Burning up Vacation Hours

Today was payday and horray for stat holiday pay!  $600 more than my last pay period.  I will move some of that into my travel/life savings.

The grocery bills remain high despite eating leftovers for 3 days after Easter.  Today is soup day that I made yesterday with the last of the leftover meat, turkey stock I made with the carcass and using up all the veggies left from the fresh veggie and dip platter.  Tomorrow I will make a roast beef and I will make the rest of the potatoes, carrots and add a salad.  Sunday will be leftovers, Monday I am making a chicken stir-fry and green rice.  Tuesday leftovers and I will add shrimp and eggs to make it chicken/shrimp fried rice.  Wednesday...who knows. We did eat out once this week.  A friend was in the city and we met up with her at a resturant.  $60 for 3 of us, then she treated us to concert tickets.  It was a fun night.


Yesterday I started a bit of cleaning and planning a garage sale for May.  I have so much junk that I don't want anymore.  It is taking up too much space!  My oldest is moving into a bigger place in a few weeks so maybe I can "gift" him some prizes I have in a few boxes in the storage room.  Extra toaster, fans, electric frying pans, dresser, coolers, candles and candle holders, bakeware, bedding... endless!

This week I have to make a trip to the parents.  I would rather not.  The counselling I've had in the last year has helped.  I will be able to deal with their crap.

I continue to hope for a position to open up at work.  Zero happening thus far.  I need a change.
I need spring that is sunny and warm.  Not cold and snowing.  That would also help me.

Today is a vacation day - part of the use it or pay it out.  I'm using it.  So today's vacation shall be laundry, cleaning and I hope an afternoon nap! 😴💤
The Good Things:
Paid to stay home
Big paydays
Time with kid3 for Easter break week

Things that suck:
This weather
No job openings
I have to get a new coffee maker.

Having a Big Little Gathering Today

For our Easter today it is only my 3 kids + oldest's lovely friend and then 2 friends of ours.
I had bought a turkey at xmas on sale.  14 lbs for $12.88.  I'm going to start peeling potatoes and cleaning veggies this morning.  I made dessert yesterday.

Getting the plates and serving bowls ready I noticed that my everyday silverware set is no longer a set!  Its a mishmash of 2-3 sets and a few random forks that I think dh brought home from the work lunchroom.  I have 2 sets of 12 fancy silver that live in velvet lined boxes downstairs.  So if 24 people came for dinner and coffee and tea everyone would get a matching set.  Meanwhile daily we use junky stuff.

I have pulled out one set for today.  What in the world am I saving it for???  The bigger question is WHY did I think I needed it in the first place???  I'm not a hoarder, but I do have a lot of "Stuff". This stuff was at one time very needed or wanted and now it lives in boxes.  Lots of "stuff" that was so important has been forgotten about.  This year will be for purging, for using things that were meant to be used, for evaluating the needs and for simplifying my home.

For those that celebrate Happy Easter!

The good things:
My kids
Our friends that are like family
Extended family that value us and love us

Things that suck:
Cold winter wind
My old coffee maker is on its last leg.