Consumed

It goes without saying that we have had to buy a lot of things over the last weeks. Most of this was expected -- we knew there was not going to be a fridge in the house, for instance. We also knew enough to expect the unexpected. This includes paying for bat professionals (we are still a week out on the waiting list, still sleeping in the living room...) and buying a brand new washing machine as the one here went kaput.

If you are like Rhonda -- the fiscally wise and responsible member of this household -- these are things that are worrying. And yet, they are also things that the fiscally responsible person plans for. So the worry is not that there is no money, but rather a worry about how it might effect the overall budget for the fiscal year as articulated by aforementioned wise planner.

If you are like Amy -- the all-American spender of the household-- then occasions like this can be expressed as follows: "wheee! we get to spend money on nifty big appliances. What fun! Let's celebrate by adding to my vintage pyrex collection."

The following two items were purchased within 30 minutes of one another. Can you distinguish necessity from frivolity? Aren't they pretty?