Mass Was Meaningful Today

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The Bon Appetit cookie cover was hard to resist at supermarket checkout today. New twist on Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookie, with a lot of fresh mint to tint the dough green. Hoping I can cut down the sugar and
use high-quality bittersweet chocolate. (Official Thin Mints use peppermint oil.)

I liked the sermon/homily at Mass today. It was about having hope. Also, the Advent wreath on the altar was lit--3 purple candles, and 1 pink one, so far just the first 2 purples glowing, for the first two weeks of Advent.

Our sweet friends were there in the "crying room" [generally for families with kids]--Jessica and Ben and their children, George, 5; Leo, almost 3; and Violet, born August 12. I had seen Ben at Kings after Violet was born--we had both biked there to get groceries--but Punch and I hadn't gotten over to meet the baby and drop anything off yet.

All three kids are darling....but the baby girl.....a precious little angel, smiling and pure and pretty with soft little tights and adorable shoes......such a treat.

TCOY

1. I found beauty and community at Mass--and friendship/talk when I went to pick up Punchy from sleepover at her friend's before 10:30 Mass. Her pal's Dad, a Londoner, is very nice, as are his wife and two girls. 
2. Good homemade coffee.
3. I'm going to take a cat nap if it's the last thing I do. 
4. Dan and I planning to go to see the 7 pm movie "Knives Out" with Punchy tonite. Figgy is busy.
5. Writing this post/tracking money spent.
6. Made a broccoli quiche from Joy of Cooking.
7. Face wash.
8. Eye cream.
9. Filled my Mom’s crystal bowl w clementines.

$ MONEY SPENT OUT OF POCKET

• Lit a candle at church and said a prayer, $3.
• Jessica and Ben like to take the boys [now with baby sis] to the bagel shop after Mass, so Punch and I joined and I treated, counting turkey on bagel for me and tofu spread on bagel for Fig, $23.13.
• Kings, lots of groceries, because I'm finding that Dan is not so good at blending work and dinner planning and dishes, and we are not eating very healthfully. It's a ramp, a moving walkway we are all on since I have gone back to work in NYC. Sack of Halos clementines, five Bosc pears, large container baby spinach, dried figs, fresh broccoli, vegan "Provolone" cheese slices, Bell & Evans frozen chicken patties x 2, Gardein vegan entrees [buy one/get one free], good Russian rye bread, bag of Brie bites, dinner rolls, no-hormone chicken sausage breakfast patties x 2, wet dog food x 2, dozen eggs, half-gallon whole milk, whole-wheat English muffins, 2 gallons distilled water for CPAP machine, family-size box Triscuits, very large box plain Cheerios, half-pint cream, quart half and half, Murphy's Oil orange wood cleaning spray, 2 very large yams, Cheddar slices, large wedge Jarlsberg cheese, bottle Marie's Buttermilk Ranch Dressing and, something I have eyed for a while since Kings launched its Italian festival--Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan. She is so well-known. I hope to make a dish or two to honor my/Dad's/Rosie's Italian heritage this Christmas season. I think the only M. Hazan recipes I've made are tiramisu and a simple, delicious tomato sauce my friend Rach told me about, with a bit of butter in it. $194.07. Oh--and this included the December issue of Bon Appetit Magazine, with a close-up of a beautiful chocolate-dipped minty green cookie on the cover. It was $7.99 cover price, crazy but true. I pledge that this will be my last holiday magazine purchased this year.
• Delvino's Restaurant on Main Street in Belfast, gift card to thank Pat and Martha for their hospitality in Maine over Thanksgiving. Our family stayed there; Pat and Martha so gracious. The gift card will be mailed to them. $50.

TOTAL DAILY SPEND: $270.20.

Ongoing monthly spend as of Dec. 8: $1,641.15.

Avg daily spend: $205.14.
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COMPARE TO 4 PRIOR MONTHS:

Total spend for November (30 days): $2,979.03. ⬆️

Average daily spend: $99.30. ⬆️

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TOTAL SPEND FOR OCTOBER (31 DAYS): $2,495.36.🍎 ⬆️

AVERAGE DAILY SPEND: $80.49.🍎 ⬆️

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TOTAL SPEND FOR SEPTEMBER (30 DAYS): $2,214.43.🍎⬇️

AVERAGE DAILY SPEND: $73.81.🍎⬇️

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TOTAL SPEND FOR AUGUST (31 DAYS): $2,895.06. ⬆️

AUGUST AVERAGE DAILY SPEND: $93.39.  ⬆️