OK, managing to surviving the nasty virus that my youngest has. Could run 3-5 days and I think that we are at the start of day 4. Lots of vomiting and diarrhea, airing out and disinfecting, up at all hours, minimal cat naps.

The upside of this is my house is very clean. We've only spent $12 on this round of illness (popsicles, peptobismal, wipes). I haven't been able to leave the house, with the excpetion of last night for 45 minutes when sickling was asleep and another son needed a ride to basketball practice.

I snuck away to Christmas shop: $25 at Ulta for a Too-Faced make-up sampler, and $15 for the PLANES DVD at Toys R Us. I also took care of my brother's dogs and made $10.

Payday is Friday. Everything is on autopilot. Spending is reasonable across all categories. We've done additional dog caring the past few weeks for mom and stepdad, and brother, and made $105: $50 was a wedding gift (another one is in the works) and $50 for daughter's birthday later in month. I did end up with $900 for my birthday which is in the Reserve Fund of the PNC Wallet.

Trying hard to rebound from the news of the librarian's daughter's suicide. It has been an opportunity to talk about coping skills with my kids, but I haven't done too well. I usually start crying (the sort of silent, choked up freeze). I am a crier by nature, and I had myself a good cry at the Wedding on Saturday. I am tired of crying.