The ideal was to have the kids picked up and dropped off, fed and cared for by the family all week, and me to work as many hours, for overtime cash, as possible! Talk about a frugal week! (BM has the week off school).

Too good to be true, I suppose. Generosity has run out...

Instead, extended family is still all sick from us (4 weeks ago) and MIL took on another job in the interim. Though she could watch the kids M/T, I wasn't too enthused about the germ exposure, all the same.

Dh watched the kids all day Saturday and has been about 99%. I originally just wanted to cancel the whole thing. But dh was so looking forward to a quiet week. The generosity/care he has received is just not enough. He needs a week to himself, while feeling good. PRetty selfish, in my opinion.

My folks are mostly better, but didn't want to push it by visiting us this weekend and picking up the kids. Against my better judgement, I agreed to take the kids down for M/T, as it is the *end of the world* according to all sides, if the kids can't go down for a few days. Oy vey. I suppose it is the path of least resistance. But I draw the line at making the rest of the family scramble to cover for MIL, while they are still recovering from illness, etc. They may have time to make up at work, etc., too. I know I certainly do.

I could have met MIL halfway, but haven't seen my parents in forever, it feels like. So left around noon, spent a few hours with them, dropped off the kids, and was home by 9pm. What a day...

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I wrinkled up my nose at getting out the frozen meals, with the kids gone, and me perfectly capable of cooking. But, I am starting to think maybe we should just dig in. I could prolong "real grocery shopping" for perhaps another week. Though I think for the most part, those frozen meals will be more useful next week. I told dh I would do a lot of chores and kid chauffering NEXT week, with the kids home and busy with school. But, after that, after his doctor appointment, after the 6-week mark, he is going to have to step it up so I can earn some overtime. I don't mind cutting him some slack, for now. But I know he is capable of watching the kids W/Th/F/Sat. & we can utilize daycare also, so he doesn't push it too much. Might not be the cheapest route, but nice to be able to take care of ourselves, all the same. & to not rely on so much generosity.

So, dh is fat dumb and happy with no responsibilities for 2 days. He is feeling just fine, though not up to a lot of errands/driving.

I would be perfectly happy with daycare options this week, but dh really hates to pay for daycare. I will have to make sure he rests enough and isn't just being *cheap.* It's just his hang up.

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In the meantime, dh is driving me nuts!

Today it's a $1400 TV, and he couldn't possibly wait a couple of weeks to buy it. (Though I promised him a $1k TV - as enticement to fast recovery - I didn't expect our HMO to bill so much so fast. Part of the reason was I thought I could leverage our gift until the bill materialized months/years later. Still may be possible for the balance. But there goes the gift money... We also agreed to a $1k TV. We are rapidly approaching $2k territory with sales taxes and a stand, etc.)

Dh was pissy and exclaimed, "I thought we were saving up for these things!" My reply? Um, I took a possible 10% pay cut by my boss saying he is cutting our retirement benefits - maybe, my overtime bonus is up in the air due to dealing with this and the economy, our medical deductible doubled and we will no doubt use it up all year, and dh just talked me into a major cable/internet upgrade - before all this. HELLO!

So yeah - that's the short version. He is driving me a little nuts.

Dh is ultra conservative and responsible. But in his world, he has always saved 100% of his income. There is some barrier to reality that drives me a little nuts, ever since he has not worked. Though this stuff is a drop in the bucket when mommy pays all of your bills, or when you live on 2 incomes, it's a whole different world on one income. I am frustrated he doesn't seem to *get it,* 8 years later. I don't know how someone so conervative and good with money could be so clueless on some level. But, he has never had to live on a tight budget. It really comes down to that. You could learn it all, and still just be spoiled rotten, on some level.

Anyway, once I laid it out for him, he dropped it. It will be the end of that. I should consider myself lucky. BUT, I just don't understand why I have to lay it out for him, all the same. The medical bills and lost retirement benefit weren't a clue that a $2k purchase would stress me out a bit???

Something about TV, and his brain goes out the window! Egads.