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We kicked off April with a weekend getaway to the Branson, Missouri area. We made a road trip out of it and picked up our teenage nephew along the way. It was a fairly budget friendly trip. Another friend flew down and met up with us. Between not having much time and staying in our time share we managed costs well. 

This month brought us back to our rental condo for a day trip. Our current tenants are moving out this month, so we have the first turnover for this rental. We also met up with some friends and family for dinners. 

In reviewing what we accomplished in April, it was a successful month. But, during the last week of the month, we said goodbye to our darling, 20 year old kitty. The grief over her loss has been difficult and complex. It cast a shadow on our mood and our life. Our surviving kitty is the one with chronic illness. His routines and daily medications have kept me occupied. His feline presence helps our house continue to feel like home. We are doing okay; it is hard to learn to live without a sweet companion of two decades. 

A recap of the month feels hollow. Because life goes on, I will post the charts. In future entries, I will talk about some of the financial aspects and activities in more depth. For now, though, this update will be brief. 

April goals:

• Reset finances to resume regular investing targets – B
• Begin weight lifting program – DONE! Began on 4/10
• Meal plan – B
• Submit 30 day dress challenge results – DONE!
• Remove snow tires – DONE!
• Checking account balance exceeds credit card balances –DONE!

May goals:

• We didn’t set anything specific. It was more important to survive in the day to day. Sometimes we need low expectations.