Remember that I’m hosting this week’s Carnival of Personal Finance so please submit!
$5K Challenge Reporting: I’m in a holding pattern this week, a paltry $50 check trickled in yesterday but three major invoices are still outstanding. My hope is that they all come in this weekend but it is a holiday weekend.
Total: $2,229.18 [44%]
How did you do?
Speaking of holiday weekends, I’m so relieved it’s here. Work’s been running me right off my feet everyday and only careful planning and advance cooking from the previous weekend ensured that a hearty dinner was on the table by 8 pm every night.
My exhilarating plans include catching up on sleep, bills, playing with the Guest pup one more time before the owners return, preparing the Carnival for your viewing pleasure and setting up a recalcitrant printer/scanner that’s refused to work since moving. Maybe even catching a movie with a friend who suddenly showed up in Oakland. Oh and there will definitely be eating. I’m on the prowl for new recipes to try – please share any of your comfort food recipes!
This gorgeous, thick, almost plush orange envelope landed in my mailbox yesterday. It was addressed to “Revanche and Guest” – you know what that means!
Wedding bells are ringing in honor of my dear old friend. He was my one of my favorite freshman year teachers and we’ve kept in touch lo these many years – through college, through the dissolution of his marriage, through some incredibly tough job hunting and soul searching years. And he’s found the woman who, without even meeting her, it’s plain she so matches his personality that reading her writing is like reading his. They’re not the same, but it’s close enough to make no never mind.
I’m delighted for him. He’s a warm and loving soul; a troubled marriage, divorce, ex-wife’s hasty remarriage to the strangest match ever (oh yes, we knew the guy) and the loss of his beloved pets who were children to him didn’t tarnish his quest for beauty (Whitmannish, Emersonian, Byronlike) and love.
My hope is that sometime after the wedding, I’ll get to know his wife and we’ll get along, and we’ll continue meeting up at odd times in our lives and be friends until the end of time.
In the meantime, it’s a scramble to make sure that I’ve travel funds for another trip back down south to witness their nuptials and wish them well. As luck would have it, they’ve scheduled it for the holiday weekend in July so with that Monday off as buffer/recovery time I’m considering driving instead of flying. It’s more cost-effective when you have more than one person in the car. Tallying for two: driving would probably cost less than $200 for the weekend, compared to 2 plane tickets at $180ish each. And if any other friends want to hitch a ride down to LA for the weekend, that’d defray the cost further.
Between this unexpected news and the flight back home for a graduation I neglected to budget for, I’ve emptied the well of travel money, travel credits, and travel anything else! But I wouldn’t dream of missing it and can’t wait to see him again.
A couple friends came to town last night and up until 6 pm, I wasn’t exactly sure if I was hosting a dinner or not. I got a call to expect dinner guests in an hour and a half, so then the scramble to pull together a good meal commenced.
The menu
Caprese salad Broccoli, pasta, potato variation on Frugal Scholar’s Broccoli Garlic soup Roasted chicken Garlic and spinach Red quinoa cooked in vegetable broth Dessert: Pies in jars
That was the last of the pies in jars so it’s time to make up a new batch. (Musing: Did I buy any more flour? I did buy Granny Smiths but haven’t done a thing with them.)
I’ve got SO very much work to do this weekend that I’m all conflicted. I only see these friends a few times a year so obviously it’s important to spend time with them while they’re here. On the other hand, time is running out to get a number of freelance jobbies done and commitments must be honored. It’s just going to be another weekend of juggling!
Will someone out there have a restful Saturday for me?
What a strangely accurate (Post-it Stop Motion) depiction of people at work!
It’s Friday!
If I were a mouse, I’d be playing as the boss is away, but I’m supposed to be “brilliant” so I’m still working.
Would love to see Iron Man, though! Then again, I don’t want to pay full price either. Hm… priorities. Well, an old friend will be in town again and I don’t see him often so it might be a case of going along with with everyone else wants and paying more than I’d like to hang out and see the same movie at the same time. Like high school, only more expensive.
What’s your stance on movie theaters? Yea or nay?
Also: roasted chicken or pork tenderloin for next week’s dinners? (Hint: The first one is WAY easier to make.)
What happened? I dreamed that my staff were plotting an insurrection because apparently my boss was an alky, and they were in trouble for bringing dozens of differently sized exercise balls into the office. ???
It’s been hours since I finally succumbed to the dim sum shrimp punching me in the face and knocking my brain fuzzy. You’ve really gotta watch it with that dim sum – half a chance and the carbs and the fats work their diversionary magic and POW! The shrimp get ya.
In lieu of caffeine, this Hand Ninja helped wake me up with her calisthenics (no idea what the last bit is all about).
Though dim sum is really fun, the only dish that really gets me there are the steamed and baked BBQ pork buns because I love love love BBQ pork and can’t make the buns at home. I might be able to figure it out one day but for now, I’m happy with bringing home the occasional delicious bun treat.
Speaking of treats, our meal was a treat as well. The bill for 4 people after tip was $55 which wasn’t bad considering we had SIXTEEN dishes (mostly small and medium) and works out to less than $14 per person. While I try to spend less than that on food for an entire day, it’s doped me up enough that I probably won’t eat again until late tonight. 🙂
It’s meant to be my supremely lazy Sunday by which the following are banned from my list of Things To Do: no cooking, cleaning, laundry or other chores.
Instead, SO kindly scribed the following stress-free suggestions for consideration: – Buy a cardigan for the office; these bones would greatly appreciate extra warmth, p’rhaps a parka? – Go out for brunch; there are a few folks about the area I coulda shoulda called up – Massage; medical necessity, actually – Reconnoiter the local garage sales on Craigslist – Check out the Martin and Osa sales online – Use the BOGO coupon at Jamba Juice
It’s a cute idea, but right now my idea of destressing actually includes: not spending money, not leaving the apartment, and catching up on work. Taking out all the housework is splendid though I will pay for it later.
It seems nonsensical, but hear me out. At least one-third of my stress is powered up by the knowledge that I have a million things to do and bills to pay. The balancing act of living frugally and earning “enough” is precarious and altogether draining. As it is, just not pre-cooking for the week would have me in knots if I weren’t at least well ahead of the game on one freelance project after logging hours yesterday evening.
Thanks in no small part to rising early (another abnormality when I’ve got any choice about it), today has been both semi-productive yet restful. There’s a banana nut cake with extra walnuts cooling on the stove, some leftover Indian food warming in the oven, and not an unmanageable amount of work slated for today.
I haven’t watched any TV yet (Serenity! Battlestar Galactica! Dr. Who! White Collar! Bones!) this weekend, but if I wrap up at least another project by mid-afternoon, I could still squeeze in a geekfest. After I defrost the chicken, that is. A girl has got to eat something, sometime this week.
Bonus Question: should I trek out for this week’s coupons and a few bags of Trader Joe’s pretzels for work? I need carbs to get through the day.
This is one of the less awesome Saturdays because frankly, this week bit. My homemade chicken soup (above) would really hit the spot. Unfortunately, it didn’t survive past the cook night. It was that good 🙂 It was a very simple soup made with homemade stock, a little salt and pepper and fresh veggies.
It’s been a rough week – I’m dragging after an 8-9 hour day, and by Friday I’m drained to the dregs. I was concerned about getting back into the groove of a working schedule, and thus far my concerns were merited. This is the first weekend I’m deliberately not cooking for a week and cleaning because I have got to get some rest. And I’m taking advantage of the extended Spa Week deal at a local spa – maybe a hot stone massage will alleviate some of this pain. Luckily, the FSA is set up so that should defray the cost.
Family’s got me on the ropes, as usual. Mom was released last night, but Dad’s considering pursuing some alternative treatments which means I need to come up with another $500 a month to pay for it. I don’t mind the cost, it’s just going to be rough getting even more creative.
Some links to love
Frugal Scholar’s had a taste of blog anxiety to go with her broccoli soup; I’m certainly not immune to her feelings: “And, of course, I am somewhat paralyzed by the desire to write a killer post.” I try to make my peace with the fact that readers who actually like me when they happen upon me, not just on a good post day, will be the ones who stay and converse.
