What exactly is inflation...

if it's not the cost of everything in my life going up but not Chowder's paycheck? Now, I'm not looking for some in depth economic's lesson or even talk of this or that presidential administration and what they caused or didn't cause. I don't care. I'm talking about real time nuts and bolts trying to get by in the American economy right now.

and right now, it's really really tough.

I was talking with some other large families about my trip to the grocery the other day and leaving dazed and empty-handed because I needed to replan my entire week. And this has all come about so abruptly. In January a gallon of whole milk was $2.80. Today it is $3.25! A dozen eggs went from $.79 a dozen to almost $1.50! Shortages in various agriculture has left me with an empty pocketbook! and it's just going to get worse after the big freeze we had last week. All the price increases are on things that I won't cut back on. Milk/dairy and fresh produce. I already don't buy prepared/convenience foods. We make pretty much everything. It didn't use to be cheaper, but I didn't like all the preservatives. Now, with a loaf of whole grain bread on sale for 2 for $5, it is cheaper. And coupons don't really work for us because they are usually for foods we don't buy. I do use them when I can.

But as I was looking at our budget, trying to see where we would rearrange, I was at a loss. Our utilities almost doubled this year, a gallon of gas has gone up around a dollar a gallon. Everything is costing us more. And all of a sudden. There has been no steady increasing over time. It was just WHAM! But, Chowder's church is having to pay the same bills. Their heating bill was around $2,000 a month. Did you read that? $2,000! a month! They can't afford to give us a raise.

Now, I'm not one to blog politics amongst friends, but looking at the Presidential candidates and gauging from Guiliani's mess up this week, they have no clue what the day to day issues are that face the citizens of this country. I mean really, when do you think was the last time Hillary filled up her own tank of gas, or paid her own electric bill. (I at least appreciate that Obama just paid off his student loan.) Even if any of them did, they wouldn't feel the sickening panic that we are beginning to feel every month.

And no, this is not because I have 5 children. We were doing just fine and quite comfortably up until about 6 months ago. I'm just wondering when somebody is going to notice...