I've spent an hour this morning catching up and getting ahead on some needed shopping. I had stopped in Kohl's on the way home Wednesday, but abandoned my purchases mid-shop as I could feel I was buying too much, was too tired, and not very focused.

But armed with several coupon codes, the Swagbucks portal, and good night's sleep, I bought curtains for the office, pj pants for DH, and new valances for DD's room. I made much better choices, found office valances on line they didn't have in the store, and saved a lot of money. Kohl's kind of makes me crazy and it's much better online.

I now have several things for Christmas purchased and ideas for many more. I also bought a dress for myself from Loft. My work clothes are tired, and I actually wore a dress the other day to teach--and got a ton of compliments on it. I need a few new things.

Any one have recommendations on the best (control top) black tights? I used to buy Donna Karan tights, but I'll bet there are better cheaper ones out there.

It's a beautiful morning here after all the rain and gloom of the past few days, so it's hard to believe it's November. I have to admit, I love November. The fall cooking is fun; my classes seem to have settled down, and Christmas crazy hasn't started yet.

I'm having a rare moment of feeling caught up --which probably means I've forgotten something--but I feel like doing some planning. Maybe I'll start with menu planning, then go on to allocating some money to different pots. We put off our bathroom remodeling when DH's job was shaky, but things have settled down a great deal, and I think I'm ready to get a couple more bids and get started.

I've really been enjoying the World Series. Usually I consider watching sports not the best use of my time, but I can easily write assignments and grade them on the laptop with baseball on, and I'm almost caught up on laundry. Now the horrible choice of the Series tonight or the Packer game.

I feel like I've been playing catch up for more than a week. Usually Friday is a solid work day for me, both at home and with school work. But last Friday I had a mammogram and my daughter had the day off, so I didn't get much done. I was planning on a lot done today, but Tuesday I got the call I needed a follow-up mammogram scheduled for today. Everything turned out fine, but instead of the 90 minutes they told me to plan for, it took over three hours with the ultrasounds and consultation. Of course I was exhausted afterwards and didn't really kick into gear until after 5.

Thankful for my good health insurance and that I still had money left in my flex account for the co-pay.

My DH's new contracting agency is paying him weekly, but he does not get any PTO, even holidays. His hourly rate is higher, so we should still come out ahead, but it's time we take a closer look at our budget again. But that may wait for yet another Friday.

And mostly quiet because I can hardly talk. Did I say it here? I have pneumonia; I was diagnosed at Urgent Care a week ago and have been home over since. I've significantly improved, have found someone to take my adjunct class, and have been running my university classes from the recliner. After five days of fever and chills, I'm glad to be on the mend. But I can tell the doctor is right, I'm at less than 50 % lung capacity.

So, I'm doing what I can from here. I've read capstone projects, graded papers, folded laundry, read, watched Netflix, and counseled students via e-mail. My London numbers are not strong, but I think we'll make it.

DH is doing his best but he'll never make it as a caring professional. We had good news on his job; right in the midst of this, his contracting agency dumped him, but he's landed a new agency that might even be better for us cash wise. I'm going to try to roast some veggies, but the least little thing gets me pretty winded.

If you like Scandi crime dramas and can put up with subtitles, I recommend Diche on Netflix. I like those stories.

I did get hit for the $8 for parking with my SA rep yesterday. But I got a free lunch at the SA fair and we had a very busy day. Our Study Abroad Fair runs from 9-2, but we got there around 8:30 and didn't have a minute to breathe or talk virtually the whole time.

I'm pleased to see so many students interested; one of our virtues is that our program fees are pretty inexpensive--just a bit more than a semester's tuition and housing here here on campus. Of course they spend a lot in London, but compared to some of the semester programs, we're cheap.

After I came home, DH and I headed to the Fall Orientation for DD's last year of middle school. She's had a really good year so far, and is over the moon that she's in the highest vocab group--which consists of three kids.

I'm still cleaning up after the office remodel, and I will definitely get it done this weekend. It's really a paper morass--teaching materials for every class I've ever taught, office supplies, personal letters, bills--you name it, I've got 12. But slowly and surely I'm getting there.

My reward for getting it done will be to finally list the small mountain of stuff I want to sell. If it doesn't sell quickly, out it goes.

After a mixed weekend of fun and work, today certainly started out soggy. I parked in the underground garage at the university though it's so darn expensive--but it was tipping down. That and coffee added up to $10. Not the best start for the week, but it had to be done.

I did deposit a $20 rebate in the bank, and also cashed $25 out of Swagbucks to deposit in Paypal--with the $1.50 discount.

Hoping for a good and cheaper week ahead.

My check for my capstone project reads was due August 1, but sometimes they're a month behind. Yet when it didn't show up yesterday, I contacted them. They've changed job responsibilities and the BIG boss was supposed to submit the read list. But he didn't and said he'd do it this month. Really? No apology for being two months behind on these? It's $750 and these are tight months. I've already submitted the next term's list and said I'd like to be paid for them both as soon as possible--which I know will be October 1. But man it irritates me that there was NO apology.

In more significant news, I met my first two classes today. My favorite moment was a very cranky young man who didn't appear on my class list, and who got even crankier when I told him after class I'd need to check on his enrollments. He insisted on showing me his schedule on his phone which indeed had him in my classroom at the right time---but TOMORROW--not today. He brightened up a bit when I told him he didn't have to show up tomorrow morning since he sat through the opening day once already. I signed an add form for a very personable young man who wrote a very persuasive e-mail and did all the right things to get in. Then I later got a follow-up thank you e-mail from him. Somebody raised that kid right.

We'll see how they shake out--it's very early to tell.

And that was three more bags of books to the library and two went to Half Price. I agree--they're bad prices, but I had to go across the street to Target. For those that went to HPB, I made a very paltry $10. And the library was very happy. But the $10 paid for lunch (with coupon) for me and DD. And too gradually I'm getting my office much clearer.


Tonight's work is to sort through files to condense them before I paint the file cabinets tomorrow.

I don't like our August spending. DH's tuition, home and car insurance, back to school spending, DH's annual life insurance are all due. It's always like this, and I'm always fretting about it. I think it's time to handle these big expenses differently. We have plenty of cash to cover them, but I need to face up to not being able to "cash flow" them.

Part of it is that DH objects to the extra couple of bucks it costs to pay the household insurance in more installments, but I'm switching it over to quarterly as we do with the car insurance. I know it's a psychological thing, but I hate taking money from savings to pay for this. I could set up a separate account, but honestly, for $3-4, quarterly makes me feel much better.

Now, over to the insurance website to handle that.

Granted this was just two things--a dress I never wore and a vintage book given to me, but I'm happy to add $26 to my sales totals.

Things I had listed but that didn't sell are now at the charity shop. No real other financial news, just enjoying the summer.

We're off on vacation for a week or so, and have given the next week's CSA produce to some friends who are really struggling. It was a good reminder of how much we have.

Yesterday was sort of a wrap-up for me. I got the dishes and food all stowed from the food swap, finally finished my grades for my Bestsellers class, and unwound a bit. And we've been eating leftovers from the community meal and swap.

Today will be moving forward day, I think. We have to get DD packed for camp, all her various forms completed, editing contracts signed and scanned, and the office tackled.

There's a pending bus strike here, and either my DH will have to pay high parking prices, or I'll have to drive him to work. He's going to ask to work at home for a few days, so we'll see how that pans out.

I'm not quite sure what to do with August. DD will be done with her camps, but it can be a long month without many planned activities. I have plenty to do, but her friends are here, there, and everywhere in August. I've been thinking about a(nother) trip to MN but we'll see how the budget holds for this one.

I finally have good news about DD's January root canal. After way too many conversations with the endodontist, the insurance folks, and my HR people, it looks like the insurance folks have finally paid their half. I won't quite believe it until the check is in hand, but that will help all our accounts.

I haven't sold anything in almost a week, and am itching to get rid of more things. DD and I may take some stuff to Half Price this afternoon.

This dinner and food swap started when I was in London, and this was only my second one. Though it sounds like the whole town came, it's really a small community of friends and friends of friends.
We hosted tonight. The hosts get to pick the theme, and we picked Southern-style BBQ. One couple made pulled pork with peachy sauce, someone else made slaw, and we had potato salad, mac and cheese, and I made deviled eggs, and beans. One friend made two HUGE pies, a peach and a strawberry rhubarb. I made mint juleps, someone else made peach sangria.

We also made food to swap with a bean theme. We have squash and white bean soup, black bean burrito filling, pasta salad with green beans, cannellini and pepper bruschetta, and a warm bean salad. We had a lovely evening with tons of kids running in the yard, lots of talk and laughs. Very fun and not much work. And my daughter had so much fun she's out cold in her room with her clothes still on. Now that feels more like summer.

I'm always restless on these long summer nights. I don't want to waste them and look forward to sitting outside with a glass of wine long into the evening.

But today was too full of chores and errands for that kind of night, and I find myself up at 11 still dealing with groceries, dishes, and long lists of things to do.

We did get to the bathroom contractor's storefront today and set up an appointment for an estimate. I've got some ideas and am eager/apprehensive to see how much this will set us back.

Today was an expensive one with a Costco trip and lots of groceries. We have our community dinner and food swap here tomorrow night so I've been cooking up a storm. Better find my book and try to get some sleep before tomorrow creeps up on me.

Despite several calls and chats with ATT today, we are still unable to load FB. FB says it's a u-verse issue; U-verse says it's a FB issue. Frankly, I don't care whose issue it is, I just want it fixed.

There's more news, but I'm fixated on that right now.

My FB pages have refused to load for the past two days. After running various diagnostics, I've confirmed the problem is with our ISP, the always- disappointing u-verse. The chat help said it would be another 8-12 hours at least.

Besides being very behind on messages, I'm slightly concerned about my FB selling pages, but perhaps this is a good break in the action.

First world problems indeed, especially in light of all the horror in the news today.

Long-suffering readers may remember that last year I got a summer textbook editing job, accuracy checking lots of auxiliary material. I've been on the verge of calling the editor to see if they have anything else in the works as they were very easy to work with last year. But she beat me to the punch, e-mailing me on Monday and then ironing out the details in a phone chat yesterday. It's easy, if somewhat tedious, work, and if they indeed get it ready for the summer, good for my break schedule. Last year, unfortunately, it stretched until Christmas.

In less pleasant news, my dental insurance again rejected my daughter's root canal after assuring me they'd pay. I need to contact them this afternoon to see what's up.

I have more things I'd like to pedddle on FB, but it's been down all morning, so that will have to wait.

White DH still in the UK, I'd planned on a leaner budget, but DD and I have been living it up: Chinese takeaway last night and breakfast out for the last day of school. Leaner budgets can wait until next week.

I did cash out $50 worth of Swagbucks last night, half to Paypal and half to Amazon as I see some book purchases in the future.

Nothing coming up this weekend but a few free kid events.

The Study Abroad folks haven't invoiced me for the March Iceland trip yet, so I've contacted them. I'd like to get it paid, and usually they also pay me something for my airfare, so perhaps that will be a wash? I still miss all of them and London a lot.

Although I'm missing my DH, the child and I are having a lovely weekend, highlighted by a dinner party last night and lots of lovely leftovers today.

On Friday I sold a few more things, but still have lots of decluttering and selling to do. And tomorrow's list includes calling the insurance agent to review our rates.

Better get on that list right now!

Last week a second (third?) cousin asked me to join a FB genealogical list about our shared great great grandparents in Sweden. We've never been close as we live in different parts of the country, but her parents and mine were always close. After I lost my mom several years ago, I found them on FB, and we've become closer sharing family history and other interests.

Tonight she and her sister asked if I'd be interested in traveling to Scandinavia with them next year. It had never occurred to me, but I like them a lot, and suddenly it seems like a wonderful idea. One more thing to save for!

I decluttered a bit today, sold some sandals on FB, and saved some cash by borrowing something DD needed. Frugality continues.

Most possibly exciting, except for travel, is some advice I received today about DD's root canal last January. Both dentist and endodontist told me my insurance wouldn't cover it, so we paid it all out of pocket. But after calling the dental insurance provider today, it appears they may pay more than half! They advised having the endodontist file a claim and then reimbursing me. Now I have called them and they seem puzzled about their earlier advice and have now filed a claim. It looks like we may get $400 back. I'm pretty darn excited about that too.

I did the university-sponsored health assessment today for which I'll get a $150 Visa card in a couple months. It wasn't too bad, and indeed I was out of there in about 30 minutes. But no coffee and no food until 1pm gave me a giant headache. DH went tonight after work, so we'll eventually be $300 to the good.

The headache precluded some other phone calls I was due to make today about lowering bills, but that can wait until tomorrow. Other fascinating items of interest include my upcoming trip to a children's resale shop tomorrow.

Although Marylebone Market was nowhere to be found when I got there, I did have a nice walk there. Apparently the market is only during the summer. I haven't been in that neck of the concrete for a long time, and it is very exclusive with great design stores and a branch of my favorite Daunt Books. But again, I spent nothing. How is that possible? Even yesterday I brought coffee to school, then shepherded my War and Lit class to the Churchill War Rooms for which they paid 13 GBP, and because we're Imperial War Museum members, it was free for me.

Since the Iceland trip is coming up in two days, I'm trying to eat the contents of my fridge with much success. Although I seem to be surviving on roast vegetables and sweet potatoes, it's nice food.

But skyping with DD yesterday she insists she's outgrown all her yoga pants and leggings--but LandsEnd has no black ones until June. I like LandsEnd, but sure wish they had staples always in stock. So I ordered her two pairs from Gap.com and a pair of jeans--with free shipping and a promotional code it was around $40. And today I purchased two tickets to the Highgate Cemetery tour for when DH arrives. Aren't we wild livers?

Grading papers all morning, but off to a meeting in 20 minutes. If I can manage it, I'll walk there.

Thursday is not a teaching day for me here, but I did have a series of meetings, including a meeting to discuss internships with students. About half my students are doing internships while here, working unpaid for under 20 hours a week. They must obtain a Tier 4 visa to do this which sets them back about $500.

As one might expect, it's a mixed bag. Lots of them absolutely love their internships, but I've got two this term who are less than happy. It's difficult to sort out how much of this is their unrealistic expectations of work, trouble balancing travel, classes, and work, or whether the internships are really as bad as they say. After about 90 minutes of headache-inducing complaining, I was happy to hide out in the faculty office.

I'm considering going to Stockholm next weekend, if I can figure out how to do it cheaply. Lots of options, but I have to work it around my already packed schedule.

The best part of the day was the "After Hours" event at the National Portrait Gallery where they're having a special exhibition of John Singer Sargent. It was free! And you could purchase wine, soft drinks, gin and tonics, etc, and stroll some of the galleries with them. Amazing. So with a lovely glass of wine, I enjoyed an exhibit on the photography of Lord Snowden and for the second time, the Grayson Perry pieces, What I came for was a lecture on a group portrait of WWI generals done by Sargent. While I'm not sure I agreed with the lecturer on everything, it was very interesting--and particularly lovely to walk out after the evening into Trafalgar Square.

Total spending was sort of minimal: 4pds for wine, six for groceries on the way home.

Now to go out into the sunshine!

Can someone offer some instruction on how to get photos to upload correctly to the blogs? Mine seem to get stuck and never make it from the bottom of the draft page.

I had hours of meetings today, but no classes. Thankfully the last meeting of the day was to tell us about the upcoming trip to ......Iceland! I think it will be spectacular. This is the first time they've organized a trip for students and faculty there, and I'm very excited. It's in two weeks.

A 30-minute break between meetings was the the occasion of my only spending today. I resisted many books, but did duck into my favorite bookshop for a coffee. I've been reading a lot, especially on rainy evenings.

We spent a lot of time today discussing our students' use of the dating app, Tinder. This is where I think I'm showing my age because it scares the heck out of me to think they're meeting strangers, probably very often in bars and well, not being as safety conscious as I'd wish them to be.


UK grocery prices seem to have stabilized. I've been eating very healthily--oatmeal (aka porridge--which always sounds a bit Goldilocksy to me) and fish and vegetables, I can tell I've lost weight as I'm walking all the time. It's just so fun to walk when everything is so interesting to look at.

I have a full day of classes tomorrow, so better head off with my book.

Yep, it's long-lost me checking in from London. I've been super-busy and am already halfway through my twelve weeks here. And it's still glorious. I like the new flat and have been very good about spending, bringing lunches and coffees to school etc.

I've been on some great walks. This neighborhood is between Hampstead and Primrose Hill, making it ten minutes walk from wide-open green space. Several days I've walked into Bloomsbury to campus through Regents Park. If I don't stop to gawp at things, it only takes 40 minutes. But the camels in the London zoo are always staring back at me as are the goats I can see through the fence, so it takes me a long time.

My big thrill--besides all the other daily ones--has been seeing a teeny bit of Sherlock being filmed. One of my students had her photo taken with Martin Freeman, so we're all excited about that.

Friday we were in Cambridge--fabulous. If the weather is good tomorrow, I have a few antique shops and charity shops in Hampstead on my explore list. I can always grade papers on lousy days, right?

Hi to all of you! I've been reading your news and enjoying all your updates.

Now that the stormy semester's done, London is three weeks away, and Christmas is lovely leftovers, I vow to return to SA. Three days of being ill, and more sleep than I've had in weeks, I feel almost rejuvenated.

More on planning and budgeting very soon.

Happy Christmas to all of you!

Just a quick hi to all of you. I'm super busy but hope to blog this weekend. But in more pressing financial news, I'd better go register for my flex spending for next year!

Wow--I did predict the week would be a whirlwind, and I was right. I met more than 100 new students on Wednesday, tried to deal with all the prereqs, adds and drops, book issues, personal issues, requests to borrow my text, students in the wrong classes, and a straight six hours of back-to back teaching from 8-2. By the end of the day I felt like I'd be through a tornado.

Today was the campus Study Abroad fair from 9-2--again non-stop talking with students with no time to eat, stop, or think. Then on to a department meeting. The best part of the day was talking with students about London. Three of last year's bunch came to visit, and I can't even begin to say how pleased I was to see them. It's a unique bond, spending 3 months together.

So now, I've decided to turn in early and handle all the odds and ends tomorrow. If I can get off the chair.

Yes, the new semester is just hours away. Am I ready? Let's just say I will be. No classes for me until Wednesday, so I have tomorrow to finish everything up.

I'll pop in for office hours tomorrow, but then head home for some much needed time.

It's been a busy weekend here. A grand fish fry complete with polka band on Friday, then a Saturday BBQ with my university women and their kids. Today DH, DD, and I went to the Parade of Homes--always interesting, if not quite my style.

In big financial news, I sold an old textbook for $99.
This will be a very squeaky financial month for us as we try to avoid moving money from savings. But in the past weeks we've had to pay over $2K for my gum surgery, the annual household insurance, the car insurance, and DH's tuition. There's not much wiggle room right now. The freezer contents are looking much more attractive, especially when supplemented with the garden's bounty.


More once I catch up--

I've been trying to put together an outfit for my nephew's wedding. A couple of weeks ago I got a great dress with matching jacket at Talbot's --pretty green linen, just the right length. And super cheap. But I've been fussing about shoes.
Now I could relent and wear beige sandals, but my family always teases me about my deep shoe love. I priced Lilly Pulitzer green shoes and decided they'd cost more than the whole weekend away, but today, found some very indulgent but beautiful Lilly Pulitzer three-color summer sandals with kitten heels with the same green tone as the dress. And on ebay for $24. Do I absolutely need them? No. Will they make me very happy? Yes. Adorable shoes, great fun colors, kitten heels, and $24. Well spent, I think. But I'd better do some more Swagbucks!