I finally said “NO”!!

Lara wants to get a new computer before starting her new job. She’ll be rather isolated and figures that will be her only way to stay in touch with people during the 3 weeks she is ‘on site’.

She, of course, has no money … and thought I should buy it for her and she would ‘pay me back’.

With her new job, I am fairly confident that I will actually recoup some (not all) of what I’ve lent her over the last few years.

Now that there is hope she’ll get her affairs in order, it’s time for her to learn an important lesson.

STOP BUYING THINGS BEFORE YOU HAVE THE MONEY!

(I’m not really a good person to teach that lesson since, given my financial state, I don’t follow my own advice).

I said NO.

She was okay with that!

It seems both of us are growing up!!!

I told her I was maxed out (okay, so I still felt it was necessary to give a reason for my refusal, even though I really don’t have to) … which isn’t really true. I have credit available on my credit card(s). I actually have A LOT of credit available on my credit card(s). And, plenty on my line of credit.

But, along with the available credit, there is A LOT of money owing.

And even though I haven’t actually bought anything for myself for a very long time, the balance on my credit card just keeps going up.

(Increased by another $450 yesterday since I bought William his plane ticket home)

(Will be going up by another couple hundred $$ this weekend since I have to buy some clothes for my upcoming trip to the trade show)

Sigh.

Honestly … I don’t understand.

It really is true – the more money you have, the more money you spend.

… but … bottom line …

I finally said NO to one of my kids!

Yay me!

* * * * *

Did I mention that William did NOT get accepted into the masters program he applied for?

He was very disappointed … and depressed … and pretty down on himself.

He spoke with the prof who runs the program who explained that Will was turned down because he was up against some pretty stiff competition … the position wasn’t specifically for a masters student (like I thought …), he was up against PhD students and Post-docs. With all the government funding cuts, they’ve had to reduce the program. He told Will he had a very impressive resume and excellent references.

He forwarded Will’s documents to another prof who has a project that William would qualify for … and copied Will on the e-mail. So, William was able to read the letters his undergrad supervisors wrote.

Let’s just say, he isn’t down on himself anymore!

He was also given the contact info for another prof who is doing similar research in Canada. She’s located the province where Lara is. I actually like that option!

* * * * *

I’m going to see Erin this afternoon – to bring her Moodie for a couple weeks. I’ll be away for a few days and have to make a few day trips (for work) and it just gets too hard with a dog who needs to be put out.

I visited with her on Easter and we went to see Oz the Great and Powerful. It was pretty cute.

* * * * *

I don’t think I shared my Easter egg with you yet …

Mine is the one with the pink.

I went to see my sister last weekend and she, her daughter-in-law and I took a course on how to paint Ukrainian Easter Eggs.

Funny thing – the people who were teaching the course thought I had done it before!

Yay me!!

* * * * *

Okay … I need to get at it.

* I WISH YOU WELL! *

P.S. – thanks to everyone for their feedback re the wedding gift. It seems I was in the upper-to-crazy high range. I’ll let my sister know we’re going with the $150 each.