Good thing we have a guest room

Years ago, a good friend shared with me her theory of “The Little Man with the Calculator.”

Her theory was that as soon as you get to feeling like you have a handle on your finances and might even be a little ahead of the game, The Little Man with the Calculator drops by for a visit to put you back in your place. So, say you get a raise or a bonus or make a final payment on a big loan. Don’t get too comfy! Before you know it, the Little Man shows up, your surplus funds already entered in his calculator. He looks around, ready to find creative ways to knock your surplus back down to zero. Or better yet, delve into negative territory.

“Ah-ha! Those tires look shot. They need to replace them. All four of them. Both cars maybe.” Minus, punch, punch, punch, punch, equals.

“Oooh, that washing machine is sure making a funny sound. And goody, it’s out of warranty!” Minus, punch, punch, punch, punch, equals.

“Hmm. Junior’s teeth are looking mighty crooked. Orthodontia galore!” Minus, punch, punch, punch, punch, equals.

Fascinating theory, this. And freaky accurate.

In other news, our heat pump died. Oh, and it appears we have a small leak in our roof.