Got two letters from Mary today and already she’s asking me for things. I was afraid of this, too. She’s going to be staying in a hotel till she can get clearance to leave the state. She’ll be able to receive mail at her lawyer’s office upon her release. She asked for pine-scented incense and makeup. I’m going to send some pomegranate incense since I don’t have pine, and a couple of tubes of lipstick and mascara, but as I reminded her, we’re two people trying to live off of one unemployment check that only comes every other week. I explained to her that it wasn’t that I didn’t care, but that we’re just so broke, probably always will be, and that if we stood the slightest chance of ever getting a house in a few years, we need to save whatever we can. As I also told her, it’s not that I wouldn’t mind giving her things I don’t want or use, but it would help if she covered the shipping. Not this time around, of course, and of course I understand that she’s going to have virtually nothing at first and that it’s going to take time to get on her feet.

She also mentioned getting a cell phone and iPod and needing my help downloading songs, and as I pointed out to her, it’s not easy teaching these kinds of things to someone in print or by phone, so hopefully whoever she’s getting this stuff from can help her. She can still email me with any questions she may have but don’t expect me to do things that’ll cost money or take up too much time. We may be jobless, but we still like to keep busy and do things, and well, as I’ve hinted, Tom is creating a way to make our own income independently. It’s just going to take a few years to amount to much. He’s still hopeful, though, that in just a year he can quit working for whoever he’ll be working for at the time.

Anyway, I’m so happy for Mary! Just so excited for her. It sucks that she’ll have at least 5 years of probation, but I’m just so psyched to see her back in the real world, even though she’s still got a couple of months to go.

Although I went to bed lighter than I did the night before, I awoke a couple of tenths heavier because I’m now falling asleep at dawn. It still totally baffles me as to why I don’t lose as much in my sleep when I sleep during the daytime.

I rode the bike for 40 minutes and burned 150 calories even though it was 85º in here. Yeah, it’s super hot and dry, over 100º! Tom’s riding the bike now as the sun is setting and the temperature is cooling off. It’s good to see him doing an exercise he’s able to stick to. He loves riding. Although my ass still isn’t fully used to the seat, I like how there’s no impact on the joints as there was with running. Less bounce for these big boobies, too! After spending so many years flat as a pancake (ah, I miss those days) who’d have ever thought I’d end up so big? Even a sports bra can only hold them so still, so not having the jarring impact really does help. Especially before periods when they’re sore. Losing 22 pounds may make them smaller, but not much.