March 1, 2007 

So much has happened here. We've had my husband and my son both working, at different schedules, so that I was driving into town four times a day sometimes. Then my son (Bobby) quit that job, got another, farther away and with irregular hours. The hours got sparser, the company bought out another and hanged around some managers, and the new manager didn't know why the old one had hired Bobby. My son then started working for a guy who does yardwork, a man with a rather disorganized approach to doing business, not counting the fact that you can't mow lawns in a downpour. Then we were asked to dog-sit for three months, which has stretched to six and included one litter of puppies so far.

 

August of last year I designated August Horribilus, because it was stinking hot when my washing machine started to leak. We went to a parts store and thought we had that problem solved. It was still stinking hot when the AC unit on our trailer gave up the ghost, and it took most of a week before the landlord could get that fixed. We had to figure out how to keep at least some of the bugs out with windows open and no screens. Talk about necessity being the mother of invention! And just before the AC repairman arrived, the washer quit working. I was close toe tears of frustration when told I would have to replace it with a used one the appliance repairman had, but I was relieved when he said it was another Maytag, the same model as I had. (I don't trust any other brand as much as Maytag/Amana for laundry. But that is another long story.)

 

During all this time, my youngest child, a daughter, has been trying out the rebellious stage. I've been trying to give her more of my time and attention. No crimes have been committed, but it has been hard, and still is.   

 

This fall, my husband Rick found out about a work at home opportunity with a reputable company. I was driving him into town to classes at the Community College, for which he was paid. Then, we had to buy some telephone equipment. Fortunately, he'd gotten his first paycheck for the training, so we could afford it. Later, he decided that equipment was not good enough, and we upgraded to the more expensive model. I still had the sales slip and a 30 day money-back guarantee, so I was able to return the first set-up, which helped. However, the highest demand for workers is in the late evenings, nights, and early morning hours. So, we have all been adapting to him working a shift from 4 pm to 1 am. That puts us out of sync with almost everyone else, so I've been burning the candle at both ends, up by 8 or 8:30 every morning, still up at 1 am or later, with naps as I can find time. I'm not sure I could have survived if I'd had to meet the public school schedule as well.

 

December and January and now February, have been mostly car troubles. My Sundance has been in the shop more than it has been out. It has also eaten up about half the tax refund. However, there is not much left that can break, and nearly everything vital has been replaced with newer parts. It is a VERY GOOD THING that my husband is working from home, because I could not have gotten him to work consistently. It is also good the new job pays more than the previous one, but I'm getting tired of hearing how all his raise and all the overtime he's been working are not getting us ahead like he hoped. In due time, we will get ahead, be able to move to something better than this run-down trailer.

 

On that home front, our landlord is still entangled in a messy divorce, and we and the other tenants are suffering for it. I do feel sorry for him, but he caused it himself, trying to conceal his assets. Now he can't afford to fix anything, and boy, do things need fixing. In addition, his ex, who has nothing to do with the messiness, was more of a business person than he is. (She lives right here, in the park, in a trailer that has always been in her name. We have occasionally asked her for a lift while the car was under repairs.) His news is even worse now; he's hospitalized with a heart attack.

 

There's at least one lesson in there for anyone who wants to learn hard things the easy way: Never lie to a divorce court judge.

 

Just lately, we have had a nasty virus making the rounds of the Berry family. I'm the one currently most afflicted. Nothing seems to be enough to keep my nose and throat clear, so I have to sleep half-sitting. We've had to make adjustments in the chore schedule for each person as they got sick. Today, I woke up coughing and couldn't get back to sleep, so I got online. Readers won't notice when I have to stop for a coughing jag.

 

Between age, acts of God, and the landlord, this trailer is getting into disrepair. It was never quite big enough for a family of five. The septic tank needs to be pumped, and it won't be any time soon. We are eager to move on to something nicer. Our current idea is to get two fixer-upper trailers, move them to a new park some friends are thinking of setting up, and only have lot rent to pay. We would like to make this move in early summer or late spring, so that gives us time to look around. We are hoping that we can get the fixer-uppers for just the cost of moving them; this seems to happen for others we know. We are also hoping that we can get in a proper vegetable garden this summer.

 

Time to go. I smell oatmeal boiling over in the kitchen, where my son is making breakfast today. It's ok, he's the one who has to clean up afterward. I'm hungry, and I think I also smell coffee.