simpler-living report: CY23Q2

I’m still tracking all my expenses, but my thinking on retirement savings has been shifting over the past year (more on that in a dedicated post).  Q2’s budget was definitely not in-the-black and there’s no remorse. 

• For the past two summers, I have embraced cycling and I was planning to buy a new bicycle in the spring.  Well, after paying airfare for my trip to Atlanta in April, I was dragging my feet over another big single expense.  Then the opportunity to buy a bike from a neighboUr arose a few days before my trip so I acted quickly.  It’s a gravel bike that fits me perfectly, is only two years old, and checks all the boxes.
• While in Atlanta, I shopped for REI-brand cycling clothes at my favoUrite store.
• Vacation expenses included the five-day road trip to Asheville and Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  MAC and I are on the same page with the type of hotels we like to stay at (and we get to split the cost) and eating well at small locally-owned restaurants.  Because of an early morning flight out of Halifax and forecasted freezing-rain, I stayed the night before at an airport hotel (where I could also leave my car for free while away).  This was $ well spent because it lowered my stress about the travel. 

• In my tiny house, some of the cork flooring near the door had warped with water damage from strong south winds.  A handyman prevented further damage before winter and, in May, put down water-proof flooring just in that area, creating a distinct hallway.  Looks fantastic. 

• As mentioned in so-solstice, I started sewing totes to use up my fabric stash.  Well, I took advantage of a sale at the small online business in Manitoba to buy more coloUrs of the linen I like to use for the bottom of these totes and, of course, since I was already placing an online order and wanted to get free shipping … I picked up more cute cat fabric too.   
• In the unminimizing-my-household-goods category, after months of revisiting them online, I bought a set of made-in-Japan dishes painted with adorable cats that spark joy*.  I also bought a reupholstered 1950’s kitchen stool from a local vintage shop (I donated a large amount of old costume jewelry to another vintage shop during the quarter, maybe it balances out?).  There was also a leisurely stroll through IKEA on a weekday which resulted in me walking out with bedding and bins.

Overall, the spring was a stressful period but none of the expenses were shopping therapy.  I embraced the positive.  Celebrating my dad’s 90^th birthday.  Attending my niece’s graduation from Grade 6.  Spending more time with family.  Enjoying a biking weekend away with friends.  Canoeing** around a lake.  Watching block-buster movies at the theater.  Visiting with friends.  Ordering dessert more frequently because enjoy-life-enjoy-summer.  The jury’s still out on that north-meets-south blueberry-mango panna cotta. 

*Marie Kondo’s expression re only surrounding yourself with items you love.

**In this case, happily sitting in the middle of a canoe while others paddled.

Coming up … a post on this blog’s 9^th anniversary and what happens next!

References and related links:

• CY23Q2: Calendar Year 2023, Second Quarter (April to June).  Calendar Year distinguishes from a company’s Financial Year (FY) which may have a different start date than January 1^st.
• REI: Recreational Equipment, Inc.
• MAC: mon amie Caroline.
• travel tangent: asheville and the great smoky mountains (post #194)
• so-solstice (post #193)
• simpler-living report: CY23Q1 (post #192)