August 15th

well....I am writing this as I'm riding to the airport ON THE BUS. Yes, this is a funny bus...it has wifi! I guess that is a positive as I would NOT have been able to do that if I had rented a car and driven. :) So....as I knew, the money moratorium would NOT be in effect while I was here however, except for one grievous lapse (those darn penny machines), it was a very controlled visit money wise. Basically I cut by over half what I would normally have spent. Taking the airport bus saved $160. I did pay for a couple of meals out for the two of us, and bought one little outfit for Logan, ($10)and spent $30 at the HUGE, HUGE, HUGE Christmas store in Frankenmuth, Mi. That place is incredible (I digress for a minute) I can't even describe what it iis like to go there...It is the size of many football fields with Christmas everything EVERYWHERE. You have NEVER seen so many ornaments in your life. ANYWAY, it is a unique place and I got an ornament for Christy, Logan and Josh, a funny little Christmas something for a couple of friends who shall remain nameless. All in all.....MUCH< MUCH< MUCH less spent. Nothing else for me...no shoes...no clothing...no books....OH.....I did buy a little yarn....I'm in a baby hat mode and the walmart here has SUCH better yarn than ours. All of this said, I will share with you a couple of things I have learned. Spending money is an entertainment to me....I can see it in my mom....I can see how I was brought up. I remember a LONG time ago when the old mall still existed(!) going shopping with her there and buying 3 Easter outfits.for the kids....excuse me, let me rephrase that...charging 3 Easter outfits at Hechts....because I let her talk me into it.....I couldn't afford those...strange that I still remember that, isn't it??? Anyway....that was the way it always was....Am I blaming her?? Of course not, that would be ridiculous, but I can see how it was the norm to get into the habits I have. Shopping was the entertainment...It can certainly be habit forming. I actually felt it today. I will be happy to get home...and right away I'm thinking..."Oh goodie....after church tomorrow, I think I'll go to Dairy Queen and......" Nope...can't do it. Total spending moratorium IS IN EFFECT....I think it is going to be harder this time, at least for a couple of days. Spending sort of provides a release of tension....at least for awhile....does anyone else ever feel that? I do have one planned expense for later in the week, but it is none of the mindless, "yes, I can buy that and that and that and that and THAT"...kind of attitude that is SOOOOOOOOOO tasty. Ok... gotta go for now...sorry this was soooooooo long.