I've sort of done the fade with the best friend. She was way too exhausting and I wasn't good with boundaries. It has been nice to have some space. I've also made an effort to get some new friends, and I'm feeling minimally successful in replacing some of the more difficult people I've been friends with.

Best friend called this morning. I haven't talked to her since Christmas Day. She started in on her lack of money and her trying to save money to pay the lawyer to proceed with bankruptcy and that she has a $100 bill under her mattress that she's thinking about breaking because she wants a new Christmas tree to replace her fiber optic one that died after six years. It was odd. I listened a bit and had no emotional response. I used to get a pit in my stomach thinking about her future and what might happen. This time, nada, nothing. Rather than tell her what I thought she should do, I realized that I thought to myself that I was thankful that I have an EF and a budget, and I had no other response to her complaints and whining other than "Oh". No encouraging, admonishing, advising. I consider it a success. I was immune to her drama. I learned: I am ultimately only fiscally responsible for the family that my husband and I have created. This is not to say that I wouldn't help someone truly in need, because of course, I would. I have realized that you can't help those who won't help themselves.

On the money front, it will be a NSD. Christmas is being packed away and I'm weeding through MORE stuff, another bag for Goodwill and another bag of hand-me-downs for our friend.