Mike Gone--Sob!

Mike got up before five and walked with Susan and me, although he had no hat and his ears got cold.  He went for bagels and I skipped my usual cottage cheese on pumpernickel to have one, too.  We sat companionably over the papers (NYTimes and Press of Atlantic City, which he remarked was the worse paper he ever saw. Yeah, it's right up there--or down there--that's a cinch).
After, we sat down with what I laughingly call "my budget"* and went over my income and expenses and hmm...I seem to be spending more than I have and what's up with that?  Going out to lunch and other meals--my favorite activity--is a huge item, naturally, and I'm going to curtail that.  So is gas, of course; Aline and I, in particular, go a lot of places, and she doesn't drive.
I'm vowing here and now to do better and, to that end, I'm going to record everything I spend.  I know I can economize on things I won't even mind--I'm just careless when it comes to money.  Change is imperative, though, as I'm determined to move to western climes where expenses will no doubt be higher, and I don't want to go on the dole (a favorite old expression of mine).
Mike did compliment me on the fact I still have a nice piece of change in Vanguard, so things aren't really dire.  He's the one who set me up with Vanguard, which I've dipped into for heavy expenses, but don't touch as a rule.  Besides, when I sell my beautiful antique table that used to be Aunt Claire's for ten thou or so, I'll be on Easy Street.
We then went to Wal-Green's, where Mike got $131 worth of things he can't get in Singapore, mostly OTC medications.  Home, he asked me for a tape measure, checked my armoire, and told me he was buying me a new television.  So generous of him!
Mike left about noon for Baltimore, where he was to board a plane for Salt Lake City, but will be back next Friday--very late, actually in the early hours of Sunday--then will have to leave in the afternoon.
Betty called.  She got a storage space and most of her things have been transported there, but she's still wrestling with the insurance company and other problems.
Enjoyed my Sunday Skype call with Ellen, whose hair looks great after her last Brazilian BlowOut.    
* I call Mike "my financial advisor," which is quite accurate.  I don't want to go outside the family for this kind of thing, as I'm leery of consulting somebody who has a product to sell.  I'm sure that can work out fine, when necessary, but I'm lucky in that Mike does some kind of financial work for a big, multi-national firm, so I figure he's the go-to guy. However, I would be just as likely to follow the advice of my other children, all of whom have good heads on their shoulders, and all of whom I trust most in the world.