Yesterday I woke up with a scratchy throat and a general weak feeling. I figure I got the summer cold that's been going around. I had a few meetings and a bit of work that couldn't wait, so I went in and handled all that. I felt kind of dizzy in the last meeting, but didn't faint or anything. I came home and went to bed, and got dinner in bed as well. I went ahead and said I was taking today as a sick day as well.

I feel better today, just kind of run down, so I'm just taking advantage of the day off and lying around. I maybe have been due a personal health day. I'm a naturally lazy person and life is very busy with kids + work + budgeting + house.

We've had the permit pulled for the basement bathroom plumbing work. Our contractor poked one hole in the wall and those pipes looked OK anyway. The plumber he had pull a permit said he's done this type of thing before; usually the city just wants their permit money since the bathroom was done without one. He said often the city will look through one hole in the wall and if everything looks OK, they're happy. Fingers crossed! Would love to have some of the WV money left over after this thing.

We got AA's teacher assignment in the mail today and have been freaking out, looking for info on the web about her. We found a local newsletter where a parent who had 4 kids go through this teacher's class went on and on about how great she is, so we feel pretty good. I'm still a bit confused about how lunch is going to work for a vegetarian kid; I'm guessing she'll be able to have some school lunches and we'll pack sandwiches the other days. We've been spoiled by daycare so I hope we do get to take advantage of school lunches sometimes! They get free breakfast at school if they want, which is pretty sweet. The website says menu coming soon. We should be getting bus stop assignment in the mail next week, and there's also a "meet the teacher" night next week. It's becoming so real!

AS's freelance checks have only been trickling in slowly, so our discretionary spending has stayed low. AS bought some orthopedic stuff for her foot that's been bothering her; I bought a bra and backpack online to replace some things that have worn out.

I do have some of my individual spending money that's built up, so I'm treating the family to sushi delivery tonight.

Got some CC rewards, which I set aside to save up for the UK plane tickets next year.

I did work up the annual budget for next year, and so far it's looking really good. I entered estimated utilities based on the past 12 months. So far the biggest monthly surplus is $1530 in September 2016 and the smallest is $170 in December 2016. And that's just factoring in my and NT's paychecks, nothing for AS. If we get raises it could get even better, though I'm not counting on it since NT and I haven't gotten raises every year.

Most of the surplus will need to go toward catching up on retirement, at least for the first few months. I'm playing it by ear to see when I feel comfortable with where we are.