Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Playing the waiting game

I should be playing the typing game, as my typing on this netbook is atrocious. It is an excuse to say the keyboard is smaller than I am used to, and my fat fingers have difficulty not hitting two or three at a time. Anyway.

A month or so ago I mentioned we had a job offer out of San Diego, and we might possibly relocate already. After being in our last town 22 years, it is hard to comprehend. But, as much as I like Lake Elsinore, the thought of moving has interesting possibilities.

Last month, out of the blue, an old acquaintance of Bill's called. He actually called me looking for Bill. It was fun to talk to him as I had been friends with his mother. He then calls Bill saying he needs Bill to work for him as he is swamped. He has hired a few guys, but none could be left alone just to do the work. Many had skipped out, or ruined work, and he needed someone he could trust. Bill had convinced his boss to hire Eric 15 years ago when he desperately needed a job, and he now wanted to return the favor. BUT, he lives and works out of San Diego, and while we toyed with it for a few days, Bill decided that this kid had gotten in over his head, and was having difficulty financing his jobs. Believe me, after the last 6 months, I totally understand and did not want to get into a position where we couldn't finance them either. So, we passed it up and decided to stay here.

Bill has been struggling with his own work. The repo houses slowed to three every two weeks. After five or six, this was hard. I have already mentioned the difficulties we have faced after financing a job, and then waiting 11-12 weeks for payment. In the last few weeks, houses have picked up again, the county has called for more bids, and things are looking up again.

And Eric calls again. He is swamped. Overloaded. And one of the worst things you can do as a contractor is turn away work. Especially in this economy. Is there any way Bill could come help?? Bill doesn't want the commute. We are about 75 miles north of San Diego. If he helps, it is because we move down that way. But, he would then have to give up the repos as they are all north of us. We can barely do Palm Springs now, and from SD it would be next to impossible.

Bill would be willing to commute for county jobs, but right now we are only getting one or two a month. If it breaks open like we are hoping, it will be a long commute. I really don't know which is best, and our prayers haven't led us anywhere yet.

So, we wait and see. All it will take is just a little positive, and we will move. Bill was raised in Oceanside, and has wanted to go back since we weremarried. We are actually looking to live in Vista. Not as close to the beach, but not as expensive either.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

At least you didn't have any tough ones: Part II

Good grief! It is amazing what one little, clueless comment will unleash. LOL. Cory called yesterday, with some good/frustrating news. Set Bill off. Set him off so much that it has been years since I have seen him THAT frustrated. It has also been years since Cory lived with us. Coincidence?? I think not.

A little background. I was raised in a family where ADD/ADHD was prevelant. I had it, my brother REALLY has it, a few cousins, my aunt, my beloved Opa, you get the idea. And Cory. Actually, I am amazed that out of my seven kids, only one got it. Maybe we are finally diluting this gift that makes our get togethers quite unique and I am sure frustrating for those few family members not afflicted.

When Cory was getting ready to be released from the group home(Yes, ADD {no way could we EVER accuse Cory of the hyper part} played a big part in why he was arrested) his probation officer and Bill and I had many meetings over what to do. Job Corps was deemed his best shot, and the application process began.This was in December of 08, six months before Cory's release. I don't remember the specifics, but there were a lot of interviews, paperwork, days spent waiting in a tiny waiting room wiht the sick neighbor's baby with no a/c or even a tv to pass the time, and more waiting.....waiting.....waiting...Finally we were told he got in, and it would be March or April of this year he would go.

And then nothing. Bill would ask Cory about it, and Cory would shrug. "I haven't heard." Finally, a staff member from the group home called me and said Job Corp was looking for Cory. He had NEVER updated his contact info, so they couldn't find him. So, we made Cory call, and he had to leave a message. "This is Cory, and my new number is xxx-xxxx". Bill is frantically signalling him to leave his area code. He is baffled. They know where I live. It doesn't matter!! They need your area code! So, he promises Bill he will call back and leave his full number the next day. He didn't want to look like an idiot calling right back. I told Bill he should have told me this was going on, because I am not as nice during these moments, and I would have MADE him call back immediately and run the risk of looking like an idiot.

So, yesterday he calls me. Usually when he has news, he calls Bill first, then me. I wondered for a minute, then paid attention to what he was saying. That whole ADD thing...focus is not automatic. He says he finally got a hold of Job Corps, and they gave away his bed. Apparently they had still been calling staff member, but because he was over 18, and she was no longer his guardian, they wouldn't tell her anything. And Cory did NOT make much of an effort to call them. No matter what he says.

So, because it was a misunderstanding (snort), they have him slated to receive a bed in August. So there is good news. Hopefully by the time he finishes the program, the economy will have picked up enough and there will be jobs to be had.

Saturday, June 12, 2010

At least you didn't have any tough ones!

Our 20 yr old son comes to visit at least every other Saturday. We don't do much, but today we bought the new GreenDay Rock Band. The day was spent perfecting their gig, and opening locked songs.

On the way to take him to the bus stop, he mentioned the oldest daughter of the people he is living with. "Mom, when Brooke was four or five, she used to hold her breath and turn blue when she didn't get her way. At least you didn't have any tough ones!" It took a minute for me to realize just what he said.

No, Cory, you weren't tough. It was fun when you were two and would do the SAME thing! You would get mad, and throw yourself to the floor, and refuse to breathe. The first two or three times I thought for sure you were having a seizure. I took you to the pedi, who after asking what brought on these episodes, told me you were throwing temper fits. A couple times of me walking away and you stopped.

It was not tough when I put you down for a nap, ran across the complex to the laundry room, only to find you had followed me. Luckily, someone had propped the pool gate open, and you being unafraid of water ran in. I didn't have my pool key with me, since I was doing laundry, and had no way in once you slammed the gate. I managed to coax you to the gate, where I grabbed your wrist and wouldn't let go. Then I yelled for help. If you had slipped away, you would have drowned that day.

Or the time we got up in the morning to find my butcher knife out of its locked drawer and stabbed into a block of cheese. Or the time you dumped a whole container of baby powder on Baby Kailey's head. Or the time we were moving into a new house, and had the microwave cord across the stove and you turned on the burners and set it on fire. And while in the corner for that one you took a marker to the freshly painted wall.

Or, when we were finally in a house with a back yard, and you climbed up on the a/c unit and jumped to the six ft block wall, and scaled it then ran around to knock on the front door with a huge smile on your face. So I put you in time out in your room, and you knocked out the screen and ran around to the front door again.

Then when you were four.......

It is a wonder we went on to have five more kids.

Friday, June 11, 2010

Having seven kids has always been a challenge. Emotionally, physically, and financially. Don't even ask about my food bill. I knew by the time I was ten that I wanted a lot of kids and had settled on around 12 by the time I was sixteen. Well, 12 wasn't in the cards (thank goodness. I am barely holding on to my sanity as it is), and we were lucky and truly blessed to have seven. My health just couldn't take it.

To help with the financial part, I have done daycare off and on for years. A lifetime it seems as I started before I had ever met Bill. I was the girl in the ward who everyone called to stay with their kids while they went to Vegas for the weekend, or a week long cruise to Mexico. I learned early on how to deal with many different types of personalities and discipline styles.

When Bill was laid off last year, my daycare job (and his unemployment checks) saved us. I had three little girls, that are 2, 3, and 6. They fit into our family, and after a few bumps along the way, life was easy. A few times I kept them overnight, once even taking them to church. Yikes. We ended up having to move, and regretfully I gave my notice. I was heartbroken. They had become like my kids. Having them 70 hours a week quickly solidified a relationship.

Now we live 30 miles south of where we used to be, but we are 10 minutes from the girls grandmother. How convenient! We still see the girls on a regular basis. In fact, they are staying with us tonight as their dad recuperates from surgery this morning. How fun it has been. I love the affection, and the kisses. The two year old, Lillia, yells often " Mommy!! Wheda you??!" Three year old Mari loves to snuggle and tease. "No, Pom, it is MY neck!" as I tickle it. Then she giggles and begs for more. She just barely stopped calling me Mom. Six yr old Adrianne is Tyler's BFF and it is so cute to see them together. Especially since there was a time they hated each other, and I never thought they would get along. They do fabulously now. I love these girls so much, and I am grateful their parents still have a need for me, and allow me to be in their lives.

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

And THIS is how you do things??


I am frustrated. Majorly. I really hate to admit it, but a lot of my moods are determined by our current financial status. I can be content and happy in good weeks, and not want to get out of bed in others.

Construction was the hardest hit when the economy tanked. Bill lost his 22 year job two years ago exactly. We are still struggling to recover. After one year on unemployment, and doing all he could to get his license, Bill opened his business last May. What were we thinking?? Besides the five kids who were used to three meals a day, and a roof over their head of course. Starting a painting business has been tough. We keep hoping this will be the month that some county work comes in. This will be the month that we get more than one repo house a week. Don't even get me started on the crooks that run the repo business. LDS Mi..ami.


So, the end of March, Bill did a job for the county of SB. Two jobs, bid together, paid together. One was an office. The other was painting highway like lanes on a warehouse floor so the forklift drivers would stop running into the walls and each other. Really. I am serious. The county pays invoices at the end of the month, with checks sent out by the fifth. So, we turned in the invoice the 5th of April, with a paydate of May 5th. Right?? Seems easy enough. Yeah. STILL HAS NOT ARRIVED. May was tough, and I told the landlady that when this check came, I would send her rent. We finally had to pay rent a week ago, using money that was supposed to go for insurances and payroll. We squeaked payroll, don't ask me how, and now we have another week til payday again. Car pymt due, auto insurance due, and I ran to the electric company yesterday and just beat the turn off. June 2nd, on a job done in March. How do they expect ANYONE to survive that way??
Okay, I wanted the picture of Tyler and Brittany down here. Ugh. I am so illiterate in some respects. LOL. This is the picture we want to put on their invitation. I like it. I love the rosetree in front of them, I love the tiki torch in the background. And, I begged Tyler to smile. Yeah, that is what he thinks of me, eh??