It was one of those rare, unstructured days.

Around mid-day, I finally got dressed and drove over to check out an open house at one of my favorite condo communities about 15 minutes east. There were actually two units for sale, next to each other, in the $240K range.

After that, I hit Shop Rite and spent about $30 on stuff, with an eye toward making pumpkin black bean soup, a wheat berry salad and something else I can't remember now for workweek lunches.

Otherwise, worked at the computer, lolled around and then once I had my afternoon black tea, I was inspired to sweep the top end of the driveway, sweep the garage and generally tidy up the garage with an eye toward making room in there for my car to fit this winter. I also brought some potted annuals in there to overwinter and drained the garden hose.

Got a rare phone call from my sister tonight, returning my call from a week ago about having her come up and cut down some small trees she could use for firewood, and I just want to get rid of as they're slowly dying.

She wants to wait til after a hard frost as she's still crazy busy canning produce and harvesting from the garden. (I still have parsnips and celery in the ground, but that's about it.)

Yesterday I was actually able to change both back wheels on my lawnmower. I made four trips to the hardware store for the parts, and had quite a bit of trouble getting the one wheel off, and then had even more trouble getting the wheels to stay on because the only thing holding them on the axles are these little washers with teeth on them. I got a smaller, non-Black & Decker wheel and so I only had one-quarter inch of axle available after putting the wheel on with which to put on those little washers. Too much jiggling or shifting of weight on a slope in my yard, I worry, could cause those washers, and then the wheels, to fall off. Which is what happened a few times before I really secured them. Still, I mowed VERY GENTLY yesterday, but tomorrow, when I do the hillier front yard, will be the real test.

Tomorrow is a bank holiday so I'll be mowing the front lawn, taking a walk and cooking for the work week. And playing with the kitties. Luther got a new catnip mousie today so he is happy. I also trimmed his front claws.

My bank account is looking very puny, in the $2800 range. But I have now paid off all the big bills that appeared on credit cards, with $1,000 car and homeowners insurance and the new hot water heater.

I still expect more bigger than I'd like medical bills since I'm essentially paying out of pocket to see doctor who doesn't like my health plan. Got my final paycheck Friday from the 2-week real estate job and am looking forward to my first paycheck from the bank job, which will be small as I just worked 3 days. This week it will be probably 3.5 days with the holiday and my coming in late Tuesday due to Lyme doc appointment.

I'm working in a city with a long history of having crime, drug and related problems, but i was pleasantly surprised at how nice the immediate downtown area is. Maybe I said this in my last post? But a friend who knows this city said there daytime purse snatchings and muggings still take place downtown, so to be careful. I'm rethinking whether I want to continue my lunchtime walks, something I've done wherever I've worked for the past 20 years.