Blarg.

You know that my paycheck isn't going to last until pay day, when I am staring at the contents of my kitchen cupboards, trying to invent a recipe that will make tuna, assorted beans, and butternut squash soup into a fabulous casserole that will feed us for at least a couple days.

Back in the day when my paycheck didn't last more than 48 hours, I was very creative in the kitchen. One winter I lived on, and came to enjoy, fried hashbrowns with ripped up tortilla shells, smothered in curry powder. Of course, there were the Mr. Noodle years, in which I learned to be very creative, adding frozen veggies and soya sauce for a "Chinese food night", or onions, dill and garlic powder for "Ukrainian Night". I still crave Mr. Noodles with Cheese Whiz from time to time, although once I have a bite, I am reminded that I only ate that glob of noodles and plastic cheese out of necessity, not because it is a culinary delight.

I rarely had any meat or vegetables in the fridge, because I just couldn't afford them, and couldn't afford to let them go to waste, in case I wasn't home. Pasta and rice come in bulk, and can last months, if rationed properly. The only condiments I ever had on hand were soya sauce and mustard, and occasionally mayonnaise, for those tuna sandwiches that I could afford to make from time to time.

Luckily, for the past couple years, I have not had to worry about not having food in the house. I am making fairly good money, and make a point of keeping the house stocked as best I can with good food. I have now turned into that person, who can look at a full refrigerator, and over-stocked cupboards, and say " Aw, there's nothing to eat", just because that one thing I'm craving isn't right in front of me.

However, on occasion, there comes a week like this. Exactly one week before pay day, I'm flat ass broke. I paid for my Cuba vacation, put winter tires on the car, paid all my bills like a good girl, and went on a short trip out of town to my mom's. To top it all off, now that I have nothing but the change at the bottom of my purse, poor little Patches Magee has an ear infection, and has to go to the vet today, which we all know is never cheap.

But don't feel bad for me. I ignored the fact that winter would eventually come, and didn't put away money for the tires. I already knew that I would have to pay for the Cuba trip this week, and I could have lived without my purchases that I made on my shopping spree in Small Town.

I just have to hope that this next week will fly by, and that nothing else comes up that requires money. It is much too cold out to be whoring myself on the corner with the other ladies of the night.