Easy Money?

I love being married. I love my husband. And I think our life is pretty darn awesome.

However, I do not love being poor.

Conversation of the Week:

Wife: "Hey do you think if we have any extra money I could buy a new shirt for school or something?"

Husband: "Not unless you get a second job."

End of conversation.

Later that day in French class I witnessed a miracle. Yes, a true and everlasting miracle.

My professor passed around a sign up sheet to take French tests for money.

I didn't even read the fine print before I signed up.

But I should have.

Tuesday-Friday of this week from 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM I'm taking voluntary French tests. So far it's been awful working 8-5 everyday and going straight to testing for FOUR hours every night, but I'm keeping my eye on the prize.

THE PRIZE: $275 cold, hard, buy-a-new-shirt-for-school-when-you're-poor cash.

Sure I have to listen to a monotone French woman talk my ear off endlessly each night, but my friend Fifi can't stop me from taking that money and running - not driving or taking the bus. But running to the last day of the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale (August 3) to get the cheaper prices.

And by the way, all my suffering is worth way more than a stinkin' shirt. So I found a coat.

My black winter coat from my sophomore year of high school died last year. It had a good life, but when the fashion wears out and so do the armpits, you've got to find love in the arms of new black, cuter than cute, complete with ruffles and huge buttons, black winter coat.

Here she is: