Friday, January 26th, 2012

It's Friday ... I love Friday's nowadays. Used to be sort of my grocery shopping day, but not any more! I think I prefer that! Besides, I don't believe I could possibly need anything after the Costco trip this week.

Mark hit the gym after work. I came home and cleaned, menu planned, and put together a little mishmash of appetizers for dinner. And had a few beers.
It's another Zero Spend Day. I'd really like to take the truck and get it washed over at the local car wash place. But about $20 ... even though, in MY opinion, it's well worth it. The truck is D. I. R. T. Y. Dusty and wheel cleaner/black stuff splashed on the fenders. And they vacuum and wipe down the interior. PLUS the one manager loves my truck because it's so new looking (1999 Tahoe with 44000 miles, never wrecked, garage kept at night and covered parking during day, it lives a privileged life) so he makes sure it's taken care of.

So 3 days in a row with Zero Spend. There may be hope after all!

On other news, my brother called me Thursday ... dad is back at the hospital, had another stroke (#4?) and now they think it's his blood thinning that's causing problems (well  his sugar starts it and the blood thickness finishes it). He's already on thinner but now they are going to tweak it and he will be borderline danger on thinness, not a good thing for an old guy. Dad was rather cranky when I spoke to him, said they were starving him out. Well, come to find out, when he drank some water, he started choking, rather badly, so they said no food or water til further testing. He doesn't understand that but I think it's because they want to make sure there is no damage from the stroke, so will have to wait til the cat scan is done. D also told me that they got him set up on energy assistance program for electric. Good because it was something I tried to do here but couldn't because too much paperwork and copies of stuff needed that I was unable to do from here. Was just planning to do it when I got there. This shows how much lack of communication there is here. So regardless, his bill should be 12% less, but no one can tell me how much (I did the math, $120 vs $137). (I checked online later, and still see the balance and the same program he was on before so will pay the $137 Tuesday and check again next weekend to see if the program is changed). Dad was better today and they moved him out of ICU and will give PT over the weekend.

**Now I hear that it was NOT a stroke, but a TIA. However, my brother and the wife are requesting a 2nd neurologist to come in as they say it IS a stroke. But Dad sounds better than he has (speech wise) and this would be his 4th incident and I really  think his speech has improved this time around. I kind of, sort of think they want it to be a stroke so he can get further assistance :( Visiting nurse, etc.)

I've still not re-worked the budget and MUST get that done this weekend. Otherwise, February starts and I will feel just clueless yet again. Thinking of a No Spend for the kitchen since it's only 28 days and I'm pretty well stocked ... maybe $20 a week for salad and milk stuff?

**I've went ahead and took the 94 cash in my wallet that I had and divided it up into the 4 food envelopes, $20 in each. The $14 is in the No Touch savings account envelope. I'm committed.