**My dad is doing extraordinarily well - has not looked so good since his stroke. So yes, having a heart attack is terrible. BUT I almost feel better than I have about his health, in months. I came home almost less worried about him than I was before.

HE was released from the hospital yesterday. We came home shortly after - phew.

We have more answers about everything, but still a lot of questions.

My dad will definitely slow down and take some time off work (I believe he has disability for 4 more months, and this may add on to it anyway). My parents are concerned about their health insurance situation - more than anything. He just got on COBRA (I didn't realize he had switched over) and that only lasts 3 years. (I know - lucky they get 3 years - more generous in California). That aside, they could probably retire rather easily.

We talked a lot about just taking one day at a time. They were quoted $30k per year for private insurance BEFORE all of this (stroke & heart attack). COBRA paperwork had not gone through so they paid $3k for prescriptions yesterday. Yikes! Wait until they get the hospital bill, I guess. That should be sorted out though - they have good/affordable insurance for 3 years at least.

Though of course I would love them to move closer, I don't think that is happening any time soon. More of a last resort thing if medical insurance costs tons the last few years before medicare. Odds are my dad will take some time off and work to full retirement in the end. Will see. They are lucky they have the option to sell such a huge asset though (their house - worth many times over what they paid for it). They could move just about anywhere and pay less for housing, in comparison.

I don't see them moving anytime soon - they have plenty else to worry about.

On the flip side, they live so below their means that both disability, and later, social security, are PLENTY for them to live on. & they have plenty saved up for this healthcare mess. I think really they will be fine.

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**The weekend 'twas expensive.

$40 gas (so many trips to hospital)
$50 food (feeding many people)
$35 books (for my dad)
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$125 for Emergency weekend - could be worse

I didn't know books were so freaking expensive! I found a $5 bargain book and dh was looking for something specific that wasn't on sale. Yeesh. Usually we just go to the library, sometimes buying off Amazon.

My mom kept on insisting on giving me money. I just didn't want any part of it - though I wouldn't be surprised if she sends me a check. But I think we will be fine. They have bigger financial issues and I refused to take a dime.

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**I think we are jinxed to be anti-social. LOL. We actually had a fair amount of plans this weekend. Rather unlike us. But now my conversations have reverted to the same old - "Can I pencil you in next year sometime?" So much for being social and spontaneous. We tried!

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**Kids birthday party was a sucess. Party Package at Chuck E Cheese would have been over $200. We spent about $100 for everything, in comparison. Not bad.

$30 tokens (about 12 kids in the end)
$50 Food/drinks (brought our own drinks)
$20 balloons/misc.
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$100

The expensive part was definitely their pizza. We got tokens massively on sale - so that wasn't so bad. We have tons left over too.

Even better - the annoying family party (as I call it - because it is just dh's family - and it annoys me - LOL) - that one has been canceled. Will save us of $$$$$$$. Woohoo. MIL insisted on having a party at her house instead next weekend. Though I will likely want to visit my parents then, I didn't want to commit to anything. & lord knows I Was not hosting a party next weekend, after all this. Dh and I settled on a compromise. We will probably drive down separately. The extra tank of gas will be far cheaper than feeding his huge family. Phew. His family can have their party - and I get a break. & truth is they are glad not to all have to drive up to our house anyway.

Dh has a friend visiting from out of town during the week so they will drive down a day or 2 before me. If my parents need anything, dh is good for it. So I think it works out well. I may spend the entire weekend down there, but glad I don't "have to." We had a plans down there for the following weekend - so it's all been a bit much.

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**Dh's dad got a job - woohoo. He is trying to stay on 2 more years for better retirement benefits. So he was luckily able to transfer, in the end.

Because of this, FLORIDA is on.

I had mixed feelings about it, but all this seals the deal. I won't be going, at all. I don't expect there to be any issues and I can't sit around at home in case "something happens." But I really didn't want to go in the first place. Decided I rather stick close to home and store up vacation time. Sounds like a bummer, but I am personally just glad I no longer have to decide if I am going, how many days I Would go, etc., etc. I Was incredibly indecisive about the whole thing, before.

That entire thing is another story for another day. Dh and the kids will have fun, I am sure - like last time.

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**Almost forgot the BEST news. I got confirmation today that my boss gave me a 10% retirement contribution for 2008. Yay!

It's good on many levels. (It means he had profit to give - which is a good sign).

The bad news, is I got my report of stock losses in the profit sharing plan, for 2008. I knew this would affect my net worth - there is a huge information lag with the plan. So - I lost just about as much as my boss put in. It was a 25% loss - really not half bad. Could have been worse - about what I expected.

Later I will have to update my net worth for this ugliness. Which reminds me, next year I should just estimate. It's probably better to adjust an estimate. Not sure why I didn't think of that before. Probably because I had no idea where I would stand. But I probably could have guessed a 30% loss, quite easily. Next time I will just estimate what the stock market does, as a whole. Would have been a lot closer than the $0 loss I recorded in Quicken, for 2008 - while I Was just sitting and waiitng.