The Upcoming Week's Schedule and How It Affects My Budget

This week is a bit crazy for me, both in terms of a schedule and what I now am going to be spending.  I was  pretty strict with my present budget this year. I did give myself a small budget for "overages and unexpected purchases", and the operative word is small. I narrowed my list down to the few folks I truly want to spend money on and my plans for the upcoming week are all falling together.

Saturday and Sunday: Work at Barn, try to go to friends Hanukkah party on Sunday night on my way home if the weather co-operates. We are getting a weekend of snow here in New England-Think Bing Crosby's White Christmas!  I'll try to post a photo of my view.

Monday and Tuesday: Work a normal schedule.

Wednesday: Work a half day, pick up dessert from fancy pastry shop for Christmas, go home, put feet up and relax.  Supposed to go have Christmas Eve dinner with friends, may just stay home and watch Love, Actually, may head off to a mid-day matinee at the local movie theater (they traditionally have a Christmas eve matinee). The weather will dictate what I do. 

Thursday: Hopefully sleep in, but probably up early anyway, open a few presents, get dressed and head off to a mid-afternoon Christmas lunch/dinner. I'm thinking about making a nice spicy Bloody Mary to have with my Christmas breakfast.

Friday: Work (yuck!), maybe meet up with a relative who is unexpectedly coming in from out of state. My boss at my regular job is out of town and I'm stuck being in the office. 

Saturday and Sunday: ?

I have the option of working next weekend at the barn sitting job, but I may pass and pass on the cash for the sole reason I'm tired! Right now, at this point, I'm just not feeling motivated in any way, shape or form to drive back to the barn next weekend. I think I'd like to stay at  my house. I've not been home for a weekend since the middle of November.  I'll happily work the weekend after New Years, but I'm leaning towards taking this weekend off.

I'm having my Christmas meal with a group of friends, I know everyone except one person who is coming and I found out via the ever (and this time, very) reliable grapevine that two of the guests are bringing presents for me.  This was not supposed to be a present exchanging kind of a party.  I do have a small gift for the host and hostess and one other person that I know well (I'm recycling a gift for them). Sigh, I'm feeling like I need to go out and shop for the other two or more guests.  I really don't want to and I'm hoping the "moment will pass".  I have no desire to go and shop for 8 other people. They were not on my list!

Ah well, it is what it is.