Friday, September 25, 2009

Sleep, Where Are You?

I am so tired! Junior left work early today, waking me around 9:30. I had just laid back down! I am extremely happy that tomorrow is Saturday, and I do not have to get up to an alarm. I will enjoy sleeping in, and will kill anyone who disturbs my sleep.

Okay, maybe I won't KILL them, but I can make their day miserable. I am the mom, ya know!

I have been crocheting like a madwoman, trying to get a few things done. I have also been working on a Halloween header for my main blog, and I am dying to put it up...but I will wait until Oct.1st. Hopefully :)

I also finished Ryan's birthday invitations, and they came out really good, if I do say so myself. I am looking forward to his party, and hanging out with friends and family. I want to find some new recipes for this year, so any ideas for Halloween themed foods is greatly appreciated.

Junior and I were discussing what we're going to get the kids for Christmas at lunch today, and it's going to be hard this year. Not only financially, but the kids haven't really asked for anything. Brandi wants a couple of movies...Camp Rock and Princess Protection Program...and that's easy enough. I want to get Ryan a television for his room...his is broken...and the girls will need one for their room when we move, so maybe I will get them a joint gift. Or maybe I will just wait til we get our taxes and buy them. I don't know.

I'm still holding steady with the weight loss. I haven't lost any more weight, but I haven't gained any back, either. Thankfully my life is more stress free every day, so now I need to make a conscience effort to lose. I am liking how I'm feeling these days, so I have faith I can continue down this path.

I guess that's about it for now. Have a great weekend! Ours will be low key, and I'm looking forward to it.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Hidden Surprise

I was talking to our neighbor, Paige, this afternoon, you know, the one who I fought with over her stupid dog. The past few months she has been as nice as can be, acting as if nothing ever happened between us.

Whatever.

Anyway, we were talking today, and I asked when they were moving, because they just bought a house. She said hopefully in the next four weeks. We got to talking about what happened here yesterday with the phone guy, and she was telling me how she has had mice in her kitchen. She said every night they can hear them running around in the kitchen, and every morning the traps are full.

Gross.

Thank goodness I have the cats, who kill the mice before they can get into my side. She said a few days ago, she came home, and heard something in the cabinet, and assumed it was another mouse. (she is using sticky traps instead of the snap kind) When she opened the cabinet, she found a snake stuck on the trap! Can you imagine?

I know there are snakes around here, because we have caught a few in the minnow trap in the creek, but I didn't know they were coming up to the house. She said Josh (her boyfriend) said the snake was probably after the mice, but still. Kind of makes me a little weary.

Have I mentioned that I can not wait to move?

I asked how the mice and snake got in, and she said her kitchen sink leaks underneath, and it has rotted holes in the boards. She said when she mentioned it to our management company, they said it was something they could live with, so they weren't going to fix it. How crappy is that? I am so glad Junior fixed our plumbing problem, because I have a feeling the management company wouldn't have cared about that, either. Paige said they can not wait to get out.

Neither can we.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

My Phone Problem Was Actually A Plumbing Problem

I was expecting the phone guy between 1 and 3 this afternoon. At 10 til 3, the guy still hadn't shown up. I called Charter, and asked if there was a delay. The guy on the phone looked on his computer, and said the technician had marked my order completed.

WTF?

I told him I had been here all afternoon, with my door open, and he never showed up. The guy said he would call the technician and see what was going on, and call me back. HELLO! My whole issue is that I can not receive incoming calls. I tell him this, and he tells me he'll just put me on hold.

Five minutes later he comes back and says the guy says he knocked on the CLOSED door, and left a tag on the handle. He asked if I lived in a gray duplex. I said yes, then told him to hold on while I went to see if maybe the guy went next door.

Nope.

The guy on the phone tells me to hold on again. Another five minutes and he comes back, saying the technician admitted that he wasn't sure he was at the right place, so they would sent someone else out before 5. He told me that they usually don't send someone else the same day, but because the technician admitted fault, they would.

Well, wasn't that nice of them.

The other technician shows up, and after almost an hour discovers what the problem was. The cordless phone in my bedroom is plugged into a jack that was at the head of my bed. (well, to me it's the foot because I sleep upside down on the bed...I always have...I know I'm weird...it's okay...I own it) The jack had a filter on it from the three days we had DSL when we first moved in, and that filter was laying on the carpet. The carpet was soaking wet, which made the filter soaking wet, which was shorting out my phone line.

Why was it wet, you ask? Because this apartment is a piece of shit.

The duplex was build on a slab. The bathtub is on a step up, with all the plumbing underneath. It seems the pipe that drains the tub came undone, and was leaking underneath. The water went through the wall, into my bedroom, under my bed, so I never noticed. This has been going on for almost two weeks! You can imagine the mess I had to clean up. The carpet is soaked, and I'm hoping it is just in that one area. Junior spent tonight fixing the tub (God knows how long the management company would have taken to come...my tub still leaks and it has been over a year!) and I have to clean out from under my bed in the morning. It looks like the water is just in the one area, so hopefully nothing is ruined.

I am just glad I have my phone back, and I can't wait to move.

Monday, September 14, 2009

Total Random Post About Everything And Nothing, All At The Same Time

My phone has been broken for over a week now, and I really haven't noticed.

That's pretty sad if you think about it.

I can call out fine, but when someone calls me, all they get is static, and my phone never rings. If they are lucky, they can leave a message. It took a few days before I even knew that was happening.

You see, no one, other than family, ever calls me.

Except Missy.

Kinda sad, right?

I guess it's a good thing I really don't like talking on the phone.

I broke down today and called to have the line fixed, because my sister is having a baby on friday, and I want to make sure I get "the call" when baby Jake is here safe and sound.

They are coming tomorrow between 1 and 3. I hate when I am the only one home for repair men, but what can you do? Hopefully it is something they can fix without coming in the house.

In other "news", I am holding steady at 30 pounds lost. I told my mom yesterday I was a little worried that maybe there was something wrong with me, because I have lost this weight pretty much without trying. Sure, we haven't had much food in the house, so I haven't been eating, but I have dieted before and never had these kinds of results.

All the check places have tried to deposit the checks, and we have been paying bounced check fees for a couple of weeks now. I believe the last of the fees were paid with the money I deposited this morning from my paid posts, so hopefully we can keep our account out of the hole. The check places are now calling, trying to work with us. Why they couldn't do this before, I have no idea. Junior is going to go talk to them all on Friday, and hopefully be able to make some sort of reasonable payment arrangements. Fingers crossed.

I am getting so excited about moving, and a little nervous at the same time. I think most of my anxiety is going to be about finding the right place. I know tons of places check your credit these days, and ours isn't so good. I hope we can find a three bedroom that is not a dump. I am tired of living in a place that is falling apart.

Junior is going tomorrow to apply us for food stamps again. We used to get them, and could really use them right now until we get things straightened out. I used an online calculator, and we should get about $175 a month, which will help a lot, although I have gotten really good at buying a weeks worth of groceries for about $40 a week. We plan on doing the parking lot sale again this weekend, and that will help a lot too.

My legs are killing me today from all the walking at the zoo yesterday. I really need to make it a point not to sit so long at this computer every day. Hopefully when we move I can start walking again. The roads around here just aren't safe enough.

I guess that's about it. I really should get up and go clean the bathroom, but I probably won't. It will still be there in the morning.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

30!

I am down 30 pounds!!!! Holy crap!!!!!

The sad thing is, I am not even trying. It's the lack of food in the house, and stress.

Who thought having no money would have a bright side?

I put on jeans today that I haven't worn in years!

On another note, Junior and I decided today that we are going to move in February. I am tired of the roof leaking, my bathtub faucet continuously running, and here's the straw that broke the camels back.

Remember when we asked about putting up the pool, and they said sure, but we would have to pay the difference in the water bill? Well, they charged us $40 to fill a 12 foot pool a foot and a half deep. There is no way in hell it took that much water. I told Junior he should have questioned it, and asked to see the bill, but he said it is easier just to pay it.

Whatever. We went today, and found the cutest 3 bedroom trailer. I wish we never resigned the lease. I wish we could move today. But, we are stuck here until February. I will not break our lease. Plus, we will have more money in February to move. It is a priority this time that we find something with three bedrooms, even if it is a trailer. They do have some nice ones nowadays.

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

More Applications

I am going to spend tomorrow trying to find a part time job. I did this a few months ago, and never got a single phone call. I am hoping for better luck this time.

We are struggling just like a lot of people right now, and I am trying not to let it get me down. Life is sometimes like a snowball...we get behind on one thing, and bam...it's late fees and NSF fees and overdraft fees...and then there is no money left to pay the bills. It sucks, and I can't see a way out right now, which is why I need to find a job, which is a lot easier said than done.

I wish Junior was working third shift again, then I could work during the day. But his job no longer offers third shift. I wish I could go back to making more money from home, but google is what it is, and I am patiently awaiting the next update.

If I can't find a job, the first things to go will be my internet and cable. I don't want to do that, but that is the only monthly bill we can get rid of. We have to make our car payment. We have to have power. We have to have car insurance. We have to pay rent. We don't HAVE TO have cable and internet, but it's the only luxury we allow ourselves. If we get rid of it, we have nothing, and that would suck even more.

Ug, this sounds like another pity party for me, but in reality, it helps me to feel better to write. To get things off my chest.

I feel better already.

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Therapy On Thursday

We went to therapy today. It's the first time we have been with the new therapists.

Did you catch that?

I said therapists. We have two.

One is the lady we met last session, whose name is Cindy. And then we have a man, whose name I can not remember. We spent the hour going over the past year, and filling these two therapists in on Junior's issues with his family. Not a productive hour, but it allowed the therapists to get an idea of the things Junior has been through. I know it is hard for him to talk about some of those things, so he wasn't in a very good place when we left. But, we stopped for the last of our free shakes from Zaxby's on the way home, and chocolate always helps when you're feeling blue.

Junior still isn't sure how he feels about the therapists. I like Cindy, but I'm not sure about the man. He seemed kind of, oh, I don't know what word I am looking for. Maybe it's just me, because I feel more comfortable with a woman. I don't know. Hopefully next session will be a little more comfortable for everyone.

My mom came over for supper tonight. She didn't stay too long, but we enjoyed having her eat with us. I just served the second tray of chicken pot pie I made yesterday with some mac and cheese. I am on this cooking kick lately. Maybe it's the fact that we have limited funds right now, and I have no choice but to be creative with what I make.

I lost another pound...I'm down 26! Yay! I haven't told Junior, and he hasn't noticed, which kind of sucks, but I guess because he sees me every day it's hard for him to tell. He is also losing weight...I think he is down 12 pounds...and I don't want to discourage him by losing more. I know it usually pisses me off when he loses more than me. So for now, I will keep quiet, and try and lose more.

I have a busy weekend ahead...plans with Missy to go "parking lot shopping" on Saturday morning. From what I understand, this particular grocery store puts all it's "almost out of date" food in the parking lot, and you pay $7 to fill a box with whatever you can. When I called for the details yesterday, they said it's a kind of free for all, and that everyone goes at the same time, so it's a mad house. Sounds like fun, right? LOL! I am really looking forward to it. They also said to bring a partner, so Ryan and I will work together. This is at 9am. Then I am going with my mom to Rock Hill for a birthday party at 1. Ryan is staying with Junior, and I will take the girls with me.

Monday we are planning a trip to the zoo. It's been a while since we have been to this zoo, so I am looking forward to it. Plus, I get to see elephants, and you all know how much I love that!