Earlier this week I bought breakfast from the cafeteria at work. Something I rarely go.

I get a bagel with cheese and a coffee - my standard breakfast out. It was a morning I was tired so I got the extra large vat-o-coffee. I was expecting this to be around $3.50 give or take (this cafe tends to be pricey but it is in the lobby of the building where I work etc etc).

Rang up at $5. Significantly more than I expected. The cashier said that was because I had a large coffee. I just stood there processing.

Finally she realized I was not going away. I think that was when I asked how much the bagel was.

She then took the time to ring it in again. It turned out to be $3.50 (I never did mention that figure to her), and I ended up with apologies and $1.50 more in change.

A good lesson in taking the time to figure out your bill rather than accepting there word for it another solution might be to always get a receipt - this cafe normally does not give receipts other than on request.

I've had Mao since about 1990 (give or take a year) - he was full grown adult chocolate point Siamese when I got him. His age now is estimated to be 23-24 years of age

On a silly/funny note - he was cat in a bag this morning. I know he shouldn't get cold so I swaddled him in a blanket (he was very accepting of that though not very happy about it) and then put him in one of my purple bags unzipped enough so his head stuck out (and after moment or two both his front paws were out too... Though he stayed in it otherwise....

The vet did an exam and said his kidneys have shut down. Mao was down to 6.6 lbs from 7.6lbs in the middle of December. The vet said that I could have left Mao there for a few days and they would do intravenous and antibiotics (I never did confirm if he had a cold too but I think he did) and that that might give him some more time or might not. He wasn't very hopeful though and seemed relieved when I said no to that.

Mao was already being treated for Kidney failure - his kidney's almost shut down in October - and he's been on twice a day pills and drops and special food since then. So it wasn't like I was giving up on him quickly - He's already been through a lot with his kidneys and in my opinion it was time so say "no more" and let him rest.

They didn't let me be with him when they put the intravenous in (which almost killed me). But I was able to hold him when they gave him a dose of anaesthetic that was large enough to stop his heart. I held him as they did that - him on my right shoulder with his head tucked under my chin and his paws on the top of my shoulder. I am glad I was able to be there with him. He went very quickly - basically just passed out/drifted off to sleep.

A hard decision but I know it was the right one. He's been a very good cat and it was his time.

I came to work. Didn't know what else to do really. As I was planning to go home again so after all my cooking on the weekend I don't have lunch with me...

Please give your furbaby's (if you have them) a hug/pat/treat for me in memory of Mao.

I'm taking French lessons at work along with a number of my coworkers. The lady who comes in to teach some of us we just found out has cancer . It is a rare sort that means she'll have to go to another city for experimental treatments. This does not sound good at all.

I went out after work and bought her some Aveeno bath and body products. I figured with treatments and the fact that it is winter she'll be able to use some very gentle skin care products - and those are the ones that I know people who have very sensitive skin to use. Its so hard to know what to get someone in this circumstance. Hopefully she'll like that. I got a cute valentines teddy bear for her too as it was so soft and cuddly - and I remember when my mom was sick last winter she enjoyed holding a stuffed animal - so soft and cuddly.

Was more than I expected but didn't feel this was the time to be chintzy. I didn't even *gasp* use coupons or shop sales as I wanted to get her the stuff today as I know we'll see her tomorrow but not sure if we'll see her again. I got her a bit more than I would have on my own as I know folks at work are going to contribute too!

Not a huge thing but I hope a small gift and a card will lift her spirits a bit.

Another reminder about how fragile life is. Makes me glad I've done the work to get into the position where I can just go and buy something for someone in this circumstance rather than have to fret and wish I could

Those sweet gals at bath and bodyworks saved me some money today. I had a coupon for $10 off something so I stopped off in there to see if I could score a good deal.

I found the product but it looked way more expensive then $10. The gals working there were standing and talking amongst themselves in the back corner of the store - ignoring all the customers wandering around - there were at least 2 other people in the store other than me...

I might have been tempted to spend money had they encouraged me. I love crappy sales help when they help me save money I shouldn't be trying to spend. Yeah, I know I shouldn't have gone in there in the first place...

I'm sure their employer is equally enamored of their lack of effort to part me from my money.

A coupon train came through my station in December that seems to have gone into Postal Limbo. You do enough trains and eventually it happens.

The conductor email the group about it and asked me what had happened. I responded to her privately - in hindsight should have done it to the group.

Now someone on the train - not the next rider has sent out an email with my name on it asking where the train is. Cause she was "so looking forward to it". Pfffffft, cause she is so trying to make me look bad is how I feel about it.

I work hard at making my "station" a good one. I like having a good reputation. I feel like she is trying to smear my reputation. I might be wrong but that is how I feel.

I responded back publically and offered to the conductor to start up a new train for her (not like I am short of coupons). I'll wait and see how she responds.

I am way to angry right now about this. Hopefully its that time of the month when ladies are a bit sensitive about stuff cause if it isn't my reaction to me even feels over the top

Stores who put out coupons after the expiry date. I keep seeing displays in stores piled full of coupons - all expired at the end of last year.

Mr Grocer

You manage to get down all the sale signs. Please take those expired coupons away. And while you are at it - take the expired yogurt off of the shelf too!

Thanks,

Disgruntled Shopper Yummy

Thanks to my not figuring out where I put my debit card I didn't get gas today - that made it a no spend day.

My gas tank is on E - so it will be a spend day tomorrow.

Pfffffffffft, I know its just "someplace safe" and not lost so I'm not panicky but damn it, I hate when I misplace stuff.

When planning a day of baking, make sure you actually have all the ingredients you need to make the recipes you are planning to make.

I wanted to make Mexican Wedding Cakes but we don't have icing/powdered sugar. I'll make them during the holidays but not today (I'm crazy but not crazy enough to go to a grocery store with all the others).

My boyfriends daughter went to get us coffee and breakfast at Sheetz (a gas station that also has kitchen and serves my favourite blend of coffee) and said it was NUTS up there. If a convenience store is nuts what is a grocery store going to be like?

I sent an email the fabulous kennel I've found for my old kitty cat, to see if he could stay over Christmas. The woman who runs it is fabulous with animals but a lousy business person.

I was expecting a charge of about $20 a day - it had been $18 a day but then last time she indicated it was $21. I found that weird but didn't question it and she didn't explain. Still I was okay with that price. Mao loves the place and is relaxed there and it would save him having to travel. He's been in my life a long time. I like to do the best for him I can.

So I get the email from her today. Its now $24 a day at least during the Christmas Period from Mid Dec to Mid Jan plus $1.50 per medicine dose - and Mao gets two per day. So the price for 18 days is nearly $500.

So the Maoster is coming with me to the States. As much as I'd like him to be happy there that is way over the top for a stay at the kennel. I know she'd treat him well and all but I can't justify it financially - and yes I feel badly about that.

I dropped in at the vet's office on the way home and made an appointment for Mao to get a rabies shot on Friday. The vet will give him rabies but none of the other immunizations (a 23 year old cat isn't at high risk). And he only needs the rabies shot so he can come back in to Canada from the US. Domestic Animals don't need rabies shots to go to the US, but Canada requires they have them to re-enter.

I am expecting a bill for that for less than $100 - or cheaper if I don't need to pay for an exam. I hope not I was just there. A huge savings over the cost of the kennel.

And Mao is a pretty good traveler. He tends to sleep all the way. We have routine down. I don't make him stay in a carrier but put him in the front passenger seat foot area. He's so old he doesn't wander. At my boyfriends he'll stay in the laundry room (on the main floor) most of the time, with the ability to roam around and enjoy lots of attention and cuddling when we are there to make sure he doesn't get disoriented - he's blind and that happens quite frequenly now. The problem with him getting disoriented is when he has to pee...

Oops.. TMI I'm sure...

So it is sort of too bad that I left it on the counter at home... Oh well, I can throw it out when I get home - it is a really good beef stroganoff.

I hate wasting food. Extra spent today $5.31.

I found a recipe for stollen that was easily adaptable for vegan (just had to subsitute margarine for butter) and tried it last night. Anyone who is German or of German descent likely has heard of stollen - its a very rich yeast bread made at Christmas time. It is quite labour intensive to make as it is a yeast bread. Its filled with almonds, orange and lemon citron, raisons, currents(sometimes) and depending on the recipe marzipan.

Stollen was always part of my Christmas growing up. When I got older I took over baking it from my mother. In the stress of the last years I haven't made it at all. This year it was important for me make this.

It burnt when I was cooking it. The recipe was 375 for an hour. Crispy crunchy black on the outside. I did some websurfing and found other recipes at that temperature for 30 minutes and other ones at 300 for an hour. Joy of Cooking's recipe is 350 for 50 minutes.

I think I'll try again (after sampling a bit of the inside to see if I need to make ingredient substitions)

A picture of stollen shamelessly stolen from the web to show you what this looks like (mine being lump of dark brown/black).