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Archive for February, 2020

Keeping An Eye on Things

March 1st, 2020 at 01:57 am

It's March re-set time around here, a day early. DD's university choices and their payments are looming, DH's contract job, though safe now, usually wavers with the stock market, and I'm not teaching any adjunct classes for a while. Today we got the bill for DH's ear surgery. I love when the insurance company says they'll pay for it all, and then it ends up still costing another $1000. On the positive side of that, his hearing is great. Except for some tinniness which is waning, he hears almost perfectly.

But the $1000 will have to be paid as will DD's school fees. It's time to dial down. Back to freezer excavation and back to more mindful shopping. And the freezer still holds many delights. Today's dinner was balsamic pork tenderloin with roasted veggies, and a cranberry apple crisp.

DD is being super helpful. She went with me to the grocery store today where she spotted 79 cent packages of pie crust--three of which are in our freezer now. Looks like quiche, instant pot lentil or tosacana soup, and our favorite sweet potatoes with black beans are on the menu this week.

Happy March, everyone! Stay healthy!

Hooray for NS Days

February 25th, 2020 at 03:04 am

It's super-busy at school, especially with the admin responsibilities. Nothing like reading thousands of handwritten course evaluations to brighten up your time.

I've known this week and the next few would be jam-packed and so have been streamlining everything from food prep to laundry. So far, it's been great.

Our DD is busy too--college decisions still looming and a funny role in "Little Shop of Horrors" as the plant. And DH is busy with his class. How many days to spring break?

A Surprise No-Spend Day

February 22nd, 2020 at 01:21 am

I expected today to cost me at least $10. It was award ceremony day for our professional writing students, and I had to park in the ramp, haul the trappings for the ceremony upstairs and help set up.

But the barrier at the ramp was up as we were holding a fair for incoming students, so parking was free. There was leftover food which I patched together for lunch, and even coffee and a quart of cream. These small bonuses are so fun.

On a frugal front, I had to meet a new teaching assistant to go over his work and we usually meet in the coffee shop at the library. I was early and ran into a former student who shared with me how his GI Bill is paying for his education, and he's received full scholarships for his upcoming training as a therapist. We laughed about his packed lunch, my free coffee, and our shared aversion to debt.

Bean and cheese enchiladas for dinner tonight--and it's Friday.

Signed Up

February 19th, 2020 at 02:40 am

I'm having very mixed feelings about work and thinking about DD's educational plans. All of this has led me to finally sign up for the "Are You Five Years From Retirement?" seminar at work.

I think I probably AM within that five year window, and I also think I'd like to find out my options. It's not until March, but it's a complicated system with pension, 403b, unused sick days, etc. It will be interesting to see how things look.

I also signed up for the wellness screening again. That and the activity will net me $150 again--just like last year.

We had leftovers for dinner--repurposing some steak and chicken into makeshift fajitas with onions and peppers. I love using things up.

Found Money

February 18th, 2020 at 04:45 am

It was a work-laden weekend. I read more instructor evals than I'd care to admit and wrote four evaluations/summaries of them. Three of them were outstanding, but it will be a difficult conversation with the fourth. I'm scheduling it for next week.

I had a great breakfast with my work friends on Saturday. Nothing like six women--all with complicated lives to take up two hours of talk time. But so so happy my friend with MS is doing so much better.

In other news, DD is busy busy with work and theatre and school. DH is busy with work and school, and well, you heard how work focused I am. And yes it is 28 days until my spring break.

DD had the day off for Presidents' Day so we went out to lunch and to Costco. On the sidewalk outside of Noodles, I found a $20 bill. How's that for fun! And on my way out of a class observation this morning I found a cool one cent. $20.01 in one day!

Aldi Advice?

February 5th, 2020 at 02:21 am

A brand-new Aldi opened near us last week. What do you like best/least at Aldi? I've occasionally shopped Aldi before but now it's on my regular route home. I'm mostly a Costco/local grocer shopper, so curious about Aldi favs.


My NS streak has ended with a haircut and some greeting cards purchased. I normally don't buy many cards, but some of these were for folks who needed some cheering up, and a cute one for my BF's birthday.

A surprise $20 check arrived in the mail from a survey I took somewhere. I hope to get it into my Big Goal fund.

Another NS Day!

February 3rd, 2020 at 11:23 pm

Very busy at work translates into very little time to spend. But I did get one thing checked off my list: consolidating an old 403B into my IRA. Swift and simple with one phone call.

Instant Pot soup for tonight for all of us. And thene back to grading, writing up class observations, and annual reviews. It never ends.