So, my birthday is tomorrow. I have no idea what anyone has planned. Jeff will probably just get me roses and/or a gift, unless he plans (like I suggested) to get me something I like at the gun and knife show or flea market. The guys at work may do something, probably funny and/or embarrassing. When we talked about what to do for our boss' birthday next week, I mentioned mine. Rick got this look in his eyes like, "Oh, yeah?" So, who knows. My Dad and at least one of my brothers will probably call me. I got a card from Jeff's mom a month late last year because she said she thought it was in July. She's not the most prompt or memory-enhanced(huh?) woman around, but she means well.

They're still doing tests on my mother-in-law, by the way. Apparently she still has swelling in her lower legs and feet. Jeff talked to her, so I don't know the details. It's like pulling teeth to get him to tell me what she said. Me: "So, what did she say?" Jeff: "Not much." Yeah, right. You were on the phone for 20 minutes, not saying much yourself. Did you just listen to each other breathe? It ends up being a game of 20 questions.

I think I'm addicted to shopping. Does anyone watch CSI? Last week they investigated the murder of a hermit woman who rarely left her house. She had about a dozen takeout menus, and a stack of catalogs next to her computer. Apparently she "liked to have something to look forward to." I feel that way, too. I periodically order stuff online or through a catalog for that same reason, even if it's just a new HEPA filter for my vacuum. Usually though, it's clothes from Sears or Newport News, jewelry or gadgets from HSN or QVC, pet stuff from Drs. Foster and Smith, something from Amazon... See? Pathological.

Luckily I keep the credit card balance down by paying all or most of what I charged for the month. The things that are swelling the balances on the 2 cards we have left are the lawnmower ($1700), washer and dryer (over $800), and the parts Jeff needed to replace the motor in his truck (also over $800). The 2 former are on one, the latter on another. (What would Clark Howard say?!?) I've been paying as much as I can to both since paying off the third one. I think I need to repeat my strategy from before - send the most to the one with the highest interest rate, and a minimum (not the minimum) to the other. Doing that, I was able to pay off the other in about 5 months.

Okay, that's enough boring financial chatter. I'll update on tomorrow's events.