Life just gets suckier and suckier.

Okay, so we moved out of the apartment on 12th, and into the mobile home. Just as we are finishing things up, the manager and a police officer come over. I guess the guy has been scamming people, stole a van from his work place, left it at Spirit Mountain, and stole a car from there. And we are NOT able to stay there more than that first night. SO ... We called Carol and are going to stay with her for a little while. I'm looking for some place else to live, and will go up to my parents if all else fails. So ... the guy scammed us of $200, and left us homeless, knowing we have a child, in January.

Things have got to get better sooner or later, don't you think? I can't see how it could get much worse.

Fear and anger related to housing. [Updated]

Well, we have been denied once again. Manny said that it's the same as before. But didn't have the information on the company that gave him this report. He told me he would call as soon as he gets into the office, but he also told me on Monday that he would call me that afternoon and didn't. So I'll wait until this afternoon and call the office and find out. [Update: He never called, and when I called they just said they would have him call when he got in. I'm beginning to think that there wasn't a new background check and he just wants us out. It seems stupid to me, to decide not to rent to us for no real reason, because now they have to pay people to paint, clean, and repair this place. Plus they have at least one other unit that is empty and has been for about a month.] Would you press the issue, it the reasons they state are the reasons they denied us are illegal? How far would you go? Press to stay? Sue them? I'm finally standing up for myself and my family, but I don't want to take it to ridiculous lengths. Know what I mean?

So anyway, I'm not sure what is going to happen as far as our living arrangements go. I still can't get a hold of the Mobile Home Guy, I don't know if he's changed his mind, or what. I guess I'll just have to figure out if the key I have works and if it does we will just rent a truck and get out of here. I really don't want to move there, it's small and in a 55 and older park. They guy we will be living with is 55, and I guess there are situations where under 55's can move in with an over 55 so ... but still I think it will put too much stress on things. But at least it's a place for us to be until we can find someplace else.

Oh, and David is screwing us over as well. He told the landlords that he will be out by Wednesday and just called to have the electric and gas turned off by Monday. It wouldn't have made one bit of difference to him to just let things go until the end of the month. So we don't even have until the end of the month like we thought before. If he hadn't given his notice when he did we might have gotten this apartment, and now he is forcing us out a week earlier than we had to be otherwise. I was planning on giving him some money toward paying the bills and so he could have cash on the trip, but I guess I'll need every penny for moving and stuff. I guess you can't trust anyone any more. [Update: David says that he just didn't think when he gave his notice and when he told them he would be out. He said that he thought they would give us until the end of the month even though the deal was we could be here as until David left. Either this boy is stupid or thinks I am. He has gotten free rent for 2 months, and seems worried about how big the gas and electric bills will be, that's why he called and told them Monday for a cut off. So I guess if you cut everything in half and subtracted what we already paid David owes us about $300. Not that we are ever going to see it, even if we asked him for it. Which we won't.]

So, I'm afraid that we will be homeless soon, angry that just when I thought things would work out for us this kind of thing has to happen, hurt that David doesn't care enough to think about us and waited just a little bit, and pissed off that the Salem Apartments are such asses. [Update: Snowanna is going to drive me over to check the key today. I should know tonight what's going on there at least.] [Update 2: The key fits, so we will be moving in there Monday or Tuesday. I'd rather stay here, but at least we will have someplace to stay for awhile.]

Rant about People and their judgements.

Why is it that people tend to think they know what is best for others? One son thinks the other should be doing "so much more" with his life. If he is happy, and those who are in his life are happy, why does it matter if he could do more? Right now I'm happy being a Stay-at-home-Mom, yes I have a BS degree and COULD be working somewhere, but if we can pay the bills, and are happy, why should I? Why would it matter to anyone else besides those directly affected?

If every conversation you have with someone involves them jumping down your throat over their perception of your feelings, wouldn't you tend to start to feel defensive around them? That person might feel that you were not very nice, because you react defensively and sometimes with anger to their constant prodding. What do people think they will achieve by picking on one little thing someone said, or did? Get over it already! Oh, and if people seem to think you are attacking them or accusing them of things, and it isn't just one person or it's more than one time, you might want to examine the way you say what you say.

It's okay to be honest, but you don't have to be mean. And if you want honesty don't get upset when people tell you things you didn't want to know. No one is perfect, no parent can learn everything in just a few short years. When both parents love a child with every fiber of their being, and their love for each other is just as great, and it's obvious to those watching, don't judge them based on looks, attitude toward others, or beliefs/feelings. A strong, stable, loving family is a rare thing these days, let them be.

Another Housing Update

Well, we have a second chance. Manny, the supervisor at Salem Apartments, came by yesterday and said that he would run our applications again with a company that will do it all with "social security numbers". I guess that some how this company can do things that other company can't. Because it's my understanding that some of the databases don't use Social Security numbers, some are name searches, some are names plus birth date, and some do use Social Security numbers. For example the Evictions data base is a last name search. Most Credit searches are Social Security number searches. So we will see what comes up. He also says that the company will give him a "Yes" or a "No" as to whether or not to rent to us. Something else other screening companies don't do. He told us that if it comes back a "No" that we can stay until the first of the month.

I still haven't heard from the Mobile Home Guy. I don't know if he cheated us or if he got in an accident. So ... we are still in the apartment, I want to stay here, Howard wants to go to the mobile home, Aidan just wants things to calm down and for his parents to stop stressing.

Oh, and it's snowing again!

Our housing woes, revisited.

Several things have happened around here since my last post. David decided to move in with his sister. She is in Michigan or someplace like that. So he gave his 30 day notice, which then prompted the folks at Salem Apartments to call and tell us to be out by Monday.

I talked to Cheryl, the person on the paper saying why we were denied, about it all I made sure to mention that it's illegal to hold dropped and dismissed charges against us, and that I have an almost 4 year old son to take care of. She said that it seems strange that David was leaving at this time, so I explained that he hadn't had a job in a few months and so decided that he needed to be with family. She mentioned that there were a lot of hits on my last name in the eviction database. I reminded her that none of them had my name on them. She agreed but then asked "How do I know that you weren't using another name?" I asked her how did she know I didn't use another last name. She agreed that she couldn't know, and put that aside, I think. She said that things just seemed strange. So I asked her if she would have accepted our application if she had looked at the background check close enough to notice that thing were dropped or dismissed, and if she had looked that the eviction records the way they are intended to be used. She said that she didn't know, but she would talk to her boss about it.

Howard found someone who has a 2 bedroom mobile home he wants to share, and we worked things out to move over there, but the man has been unreachable since 6:30 last night, it's 10:30 AM now. I'm hoping that he had some delays and then went out last night. He was going to pick us up so we could stay there last night, but didn't call. Howard is worried because I paid for the first months rent already. (It's only $200.) So now I'm sitting here wondering where we will be living in a couple of days, worried that I lost $200, and worried that Aidan and I will have to go to Hood River and Howard will end up sleeping in a tent or something and freezing to death.

I guess the need for me to worry and stress hasn't been filled up yet, even though I feel like it's over flowing now. You would think that things would have to start getting better sooner or later wouldn't you? If we move today I won't have Internet for a few days, so I won't be able to let you know about it for a few days, maybe even a week. But if we don't ... I'll probably be back on to let you know what's happening.

Update

Well, we decided to fight things. We have a letter from the manager with all three adults names on it asking when we would be able to pay the rent. Indicating that she knew we were living here, and paying the rent. It might give us a little more time to get things figured out. I'm also trying to find out what they used against us to deny us this apartment. I called the office, they told me to call the company they used to gather the information from. When I called them, they told me that there were some credit things and some things from Howards past, but that they couldn't tell me what the actual thing was because they don't give advice or anything they just give the background check to the landlords. So I called the Management office back and asked them, the person I talked to wasn't the one who decided it so she is sending me the report and the name of the person who did make the decision. I'll probably get it tomorrow or Thursday, then I'll call and talk to that person and find out exactly why. If it's anything from Howards past, those things are over 10 years old and the charges were dismissed or dropped. So they shouldn't be used against him. Best case senario - we get to stay here. Worse case - we get a few more days to figure things out and then have to move. So either way, I'm feeling less stressed. I'm going to call the Housing Authority and see if they have any emergancy housing, because I'm fairly sure that we are going to have to move anyway.

I'm so tired, I didn't sleep well last night. I'll have to go to bed early tonight.

It seems that every time things finally start going well for us, there's another problem that screws it all up. (sigh) Keep good thoughts for us, keep your fingers crossed, pray for us, or whatever you do, we need all the help we can get right now.

Bad day

So much bad stuff happens to us these days it's hard to decide what to do next. Our application for this apartment was denied. I'll have to call tomorrow and find out exactly why. The manager said that it was bad credit, when she talked to David. And now, as of this afternoon, we have a 24 hour notice to leave this apartment. Because we have been here for longer than the 14 days he can have guests. We probably won't be out until the week end, unless my Dad and figure a way to get all our stuff up to Hood River. There are only 2 big things to worry about, the kitchen table and Aidan's bed. They both come apart fairly easily, but the chairs ... may be harder. Other than that it's all just clothing and blankets, and Aidan's toys.

So I don't know what we are going to do. David has to find someone else to help pay the rent. (It's late due to the fact that David doesn't have a job yet, and we had some bills that HAD to be paid with the last paycheck and they wouldn't take a partial payment until the 12th.) So even though we could probably push things until the end of the month, David has probably found someone to pay the rent who will want to move in as soon as possible. Is it so much to ask that my family be allowed to be together? Is it so hard for people to understand that we are finally getting our feet back under us, we have bad credit because of the time we spent without any real work. We are trying to clear that up, but it takes time. I want to scream and cry and hit something. I want to hold my son close to my heart, and watch him with his Father. What am I going to do?

On top of all that, Howard and Aidan were getting on the bus, through the back door, when the bus driver shut the doors. The doors caught Aidans head between them. He has a small bump and a large red area on his forehead where one of the doors squeezed his head. I think he is okay, but I worry. One more worry, one more emotion to deal with.

Feeling better, Sleep, and Aidan's school.

I am feeling better today. Hopefully this time I really am getting better. Howard seems to have caught it though. He, however, gets over these things quicker than I do. And it seems that he usually gets a milder case than I get as well. Which is good, because he is a horrible patient. LOL

I need to figure out how to get Aidan back on a regular sleep schedule. I don't want to listen to the screaming that he will do if I just set a time and put him down. Besides that, we have neighbors and I'd rather not put them through that either. He's loud enough on a regular basis already. He seems to think he should stay up as late a possible. Sometimes falling asleep as late as 1 or 2 AM. He gets up no later than 9, usually it's around 7, but sometimes as early as 4. He will usually sleep at least 4 hours, but has been known to sleep for as much as 12 hours. I think that children his age are supposed to get something like 12 to 13 hours every day. I'd like it if he would sleep 8 to 8.

Monday I'll be calling a couple of Pre-schools about their programs. I want to get him started as soon as possible. Then I need to look for a job and find daycare. I'm looking forward to it, on the one hand, but afraid of it on the other. It's been a while since I worked full time for someone else. When I worked for Jimmy it was really more like working for myself. I want to work, to get out of the house and do something more interesting than watching TV all day. But I'm worried that I won't be up to it. I'll have to spend a few pay checks getting cloths and shoes for work. Depending on where I work of course. Anyway, Aidan will be in Pre-school 2 days a week for 2 hours, and will have speech separately. We will have to work out the speech portion depending on the school I choose and their schedule, Aidan might stay at the school for extra time, go for another day, or go to the office over on Pringle for that portion of it. I know he will love it. He love school, at least he did the 2 days he got to go in Hood River, he loves daycare as well, that lasted for a couple of months in Hood River. So I know that he will do well there, I'll just have to get a job so he can go to daycare. LOL

Sick and getting worse.

I haven't felt this horrible in years. Nothing I do for this stupid head cold seems to work. All I want to do is sleep, but since Howard has to leave for work at 1 PM, and Aidan won't go to bed until around 9PM I have to stay awake. The hardest part is the ear ache, because it causes his shrieks of delight to feel like knives of pain shooting through my ears into my head. The good news is, I think Howard is finally coming to understand that I AM really sick. He will have tomorrow off so maybe he will be able to take care of Aidan and let me sleep. I don't know though, he will be pretty tired himself.

About feeling upset, no car, and the New Year.

Well, today was really something. I'm still feeling sick with this head cold, but needed to go out to pay a bill. We went downtown just fine, Aidan was very good. Then we took a bus out South Commercial to the Wal-Mart where I got a little umbrella stroller. Aidan wanted to ride in it right away, so we went to Rent-A-Center to make the computer payment, it's only about a block and a half from Wal-Mart. All went well there too. The trouble didn't start until I wanted to get on a bus back downtown. Aidan didn't want to get out of the stroller. So we walked, and walked, and walked. Okay, I walked and he rode in the stroller. I think it was about 14 blocks later when Aidan was getting too cold and tired of the stroller. By then we were no longer on a bus route. It was starting to get dark, and only got colder and colder. I walked the next 8 or 9 blocks with Aidan screaming and trying to get out of the stroller. Luckily for both of us he was too tired and angry to think of undoing the little safety belt thing. About 3 blocks from home Aidan suddenly got quiet, so we stopped at a little store and got something to drink and a treat for both of us to share. He's been wonderful ever since. I feel even worse, my right ear hurts, and the scratchy throat is just barely controlled with cough drops at regular intervals.

I talked to Howard on the way home, he sort of tried to convince me he felt bad for me. I was willing to go along with it until he said "Now you know what I go through every day." Huh? He may walk most of the way to work most days, but he doesn't have a preschooler with him. He doesn't have to worry if the little one is getting too cold, if that cough is because of the weather or because he is getting sick, he doesn't have to listen to a young boy scream and wonder if someone will call the police thinking I'm stealing him or hurting him some how, and even if he did he wouldn't have as much to worry about since he is the biological father, and I'm only the step-Mom. I know it's really hard for him, I know he gets cold and tired and it seems like forever just to go couple yards. I wish I could do something to make it easier for him, but it's not the same. I'm not saying it was worse for me, because I didn't have to go all that far.

I don't really want a car right now. It's strange, I've always had a car or something available to get around. I thought I'd feel lost but I really only miss it when I want to get a major grocery shopping done, or wanted to get a large toy for Aidan that couldn't be easily carried on a bus. I have to work on feeling comfortable asking for a ride or saving up money for a taxi or something. I don't miss paying for gas, insurance and the usual up keep. I also need to walk, it will help with the weight loss and I need to get in better shape. (I just don't want to walk as much as I did today, in the cold with Aidan.)

Well, enough feeling sorry for myself. I probably won't post until after New Years Day, so I want to wish you a Happy New Year. I hope you have a good time what ever you do. I'll be home alone, well as alone as I can be with Aidan in the apartment, watching whatever I can find interesting on the tube. No big party for me, but you know what? I'm perfectly happy with that. Peace and love.

Holidays

Happy Solstice! Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays!

To tell you the truth I'm feeling rather disappointed about the Holidays this year. I won't be getting the big family Christmas at Mom's like I'd dreamt about while in California. Howard has to work on Christmas Eve, so we will be home, just the three of us. Well it might be 4 if David doesn't go to his friends house for Christmas. We will have a nice dinner because Howard will have Christmas day off. We will open presents in the morning and watch Aidan play.

For some reason I'm feeling kind of depressed. That is odd for me because I never get depressed, a little down or blue perhaps, but this is more than that. I'm also overly emotional about everything. Maybe it's just the fact that so many things seem to be either going badly or not happening at all.

1) Howard has to walk, hitch-hike and or catch a ride with people he works with, just to get to work.

2) Aidan has started this screaming thing. He screams for no reason at all, or because he didn't get what he wanted, or because I asked him to do something, or because I want him to ask please. He will scream even when he knows he will get in trouble for it.

3) David hasn't found work yet, which means that we have to cover all the rent and most of the bills. He thinks he can get the electric and gas bills taken care of.

4) I'm getting more headaches than I used to. Some of them are migraines, some of them are stress headaches, and some are sinus related.

5) I REALLY wanted this Christmas to be special for Aidan. It's the first one where he will actually understand what is happening. But without a car we didn't get a tree. Mom thought she could get us one, a fake one, for free, but that doesn't look good, and she isn't going to be here until Saturday anyway. No decorations, things cost more than I expected so I couldn't get what I wanted for Aidan, besides I couldn't have gotten it home on the bus.

But I am home at least. I'm back in Oregon where I feel connected. I do get to see my family, and I get to see my friends. Maybe after all this Holiday stuff, and the Aidan's birthday, maybe then I'll feel better.

Someplace to waste some time.

This is a fun way to make snowflakes, without all the paper scraps or the stiff fingers from using the scissors. Snowflakes I hope you enjoy playing around and wasting time as much as I did. LOL

First snow of the year.

I forgot to post these pictures earlier. It snowed here a week or so ago. It didn't last more than a day, but it was pretty and we had a good time.


This was Aidan's first snow ever. He was instantly in love with it. He loved watching it, making snowballs, even the tiny little snowmen I made.



Aidan and Howard went walking in the field behind the apartments. It was still snowing, Aidan was amazed with the falling snowflakes. They got ahead of me so I took this picture of them.

Bits and pieces

Do you know anyone who seems to have very little expression in their voice? Today I was talking to someone like that. I couldn't tell if they were upset that I called, or just didn't have much expression when they talked. I'm hoping that they just don't express themselves very well over the phone.

Aidan got a holiday gift a little early. We were looking for a rug at the Goodwill by the pound store, and he found one of those Fisher Price race car beds. It was only $20! It has all the parts and a Baby Sealy mattress. The only problem is that it's a Toddler bed rather than a Twin, but he is SO in love with it that it's worth it.

I'll be doing the rest of my shopping after the 15th. After we pay the phone bill and the computer payment, the rest of Howard's pay check will be available for gifts. I'm not sure what Aidan will get for DJ. Cars, trucks, planes? Little People things to go with what he got for his birthday? I'm thinking about getting only a few pictures taken at Picture People (They cost a lot, but we get them the same day), and give my parents a frame with them in there, of course some for me too. Mom came out and asked for pictures if we can get them, so I guess that will be best. I want to get something of Snowanna and Craig too, but I'm not sure what. I don't want to get baby stuff, because I think a lot of people will be doing that, maybe they would like some pictures too? Hmmm maybe not ... Gift certificate? I'll think of something. I accept suggestions, if you have any. :)

I think I'm finally getting over this head cold, today I'm not coughing as much and my throat doesn't hurt. It will be great to feel normal again.

A few random thoughts.

I recently noticed that unless people see me throwing up or hear me throwing up they don't seem to understand that I'm sick. I have a horrible head cold, stuffy head, pressure head ache, soar throat,cough, slight fever and general tiredness. I've told Howard that I'm sick, but he still expects me to go out and do the laundry. (It's downstairs and across the parking lot.) I understand that he needs socks, I understand that Aidan needs clean cloths. I need quarters, and the nearest store is a couple of blocks away. Normally that wouldn't be a problem, but the cold weather just makes me cough more. Coughing agravates my head ache and soar throat.

I finally have something to show myself that I'm actually looseing weight. Several months ago my Mom gave me a pair of jeans, when I tried them on I could almost button them but not quiet and zipping them was out of the question. Even laying on the bed didn't help. Last week I tried them on again, I finally could button them! Still couldn't quiet get the zipper up though. Yesterday I tried them on again, and I can zip them! I can't eat, or breath very deeply in them, but I can actually wear them! They are 4 sizes smaller than the other jeans I have, luckly I have another pair that are only 1 size bigger than the "skinny" ones, so I'm able to wear jeans that I can breath in but won't fall off if given the right encouragement. LOL

I'm not sure how to address this next issue. Maybe it deserves an entry of it's own, but I'm not sure I want to write about it at all. It's been bugging me for a long time, so I think I'd better get it out so that maybe I can let it go. Here goes: It seems to me that my kids are never given the benefit of the doubt by the rest of the family. Excuses are made for everyone else, but none are ever accepted when it's my kids. For example; Years ago my Neice, about 6 at the time, said that Allen,about 11, held her down in a car and laid on top of her. They both had their cloths on, he didn't touch her except to lay on her, but it was suggested that he had somehow molested her. There was never a question of whether or not she had misunderstood what he said, or why he was doing what he did. It later turned out to be him trying to protect her from some neighborhood bullies. When my brother Mark took Allen to the movies one time, at a drive in, Allen told my Mom that Mark opened his pants and asked him to touch him there. Right away Mom thought that Allen must have been mistaken, he didn't hear Mark right, or he was dreaming. Another example of my kids getting the short end of things happened over Thanksgiving. We had a big dinner at Snowanna's. Almost all of my family were there. (Howard, Christopher, Allen and Xander were not there) DJ was playing on this little foam kiddy couch, Aidan wanted to play too. DJ was told to tell Aidan to get away if he didn't want to play with him. He told Aidan to get away, and Aidan did. Then Aidan climbed up into a chair, DJ must have decided not to let Aidan sit there either because he bit Aidan really hard on his lower back. My Mom said something like "Well, he should leave DJ alone when asked." Jessica was quick to jump to Aidan's defence and said "He did, he got up when DJ told him to and was trying to get in the chair when DJ bit him." My Mom agreed that that was what happened, but didn't say anything to DJ about biting, she didn't comfort Aidan, or in anyway acted as if DJ had done anything wrong. Snowanna was busy, as was Craig, so DJ got away with biting Aidan. Am I being too sensitive? Am I holding on to old resentments that should be forgotten? Any suggestions on how I should handle this kind of thing if it happens in the future?

Happy Birthday Grandson!

My wonderful Grandson has a birthday today. If I remember right he is 8 now. I can't believe that he is already 8, I mean it feels like only a year or two ago he was born. That may be because he lives on the East Coast while I live on the West Coast, I didn't get to see him much over the years, so maybe that's why. Or it could be just the fact that time seems to pass so much faster these days than they used to. Whatever the reason, I want to wish him the best of everything. I wish I could be there to give him a hug and let him know how much he means to me. I'm sure that if his Mom is reading this she will let him know, or let him read it for himself.

Dear Grandson,

Happy Birthday! I hope that your birthday is a good one. I miss you and love you very much. I wish I could be there with you for your birthday, but I just can't make it. Maybe one day I'll be able to come out there, will you show me around? Give your Mom a hug for me okay?

Love,
Grandma.

Feeling yucky

I've been feeling rather ill lately. Stuffy head, soar throat, cough and a slight fever. Yuck! I think I'm getting past the worst of it, because my throat feels just a little ... itchy I guess is the best description. So maybe I'll be better soon.

Being sick has delayed getting some things done. When talking sends you into a coughing fit you don't make many phone calls. I have to call about Aidan getting into pre-school. If I take too much longer I'll have to wait until January to do it. I'd like to have it taken care of as soon as possible. We will see.

Change of plans

Well, we still haven't heard from the people out in West Salem, so we are going to forget about that place and move in with a friend. We will only have to pay about $225 for 1 bedroom, and the whole place is bigger anyway. The only problem is that it's upstairs, but that's going to be okay. We will be sharing the place with Snowanna's ex-boyfriend David. We all get along well, he needs some help in order to stay on his feet, it works out to be a lot less in rent and other costs, and maybe when we need more space (or he wants to be on his own) we will be able to keep the apartment ourselves. It's in South Salem, but not nearly as far South as Snowanna is now. Fairly nice neighborhood, friendly neighbors and did I mention will only cost $225 or so! We will be moving in either tonight or tomorrow. It's kind of funny that he called Snowanna and they talked about this today, because I was thinking the same thing when we drove by there a couple of hours ago. I wasn't feeling very positive about the West Salem place, and was wondering if David would like some room mates. Strange, hmm?

So now I'll be able to get Aidan into a pre-school and daycare, I'll start looking for temp. work, and I can stop stressing over finding a place to live. Plus I get to save about $300 over what I'd pay for a 2 bedroom almost anywhere in Salem. The place we are moving into is $450 which is a little low for the area, but I like it.

Keep your fingers crossed.

I think we found a place, it's only one bedroom but will only cost $385 a month, saving us $200 a month. We will be able to stay there for a couple of years anyway. Then Aidan will need his own space. But until then we will be able to get some things we need, and some of the things we want. Christmas/Solstice will be nice, we will be able to decorate and get a few gifts for family. Still nothing big, because we will be paying off the computer and other bills. I hope that by Aidan's birthday we will be doing well enough to have a good birthday for him. This year he will understand it better than he did last year. The place isn't in a "good" area of West Salem, we are hoping that we will be able to move in a couple of years to a better neighborhood. We already know several of the people who live in the complex. Carol and her husband Thomas live there, and the man who will be the upstairs neighbor already introduced himself and is very friendly. Howard knows 3 or 4 others who live there. There are 12 apartments in the complex, so it's pretty small. I'll post pictures after we move in and get some furniture.

I'm still alive and well.

This will be just a short entry, to let any of you who still check in here know that I'm still around. We are still looking for a place to live. The double wide on 5 acres fell through, and so far we haven't been able to get an apartment. It looks like I will have a car tomorrow, or at least be well on the way to having it. It belongs to Snowanna's boyfriend, and we can have it for the price of the title transfer, tags, and an oil change. :) Anyway, I am hoping that we will have an apartment soon, I'm starting to look seriously at the "Bad" parts of town.

Take care.