At this very moment i am trying really hard not to go into panic mod. There was a time when my husband and I were dealing with him being laid off about every year or 2 for about 10 years. The part that hurt the most was that it was never from anything He did or didn't do. He's a manufacturing plant Chemist, QC and R&D and every lay off was do to work slow downs and contract losses and because he was always the newest chemist he was low man in seniority so he was the one they would let go.
Well its happened again. This time really hurts. He has been at this job for 6 years. He's put up with a bull shit work schedule that had him working 12 hour days and flipping from days to nights every 2 week so that we would have good insurance since we have 2 kids and I'm a Diabetic. The big problem though with this lay off is that the job was across the state line into a state that pays crap for unemployment.
Before when he would get laid off we could count on a unemployment check that was about 2/3 of his work income. Though the other state we might see about 1/3 of his income. That will leave us with less then our current rent and no savings to make up the difference. That means that we will most likely have no choose but to cash out his 401k to get the money to keep us solvent till he can find a new job.
To make things worse I just applied for Disability. My physical health has been slowly deteriorating since I was diagnosed with Diabetics 12 years ago. Arthritis,along with other physical injuries and aliments that are to many to list off right now have made it near to impossible for me to go back to work in retail. But the loss of my income has left us just short enough that we have been living from paycheck to paycheck. So now looking at that limited income being cut by 60% or better has me feeling panicky and afraid for my family.
Yes I know that there are many families that are in similar situation, but that knowledge doesn't soften the sharp edge of the reality that is looming before us. Please my Dear friends and readers I ask that you if you can say a prayer/send positive energy/or what ever supportive helpful thing you do, to help us get through this without losing everything.
Your Friend Kathy
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Friday, January 6, 2012
Moving After 10 Years
After ten years in the same town home we are going to be moving. The new owners of our property have been rehabbing all the town homes, one section at a time. Our section being the one that the rental and management offices are was to be the last to be rehabbed. Well that time has now come. We received a call this morning from the New Young manager telling us that it was time to relocate to one of the newly rehabbed units.
Now I'm not saying that this is a good this or a bad thing, just that after 10 years its not going to be an easy thing. When we moved here our middle child was just starting second grade and our baby was in kindergarten, now they are both in high school. There is a section of wall between the dinning room and the living room were there are marks for ever time we measured their height as they grow. And our garden is now maturing into a truly lovely sight. So moving is a bit bitter sweet.
It will be nice to not have to call maintenance over the frig going out our the furnace not working right. It will be nice to not have to look at the cracks in the walls in the stairway that appeared after the last little quake we had 4 years back. And goddess knows it will be great to not have to deal with the antique pluming that leaks and clogs and is always in a state of needing repair. It will also be nice to clear away all those things that the kids just couldn't get rid of even though they haven't used or been able to ware them in years. But that's also a bit sad.
No thing I do know is that I AM NOT going to be the only person doing the packing and unpacking this time. The last 3 moves the kids were to young to help and my Husband was to busy with his job. This time though I'm the one in need of help. Ten years of progressing arthritis and diabetes have made it a great deal harder for me to do the packing and lifting the way I did before. So I am depending on the Kids to do as much as they can to help. And on my Husband to get the help we need to move the large items when the time comes.
Lucky for us the manager is giving us a month to get what we can packed and another month to move from our unit now to the new one. So we have the rest of Jan to pack and all of Feb to move. I just pray that the weather continues to be as mild as it has been. Moving in the dead of winter is not my idea of fun in any way shape or form. So please send me what positive prayer/energy/thoughts you can that this move goes well and easy
Now I'm not saying that this is a good this or a bad thing, just that after 10 years its not going to be an easy thing. When we moved here our middle child was just starting second grade and our baby was in kindergarten, now they are both in high school. There is a section of wall between the dinning room and the living room were there are marks for ever time we measured their height as they grow. And our garden is now maturing into a truly lovely sight. So moving is a bit bitter sweet.
It will be nice to not have to call maintenance over the frig going out our the furnace not working right. It will be nice to not have to look at the cracks in the walls in the stairway that appeared after the last little quake we had 4 years back. And goddess knows it will be great to not have to deal with the antique pluming that leaks and clogs and is always in a state of needing repair. It will also be nice to clear away all those things that the kids just couldn't get rid of even though they haven't used or been able to ware them in years. But that's also a bit sad.
No thing I do know is that I AM NOT going to be the only person doing the packing and unpacking this time. The last 3 moves the kids were to young to help and my Husband was to busy with his job. This time though I'm the one in need of help. Ten years of progressing arthritis and diabetes have made it a great deal harder for me to do the packing and lifting the way I did before. So I am depending on the Kids to do as much as they can to help. And on my Husband to get the help we need to move the large items when the time comes.
Lucky for us the manager is giving us a month to get what we can packed and another month to move from our unit now to the new one. So we have the rest of Jan to pack and all of Feb to move. I just pray that the weather continues to be as mild as it has been. Moving in the dead of winter is not my idea of fun in any way shape or form. So please send me what positive prayer/energy/thoughts you can that this move goes well and easy
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Political Ignorance
I am so tired of people spouting their opinions on political situation without first researching and becoming truly knowledgeable. They jump in with their rhetoric repeating the propaganda that some right wing nut job tells them is the truth before they check the facts.
Some are misinformed, other are willingly ignorant. In both cases thou I find their inflammatory rants tiring. I am finding it harder and harder each day to keep my feelings on their hate mongering to myself. I guess thats part of the reason I decided to start this blog. To give myself a place to speak my mind and try to be a voice of informatory and reason in what is becoming a more and more stratified environment .
The republican party have admitted that they are deliberate blocking any and all bills and proposition that the white house and the democrats put forth, even those that would benefit their own constituents. The reason for this is to Get Obama out of office at all costs. They will lie to anyone willing to listen placing all the blame for this countries woes on this administration. When if your willing to put in a little research it becomes all to clear that the Bank failures, Home foreclosures, job losses and economic collapse all lead back to the prior administration. And that all the attempts to bring about a turn around have been squashed by their own party.
If Obama is at fault of anything it not having the drive to do what LBJ did and get his programs past whatever it took. He wanted to be a peace maker and unfortunately for him he didn't see that the republicans don't respect peacemakers. So now we sit with nothing achieved in 3 years other then a general displeasure of the government and a lot of finger pointing.
Sadly I do not see a remedy to our situation. The republican have done such a good job of conveying their messages of hate and blame that many who would stand up and fight have given up under the weight of the negativity. So unless we can get the truth out and irradiate the political ignorance that has permeated this country I do not see a light at the end of this dark tunnel.
Some are misinformed, other are willingly ignorant. In both cases thou I find their inflammatory rants tiring. I am finding it harder and harder each day to keep my feelings on their hate mongering to myself. I guess thats part of the reason I decided to start this blog. To give myself a place to speak my mind and try to be a voice of informatory and reason in what is becoming a more and more stratified environment .
The republican party have admitted that they are deliberate blocking any and all bills and proposition that the white house and the democrats put forth, even those that would benefit their own constituents. The reason for this is to Get Obama out of office at all costs. They will lie to anyone willing to listen placing all the blame for this countries woes on this administration. When if your willing to put in a little research it becomes all to clear that the Bank failures, Home foreclosures, job losses and economic collapse all lead back to the prior administration. And that all the attempts to bring about a turn around have been squashed by their own party.
If Obama is at fault of anything it not having the drive to do what LBJ did and get his programs past whatever it took. He wanted to be a peace maker and unfortunately for him he didn't see that the republicans don't respect peacemakers. So now we sit with nothing achieved in 3 years other then a general displeasure of the government and a lot of finger pointing.
Sadly I do not see a remedy to our situation. The republican have done such a good job of conveying their messages of hate and blame that many who would stand up and fight have given up under the weight of the negativity. So unless we can get the truth out and irradiate the political ignorance that has permeated this country I do not see a light at the end of this dark tunnel.
Holiday Hype
To start with I am more then glad the Holiday's are over. It the 3rd of Jan and I need a vacation from the holiday hype. Everyone says that the stores put up the decorations earlier each year, and scarily their right. Prior to my retiring from being a retail clerk I watched as corporate would send down the orders to put up the decor by the middle of August then it was the beginning of August and finally it was the end of July. This year I found Christmas going up the middle of July and felt sick seeing it. We just finished the 4th of July celebrations and hadn't gotten kids back to school and christmas was going up.
And WHY? for the almighty dollar. Retailer want to get your attention before the other guy does, in hopes that you will buy from them now and not wait till someone else puts whatever it is thats the big thing this year on sale at a lower price. The problem being with the economy in the crapper still Everyone is waiting for the sale that will get them that special something at a price that will leave them with a couple extra cents in their pocket. So the big Hype this year was the BLACK Friday sales that had people lining up at stores on Thursday night in hopes of the best deals. My eldest son works for Wally World and was just thrilled at having to give up his Thanksgiving to be at work at 9pm to have the store ready for shoppers at 2am.
It made me angry that I didn't get to see my grandsons because My Son had to work the holidays to keep his job. So our holiday here was less then enjoyable because half our family was missing on both Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve. As a result I found myself not getting into the hype or the holiday spirit they way I did some 10 years back when I had all 3 of my kids around me and a Husband who got the holidays off because EVERYONE got the holidays off. And the stores at-least tried to wait till Halloween to put up Christmas.
I guess I just wish the retailers would realize that we will still by what we want for our friends and family even if the wait to put up Christmas till the temp. drops and the leaves fall. And that Black Friday should be on Friday not Thursday.
And WHY? for the almighty dollar. Retailer want to get your attention before the other guy does, in hopes that you will buy from them now and not wait till someone else puts whatever it is thats the big thing this year on sale at a lower price. The problem being with the economy in the crapper still Everyone is waiting for the sale that will get them that special something at a price that will leave them with a couple extra cents in their pocket. So the big Hype this year was the BLACK Friday sales that had people lining up at stores on Thursday night in hopes of the best deals. My eldest son works for Wally World and was just thrilled at having to give up his Thanksgiving to be at work at 9pm to have the store ready for shoppers at 2am.
It made me angry that I didn't get to see my grandsons because My Son had to work the holidays to keep his job. So our holiday here was less then enjoyable because half our family was missing on both Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve. As a result I found myself not getting into the hype or the holiday spirit they way I did some 10 years back when I had all 3 of my kids around me and a Husband who got the holidays off because EVERYONE got the holidays off. And the stores at-least tried to wait till Halloween to put up Christmas.
I guess I just wish the retailers would realize that we will still by what we want for our friends and family even if the wait to put up Christmas till the temp. drops and the leaves fall. And that Black Friday should be on Friday not Thursday.
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