Monday, Challenges Continue

No one ever said it would be easy to be legal guardians, especially not in a complicated situation like ours. I keep thinking of Harry Potter's mean Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia [Harry's last living relatives]. We are not like that. At all. Nor are we Punchy's blood relatives. But consider that popular portrayal of people raising children who are not theirs by birth.

TCOY

1. Walked Sug around block.
2. Lox on Ezekiel bread for breakfast, plus yogurt and small bowl cereal. Ate two strawberries.
3. Nap.
4. Took Sug for longer walk, up big hill on Alexander Avenue.
5. Nice hot bath.
6. Chicken, roasted white yam and roasted Brussels sprouts & leeks for dinner.

$ MONEY SPENT OUT OF POCKET

• ShopRite, lots of groceries, including a 30-roll pack of Scott tissue for $19.99. Also gallon organic milk; double pack dried figs; date rolls; bananas; dinner rolls; 2 boxes Ritz cracker stacks; 2 boxes Triscuits; deli turkey; deli Provolone; hummus cups for lunch; box of Oreo snack packs; Weiman granite spray; Mrs. Meyer's geranium-scented spray; small mozzarellas for lunch; candle; large container raw baby spinach; and more, $119.50.

TOTAL DAILY SPEND: $119.50.
MONTHLY SPEND AS OF MAY 6: $647.17.
AVERAGE DAILY SPEND THIS MONTH: $107.86.

Big-ticket May spends, $25 + more: Little Bear Poke for family + P. pal, $36; Let's Yo, P + pals, $28; Moss & More, teacher gift+, $28; CVS, $100; Ann Taylor LOFT earrings for Sis + me + donation, $34; Grand Central Station 2 paperback books, $27; Whole Foods, $104; and ShopRite, $120. Subtotal $477.

MONEY THOUGHTS: The prices really are better at ShopRite. That is Dan's go-to store.

keeping my eye on

SO FAR, TOTAL MAY SPEND OUT OF POCKET: $647.17.

TOTAL APRIL SPEND OUT OF POCKET: $3,634.28.

TOTAL MARCH SPEND OUT OF POCKET: $4,128.41.

TOTAL FEBRUARY SPEND OUT OF POCKET: $3,159.25.