Week of Money: Where Green Tea Kit Kats come to the rescue!

DAY ONE

6:00 a.m. — All the clocks were wound back so we “gained” an hour. Little Bun sleeps in until 6 again but he slept at 9 last night instead of 8. So he needs a nap. I am already in and working.

6:12 a.m. — Time to make some tea. My partner makes his coffee and I take in a nice deep whiff. He bought a super expensive bean and has been drinking it daily now, loving the taste “No acidity!” he exclaims.. the coffee he buys is this one: Blue Mountain Jamaican Coffee ($50 / pound) and he loves it.

7:49 a.m. — I hop in a quick early call. I look at the pile of tops to list on eBay. I need to get this done. I start drafts in eBay but I am waiting for Canada Post to stop striking.

8:30 a.m. — Another call. While I am on the phone with my Airpods (they have LIBERATED ME as I no longer need to carry this phone around with me), that I go through my closet and I discover a bag of Green Tea KitKats. OMG. OMG.. This is the BEST MORNING EVER.

10:11 a.m. — I head out earlier for lunch and I go and pick up some stuffed tomatoes to add to my lunch, a leek and Parmesan cheese pastry, and Little Bun gets a croissant as a treat (along with kisses). He even willingly shares it with me, letting me alternate bites with him. $10.58

10:24 a.m. — Little Bun, happy to see a puddle (WHO WOULDN’T), gleefully jumps and stomps in there, and I forgot COMPLETELY to put him in rainboots. He gets his whole front and his shoes allll wet. I’m scolding him in a panic (it is raining hard too, while all this is happening).

10:40 a.m. — I drop off things to donate that aren’t worth my effort to sell — cheap purses and the like.

11:34 a.m. — In the elevator, I look at him, check his shoes, and I tell him that he didn’t get TOO wet. It will be okay. I apologize to him for yelling at home, but I explain that puddles outside are with rainboots not shoes. I don’t mind rainboot-puddle stomping but not in his shoes, okay?… He looks at me and nods.

11:36 a.m. — We get home and I tell him to go down for his nap at noon. He looks at me (SO SWEET), nods, and then at noon, trots off to go to the bathroom beforehand, and then wiggles into bed for his nap. This child. Sometimes he can be so incredibly sweet and listen to me so well. I look back at the years of 2 and 3 with slight horror because it was SO FRUSTRATING and difficult to get him to do things, and now he and I have an understanding.

12:11 p.m. — A break! I eat my lunch, my stuffed tomato (mmm good), and take a break, watching the rest of The Rookie – Nathan Fillion’s newest show. I love this actor so much, that everything he has done so far, I have loved even when I thought I wouldn’t. His roles are always tinged with a bit of humour which is what I love, and the drama, character development… all top notch. He brings something different to every series. AND.. is a fellow Canadian.

12:59 p.m. — Back to work. I am dreading dealing with this woman at work. I am getting really tired fighting with her to be honest. If she could just leave, I’d be happy.

1:25 p.m. — Calls from the VP. They’re all freakin’ the #(%# out. I’m tired. At the end of the call, I promise a summary.

3:42 p.m. — Summary done. I log off. I put in more time than I should have but I am leaving earlier tomorrow so that’s fine.

4:44 p.m. — Feeling peckish, yet not hungry enough to make food. And sick.

5:59 p.m. — My partner comes home with food, and makes an omelette with a salad for dinner. Yay.

6:15 p.m. — I leave the dishes for tomorrow. It is only half full, the sink…. I go and brush my teeth, and set up a cold compress for my left calf – I am limping around the house, and I am using the R.I.C.E. method – Rest, Ice, Compression – Elevation — so I go and do exactly that while I settle in with a book.

7:59 p.m. — I am engrossed in this book – There are no grownups – and thoroughly enjoyed her foray into what mid-life crisis is like for her from beauty, to fashion, to emotional angst amongst other 40-year olds. Frankly, I enjoy reading this, but I am sort of racking my brain to think of when I ever did NOT feel like an adult. I’ve always felt old, even when I was younger.

8:17 p.m. —  Time for bed.

Spent: $10.58

DAY TWO

??:?? — Why can’t I sleep? Oh dear….

6:19 a.m. — We “slept” in and my watch is all wrong – I have to change the time on all of them manually. This’ll teach me to have so many timepieces.

6:54 a.m. — I dress and go to leave, and my left calf is feeling better. It really helped last night. I also have an intense deep tissue massage today and will ask her to help out my left calf.

7:15 a.m. — Right into work. I start, and don’t stop. I am up and down the stairs, taking them, walking (no elevators for me to the second floor any more, even to the 6th as my maximum so I incorporate more exercise into my life).

9:03 a.m. — Meetings, meetings meetings. I get out of one, only to be asked for the status on something else by another manager, only to go to the next meeting and be asked the SAME STATUS AGAIN. This happens 4 times and I am irked at the end. Can’t you all get into a room and listen to me deliver my speech ONCE and not waste my time? Stop asking for updates. I have none. I don’t know what I don’t know and I will know it when I know it. THERE. EAT THAT.

12:08 p.m. — Lunch. I take a short break, go out and get some meatballs to add to my lunches. $14

12:28 p.m. — I get back, defrost my meal and thoroughly enjoy it with meatballs added. SO GOOD.

12:56 p.m. — Next meeting. I have three more and a conference call before I can go.

3:00 p.m. — In my deep tissue massage session. She works on my calf and I am WINCING IN PAIN. I hate this feeling but it does feel better afterwards. $68.76

4:10 p.m. — I head home. I have to put heat on it before bed so I’ll do that after I get ready for bed with my Magic Bag (love this device).

4:38 p.m. — At home, I check the mail, drop off items to my partner, see that I have $7.88 a credit card company owes me back in a cheque (the card was Amazon Visa and became defunct), and I realize that Sephora is having a VIBBONUS 20% off sale so I will see if I need to stock up on anything.

4:59 p.m. — Hmm.. Really want this Dyson hair dryer. 20% off means it will be cheaper in general, but maybe I can buy it refurbished… for half the price. No sale can beat that.

5:16 p.m. — I start on the dishes.

6:27 p.m. — Dishes cleaned, dried and put away. I am still feeling quite sick. Coughing, I lost my voice from all of these silly dang updates… #%(*#%….

7:19 p.m. — I make quick noodles, eat them, then clean up.

8:08 p.m. — Time for bed.

Spent: $82.76

DAY THREE

??:?? — Coughing.

??:?? — Hacking.

5:11 a.m. — I’m up and cuddling Little Bun before getting ready for work. Little Bun just LOSES IT. He is so grumpy and irritable when he doesn’t sleep enough and today is no exception. I am also tired and getting frustrated with him, so that doesn’t help either.

5:45 a.m. — I make a tea while I quiz him on math. (He asked. I would never ask for it this early in the morning.)

6:32 a.m. — I am dressed and ready to go to work. I’m going to get in early so that I can get peace and quiet to finish my work.

6:50 a.m. — No traffic. At the office. Head down, WORKING.

8:08 a.m. — My manager comes back from an extended sick leave. I greet him happily, missed his leadership — I don’t love the other manager.

11:42 a.m. — I head out with the guys for a quick lunch around the corner – soup & salad. $11.52

12:31 p.m. — I know I am back early but I get to work. I have a meeting in half an hour and am not totally prepared.

12:50 p.m. — By the way, terrible but I am soooooo thinking of buying this bag – the Givenchy Antigona. Used of course. I may be addicted to designer bags now. OMG.. what a slippery slope this is. *hearts in eyes*

2:00 p.m. — Meeting over, my brain is exhausted. Time for another call.

3:41 p.m. — ALMOST READY TO LEAVE. On my last call.

4:04 p.m. — Out the door and home. I get in the door, my partner sees me face and tells me I should rest more.

5:17 p.m. — He makes homemade pita bread on the cast iron griddle (new initiative I guess), and we have duck confit pita / taco things with salad and avocado. VERY tasty. I keep gushing about how good it is.

6:41 p.m. — Leaving dishes for tomorrow. No energy. I go to lie down and read a book but end up playing with Little Bun, just massaging him, hugging him, kissing…

8:23 p.m. — Bedtime.

Spent: $11.52

DAY FOUR

??:?? — CANNOT STOP COUGHING.

??:?? — Hacking up a lung or two.

6:10 a.m. — I wake up but I am not well-rested. I am effing exhausted from all the coughing. My partner leaves out a jar of organic wild honey for me to use for my throat, but when I go to eat it after lunch, I can’t even get the jar open, I am so weak.

6:29 a.m. — Partner leaves for work. Little Bun runs into my arms after milk and we chat, then talk about the new words he is learning – disguise, skeleton, etc.

6:30 a.m. — I log in and work.

10:11 a.m. — Short break, I head out for a treat with Little Bun (little croissant) and a chai latte. $10.69

10:48 a.m. — Home and working again.

12:23 p.m. — I desperately try to get Little Bun down for a nap but he senses that I am not committed to this cause, so he isn’t napping.

1:02 p.m. — Little Bun runs out of the room saying that he is done his nap. He clearly didn’t nap but at least I got a break. He grabs his milk and runs back to the bedroom to drink it like a baby.

2:25 p.m. — Finally off my weekly call with the VPs.

3:41 p.m. — I tell a guy I work with to stop telling me to “Relax”. I find it disrespectful and it adds nothing to a conversation other than to make them feel bigger, snarky, and to make my blood boil. That’s right. I’m not taking #%( any more.

4:14 p.m. — I log off for the day… Tired.

4:23 p.m. — I get lost in Sephora Land. The land where pretty little things present themselves and make you want to buy them even though you know you have about 8 lipsticks of varying colours to get through and finish completely before you should really think about buying any more. You know? That. But I am eying the hair dryer.

8:00 p.m. — Time for bed.

Spent: $10.69

DAY FIVE

??:?? — I did not sleep. Hacking cough.

6:00 a.m. — I get up, get ready to leave and my partner says: “Are you sure you are going in today? Will you be okay?”, I pooh-pooh his concern, get dressed and leave. Little Bun cries at the door, and tries to open it to escape to come after me but we are scared his fingers will get smashed in the door so I hear my partner scold him in alarm to stop it.

9:45 a.m. — I feel so sick. Dizzy, nauseous… I wonder if it was too much matcha tea mixed into my morning drink on an empty stomach giving me a caffeine overdose or if I’m just sick and it isn’t helping.

10:11 a.m. — I am pale as I’m sweating and mumbling to a colleague I’m going home and if anyone asks I’m at home.

10:35 a.m. — At home, my partner is a little surprised (I am very stubborn and would have stayed even if I felt sick but not THIS sick): That didn’t take long. I told you not to go today!!!

10:38 a.m. — I ignore him, remove all my makeup and wash my face (I never not do this), leave a mess on the floor of clothes and change into my home clothes.

10:40 a.m. — I collapse into bed, dizzy, shaking, nauseous. I doze and drop in and out of sleep trying not to make it worse as Little Bun plays beside me. He asks me questions (waking me up) but for the most part I sleep on and off for about 5 hours (I laid still in bed until nap time).

2:23 p.m. — I wake up starving. I make noodles – comforting, warm and fast and feel a bit better.

2:47 p.m. — I log in to 15 unanswered emails and people messaging me (5) asking for decisions, and start hacking away at the tasks. I don’t stop until dinner time when my partner returns with some bread to settle my stomach.

7:19 p.m. — I log off and eat. After eating I go and lie down to read my book and finish The Idea of You – Robinne Lee which I thoroughly enjoyed because it brought up two points: (1) I never ever want to be famous if ever given the chance .. and (2) How come men get better looking and more desirable with age but women turn into invisible hags? I cannot say I enjoyed the ending though. Felt unfinished. So… don’t read it if you want a definitive answer or are a dreamer like I am.

7:59 p.m. — I finally turn off the Kobo Aura One (I upgraded remember? SO WORTH IT!!!) and go to sleep.

Spent: $0

DAY SIX

??:?? — I wake up briefly and then go back to sleep as my partner tiptoes out. I was coughing all night. We are both tired because apparently Little Bun could sleep through and air siren and is out like a snoring baby log…

6:13 a.m. — Little Bun wakes me up with his face in my face breathing like a creeper. I fake roar and hug him tight which makes him giggle and squeal: MOMMY.. MOMMY.. YOU’RE A TIGER!

6:15 a.m. — I get him to the bathroom and then grab his milk. I walk out and basically my partner and I hug each other right for 10 minutes as Little Bun drinks his milk. It is nice to just hug sometimes to know you aren’t alone and you can rely on someone else for anything.

6:21 a.m. — I grab his empty bottle and then Little Bun wants to play so he arranges his toys.

6:30 a.m. — He then informs me as he runs around the house squealing: I am a Mini Hedgehog!!!! …. Mommy is a Tiger and Daddy is a Walrus. LOL. I’ll take Tiger. Have the stretched out stomach stripes from pregnancy to prove my authenticity.

6:48 a.m. — I log into Sephora and using a 20% off code, go on a bit of a spree… I’ve convinced myself that I do need that Dyson Supersonic hairdryer after all because there are certain times where I need to use a hairdryer to dry my hair (20%) and I’ve never wanted to buy one because they burn / ruin your hair. I always air dry my hair even in winter which can get cold… but this one looks like the best one to use in a pinch if I want to dry my hair without burning it.

6:59 a.m. — I also add to my cart a sample lip collection Give Me More Lip for about $60 that gives over 15 brands and various colours. Even if I only use half of it, it is still cheaper than buying them to individually try out a brand or shade. $584.98

7:35 a.m. — Shopping done, I’m now deciding between stalking used consignment sites for more designer bags. This is a very slippery slope, designer bags…

7:59 a.m. —  My neighbour bought this Céline bag and I think it is the ugliest bag ever. It looks like a monkey face to me.

8:15 a.m. — I log in and go through my emails. My partner heads out to get food to make a special lunch.

10:21 a.m. — He comes back with HUGE mushrooms and starts making a cheesy pasta dish with them. Mmmmmmm…..

11:39 a.m. — The meal was amazing. I tell him so and being from Paris he cannot help himself and interjects that it would be better with real bacon rather than mushrooms substituting for bacon (recipe inspiration: Tartiflette but without potatoes, and bacon)…. I have noticed that they all say: “It is very good…. BUT….” as if nothing can just be good by itself and can always be improved. I’m opting to see the bright side of this — it means another meal is on its way.

12:34 p.m. — I get ready to go out. No real errands today except returning some coffee presses and dropping off a return for Amazon.

12:45 p.m. — I apply deep red lipstick — am starting to get into this lip thing. Red lipstick is a commitment, folks. It smears, it bleeds, it never looks moisturized OR stays in place… It is a full-time job of mirror checking when you wear it but damn it looks nice. I have this shade on today – Mac Ruby Woo because it is a blue-toned red which makes your yellowish (NATURAL) teeth look whiter.

1:00 p.m. — I decide to treat myself to taking the bus instead of walking 15 blocks These coffee presses are heavy. $2.75

1:51 p.m. — At the store for returns, I wait 20 minutes in line.. only to find out the returns counter is somewhere else. Rage. But I keep it together. They couldn’t put a sign up to tell you “No returns accepted at this counter” !?!?!? GRRRR.

1:28 p.m. — I wait in ANOTHER line for 10 minutes and return these stupid coffee presses. -$151.77

1:36 p.m. — I browse the clothing section but check myself because I don’t want to fall in love with anything. I’m trying not to buy any clothing — got enough. I already raided my tops and got rid of what I wanted to get rid of to sell on eBay but am going to list it in seasons AND I am waiting for Canada Post to stop striking — most of the items are spring tops so listing in Spring makes more sense. Or maybe I should go through EVERYTHING and then sort by seasons to list…

2:00 p.m. — I wander around and get lost trying to find the Sephora. I just want to browse what is there but OMFG the 20% off sale has brought hordes of people inside and the line is longggg… I smile sympathetically at a man waiting for his granddaughter to pick a lipgloss and I escape. I cannot handle crowds or lots of people unless I am there specifically for a good reason like it is a sample sale or a pop-up shop.

2:13 p.m. — I leave and just walk. I go into random stores, get sucked into Aritzia and COS … and realize that COS is very pricey. I didn’t know or realize their sweaters were $250!!!!!!! Highway robbery. You can buy designer stuff in consignment boutiques for that price.

2:24 p.m. — I resist buying SO MUCH. You have no idea. I formulate a post called: Afternoon of Shopping with Sherry. I do this in Instagram Stories but I want to see if a post would be worth anything from it as not everyone who reads this blog also Instagrams. (But you should. It is so addictive. And if/when you do, follow me @saverspender)

3:31 p.m. — I’m wiping off my red lipstick and I smear it down my chin. Of course I do. How do people delicately remove red lipstick in public? There must be an art to this. I go to Starbucks to get a hot warm chocolate and get propositioned by a guy claiming he has a $15 Starbucks gift card if I want to buy it off him because he needs money to stay in a hostel tonight. I don’t have any cash on me so I decline but I am also leery of people reselling these things — where did he get it? I don’t want to be part of whatever scheme he ran if he did, so it is safer for me to not accept. Maybe someone just gave it to him as a gift to help him eat but how do I know this?

3:47 p.m. — Mmmm… white hot chocolate. I know it is terrible and basically just sugar but I don’t care. $5.16

3:51 p.m. — I watch a protest against plastics, GMOs and environmental issues. It is a HUGE protest… lots of people and press. I walk back rather than taking the bus because I bought a Starbucks and I am now more conscious about calories and fat than I was 10 years ago. Not that I’m fat or think I am but I’m being alert now for extra empty calories and trying to counteract it in easily acceptable ways like walking more, taking stairs not the elevator and avoiding such “treats” on a regular basis.

4:57 p.m. — I head home and Little Bun greets me happily.

6:28 p.m. — We have a light salad and avocado slices on toast. We ate heavily for lunch so it is a light dinner. This is probably the real reason why the French are slim. They don’t eat heavily every meal!!!!!

7:13 p.m. — My partner makes his after dinner coffee which I breathe in and love the scent of. Almost makes me wish I could drink coffee (I am very sensitive to too much caffeine — tea is my max as my body metabolizes caffeine VERY quickly.)

7:57 p.m. — Bedtime.

Spent: $584.98

DAY SEVEN

??:?? — Nosebleed right in the middle of my super deep REM sleep. I wake up groggy to go help him but I know my sleep is effed for the next day. I won’t be able to recover from this.

??:?? — I fall back asleep and am as predicted, groggy, nauseous and dizzy from a lack of sleep. I get up after lolling in bed pretending I’m dead (Little Bun isn’t fooled — he crawls on top of me all 60 pounds of him and tries to cuddle me.. and to reach my face to kiss me).

6:07 a.m. — I get up, grab his milk, sink back down into bed and try to sleep this dizziness off. I’ll need a nap but the nap will surely screw up my night sleep. This is a vicious parenting sleep cycle.

6:20 a.m. — I get up “for real” and make a matcha tea. My partner already left to go clean the BBQ in the car washing bay and store it for winter. He is very very conscientious and good for taking care of things like that.

6:38 a.m. — I contemplate eating but am not hungry.

8:05 a.m. — He comes back after storing the BBQ and makes croissants for us.

9:21 a.m. — I get sucked into cleaning my leather strap watches and then conditioning my leather bags and my leather pants. I’m gently cleaning everything I can without doing it all. My headache sinks in as a deep migraine and I know I need to lie down.

10:29 a.m. — I close my eyes and contemplate the next designer bag purchase I’ll make. I’m still stockpiling money for the stock market crash (predicting end of 2020) but a girl can dream in the mean time… I make a mental list of what I’d ideally like as a complete “wardrobe”:

Classic Chanel Lambskin Quilted clutch — ridiculously ladylike for me and sort of not my style and yet I really want one. Would be a classic contrast against plain outfits. Even used, it is $2200 USD.. Gulp:

(Or maybe the Chanel Boy Bag instead)

Givenchy Antigona Medium in Black – extremely roomy!!! And $2450 USD even used:

Yves St Laurent Sac de Jour in Grey or Navy blue – looks so roomy and practical and is about $2600 USD

10:38 a.m. — I eat a banana with Little Bun and feed him oatmeal.

11:02 a.m. — Oh my. And these over the knee black suede boots look incredible. Stuart Weitzman Lowland Black Suede of course because flat boots get way more wear than high heeled ones in my world.

11:54 p.m. — We all have lunch — light salad with eggs. My partner naturally is cutting back on excess calories as he ages and it helps me too so win win…

12:10 p.m. — Little Bun protests his nap strongly. I tell him a story about how his cousin protested a nap and in the end realized his mother knew best and went to sleep. He sort of buys it but wiggles around until I just close my eyes and firmly tell him: Time for Quiet Time. Mommy needs a nap.

2:23 p.m. — We wake up and my grogginess and dizziness is slightly relieved. I feel a bit better. I log on to ogle some over the knee boots and Little Bun wakes up just as I’m drooling over a pair.

2:30 p.m. — I grab his milk, contemplate eating a green tea KitKat and resist.

2:45 p.m. — I do the dishes and my stomach grumbles.

5:30 p.m. — My partner comes home and sets out some cheese to warm up to the ideal room temperature (the correct way to eat it) and brings out the baguette he made this morning.

6:16 p.m. — I leave the dish towels for tomorrow. I’m working remotely. I still don’t feel great.

7:20 p.m. — I read (intensely) all the reviews of Stuart Weitzman boots (Extra Petite helped me the most). I also find knockoffs from a brand called Kaitlyn Pan (made in China, the dye rubs off) but the reviews leave me skeptical because the original boots seem incredible and very much like the SW boots, staying up, feeling great, looking good…. but the newer boots seem to have issues. I rather buy the real thing even if it is only secondhand, because I would just be disappointed with a fake.

7:29 p.m. — Little Bun is playing with new (free) apps from Duck Duck Moose but the minute this bat-eared child hears the sound of the bread board and slicing of bread, he turns off his iPad and cackles like a mad baby, running to the kitchen to eat. He has always been like this even as a baby. I find it so endearing at how good of an eater he is.

7:41 p.m. — We eat a dinner of bread and cheese. The minute Little Bun hears the bread board (through a closed door playing on his iPad no less!!!) he shuts it down and bolts for the kitchen squealing happily. I’ve never met a kid more happy to eat than this one.

7:54 p.m. — Bedtime.

8:11 p.m. — Nope. Nosebleed. Now bedtime.

Spent: $0

———-

Want more? Read all of my previous Week of Money Diaries.