Today is pay day. I'm paid once per month, on the last working day of the month. It's always nice when payday falls on a day when there are still a couple days left in the month. My pay check was deposited into my account at 12:00:01 midnight, this morning. All of our bills are set to be paid on the first of the month, so we'll have a healthy looking checking account all day today, tomorrow, and Sunday. Then the draining will begin.

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I paid off my pickup loan last October. I had been waiting for a lien release letter from our credit union. I even mentioned to my wife a few days after I figured that I should have gotten the letter that I was expecting the letter any day. The letter never arrived, or if it did, I completely missed it, and I don't remember DW mentioning that it did arrive.

For whatever reason, I totally forgot about the release of lien letter, until yesterday. I logged on tot he CU web site, and sent a message voicing my concern. I logged back on today, and sure enough, there was a reply to my message. A Mr. Perez had replied back, acknowledging that I had, indeed paid the loan, and the CU could, indeed, release its security interest in my pickup as collateral for my loan. Furthermore, Mr. Perez assured me that the CU had sent me confirmation of that in the mail. But, for my convenience, Mr. Perez attached a new termination of lien to the email. Mr. Perez also reminded me that the CU would be happy to finance my next vehicle when I begin looking again. Thank you Mr. Perez.

Probably we did receive the letter in October, and it has been forced into the bowels of a household of four children.

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Speaking of my children, I have to brag about DD1 one more time this week.

DD1 is in FFA, as I have blogged about before. FFA district leadership contests are next Wednesday. DD1 will be competing again in Jr. High public speaking. Her speech is about highly pathogenic avian influenza.

Her agriculture teacher, Mr. W announced that all FFA members who would be participating in leadership contests would be excused from class at 1:45 next Wednesday so they could change into official dress (OD), and board the bus to travel to the school where the contest will be. OD is an FFA jacket, black slacks or skirt, black socks or hose, white shirt, and blue tie. The chapter provides a jacket to students who do not have one.

DD1 informed Mr. W that she planned on wearing OD all day at school, even if she was the only one. She then told all the other Jr. High students that they could wear OD all day, and that she wanted them all to sit together during lunch. The other JR. High members apparently are going along with DD1's plan.

I'm not sure when all this campaigning happened, whether it was yesterday, or some other day this week, but this morning, a message went out to all High School FFA members informing them that if they plan on participating in leadership contests, they are REQUIRED to wear OD during school hours!

The chapter is young, I think it's in its fourth or fifth year. There aren't a lot of traditions yet. But I guess someone needs to start building them.