72 Larry King's story

I'm still reading it. There's a discussion of wealth, and what it means to people in its pages.

We have money to pay our insurances, and to buy gas and food. Tithing, too!

71 Writing

I got a newsletter article written, ahead of time.  I got some housework done, found a job to apply to, for light manufacturing, temporary job; I talked to Sarah today. 

I worked on Sister Boyce's book a little, research, mainly.

It snowed almost three inches last night.  Tomorrow the roads will be dried, and I will do many things then.

70 Sabbath rest

The bishop gave a talk about ward conference, which I felt was directed at another person in the ward and me.

Does the gospel of Jesus Christ provide a car to someone who needs it?  A job for a long-time job hunter?

He recounted the people who had lived and who had died in the ward in the past year, who had surgeries and illness, and the death of his own mother and both grandmothers in an 18 month period when he was a boy.  He discussed blessings, of  James 5:14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
the priesthood authority, the anointing, the sealing of the anointing, the prayer, the will of the Lord.
He told of peace and comfort, and there there may not be the car or the job, but there will be the refuge from despair.

I remember him and other priesthood authorities, promising that this too, shall pass.

My husband is getting his paperwork done, and there looks like there will be enough to pay the bills this month.

I talked to my daughter about my hopes in going to her college graduation.  She hadn't planned on me being there, as she knows I need the work and the income,and that it would cost so much. My mom has offered to pay my way. My husband thinks I should go.  I feel that I should stay.

69 Death came for Delmer

My husband got the news that Delmer (age 92) died on Valentine's Day, his wedding anniversary.  His wife died a few years ago, after a long illness.

Ever since I knew them, they were flat broke it seemed. They'd sold their house in California and moved to Oregon to get their boys away from the drugs there, like so many other families. And like so many other families, it didn't stop the drugs.  I remember how sour Delmer was, commenting on the house that they'd owned selling for a quarter of a million ten years later.

They'd also bought out the relatives' shares on a piece of property in Medford, where they were always going to build a house. He'd looked forward to that, but I don't think that they had a dime to do any building.

They always seemed to be in some financial scheme that didn't work out, the last one being apartment managers in the Portland area.  They got the job, with promises of benefits and retirement and long-term employment, and after Delmer did all the repairs and Beverly got the place filled with quiet, paying tenants, the owners decided they could take it from here, thank you very much, and fired them. After that, they lived in a number of smaller and smaller places, including one that was just a few miles from the Portland temple, but they couldn't go, as they had no money for gas.  They ended up living with their daughters, and after Beverly died, Delmer went into assisted living, as his income from veteran's and social security bumped the household income too high for the place his oldest daughter was living at.

I don't want to end up in the same financial boats that they and their girls were in. But here I am.

On another note, my daughter who is graduating from college says it's okay with her if I don't go, as she knows I need the paycheck, and I have no money to go down there. Her sisters will be there to watch her get her diploma.

And on another note, the hot water heater is acting screwy, and the water seems to be getting hotter and hotter when we take showers or wash our hands. Fortunately, we have another hot water heater for the kitchen and another bathroom.

68 Views outside myself

While at Fred's I saw Gina.  Her husband worked at a truck stop in LaPine. When the owner sold it, the new owner said he'd keep everyone on.  He did, for a few weeks, and then he fired everyone who made more than minimum wage.  So her husband is on unemployment now.

I saw Angie, and she told me about how it was at Touchmark, and that the girl that they hired didn't pass the drug test, and that they still haven't hired anyone, and that there is a flu epidemic going on.  We discussed our husbands' businesses, and she said that the only way to keep them from making crazy decisions is to throw their clothes out on the front sidewalk. Basically, she said, there was nothing I could have done that would have made any difference.

I gave her one of my cards.  If there's something for an electrician that comes up with their business (he's a finish carpenter), she'll give a call.

67 School day review

I went to work at the school again.  I was doing testing, got to see the Warm Springs display, and one of the tribal elders came and gave a talk, and the Rotary gave a presentation and flags to the first graders, and it was a Battle of the Books reading competition final in the gym, with almost the whole school attending. While I was on the playground, doing recess duty, one of the kids from the day before came over to keep me company. She enjoyed my reading "The Cremation of Dan McGee" yesterday. (I'd told the kids that if they kept to the task, there'd be reading time at the end.)

I helped out with a project in the office and thought about the teaching certificated I didn't get, and the jobs I didn't go for, and knew that I will miss working at the school, once I find/get a "real" job.

I'm home now, and I need to mail off stuff to the girls.  I don't know what I'll be doing tomorrow, but I hope that my demons won't be tormenting me.

I called Kat in the morning to let her know I had applied at Park and Rec, and she had my application in hand, and news that there weren't many applying for custodian, which she was told, is what happens when it's lumped in with the general summer work application. So maybe I will be hired back there.

66 posts

I'm going to stop typing "Today I decide to be wealthy." The sixty days are past, and I'll continue saying it, but not here.

My oldest daughter has a job! The temp agency she was using wasn't panning out, so she went to the competition and got a part time job, for more than $10 an hour, in the same building as her youngest sister works in, and it will be for more than a month!

Unfortunately, my middle daughter isn't doing so well, and won't even try for an internship.  Her sisters are worried for her, her attitude is as bad as it's ever been, and she won't go for help.

I had work today at the elementary school, and have some tomorrow, too.