I HATE numbers and anything that even remotely smacks of accounting. I simply do not possess a mathematically inclined mind. Yet my position as matriarch of my small family unit (by matriarch, I mean the one who does EVERYthing that needs to be done in the home, for the home, outside the home and for everyone IN the home), one of my most detested responsibilities is to manage the family finances -- pay the household bills, pay my bills, balance checkbooks, juggle budgets, etc. -- and I HATE it with a purple passion. Considering the small amount of funds with which this family has to work with, one would wonder how on earth this weekly chore can take up anywhere from 3-6 hours (more often on the higher end than the lower). Perhaps it is due to my mental slowness in this area of intellectual exercise, maybe it is due to the level of expertise and creativity required to stretch these limited funds to meet all the demands upon our finances -- I’m not really sure. But I DO know that I’ve been straining my capacities for almost 4 hours this evening and I still have probably at least 3 more hours to go. The typical headache has set in (judging from my symptoms, I’m more inclined to think it is the loose jaw hinge causing the pain, but I’d rather blame the numbers) and I’m hungry for my last (I hope) indulgent meal. Phooey on this -- perhaps I can find some time to steal tomorrow at lunch....

I’ve not had time to cook my first meal for tomorrow, which means I will have to buy something, which means I will be more inclined to fudge a little on my commitment. I plan to follow a meal plan that combines Atkins, Somersizing and South Beach -- each diet of which I have followed at some point in the past with relative success -- until I fell of the wagons, that is. More details later for those interested. In the meantime, I have just 1.5 hours left to practice my gluttony without reservation...I’m off to the kitchen...I think there's still some turkey left. ;-D