This morning, I booked 2 round-trip flights for Mom and me to fly to southern Illinois.  Afterwards, I booked an airbnb.   Why southern Illinois?  My daughter and son-in-law moved there about 1.5 years ago.  Last month, my son and daughter-in-law did the same.  They are all four living in the same small town.  The place I booked is a vacation home on a lake, complete with a hot tub.  We should have a really fun week, just hanging out and being together.  And playing cards, of course.

It's going to be a fun trip.  I am looking forward to seeing my son of course, but I am REALLY looking forward to seeing my daughter.  I haven't seen her since we parted in Florida in March 2020.  (Whereas I have seen my son several times since then).

I have been setting money aside for this trip and have it covered, even though my current cash balance is a bit lean.  This month, I had to pay my 6 month insurance premium ($947.26), put a new starter and brakes in my car ($701.30), bought myself some new clothes ($177.72), plus spent money for birthday gifts and a motel room (see below).  So even though I have been saving diligently, I am ending the month with less cash than I started with.

I have a grand-niece and a grand-nephew who are first cousins and were born on the same day.  SB and I went to Willits for their birthday parties a few weekends ago; they both turned 9.  I paid for the motel room and birthday gifts, as it is my family.  It was a very fun weekend.  I got to spend some one on one time with two nieces, my brother, my sister-in-law, the birthday girl grand-niece, and my newest grand-niece who was born this past February.