Visions of Sugar Plums

I feel happy. I like shopping and gifting.

Due to a glitch, I'm still waiting for my still-freelance paycheck, so I can't dig in full force yet. And Christmas is one week from today! But I'm told the check will be printed tomorrow.

Dan received a big [to us] check for a magazine article, but we had to pay dreary things like the mortgage, car insurance, money owed to his brother Mike, who kindly floated us a loan so Dan could take Punch to San Francisco when he went on that work trip in October [plane fare, hotel, meals, etc.].

I couldn't wait any longer for a couple of things because they were going, going, gone. The contributions for the teachers at Punchy's school were due today. A small discount code at a fabulous French bakery in NYC--for something I was shipping to fabulous friends--expires today.

So that took a little bite out of Dan's check, too.

I am still at work! Have to get going. Have a good evening. Worried about Punchy's finger, which she slammed in a car door when going ice skating Friday night. We thought it was okay but school nurse called with concern today, on the fence about whether it should be looked at. Since Dan is the one in home/doctor domain now, he tried to get an appointment but could not get through for hours. Don't know if staff was out at holiday party or the snow squall threw things off. But Punch texted me photos of her finger to ask about appointment....she was also in nurse's office when the nurse called.

TCOY

1. Yogurt.
2. Peppers.
3. Water.

$ MONEY SPENT OUT OF POCKET

• Bus fare, round trip, $15.30.
• Duane Reade, 2 Greek yogurts and a water, about $5.
• Holiday gift contribution for "related arts teachers," meaning Spanish, dance, etc., $15.
• Ditto for "House teachers"--the middle school kids are divided into houses of about 100 students each and there are about five teachers in each house, $50.
• Cafeteria lunch, $6.
• Cafeteria, two big, beautifully iced holiday cookies to decorate our windowsills at home [or be eaten by Dan and Punch], $6.
• That lavish French bakery gift with shipping to keep it fresh, $59.10.
• Small bag chips, $1.

Total  daily spend: $157.40.

Ongoing spend for month as of December 18: $2,346.41.

Average daily spend:  $130.30.