Monday, August 8, 2011

My Mother's 80th birthday party

Dear Readers,


I reserved money from my budget to make the point that if a person or a family is on either food stamps or a very tight budget travel can be a difficult proposition.

Many of us take vacations and family visits for granted, but imagine wanting to have that and not having the means, or the ability to feed yourself if you leave home.

For some people this is a reality.

As I have said many times I am fortunate. My sister Elaine arranged a surprise 80th birthday for my mother this past weekend.

I squirreled all the funds I could from my food budget but ultimately it was not enough. I gave myself 10 dollars a day to eat on and did manage to do that.

On the way I had a (very bad) 3.95 sandwich in the Denver Airport that purported to be an egg, bacon and cheese. The egg was a round spongy thing that resembled egg only in color, the cheese, not cheese at all but an American slice of disgusting blandness the bacon barely there and with no discernible taste and the sourdough roll, not sour and with the texture of a hamburger bun. The culinary offender was schlotzskys. Should you be in their proximity be warned. Even with masses of a very bland mustard breakfast was tasteless.

Nonetheless my baby brother treated to a late dinner on Saturday and my Mother a lovely breakfast on Monday I was able to keep my 10.00 budget intact.

Via Priceline I managed a hotel for 19.00 per day and a rental car for 13.00.

It was a budgetary sound weekend and my mother was delighted and very surprised. She is 80 the way most people are 50, with energy and love to spare. Over 150 people attended her party.

She still works as a director of activities at a senior condominium. It was very touching to see how very loved and respected she is.

I would have told mentioned what was up except it would have ruined the surprise. As it turns out she reads this space and is highly supportive of my efforts. She is all about sharing food.

So readers beginning tomorrow morning I am back on a strict food stamp budget. I carry no money over and will be starting fresh with my 3.66 a day.

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