Finally, a non-sponsored post. Aren't you getting tired of this? But it's putting some money back into the bank. I am counting on this money to get us caught up on summer bills. And maybe (cross my fingers and wish real, real, hard) put some money aside ahead of time for the new baby. I'd like to be able to take a few weeks off from focusing on the money side of things when the baby is born. I'd also like to buy Christmas presents for the family, and get the car paid off early, and my last student loan... and while the money so far has been there I start worrying about next July's electric bill. This summer was a nasty shock. Let's not do that again.

Today's paid posts, if approved and duly paid in the course of time, will pay thirteen dollars. If I get a few more this week, and if I can keep it up, there's my hundred a month in extra income. And every penny helps right now. And... I hate to keep going on and on about money. It sucks. I hate budgeting. I hate living like this, always running just short enough to pinch by payday. Check to check, nothing left. And yet? Unless something changes either in prices or my ability to get out and bring in some more money it will stay exactly the same. Hence, my whoring of the blog to whatever company will pay. Hence the ads that feed the extra pennies created by my readers clicking on them into the Goldfish Cracker Fund.

None of this, mind you, is made easier by the fact that today I'm now firmly in the middle of the cold, with my Boy tied for Most Miserable Family Member, and with the Toddler very snuffly and non-compliant about her naptime. Plus last night while I was out of the room she tripped on her own feet and fell hard on the floor, managing to catch her lip on a tooth (or something) and now she has a fat lip.