Friday

May 4, 2001

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A sense of urgency surrounded by a prospect of leisure. Someone who needs to make decisions is on the beach. Other people's power vectors are changing. I need to keep it rolling. I try.

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Had lunch with the parents again. Dad said the sprinkler worked to his satisfaction. It looks like rain. Mom only has some leftovers and apologizes but they are fine. Nothing untoward has happened to her computer. She says she likes Spider solitaire but can't win at Hearts. I don't stay long and get back to my work.

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It finally does rain a little as I leave work.

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FFP has engaged our long-time friend, Cindy, who is a massage therapist but specializes in foot massage to come over. While he is getting the relaxing foot rub, I spend the time getting all our April expenses into Microsoft Money which is quite satisfying. We haven't kept track of stuff like this since we were much younger. The budget to actual figures are interesting. We overspent on dining out but underspent on groceries and made up for it. We have classified our wine (all alchohol?) separately but it is getting in the grocery category. Big deal. We did well on CDs, magazines. The dog ran over her budget by $35. Have to speak to her. It's not about getting every dollar accounted for, of course. It's about getting an idea of the ballpark reality. And, of course, trying to write down all the expenses is a heck of a way to resist spending.

Dad handed me $60 today.

"You don't need to do that, Dad. You give me lunch and money."

He says, "Well, that's for the adaptor for my little refrigerator and everything."

"Oh. I forgot. I put that on my credit card."

"I knew you would."

Still he will occasionally give me a few twenties and I let him. Then I spend it on Mom when I take her out somewhere. And there are always things I'm buying for them, this and that. It's best not to keep to close a track on these things. I put them on our budget now, though, so I don't cheat and so I get an idea where things go unless it's really something I buy and then he pays me.

What it actually costs us to live is amazing. It seems like a lot. Or not much. Depending on what you compare it to.

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When FFP is finished with his foot rub, he gets up and makes a warm chicken-liver salad. This makes two for two on his chicken-liver recipes. He got it out of a book that was on the bargain table and half off again. As economies go, chicken livers are a great bargain. And we like them. FFP has no cholesterol problem, I refuse to check mine and one always wants to build up ones red blood cells before an annual exam (which I will do in June or July).

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I read on my pile of papers. It's gotten unwieldy again. We listen to jazz CDs. It's more comforting than the TV. I look at Friday's crossword and imagine that I can work it. I struggle a little while but I am, of course, wrong.

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On my (short) commute home, I often have to sit at lights and watch a bunch of cars go by. Today was Friday but people were mostly alone in their cars, one in ten talking on a car phone. They mostly looked sad. They always do. Wonder what they find to talk abou ton their phones?

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