Pruning Dead Wood

TCOY

1. Spent a lot of time clipping back the wild forsythia and then pruning the decades-old lilac a bit. Fig helped. Rusty old clippers in hand, I cut and cut. It was satisfying. Things were out of control. Snip, snip. Reminded me of editing, cutting out extra words, dead wood. And also of my first women's magazine job, where another young editor, who came from Missouri I think, said things about old editors like "They're going to put her out to pasture" or "They're cutting off the dead wood." I think she might have grown up on a farm? I wasn't familiar with those terms back then. They were kind of shocking to me, especially the pasture one--and hearing them, I felt sad.
2. Fig took me and Punch out for a ride. We opened the sun roof on our old blue Toyota. Fig treated our family to Falafel Hut dinner to go and iced coffees for me and Punch at Cucina 98--we have missed iced coffees to go.

FOOD

• Coffee with whole milk.
• 1 toasted Van's waffle with butter.
• 5 pm, salad with grilled chicken from falafel place, ice water, my iced coffee with half and half, and about half of one order of fries. I forgot to ask for feta on the salad. Fortunately, we had some at home to add.
• I don't know how I skipped lunch.
• One spoon of the tiramisu Fig got Punch at Cucina.
• I think I will have a clementine before bed, and small bowl Grape-Nuts with splash of cream.
• Ice water.

$ MONEY SPENT OUT OF POCKET

• Last night in bed, before I fell asleep, I placed an online order with Montclair Bread Co. You have to order days ahead because they sell out quickly. My pickup is Friday, May 8 at 12:30 pm and it includes light dinner for that nite. And though they say the tips are not required, there are boxes to click to add them, and I added $4 for that. My order includes 1 sourdough loaf; 1 brioche sandwich loaf; 2 chocolate croissants for Punch and perhaps to share with Dan; 1 dozen brown eggs; 2 half-gallons whole milk; and 1 DIY French bread pizza kit. Total $53. I hope the sourdough is vegan; I think so?

total spend: $53.

ongoing monthly spend as of May 3: $83.

avg daily spend:  $27.66.