HBD

Last night I spent over an hour tending to my bills.  Christmas time and all of the spending that surrounds it lends to lots of numbers to be reconciled.  My bill paying process has multiple layers and redundancy.  I record transactions in my checkbook ledger, I have a “budget book” where I have my money split into categories and finally I utilize Quicken to track it all.  Yes the combo can get a bit tedious but it allows me to have a firm grasp on my current and future financial needs in a pretty reliable manner.

Last night I got my branded pop up tent for GMT.  I think I scored quite the deal, getting a personalized canopy for a little more than $200 shipped to my door.

This morning on my way to work I dropped the girls back off at Ali’s place.  I always feel a little bad when doing so both for their sake and selfish reasons.  Of course I enjoy having the girls at the house, their presence makes the house really feel like a home.  On their part I feel bad that the freedom they have at the house is not available to them at the condo.  I think they get more stimulation at the house since Cindy and I are around more and we have Tuki and the chickens for additional entertainment.  The good news is we will have them from Christmas eve through New Years.

So yep today is my birthday, woop dee fricking doo.  It seems unimaginable that I can actually be 47 years old.  Mentally I certainly don’t feel or act in such a manner.  Physically I think the same holds true although this past year has definitely been the toughest in a long time in regards to health and nagging injuries.  Most people are surprised when I reveal my age to them which is a small victory at least.

Cindy and I are doing dinner tonight to celebrate at the Naples Carrabba’s, which is still my go to celebratory venue, despite all the changes for the worse that have gone down there over the years.  Cindy, who treats me like everyday is my birthday, started off my morning with a cooked breakfast and a couple nice presents.

Despite my overall grouchy disposition about birthdays and getting older in general, it helps having Cindy’s unwavering positive energy to help pull me back into the light.