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Archive for April, 2012

I Should Have Asked!

April 24th, 2012 at 05:48 am

Since my haircutter is on maternity leave, I chanced a new one. I like the results a lot, and everyone in my evening class and even the instructor next door said unprompted nice things. But...it was 50% more than my regular cut and color. I should have asked their prices before I booked. Ugh.

The UK airfare tickets were paid for in this month's CC bill, but thankfully I missed the month's posting date for the window deposit. And my painter hasn't returned my call.

My Bestsellers class wound up tonight, and I have a week off before Mysteries begins.

I'm excited about the NYC trip and determined to get all packed tomorrow after work!

Satisfaction!

April 21st, 2012 at 05:57 am

My missing shoes from ebay showed up today--and yesterday, after I opened a dispute, the seller e-mailed and (wow) offered me $15 for my trouble. The credit appeared in my Paypal account, the shoes are great, and I now have $100 Keen Shoes for $40. Fabulous!

My spending today was $2 for coffee and $2.50 for parking as I made a special trip to the university to hear a really interesting talk by a respected literary scholar. It was wonderful, and at that point in the semester when work seems drudgery, it got me all jazzed up to re-start a couple of articles I've put aside.

A terrific day all around!

Coffee Spending

April 18th, 2012 at 04:43 pm

Yep, it's true. All I spent on Monday and Tuesday was cash for coffee. This morning I wrote a check for DD's upcoming field trip to the state capitol and another to the nature center.

My NY trip is a little less than a week away, and I'm a little concerned because every flexible appointment I need to make somehow ends up the day before I leave. I've got a meeting with the study abroad folks, the dog gets groomed, there's a play practice for DD, and a school meeting to prep us for the middle-school experience. Eeek! I'd better get completely packed over the weekend.

The comfy Keen walking shoes I bought at ebay have not arrived, and there is no word from the seller. The auction was won 10 days ago, and I think I'll look into the dispute process.

Somehow, I need to grade, clean the house, get a haircut, and do some shopping. Tomorrow's an easy school day for me as students are workshopping their big projects. I plan on doing some grading then.

I'm reading a wonderful moody Swedish book called _Astrid and Veronika__ which I like a lot. I'd prefer to flop on the sofa all day and read, but lots to do!

Yep, Back in the Grading Rut

April 15th, 2012 at 10:27 pm

I'm spending too much of today grading my online class and giving them feedback on their upcoming reports. Last night between 11-3, I got e-mails from five students. It seems odd to me that they're up late e-mailing me, but maybe it's because there WAS no e-mail when I was 21?

No spending other than church today. DD and I decluttered over a dozen of her books, sharing some with her choir director. I've also got a bag of outgrown clothes to offer to freecycle.

Last night also saw me grading four capstone projects, all of which actually passed. This after we busted three for plagiarism earlier in the week.

I've taken on another (yuck, that's four) project advisor job for another local college. It's a short-term gig while their regular person is away. And it doesn't start until May. I guess the window expense is still eating at me....

Twoday's Spending

April 15th, 2012 at 03:49 am

DD and I went paint shopping yesterday, as my Living Social painter was about to show up and estimate both her room and our exterior. He was a nice enough guy, but either over caffeinated or just nervous. I hope he doesn't talk that much while he's painting.

Despite some anxiety yesterday over finding the right paint and bedspread combination, we seem to have got it done today. She's opting for a very fresh and preppy pink and green pattern comforter with daisies. Bloodbath and Beyond had several she liked, and the entire package--with sheets, comforter, valances, a throw, and weirdly--socks--came to $99. With my 20$ off coupon, a little over $83 with tax!

We got terrific bargains at Target today too, and spent $30 there on misc groceries and shampoos. Our only real impulse spending was a mall pretzel yesterday.

I'm again catching up on grading and house chores, but I feel like we've made real progress with the painter, windows, and DD's room.


Today's spending

April 13th, 2012 at 05:52 am

Again my poor DD was hauled off to the university with me. We bought beverages at $4.84, and she later had a $1.57 cheeseburger. That's all we spent, but tomorrow looks different. I see a new bedspread on her horizon--and three's a very very good sale at the local department store. I spent $5 on a coupon book for that sale with the proceeds going to support the local women's shelter. I'm itching for a couple spring items!

Today's Spending Report

April 12th, 2012 at 05:20 am

Conscious of the impending NYC and UK spending, I avoided the grocery store and perused some Easter leftovers' recipes. And I'm happy I did. I made a Martha Stewart recipe spinach salad which used spinach on hand, leftover Easter ham, hardboiled eggs, and radishes topped with a warm olive oil vinaigrette.
It was fabulous. DH--who loves spinach salad anyway-- swooned. To combat the healthiness of it all, DD and I also stirred up some Rice Krispie treats.

About six months ago I bought a room painting daily deal for $100. I called the guy today and am scheduling DD's room redecorating. She and I spend an hour looking at paint samples at Home Depot. It was lovely, and we also spent $7.99 on a hanging basket of violas. That was the total of today's outlay.

We've had yet another spate of egregious plagiarism
with my capstone projects. I've had to take the flamethrower to the instructors and students both.
Not only are they copying from the internet, they're copying from previous capstone projects. Idjits.

Trying to Balance Things

April 11th, 2012 at 05:40 pm

This is one of those weeks where there needs to be three of me. Our university is hosting a Swedish crime writer who I'd love to see. I also have tons of housework, a friend who needs help with her impending move, DD's spring break, and loads of class prep.

As much as I'd love to escape into Stockholm's gritty underworld, I suspect I should work, work, work, and play a bit with DD.


So today's short goals:
Update online classes and hold their virtual hands.
Write quiz and project for "real" class.
Go for a long walk with DD.
Call painter for her room
Transfer money to cover airline tickets

I have news on the London teaching, but will hold off until I know more tomorrow!

More Spending

April 11th, 2012 at 06:11 am

It's DD's spring break and she's spending it at the university with me. I feel more than a little guilty as most of her friends are in San Diego or Orlando or somewhere swell, and she gets to sit in on my boring classes.

So, since we were running late this morning I spent more than anticipated. It was $8.75 for parking, $1.35 for her cheeseburger, and another $23 on groceries on the way home.

I ordered theatre tickets for the four of us that are going to NYC--It was (gasp) $448 but it's Death of A Salesman with Philip Seymour Hoffman directed by Mike Nichols. It's a play I'm planning on teaching again next fall, and how often does a boring Midwesterner like me get a chance like that? And we have two jazz nights planned too. I better start scouring the sofa cushions.

Yesterday was a cheap-o day with a mere 50 cents going to machine coffee.

I'm beat, so will update more tomorrow when the hangover from too much teaching wears off.

Two More Days Spending

April 9th, 2012 at 06:54 am

Yesterday I spent $105 on groceries, $16 on Easter basket stuff, $65 at Target on Easter stuff, tights for DD, skirt for DD, cleaner, toothpaste etc. Then another $8 at CVS on hair stuff like root touch-up (I have no secrets at SA) and a deep conditioner. We talked about going out to eat, but I was meticulous with my coupons and didn't want to blow my savings so ate in.

This morning? Another $40 at church, but nothing else.
We had friends over, ate large quantities of the food purchased yesterday and just plain relaxed.

Target is dangerous for me. I know this. Stuff flings itself into that big red cart.

I'm currently anxious about my potential NYC spending. My girlfriends are posing the idea of several nights of $100+ tickets--and that's w/o food.

But I did manage to read two senior capstone reports tonight for some needed extra cash. Still--that NYC money....

Two Days Spending

April 6th, 2012 at 05:07 am

Yesterday, a mere $5000 deposit on the new windows.
Today? After the recoil from yesterday's outflow (at least he let me put it on the credit card!)I spent $2 with tip on coffee and $22 at the pet food store.

April Expenses Thus Far

April 4th, 2012 at 03:56 pm

What I spent through yesterday doesn't look so bad. I'm ducking and covering knowing what's to come.

Sunday: Church offering $41 (just mine, not DH's)

Monday: Vending machine coffee (ugh) at second job: 50 cents. Kumon: $100 for the month. Mortgage $600

Tuesday: Coffee again (is there a pattern here?)$2 w tip

So far, so good. But the arrival of the window man and my current ebay bids make me anxious.

April, Come She Will?

April 2nd, 2012 at 03:42 am

Another chilly day here, but I'm close to being caught up with grading and feeling positive as I've accomplished a lot.

This weekend we decided on a window bid, booked a vacation rental when our British friends are here, booked a girls' long weekend in NYC, and (hallelujah!) got paid for my new glasses and all my capstone project reading.

We've decided not to go to Minnesota for Easter. It's a wise decision, I think. It's too much driving, and a late Easter dinner would screw us up all week, not getting home till midnight.
But it seems sad still to me. It's the first year without my mom, and if she were still alive, we'd go no matter what. It seems like this might signal less closeness with my brother, so we'll have to arrange another time to be with them. Maybe I'll send him a funny card or something.

I love April--such hope!