Live & Kern

This Sunday is Father’s Day. Last week, my father finished paying child support.

My parents divorced 25 years ago. Eric (we’re not close; I haven’t talked to him in at least 10 years) was supposed to help support me, my brother and my sister financially. I haven’t read the divorce decree for several years, but I think he was supposed to continue that support until each of us turned 18. I’m the oldest; that would have been 14 years ago. My brother, the youngest, is now 28.

I don’t believe it was much more than $200 per child per month — so a $600 check was due every month until I turned 18. That’s not much. And, obviously, most of ’em were never sent.

It took several other trips to court to get him to pay it, years after it was needed most. Strangely, Eric had been paying $200 a month the past few years, and then all of a sudden paid off the amount with, according to that schedule, a year to go. I hope he’s not bucking for a Father’s Day card. Besides, I already gave my mother her Father’s Day card last weekend when I saw her. (That’s a tradition my brother and I started several years ago.)

Think it’s too late to get Eric to pay off my student loans? He was supposed to help pay for college, too. I’ve been paying back student loans for the past 10 years.

My mother was laid off from her job two days ago. She called this morning to tell me. She’s actually pretty happy about it, and has a job lined up. Really she called because she was having computer/Internet problems, and I’m the go-to girl for those.

I hope if/when I’m laid off, I’m as excited about it. And still able to get online.

I spent the weekend at my mother’s. Which means I spent two nights fighting two Rottweilers for space in a small bed. Lucky for me, Valerie and Missy like to snuggle (although not with each other). Unlucky for me, they’re each about 65 pounds of snoring, kicking, farting, spoiled dog.

It was nice to get back home — you know, where the 10-pound cat has been known to push me out of bed.

Dogs have been big news lately. President-elect Barack Obama has promised to get a dog for his daughters. And the puppy cam is insanely popular. Valerie and Missy are both pound hounds. (Ozzie, Molly and Pica just kind of showed up.) If you’re looking to adopt a dog (or cat — Bear’s from a shelter, too), check your local shelters first. They’ll have plenty of adorable mutts, several older pets looking for a little TLC and even some purebreds.

Cooler weather means two things: It’s time to make a pot of chili (done) and get crafty.

I crochet. Or I used to; I haven’t made anything for a few years. I’ve already finished a blanket I started a couple of years ago, and started another.

It’s something of a family tradition, I suppose, although I taught myself how to do it. I have a blanket that my grandmother made for me when I was little. A blanket that my mother made. A few that I have made. When you’ve found the rhythm of a pattern, it can be quite relaxing. (When you haven’t, or when you find out you made a mistake two rows ago that’s throwing off the current count, then it’s frustrating.) It’s also a good way to kill time. I’ve worked on blankets while waiting on an oil change. While talking on the phone. While waiting for friends.

The problem, though, is that crocheting is a combat sport. Bear likes to play with the yarn — but only the yarn that I’m working with. My right arm looks like I was fighting a first-grader armed with scissors.

The $20-a-week grocery experiment starts today. I know, it was going to start Monday, but my day off turned into a work day and today became a day off. So off to Aldi I went with a $20 limit and got:

• 3-lbs. hamburger: $5.49
• Tomato juice: 99 cents
• 3 cans of chili beans: 49 cents each
• Chili powder: 33 cents
• Macaroni: $1.69
• Saltine crackers: 79 cents
• Cheese slices: $1.99
• Butter: 67 cents
• 10-lbs. Russet potatoes: $1.99 (I know, the Duchess will laugh about that one.)
• Tomato soup: 49 cents
• Cream of mushroom soup: 49 cents
• Loaf of split-top wheat bread: 99 cents
• Bag of baby carrots: $1.29

With tax, the total was $19.51.

(Kind of related: Is there a shortage of peas? I wanted frozen peas, but the were not to be found.)

So the plan for tonight is chili! Which I’d been wanting to make anyway (there’s something about the start of fall that requires chili), and leaves plenty of leftovers. And with a some macaroni or a potato, it can be reinvented into something else. I’ll use half of the hamburger for chili, then the other half for a casserole later in the week. Next week (in theory) I need to buy milk so I can make potato soup. (Did you notice no milk or eggs? I rarely keep them on hand.)

Mom’s chili recipe

• 2-lbs. of hamburger
• 1 can tomato juice
• 3 cans kidney beans (I like chili beans better)
• Chili powder

Brown hamburger, drain. Dump everything together and simmer on low heat until it starts to boil. Mom’s recipe also called for a can or bottle of beer — which I just happen to have. (Don’t worry, the alcohol boils out. Mom wasn’t getting us drunk off of chili.) Grab a bowl, add some saltine crackers and melt a slice of cheese on top.