Anticipation

I hope I'm not letting myself up for a big disappointment. I hope this weekend is as much fun as I think it's going to be. I was up at 4:30am again this morning, which just seems to be my time to be up this week. And unbelievably, I was hungry again. After half a sandwich, I was able to sleep for about another hour, but it was restless sleep, and I heard everything that happened in the house during it.

I got ready for work while trying to do all the little things that either couldn't be done last night, or that I didn't think about until I got up at 4:30. I had forgotten a couple of key things, so I'm glad I got to them this morning. I don't know why I have such a siege mentality about traveling. I know they will have aspirins and sleeping pills and shampoo in Augusta, but I don't want to have to worry about having to run errands during my down time. I'm only going to be there for about 48 hours total, and at least 10 of those will be sleeping.

I got to work, answered my email, balanced my checkbook, paid bills, and winnowed down this year's Christmas gift buying list. And it's not even 10:30 yet. Six more hours to go. I worked up so much this week so I would be able to leave early today with a clear conscience and be caught up for month end next week (even if I felt less than stellar next Monday) that I've worked ahead to the point that I don't have that much to do today. Which of course means this day will be eternal. And I'm skipping lunch to leave an hour early, so I won't even have a lunch hour to break the monotony. Einstein was so right. Time is completely relative.

I'm apparently so broke I can't even pay attention, I found out after getting paid today and balancing my checkbook. But I've been really good for the most part lately. I used my stimulus payment to pay down credit cards, etc. I know this weekend is going on a credit card, but since I haven't really taken a vacation this year, that's not so bad. And I already have taken out cash for the flea market tomorrow (or Sunday) (or both, depending on how I'm feeling). Plus, I get an "extra" check in October, and that will help to straighten things out some.

That scene from History of the World Part I is on my mind today:

"We are so poor, we don't even have a language. All we have is this outrageous accent! We all talk like Maurice Chevalier!" Cloris Leachman is a genius. Yes I know she didn't write it, but what delivery! I guess I sound more like Huckleberry Hound than Maurice Chevalier though.

I was able to cut the Christmas gift buying list down a good bit. There are so many people I don't see anymore. Or not often enough to buy Christmas presents for anyway. That should help this year. Last year I spent about $650 on gifts. I think I can do better than that this year. Not that I'm looking at Christmas as chance to be cheap or anything, it's just that I have to re-adjust my thinking back to a one-income household and not be extravagant. I'm lucky. Most of my friends wouldn't care if I bought them a gift or not. But of course I want to.