I am happy to report that the garage repair guy called later on Monday and was back with the fix for my garage door, so we're back in working order.

On Tuesday my favorite egg's Dad, aka my favorite landscaper, made his yearly visit.  There is nothing like a yard with fresh crisp mulch.  There are new plants and split plants everywhere.  With the salvia in full bloom (note they were even growing throughout the yard) the front of the house looks quite spiffy.  He also gave me an ant treatment which seems very necessary.  As an added bonus it was raining overnight, reducing my work tending to the new plantings a wee bit.

I am also proud of myself as I finally made a decision and booked a hotel for the night before our upcoming cruise.  I typically stay near the Newark airport and it is stressful every time.  My thoughts this time were, if I stay a bit further "away" from Bayonne, but right on the routes I would be taking on the way there I would still have a 40 minute drive to get to the pier in the morning, but hopefully w/ less twists, turns, and NJ headed toward NY exits.  There isn't an area anywhere near that comes up on crime and safety maps w/ "green" but this place isn't bad.  Hopefully I'll come out of this with a keeper.

On the foster kittie front, they are playing and eating, and most of them are pooing.  I do need to call the vet for the one little boy who has had a very sore rear since arriving.  He's now straining to go.  He'll look at me and cry - he defn wants some help.  Hopefully the vet can get him in with Zero and Church today, who have their yearly visits scheduled.

As you can guess from this post it has been a rather expensive week so far.  This year so far has been financial adjustments.  I felt like I was going to be able to pack money away faster than I am thanks to finishing the mortgage, but having a milestone birthday this year and wanting to contribute the max possible into retirement has me about in the same place as I was before the mortgage ended.  I mean, my deductions did jump $1500 each check from Dec, $700 when compared to earlier in 2024 (since I try to get it done early so I have a built in Christmas fund), so that more than makes sense.  All that to say I haven't leapt on the flooring at all.  I'm starting to think I might go for the carpet first.  Advice was to address that other flooring first -- was that to install it or just to pick it, hence allowing me to make a matching carpet selection?