Awkward moments, Becky

Life goes on at work and at home but it is a little awkward at times – in both locations. At work, the awkwardness stems from the fact that I know what is coming for me and yet have to maintain a sense of normalcy throughout the process. At home, I know what is coming and have to get Mama ready for a serious change of spending patterns.

I printed out a bank statement yesterday in an attempt to track down just where we are getting so far off budget. After all, I have to know where the spending holes so we can start to plug them. I was actually surprised by what I found. The overspending in not in the area of farm expenses or house repairs, although those have certainly been higher than I predicted, but rather it in our frequent trips to Walmart and Sam’s.

When I looked at those numbers I discovered we were spending more than twice our budgeted amount for grocery related items. When I added up the household items Mama buys at Family Dollar, Dollar General and the like, we were nearly in budget but still a bit over in that category. So, when I showed this to Mama last night she was a little surprised but when I told her what we were going to be budgeting for groceries and household items in the very near future, she was very unhappy with those numbers.

Our grocery budget, which we were over by double, will shrink by about thirty percent. But if you do the math, the reality is that the amount spent will shrink by over seventy percent from our current spend levels. Mama’s ready answer was, “There’s no way!” my answer to her, ‘There’s no other way.” I have not found another job yet so I really do not know what the final budgeted numbers are going to be, but I do know there is a big change coming. That change is less than two weeks away. It will be a very big adjustment for Mama.

For Mama’s birthday yesterday I bought her four cards. She was not feeling well Monday night so it gave me the chance to distribute them after I got home from church that night. I put one on the refrigerator, one on the washer, one in her Bible and one in the garage attached to the cage we are raising the chickens in. She called me yesterday morning when she had found the second of two. She called again when she found a third and I told her there was one more. We did not get anything for each other, gift wise, so I wanted to make the most of the little bit of cash I did spend on her.

Victoria is finally better and was able to go to work yesterday. She is off today and is urging Mama to take her to the Cantrell’s house so she can rescue her pup. I advised waiting until Friday to get Kira but I do not know if that will fly. Kim Cantrell says the two are getting along very well. Having Kira there seems to calm Leo - when he is not overcome by the urges of nature from Kira’s present condition.

Be praying for Becky. She called last night and told Mama she is going back to work at Walmart. That is not a bad thing except that she has a very new baby in the home. What set off the alarm bells is that the plan is for Mike to quit his job and stay home with the newborn and the children Becky is currently babysitting. That just sounds wrong – in so many ways.

She also told Mama they are going to church tonight. Pray that God will get a hold of her and Mike’s hearts. We worry for little Bridgette.