Counting down the days until we get this company sold, at work.  

Did their last payroll last night, which is the biggest time suck and always ends up being an after hours thing as to timing.  I mean, I hope the sale goes through and I am done with that part.  That will be the most immediate and obvious improvement on the work front.

It will most definitely get worse before it gets better.  But it will be so worth it.

One thing I didn't mention is that on top of the rest of the work chaos right now, we are also moving offices.  Seriously.  It's the busiest work week of the year (for me) but I made time yesterday to select my new office.  There's a funky office (the biggest in the suite) that has some sort of truss blocking a chunk of the window.  My employer was pressuring me heavily to take this office.  It's the biggest one, and would definitely have more of a living room feel.  It needs some bookshelves and a couch.  I thought I might watch some TV to get some design ideas (big offices seem to feature prominently in TV shows).  But going in person, the trusses blocking the window, would drive me crazy.  & I'd prefer smaller and more cozier, anyway.  Anyway, it might sound nice to be offered the biggest office.  But I can see the truth was I had next to last priority.  With how other people had to sit here or there for other reasons.  There is a tree right outside the window so maybe I can bird watch as much as I did before.  & if I got the weird office, I'd survive.  I just have nowhere to go but down.  My employer has been incredibly picky because of the beautiful grounds we have now and the empty lot sitting next to our windows that give us unobstructed views of nature and the sky.  He told me at some point most views were just of other walls (like it was at my last company). 

While I will miss the grounds, this should overall be a good change.

Going back to this company we are selling.  I have some stories to share about that!  But waiting for everything to be finalized.  

On the home front...  We did the chair shopping.  I made the time some how.  Tried to hit the sales.  My $500 chair purchase turned into $1,900.  😁 Not sure how I feel about it.  We had very mixed feelings going into it.  For the most part we have never bought furniture, or just went cheap when we did.  We were both very much, "Let's by a step higher" as to quality.  But...  On the flip side of the coin this is just a temp solution and the bar is very low.  So we weren't too commited either way.

I should back up.  The 'nicer' living room furniture we bought in 2012 really turned out to be crap.  The chair has springs sticking out all over the place.  I am tired of my family acting like this is totally normal and fine.  Even before the cash gift, I told MH I am replacing that stupid chair with my bonus.  It's been on my radar for a while but just haven't gotten around to it.  The other chair isn't necessary.  We saved it from the dumpster when my sister was going to toss it 25+ years ago.  (I'd consider it a very nice chair, at that time.) I mostly hate that chair at this point but my mom likes it.  We mostly kept it for my mom.  Who hasn't been to our house in 5+ years.  It's time to move on.

So we went shopping with one or two chairs in mind.  Why 2 chairs?  Because the couch is mostly useless crap.  But it's currently DL(20)'s bed.  That's a whole thing, that should be temporary at this point.

We ended up at La-Z-Boy and I misread a number on a chair.  Thought it was $900.  Sat down and said, "I'll take it!" (as I sank into chair heaven).  Didn't realize it was $1,910.  So I quickly backtracked.  The whole thing ended up feeling like buying a car.  They take their chairs very seriously.  (The paperwork took forever).  Did we succeed in elevating our furniture quality?  I think yes.  We ended up spotting a chair 60% off, on clearance.  It was a floor model.  We took it.  & the $500 chairs (more what I had envisioned buying) were such a huge step up, we bought one too.  So that in the here and now we can both have some nice and comfy chairs.  I don't even think we will fight over the premium chair too much (given that MH and I seem to veg out on our own time).  But it's nice to have 2 comfortable chairs if we want to watch TV together in the main living area of our house.  The chair I got, also had to be a 'take what we got' situation in order to get free delivery (which we haggled).  They one they had in stock just happened to be the one I liked and saw in person (the fabric).  There's just no matching or thought to color.  I suppose both of the chairs are grey-ish.  

I like to think that the flip side of the coin of saving a bajillion dollars on furniture over the years (the house is mostly filled with hand-me-downs).  The flip side is that it might be fun to do some furniture shopping with more thought to colors and schemes and what we would actually like long term.  When we buy our next home. If our net worth is $2 Mil+, I can just see buying what we like.  & searching out more quality.  Admittedly, there's some element of not really having use for anything 'nice' during the last 20+ kid and pet years.

Our new chairs arrive next week. 

Edited to add:  Oh yeah.  After stopping at one store, it was obvious we'd buy 2 chairs.  I forgot that MH and I have polar opposite furniture tastes.  He liked everything I hated, and vice versa.  So I went into that second store expecting we'd just buy two chairs.  I'd say we both agreed on the $1,400 chair (which is electric and customizable).  & I'd say he hates the $500 chair I bought and thinks it's a waste of money.  I figure, worst case, the kids can have a nice La-Z-Boy in a few years.  Or it might be nice in a spare/guest bedroom, to rock a future grandchild in.  Who knows...  All I know is I liked it and it was 10 times better than what we have right now. 

Would have probably just bought the $500 chair, with my bonus (and probably could have customized the fabric.  Free delivery was the limitation on that part of the purchase.)  But the second chair was definitely 'gift money' spending.  Would not have bought, without a chunk of tax-free money falling from the sky.

I have a good idea where things will land this month.  

Pay cash for college ✔

Just one more tuition payment left for MM(22).  Crazy!

$10K to Savings ✔

Final tally was $15,100. 

Saved at the last minute, by a cash gift.  Which made up for a wild spending year.

Note:  I do not count money we deducted from our savings account to pay for college.  This '$10K per year' is pretty much what we need to save to keep afloat and cover college costs.  Ideally is for longer-term savings but haven't made any forward progress with two kids in college.  Just treading water.  The exception is this $10K gift we decided to keep in cash.

$7,500 to Investments ✔➕

Final tally: $7,500

Was able to hit the stretch goal with my bonus.

$1,700 to mortgage ✔

Mortgage goal is non-negotiable.  I will not have a mortgage for more than 30 years on this house (while healthy and well employed).  I moved this money over from cash last month.

9% Income to Work Retirement Plans ✔

MH and I both contribute the minimum for 401k match.  The 9% includes employer contributions.

$6,000 to IRAs 2025 ❌

Decided to pass on this goal. $0 to IRAs.  (Will probably put 1% of our income to IRAs, when I do our taxes.  Just to put us at a full 10% to retirement.  But that will be an April decision.)

I put 30% to retirement last year, and wanted to focus on other goals.  This decision was before the cash gift.  But I think it's important to stay the course.  

We contributed 20% average (to retirement) during 2024/2025.  This is probably the #1 reason we are putting IRAs on ignore.  Will contribute $0.  The other reason I suppose is because we hit a big retirement milestone.  & the stock market is high.  I am sure there's many reasons.  I'd be more inclined to take advantage if we could get in some cheaper buys.

SUMMARY

My last few posts are the summary.  Nothing more to add.

Retirement goals will start to decrease as we enter financial independence 'coast' mode.  The 'saving for retirement' part is over and now it's about letting that money compound.  & with that, we can start to enjoy our money more.  I don't see the point on keeping the petal to the metal for the next 10 or 15 years.  We are starting pre-retirement and enjoying our money.

2026 Goals

2026 goals will likely be mostly the same.  I suppose I will evaluate what I want to do with taxable investments, if we set our IRA goal to $0.  I will keep an IRA stretch goal to max out ($17,200).  Something to ponder if we end up with unexpected money.

I've always had raises January 1, so it's just a sensible time to set financial goals for the year.  2026 will be a little different, with a kid finishing college mid-year.  There will be some financial re-jiggering once he gets a job and is more self sufficient. 

I need to do a 2026 tax projection before I can figure out what my actual net salary will be in 2026.  From there, can start working through monthly savings and investment amounts. Things to figure out in January.  

It was a very good money week.  

I mentioned my work bonus.  This is how it shook out:

Taxes: $4,900

401K: $600

Taxable Investments: $2,500

Car Repair $1,000 (we already paid for the other half)

Savings $2,000

Me: $1,000

I know, I know.  A 'chunk' did go to taxes.  But I don't think any of that tax was for my salary the rest of the year.  That's just all the taxes (including FICA) that came along with the bonus.  I did a tax calculation and this literally is the tax I owe on the bonus.  I expect $0 back at tax time. 

I will hit our taxable investment stretch goal, with the bonus.

The $2,000 to savings is probably mostly earmarked for MM's last couple of months of college rent.  It feels good to have a plan for that.  (Other than just pulling from DL's 'college rent' money).

The 'me' thing is new.  I've never pondered any mine/yours in our marriage.  But after a year (or two) of paying college x2 and supporting my husband's movie.  😒 I am just over it.  I had an emotional conversation with MH about this in 2024 and the next day a surprise $1,000 check showed up in the mail.  From my parents!  That's the thing, it's MH's parents who are generous.  It's not like I am going to be, 'I am going to take some of that for myself.'  & it's further complicated by my favorite things being library books and hikes (free stuff).  So this check shows up out of nowhere and I tell MH I am keeping it for myself.  & he says, "Obviously".  (If I didn't say it, he was going to.)  So I haven't spent the 2024 $1,000 and lord knows how long until I spend this $1,000.  But I think it's somewhat symbolic and it's important.  In the meantime, I didn't deny myself anything in 2025.  So...  It may be this ends up being a 'saving for a bigger purchase' fund.  I don't know how it will work in combination of me already getting in the habit of just buying whatever I want (within reason).  

I'd like to carve out more spending from future bonuses.  Not just for myself, but for the household.  But this wasn't the year.  Though I later remembered that I really want to replace a piece of furniture (~$500) that is broken.  We will do that.  (We will save more money by the time we pick out and pay for a new chair.)

Our cash will be up $3,500 over where we started last January 1.  I felt a lot better about that.  That we are starting on more solid cash footing.

Then...

I got a bigger raise than I was expecting.  What!?  To be fair, I asked, due to a specific set of (random) circumstances.  So it wasn't a total surprise.  I got the feeling it might have already been in the works, given the response when I asked.  But the whole thing was all very last minute.

Per usual, I am just grateful when any raise covers health insurance increases and taxes.  I expect to have a $6,000 tax increase in the next couple of years.  I am hoping to eke out $400/month from the raise and will just keep in cash for the short run.  Longer run, I will just reduce this amount as it starts going to taxes.  (The rest will go to health insurance, as most raises have while supporting a household of 4.)  

We usually work more and spend less the first 5 months of the year.  So I expect cash will start to pile up quickly.

Then...

We received a $10,000 cash gift.

🤯

My in-laws have been pretty generous with cash gifts in recent years.  Probably a combo of RMDs (that they have no intention of ever spending) and an inheritance.  

At the end of last year, MIL sprung on us that we would not get a gift at all.  She was skittish about end-of-life care, and I don't know what their pension situation is when FIL passes.  I think it was wise for them to back off on the gifts.  & I got a big work bonus last year (with promises of future big bonuses) and so I thought the timing just kind of worked.   You can't beat a tax-free gift!  But I was quickly filling in the void with my own compensation.

So imagine my complete shock when MIL handed us a $10,000 gift over the weekend.  What!?

We had already parsed out my bonus and given up on IRAs in 2025.  & I think it's wise to stay the course.  We have just been treading water on 'barely dipping into our emergency savings' for the last few years.  After we put a bigger gift mostly to our mortgage (3 or 4 years ago).  

I know the one thing we can do to make our lives easier right now, is to just park this money in cash.  After five college years and being a little too aggressive with the mortgage...  We literaly have $0 cash saved for anything other than an emergency fund.  I will probably consider the $10K to be a start on a home maintenance/home down payment fund.   & if the gifts resume or my bonuses do continue to get bigger over time, it may be wise for us to just start a mortgage payoff fund.  Keeping it in cash is wise because we will likely buy our next home with a mortgage, and briefly own two homes.  & we'd want to put 20% down (~$100K) even for a very temporary mortgage.  (Crap happens; I wouldn't want to be stuck with anything too crazy.)  I also think that investing in some home maintenance is more wise than throwing every penny at the mortgage.  If nothing else, I foresee an A/C replacement in our nearer future.  

Note:  I have no idea if we will pay off this mortgage before we sell the house.  Which is all the more reason to start on a 'mortgage payoff' fund and keep things more liquid in the interim.

Anyway, consider my mind blown.  I really was not 'expecting' any of this.  I was hoping for a nice bonus year but wasn't confident about it.   

Oh yeah, and I forgot that I sent $1,000 of the gift (10%) to the credit card.  I knew we'd have a little extra spending this month.  I decided with my bonus to not worry about it, if we had a couple of 5-person meals out.  (DL's girlfriend is visiting from out of town and staying with us for two weeks.)  I'd otherwise more specifically plan for meals out with less people.  $1,000 was more than we spent, and so some of that will just funnel back into our savings.  But I'd say it served its purpose, even if we didn't spend a lot of it.  I didn't want to stress about money during a spendier month.

We are within striking distance of our financial independence goal.  Probably technically there, with our assets right now.  But expecting to spend down some of these asstes on the next ~2.5 years of college expenses.

Our FI numbers is also completely meaningless while we still have kids to support and a mortgage.  But it's exciting to be so close to the finish line.

Most of our motivation is a scarcity mindset, which I think is a good thing when I look at how well our parents and grandparents (and us) have thrived through a lot of adversity.  I chose age 50 for this goal because our parents really struggled to find work in their 50s.  Their age, coupled with very challenging economic times. 

My motivation has very little to do with retirement.  I always worked with people who happily worked (because they wanted to) well into their 80s or even 90s.  I have no desire to work full-time that long (and to be clear, the 90-somethings worked very minimally and seasonally), but I don't personally have an end date in mind as far as continuing to use my mind and make money.  Shifting to part-time work does appeal to me.  But it's also hard to believe that I would feel the same time crunch when my nest is empty.  & I just happen to be in the middle of several big changes at work that should make my work life a lot easier.  Fingers crossed!  I also just don't know how realistic part-time work will be.  Just one more thing to start pondering more in another few years.

As we near the end of everything we have been working for...  I know we can survive the rest of our lives without paid work.  I am starting to think about raising the bar a bit.  Our 'normal' is the shoestring.  Putting myself through college, saving for a home down payment in San Francisco.  We jumped pretty quickly from that to the 'not planned' one-income thing for over a decade.  I envisioned more of the same as we got our kids through college, but then it turned into some 'wild spending' years.  It feels wild, compared to our norm.  I just did some math and the $9K vacation overage, I covered about $2K with credit card bonuses and an unexpected gift.  That extra $7K (net) we pulled from our income...  Felt wild but it was only 5% of our income this year.  I am telling myself more that it's okay to spend 5% of our income.  & maybe it was never okay before.  But it is now.

I did get my bonus.  I decided to let retirement go, for this year.  We will just do the 9% minimum for match.  Might add 1% to keep us honest (per my sidebar).  In my sidebar, I point out we never did less than 10%.  I can keep that a bare minimum goal.

Even if we haven't crossed the FI finish line yet, our 50s will be more about working just enough to pay our bills.  Saving for retirement is no longer necessary.    & of course, we can always work more and save more.  If we want to, and is how it's going to be the next few years.  Until I actually turn 50, until my kids find their own footing.  

While I can give up some financial efficiency (I think at the end of the day we have the income to be less efficient.  Something we didn't have in the past).  While I can give some of that up, I am not going to give up the employer match (free money).  & it keeps us close to the 10% minimum goal.

Oh yeah, we both turn 50 next year.  For some point of reference.  & because we had a 30% retirement last year, we will only do 10% this year.  The two years will average out.  You can consider it we started coasting at age 49, but I am more focused on the average over the last couple of years.  The coasting really starts next year.

It will take us some time to wrap our minds around retirement no longer being our biggest financial priority.

MH kept pointing out we turn 50 next year, because he has a January birthday.  So it's very soon for him.  I am just, "What!?  I am not even 49 yet."  It sounds so far away.  My birthday is at the end of the year.  So it's why I haven't personally thought about it much but it's very in my face right now.

We had an unexpected $500 expense come up in November.  That's when I knew that I give up on 2025 goals.

I had already re-evaluated goal progress when paying for our big anniversary trip.  While I felt it was silly to be stingey for our 25th, re: the big picture, I also didn't have any real plan to pay for this.  I didn't want to touch longer term funds.  I decided at the time (when paying for the trip) that we were still on track for:

**9% to retirement (minimum for match)

**Mortgage goal (done)

**Investment goal

I pondered IRAs more as we ended up with $2,500 in unexpected expenses at the end of the year.  & the $500 was purely optional but we decided to go ahead with that.  It was an opportunity that came up.

I completely give up on IRAs this year, other than the 'we have until April' factor.

I was surprised when I re-evaluated goals again (looking closer at the goals) at how realistic our goals were this year.  I had left 'maxing out' as a stretch goal (re: unexpected money). 

We spent about $9K over our modest vacation budget, this year.  It was very one-off.  We may or may not fail on our $6K IRA goal.  (I am waiting for my bonus to sort out, in addition to the 'we have until April' factor.)  I think we did pretty good considering excessive, one-off spending. 

Reasons I am not stressed:

**Last I looked, our net worth was up $100K for the year.

**We are still living well below our means. 

(This is very obvious because if I deduct 'college expenses paid with money someone else saved up for my kids' from our net this year, we are still somehow in the black.  Just barely, but somehow still in the black, with income exceeding expenses.  That's crazy to me!  But we had a really good income year.)

Pain points:

**Cash is tight (this is somewhat moot while we have healthy investment levels; still have some money loosely earmarked for college that I am not sure we will use for college).

**I want to make more forward progress on taxable investments.  It might just be this has to wait until kids are done with college.  I like that we are at least mostly replacing the money we are spending on college.  But I want to make more forward progress, while contributing less to retirement.  It might just be an 'in our 50s' thing when we have higher income and lower expenses (re: empty nest and being older).

I was pondering my bonus (I saw a potential estimate) and was surprised how conservative I was with my tax planning this year.  I paid in taxes presuming I wasn't going to put anything to IRAs.  What!?  I think it was me trying to lessen the pain a bit, re: massive tax increases when kids are done with college.  (Which for the long run is very *shrugs* and fair.   But in the short run, I will still have some mega kid expenses and it will be painful.) 

I am so relieved I played the tax planning so conservative.  If I do get a bonus (likely) I won't need to pay a chunk to taxes.

The other reason the pendulum swings:  I put something like 120% of my bonus last year to 401K.  (All of my bonus, plus moved some of my savings over to 401K).  It was a '30% to retirement' year.  So if we just do 10% to retirement this year, it will even out.  Still hitting a 20% average.  

Other posts if I ever get to them...  Work and home life are both a little extra right now. 

I really and truly started this as a 'I give up' (Crazy year!) post and was surprised in the end how sensible my financial planning was earlier this year.  I think setting seperate stretch goals was a lot of that.  A general mindset of dialing things down. I wanted to dial down savings and I think we achieved that.

RESTAURANTS:

------------

$100 Seasons 52

$ 50 Cracker Barrel (small balance left)

$ 20 x 1 Jamba Juice (Just found this one, from 2018!!  Before I was tracking?)

$ 15 x 1 Jamba Juice

$ 10 x 1 Jamba Juice

REGIFT:

---------

$ 25 DoorDash

$ 50 Car Wash 

$100 Trader Joes

Note: Edited over time to remove used gift cards. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I think we've got most of the birthday/Christmas haul. 

In the past this was more keeping track of credit card rewards.  But at this point in time, it's just gifts.  It's still helpful to keep track of.

We don't use DoorDash (the cost is ridiculous; is moot because we don't do takeout or eat out much) and while I could probably find use for a small Trader Joe's gift card it's too out of the way to figure out how to get through $100.  

MM(22) likes shopping at Trader Joe's so it will be a nice Christmas gift for him.  I just googled and it's 4-miles from his college home.  So it makes a lot of sense why he would frequent that store, now that he has a car.

I will give the DoorDash gift card to my assistant.  I was going to buy her a Starbucks gift card, otherwise. 

Note to self:  I need to ask for Noah's Bagels gift card next year.  I only recently discovered this chain.  The bagels are some of the best food I have ever eaten in my life.  So it's a nice gift card.  The one standing wish list item I have is jamba juice, because like heck I am paying $8 for a smoothie.  But it's a nice treat during hot summer months.  Anyway, the weather is super wonky right now (cold) and I also discovered $2 hot cocoa at this bagel shop.  This is keeping me sane, because I am not a coffee drinker.  Though for the most part I'd probably more use a bagel gift card for bagels.  & I am not opposed to spending $2 on a drink.  In either case, I discovered a new food place.  A very economical food place, in the grand scheme of things.

November ended up being crazy.  My Dad fell and broke a bone almost a year to the day he had a similar accident.  Last year he broke his hip (a very minor fracture, he walked ~2 miles home afterwards).  This time he landed on his arm and broke his arm.  Anyway, he fell on his leg and his arm, just before I arrived at their house.  We tried again re: getting some estate stuff taking care of (on a week day).  Didn't think too much about it, but his wrist was swelling a lot by dinner time and I insisted I should take him for an X-ray before I went home (that he shouldn't be driving).  That was the Monday before Thanksgiving.  I thought it was possible he'd end up in a wheelchair and I'd have to stay all week.  ER said nothing was broken, but then later they found the fracture on a follow up X-ray.  I guess that happens.

Last year he just didn't see a step (while out for a walk).  This time he misjudged and thought he was on the bottom step of a ladder.  & he's had more broken bones than I remember, because he is very active and a daredevil.  The worst injuries have always been the 'I was just standing and I fell' accidents (even 40 years ago).

I usually take Thanksgiving week off because I can't take any time off again for some months.  Definitely no December time off.  I recalled last (2024) Thanksgiving week being the 'least relaxing week off ever'.  But I don't remember the details.  I didn't feel the same way this time, but it was definitely a chore week.  I had a mammogram, spent the day taking care of my parents (it was exhausting, running wheelchairs back and forth because my mom wanted to go to the hospital with my Dad.)  Got college financial aid done (which went pretty quick because they didn't change it this year and I only have one kid left applying for financial aid.)  & then DL(20) tortured me with some house cleaning (my least favorite thing).  My next post...  & I know I am forgetting something really chore-y, but I think that sums it up pretty well.   

Work...

I feel like it would be a miracle if the employees under me (2) ever showed up for a whole week.  Everyone's always in the hospital, it's always something.  It's never particularly relented (over 7 years).  I brought this over from my last job, so I don't think that changing jobs would actually change anything.  But on top of that, it was a Level 11 sick year for the entire office, in 2024.  So... I had to take a few deep breaths.  I thought about it and decided what is in my control is my own health.  & that's going as well as can be.  Apparently stress works well for me.  I've got super immunity at this point.  I mean, I am constantly exposed and I never get sick (knock on wood).  I am doing the best with what I can actually control (and it's paying off more than I would expect it to.)  So I took some deep breaths and decided (end of 2024) to give it two more years.  Until DL(20) was done with college.  If work can't relent during 9 whole years...  It might be time to try something different.  & when kids are done with college, we will be entering a 'just need to work enough to pay current expenses' period.  I can consider more options at that time.

I didn't say this out loud to anyone but MH.  But it's crazy to me how just thinking it is 90% of the battle.  I think for one, my employer is well aware.  Not only am I exhausted because I am constantly covering from MIA employees.  But then there is the constant emotional drain.  Because it is non-stop, and usually it's something terrible.  My employer definitely is entering a different period in his life (ready for more simplicity and not working as much) and he's also probably in 'let's try something different' mode.  Because clearly this is not sustainable.  Nothing else is working.  So let's try something else.  So he told me early in the year he wanted to hire an executive assistant.  To make his life easier, and my life easier.  Seriously, why didn't I think of that?  He also told me that we are dumping one of our companies (that is a total disaster).  I didn't even know that was on the table.  If they put up with it for this long...  That wasn't even on my radar, but that sounds like the best change ever.  At least the workload would decrease substantially.  & it's just a very chaotic situation.  Definitely some interesting financial tidbids to share about that, if I ever have the time.

Fast forward through the year and...  We are in contract to sell that company.  Fingers crossed!  Nothing I would want more for Christmas.  I am well aware it will get worse before it gets better.  It's going to be an onslaught of work to get this wrapped up.  But I welcome it.

I put up with all of this because this is basically my dream job.  Without this one company, it is much more my dream job.  It's like being able to get rid of one really needy and chaotic client.  & what remains is a lot more chill. 

Just before Thanksgiving, our new executive admin had surgery.  So, she fits right in.  🙄 The only other really difficult thing is that my employer made an impulsive hire (someone's relative) about a year ago,.  *Sigh*  I think if it was anyone else, it would have been resolved a lot sooner.  & my employer even told us at some point, "She's not my relative."  But whether he admits it or not, he was way too nice and patient with that situation.  Which was a big ask after a long string of chaotic/sickly no-show employees.  Then our servers were down for a half a week.  So the week before Thanksgiving, I really had 2.5 weeks of work to get done (making up for lost computer time, in addition to trying to get all my 11/30 deadlines done so I could take that week off).  On Monday (two Mondays before Thanksgiving) the nepotism employee was sicker than a dog, and asked me if she could leave early.  I asked my employer the next day who was in charge of her.  He said no one.  Because you know, her boss was out recovering from surgery.  I rolled my eyes as I had been her prior superior and she was asking me if she should come into work sick.  This turned into hours of my days asking my employer if he did want her to come in sick, long talks about if we should fire her, how we should fire her, what our strategy is to replace her, etc., etc.  All this stuff that should no longer be my problem, but of course it is. 

Last week was absurd, because we are hiring (nepotism hire was let go), still dealing with IT issues, etc.  I was well aware it would get a lot worse before it got better, re: company sale.  So I am dealing with that now.  Oh yeah, and executive assistant can't even drive, post surgery.  My assistant doesn't have a car.  Just one more 'you have to go to be kidding me' thing.  I usually have 3 people to send on errands.

Will see what 2026 brings.  We are really trying.  Will see what happens.

Looking through my camera roll.  This was a photo I took and at the time I didn't think the picture did this sunset justice.  Probably more red and purple in the sky.  But looking back some days later, I'd say the picture got the point across.  Kind of looks like a painting.

I mentioned my work week was a wee bit crazy.  Oh yeah, and MH's car was in the shop.  (I completely forgot about all that extra crazy.)  It was my birthday and I got cannolis at work.  (My assistant asked someone else in the office to run and get cannolis.  That was nice.)  The next day I was eating a leftover cannoli and someone gave me a gyoza.  (Another favorite of mine.)  I texted MH that I'd be a little late to pick him up for work.  I sent him this picture and told him this was my lunch.  I just thought it was funny.  I had given up and decided to eat (my real lunch) when I got home.  MH only works until 1:00.  

Edited to add:  I remember now.  Was catching up on my continuing education during my 'week off' and also was trying to squeeze in a class in between work and dealing with car issues.  That was the other chore-y part to my Thanksgiving week.  I am feeling better as I remember that it wasn't just work last week.  I think work would have been a lot more manageable without everything else in the mix.

Second edit:  I also got a new home computer set up during my break.  Yeah, I had a few chores to do.  My last computer was bought 8? years ago for an entirely different purpose.  Now I do use it more for work.  It is so much faster.   I used the Windows 11 update as an excuse to go new, but I probably should have done this a while ago.  It was a $500 mini desktop computer.  There was talk of getting a laptop (and just plugging it into my monitor) if I might be traveling more back and forth, to help my parents in the near future.  Nothing planned but it has to happen if my Dad needs to go anywhere.  So there was some back and forth on that, but we decided the mini PC probably made more sense.  Last time I stayed a few days with my mom, I just brough everything with me (mini PC, monitor, mouse, keyboard).  I could just plug in the PC into my Dad's desktop setup.

MM(22) Oct 2025 'Gifted College Fund': $13,759 (+$5K ROTH)

MM(22) Nov 2025 'Gifted College Fund': $9,115 (+$5K ROTH)

Rent is paid through 12/31.

$3,450 deducted for winter tuition.

Note:  Paying full price tuition.  No financial aid; middle class grants have been exhausted.  (Technically $3,900 full price, but I am covering the 'tax credit' portion.)

I am itching to cross off his tuition as paid and done (Year 5) but I just paid for the winter quarter.  I will probably pay for the spring quarter in February. 

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DL(20) Sep 2025 'Gifted College Fund': $23,682 (+$5K ROTH)

DL(20) Nov 2025 'Gifted College Fund': $20,587 (+$5K ROTH)

$3,250 deducted for spring tuition.  (Technically, $4,500 full price, but I am covering the 'tax credit' portion.)

Will received a $2,000 financial aid refund in the spring.

Recap: 

*We paid Years 1 & 2 Tuition with our own money

*Year 3 (net $2,700) was paid from DL(20)'s gifted college fund

*This will leave him $22,500+, going into Year 4.  The difference is interest earned on the account.

*I expect Year 4 to be more of the same.  

I was just prepping for the FASFA and updating DL(20)'s current assets.  He had a big income year, and so I was poking around to see if that would change his senior year financial aid.  As far as I can tell, they don't count the kids' income and assets for middle class state grants.  We shall see...  

When double checking if DL(20)'s income or assets would lower his middle class grant next school year...  I just happened to stumble upon that his 5th college year (teaching credential) would be eligible for a middle class state grant.  What!?  All I had heard was those expired after 4 years.  So I was not expecting that!  

As to the '5th year state grant' and 'the school district wants to pay for DL's teaching credential and his housing costs', these are all things I just happened to stumble across.  Imagine what DL(20) might find with a little time and effort.

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Side note:  I am unable to fix blog formatting or comment on blogs.  I tried to say Happy Birthday to Terri77.