cash -- that's on top of what is reported in my sidebar. But in my mind I have $6 left!

I remember the days -- not all that long ago -- when I had $27K in debt, an empty wallet, a checking account that I had trouble keeping in the black -- I'm a different person now. It feels so much better. That's what I wish I could say to everyone who is living paycheck to paycheck. It just feels so much better this way.

Believe me, I remember times when I truly had only $6 to finish the month!

I have PT tonight, but this time I have enough food on hand to cover the whole day. Plus it's a little later than usual so I might be able to stop at home first.

I'm going to milk that $6 for all it's worth!

I found three pennies this morning, in three different places! I felt like that was my reward for getting up and getting out very much against my will. I had a very bad sleepless night; finally got up at 4:30. I ended up walking to the station early and then sitting out in the cold because the building was locked. I'm drained and exhausted today but I should sleep well tonight.

I did not have to work on Saturday, as I previously reported. My boss acknowledged that it was ridiculous for me to travel three hours to in order to work one or two. So Saturday was my errand day and clean-up day. I bought kitty litter at PetSmart ($16), groceries at Jewel ($27) and then I made a stop at Bed, Bath & Beyond for a little cart to haul my groceries upstairs. I had all but decided to get one that cost $50 after looking online, but when I saw them in person, I opted for the smaller $25 version. Granted, it will probably be less sturdy, but the bigger one just seemed too big and bulky for what I need. I tested it out immediately with the groceries I'd bought. Pulling it upstairs was a little awkward, but definitely easier on my knee.

On Sunday I made Reuben sandwiches for my son's family, and we played games afterward. It's becoming a tradition for me to make Reubens on St. Patrick's Day -- or the weekend day closest to it! And they turned out really good this year. I used marble rye bread, which made them pretty. Now I have lots of sauerkraut to use up! I'm thinking there is such a thing as sauerkraut soup, no? Or maybe I'll eat it as a side with Polish sausage.

I also made potato salad from scratch, which I rarely do. I used up some celery, carrot and onion and threw in a couple of hard-boiled eggs. It was really good, too.

I didn't have phone service for much of the day yesterday. I kept getting a message about the mobile network being down, or something like that. Never had that before! I haven't tried today, but I hope it's working again.

It was frustrating, because I saw something on Facebook I wanted to verify -- apparently my brother is moving, after many, many years in the same house, the house where we always have Thanksgiving and family reunions -- and not a word to me! I want the story, but I haven't been able to call him. And when I tried to email him, I realized that the only email address I have is his work email -- and he retired on March 1! And then I looked at his wife's email, and HERS was her work email -- and she's at a different job! So basically, they are off of my radar.

Then I read an email from my cousin, who knows ALL ABOUT the move, had a long talk with him, yada yada yada. What? Am I chopped liver?

I think my long work/commute hours are taking a toll on my private life. I am too tired to keep up with the busy social lives of others, and I think everyone is starting to forget about me!

My $300 challenge is floundering. I have only $8 left. What has thrown it off was a memorial gift (in honor of my friend who died of brain cancer) and the purchase of the cart. If I really HAD to I could have forgone both. But I didn't want to, and I do have the money. This is just a good reminder of how quickly $300 can be racked up!

I'll try to be extra careful the rest of the month, but I doubt that I will come in under $8!

Finally! I got to transfer some money back into my slush fund. $1150, to be exact. When it gets up to $2000, I'll start concentrating on my emergency fund again.

Yesterday I did not do any of my assigned exercises. (But I did walk and do stairs -- can't avoid that). I had a much better night. I am not pain-free today, but I am better.

I'm not going to discontinue the exercises, but I'm going to do them gently, at my own pace. I have to heal. I know I need to strengthen my hips to avoid a recurrence, but for heaven's sake, I have to heal first! (Yes, I'm having an internal argument with my physical therapist.)

I just want to chime in with Deacon's Wife that I am so glad to part of this community, too. We just seem to have a great synergy. And I am so proud of BankerGurl, for being so brave and open. We love you, Gurl!

Oh boy, am I in pain! I eliminated the exercises we thought were the cause, but I had pain all night and it's lasting into this morning. Advil isn't helping. For something that's really quite minor, in the whole scheme of things, this is a challenging condition!

I have to work this Saturday - registration for our annual scholarship dinner. It's a black tie event, so it means dressing up, especially if I end up being a seat-filler. I think I might get a manicure. I remember last year feeling ashamed of my hands, even though I was appropriately dressed.

I'm going to wear my most recent mother-of-the-groom dress.

No big financial news, except that it's pay day tomorrow and I'm so excited about making a big deposit into my slush fund!

We got that promised snowstorm, so I'm working from home today. With the roads bad, trains delayed, sidewalks buried, and my leg acting up, there's just no way I'm going to try the commute.

I had another physical therapy day yesterday, so another day when I had to be away from home for three meals. This time I bought dinner -- a sandwich at Dunkin Donuts. I don't have my receipt with me, but I think it was about $5.

My therapist condoned dropping a couple of the stretching exercises. It seems like stretching my hamstrings is hurting more than helping. I am continuing to do gentle stretches while lying down.

I paid $10 for a professional workshop. By rights I should be reimbursed by my employer but I'm on the fence about it. When they are struggling financially, it doesn't seem fair to turn in these petty requests. I am only going because I am on the board, so it doesn't really profit my employer for me to go. I think I'll just claim it in my tax filing next year. At any rate, as a business expense, it doesn't come out of my challenge!

With the purchase of the sandwich, my challenge money must be at about $126 now.

Before I grocery shop again, I'm going to buy a wheeled utility cart so I can haul them upstairs. I think I'll go to Bed Bath & Beyond with a coupon. I suppose that will have to come out of the challenge, so this month is going to be really tough!

I didn't do any spending yesterday, although I did order K-cups from Amazon. No cost to me, because of gift cards on my account. I got two packages (with 74 cups) so I could skip the shipping cost. I forgot to pick some up at the grocery, but this is better.

I really hate having to get K-cups, but that's the only way to have coffee at work now -- either that or buy it at the cafeteria.

Even though they're free, I had to use credit that I would have used for gifts, so that's annoying.

One of my co-workers, whose husband works at the zoo, handed out free passes yesterday. So I can look forward to a zoo trip this summer with my grandsons! It won't be totally free, because they get you for parking, but it will be less costly than usual.

I had another night full of leg pain, and I didn't get enough sleep. I really had to force myself to go to work.

I hear that tonight we will get a snow dump -- at least four inches, and maybe a lot more. We've enjoyed a few days of temperate weather, and some major thawing -- now this. Eccch. Does it never end?

I have $131 left to spend in my challenge -- and 21 more days in the month!

On Friday I bought stamps for $9. On Saturday I put in $10 toward pizzas for a family get-together. On Sunday I spent $38 at the grocery, plus $7 for a prescription, and $2 for a homeless person. Plus, I'm counting my Netflix bill of $8, since it is entertainment, not a necessity. I also spent $4.50 on laundry, but that doesn't count in the challenge.

I didn't do any cooking, like I thought I would. Heck, I didn't even vacuum! On Saturday I was out of the house all day, and on Sunday my leg hurt so much I was out of commission. Even lying down all day was painful.

I now know exactly what's wrong. It's called IT Band Syndrome. My pain has mostly been in the knee, but it can also be in the hip and thigh and all areas at once. On Sunday it was all areas at once. I think stair-climbing is what sets it off, especially if I am carrying something. So I am revisiting the idea of the wheeled cart.

The good news is that surgery is not required, or even helpful -- the bad news is that it will probably take its time healing and I have to learn new ways of moving, as well as follow this exercise program indefinitely. Sigh. Getting old -- it's not good!

I feel pretty good today, though. I hope tonight I can make the potato scramble and tomorrow the potpie.

But I have some really good news! My son got a job! It will start out part-time, as he trains, but will soon become full-time. The best part, it's a fast-growing industry. He'll be flying and building drones, and he will learn it from the man who is considered the expert in the field. And he doesn't have to move -- he can stay in Florida -- though he WILL move out of the house where he's currently living, so I guess he does have to move. He just doesn't have to move far away!

Yesterday I had to run out at noon to move my car (in a 6-hour spot) so I went to Goodwill. The funny thing was, on the way out I walked to the parking lot with a co-worker who said, "Going out to lunch today?" and I nodded, since I don't share my fetish with everyone. And then we both showed up at Goodwill! Turns out she's a Goodwill maniac, too.

I spent $9, buying a pair of capris, a summer shirt, a toy for the toybox and a cute little pottery teapot which I will give to my friend for her birthday. (Teapot collector)

Then I got gas for $38.

This morning I bought a $7 Papyrus card at the station. It was a sympathy card for my cousin. Her friend, who was not expected to make it through the weekend, didn't make it through the day. What a tragic loss. I'm so sad for everyone in her circle.

I went to physical therapy last night, feeling much better, and today I feel much worse. But I think I have pinpointed the cause. I think it is the strain of stair-climbing that sets off the pain. I am just going to have to cut back on that as much as possible until I am more healed. I can't cut it out altogether, but I can go back to the double-step, which is easier on the joints.

I'm working up a rudimentary menu for next week. I plan to make chicken pot pie, stuffed peppers, veggie lasagna and potato scramble. My shopping list exceeds ten items, but since so many of them are single vegetables, I think I'll be okay, money-wise and weight-wise.

It's a lovely day -- and it will reach forty degrees! I can't tell you how invigorating that is for us beleaguered Midwesterners!

Found .11 in the parking garage. I'm on a roll!