As I get closer to retirement, my focus on health and health insurance is increasing. Thankfully, I don't have any serious health issues (knock on wood). I am running the gamut of tests this year to make sure everything is in good working order. I did get diagnosed with pre-diabetes a couple of months ago. Actually I was borderline diabetes, but the doctor gave me three months to try to change things. At two months in, I have learned so much about nutrition, sugars, carbs,...
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Husband had to work last weekend and it looks like he might be working this weekend too.

Stinks to goes weeks without a day off, but the money sure will be nice! We estimate he will make about $400 for each weekend he works.

He might be working our anniversary weekend as well. So rather than staying a night out we may just dress up and go out to a fancy dinner. Will have to wait and see.

Overtime money will be nice to buy some wants and for saving for Christmas. Hoping...
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Eight days ago my grandmother died at the age of almost 99. I was able to spend time with her one month before she passed, and I think that she might actually have waited to see my daughter. D arrived on Friday the 5th and had a really great day with G. The chaplain came and they had a wonderful 45 minute visit and my daughter got to pray over her great-grandmother. Saturday my grandmother was tired and they figured it was just the excitement of having D there. Then on Sunday...
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Alright I think we are back to being accurate on our total now. We took two trips in the last two weeks. One to Minneapolis to watch the second to last MN Twins game of the season. While we were there we also got to visit some of my in-laws and they gave us a changing table, swing and some other baby gear! Then last weekend we went to Deadwood with my BIL and some friends. We took the new truck both times to fit all the people and all the stuff and gas really adds up on that...
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Dinner out with my friends last night was expensive. They chose the restaurant, which was pretty upscale. I chose one of the cheapest entrees, but when I added soup, wine and dessert, it added up. The total with tip was $47, which won't sound expensive to many of you, but it is to me.

The only part of it I regret is ordering the wine. I forgot it contributes to my RLS (restless leg syndrome) and I suffered for it last night. But I was caught up in the moment. We toasted...
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Out:
2 cans chickpeas $2
trashsaks $17

I find I am saving more money using cash. I like having stacks of $20 bills in my envelopes and don't want to spend them.
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Grocery = $54.96, almost on budget.

Car Fuel = $70.50, this was a lot but it was almost empty and prices are really high at the moment.

Carpet Cleaner Hire = On Saturday we went and hire one of those carpet cleaner for 24 hours. We cleaned couple of rooms that has carpet, 3 couches, 4 rugs and the car. It cost us $73.85 including the cleaning liquids that was needed for the machine and a spray bottle of a spot cleaner. There are enough leftovers we can use for next time....
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Tomorrow is DD's procedure and I am so glad the day is nearly here. It has been such a long wait. I hope the results are a definitive diagnosis. I just want them to find something that is going to be solvable, that can finally give us a cure for her suffering.

I spent a lot of time writing this weekend and finished chapters seven and eight and part of chapter nine on book one. I also wrote a page and a half of back story for one character and then a long scene from book...
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Lots of little snow flakes adding up!

I was called for Jury Duty, and did make it onto the Jury, but there were about 5 extra jurors, so once everyone was seated, they let the last 5 in the row go. I was excited for jury duty, I thought it would be really interesting! I was happily surprised that I got a check even though I didn't actually have to serve.

We finally got the rent check from Rental #2, so I will get money moved around and be able to update savings soon once...
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Tons of sales this week! Whoo hoo! Total sales were $218.00!! I've also been moving a lot of older merchandise which is great!!

Sale #976 (AP) $5.00
Christmas Books (2) - Donated to me
Sold for $2.50 each
Profit = $5.00

Sale #977 (GT) $12.00
Girls Sleepers (4) - We paid .50 each
Sold for $2.50 each
Profit = $8.00

Girls Sleeper - We paid .50 each
Sold for $2.00 each
Profit = $1.50

Sale #978 (DHW) $40.00
Totes Snowboots (2) - We paid $5.33...
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I'm back home after my yard sale weekend. I cleared $94 -- I was hoping for at least $100. We did not get as much traffic I was hoping for, and I was pretty soft on prices. But I did get rid of about half of my merchandise, and the rest went to Goodwill, so a lot of decluttering has occurred.

I spent $21 on gas. My helpers and I went to a movie and dinner, so that was $7 and $11 respectively. I spent $13 on food while I was on the road.

More spending tonight, when I...
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We've had a lot of random spending lately (groceries, household, gifts, and entertainment). I currently have about 8 categories that are over budget. The reality is that the money is there in my account, but I really don't want to pull from the car fund, so I'm letting it sit over budget until Friday. DH's paycheck Friday should catch us up. That coupled with my paycheck next week will fund us through the end of October. If I top up all my goals categories (which I'll likely do),...
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I spring cleaned my closet and took 2 bags of clothes I haven't worn in 18 months to the Sallies. I shall have to prevent myself from buying more to fill up the spaces in my closet.
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has been a busy week for us all but so far not an expensive one....unless your our DD...her cat got out of her area and into next door yard and got attacked by their husky...all I heard was blood curdling screams from my daughter and I went running just in time to see her cat jump over our fence and hear their dog bash into the fence...so lots of vet bills..luckily she only had a few not to serious puncture wounds...lots of bruising but no broken bones...but was expensive for her....also...
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has been a busy week for us all but so far not an expensive one....unless your our DD...her cat got out of her area and into next door yard and got attacked by their husky...all I heard was blood curdling screams from my daughter and I went running just in time to see her cat jump over our fence and hear their dog bash into the fence...so lots of vet bills..luckily she only had a few not to serious puncture wounds...lots of bruising but no broken bones...but was expensive for her....also...
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Looking out in the yard it seems bare. DH has spent the last two afternoons pulling up all the garden plants. It is getting more and more chilly here and there is supposed to be a freeze on Tuesday. We spent Thursday picking anything worth picking since there was a chance of frost then. We lucked out, but it's coming.

My counter was full of bell peppers and tomatoes, either ripe, almost ripe, or green. Last couple of years we have put them all together on the counter and they...
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October 13
$100 Segway Tour
$ 18 Parking SF
$ 5 Tolls
$ 70 Lunch
$ 20 Dinner
Dinner: OUT

MH owed me a raincheck, because he was working any time off I got this year. I mean, I think I took an unpaid week off in May and another week off during summer. Not sure if time off between jobs counted because I never ended up with any down time anyway. But had told MH at some point (May?) I really wanted to do a segway tour in Golden Gate Park. Just something fun to do. So...
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October 12
$27 Fuel (hybrid car)
Dinner: chicken enchilada casserole

Friday was pretty uneventful.

I did need to make an unscheduled fuel stop because I was mostly out of gas after work trip. Though I don't need gas fuel to run the car, I believe it is important to have some gas in the car to keep everything working properly (uses the gas generator for some car function). I filled up all the way because we had two Bay Area trips planned in the next few days.

Thursday...
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October 11
-0- Spending
Dinner: Tortellini with cream sauce

No spend day!

In the end we did a re-do of work field trip (was canceled prior week due to weather). Drove out to new home construction site about an hour out of town. Completely in the middle of nowhere.

One of the realtors took 10 of us out to lunch (our office + sales staff).

This is the tiny town:


As to the homes, WOW! Got to tour the models. It's a small home builder. Although we loved buying...
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October 10
$ 12 movies
$ 36 Fuel (gas car)
Dinner: Chicken artichoke pasta

DL(13) skyped us again from Finland. They were able to see the Northern Lights their first night in Lapland.

MH and I went to a free movie screening. It was the "Hate U Give" movie. MH saw a rare super advanced screening of that one many months ago (probably not even the final cut) and said it was exceptional. But MM(15) didn't want to go two nights in a row. In the end, they chose to show...
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