Monday Meandering (and a bit a moaning) (fair warning)

Joseph is doing better.  He had a another EKG a week after the incident and they decided that he doesn't appear to have a heart problem.  He probably just over did it that day and had some muscle strain.  He has time management problems and leaves late, then has to hurry.  That day he had to change a flat tire.  He spent a week with Teresa taking him and his bike to work and then biking home.  That worked well for him.  He won't want to keep it up because he doesn't like spending money.  He is still working on his stomach trouble, insomnia and depression.  He is not supposed to eat fatty, spicy or acidic foods.  He is supposed to eat at least 3 hours before lying down.  So, for a week he has been stopping at Subway for a sandwich on the way home.  There is no one home to cook dinner any more most days.  Joseph and I don't get home until 6 and the other guys are erratic.  And if I am to get ANYTHING else done at all, I need to do it before working on dinner.  the Subway thing has been good for his tummy, but there goes spending money again.  Fortunately, as he lives at home and bicycles, he has few expenses. Also, fortunately, they have been pretty understanding at work.

My laptop, Sophie, may have died.  It is, at the least, comatose.  Last week while moving it from one room to the other, I stumbled a bit and dropped it.  The power cord was attached and apparently the internal power connector was damaged. I didn't realize it until the next day when I got a low battery warning (all the time thinking I had been using it on plug-in /battery charging power)  and couldn't get it connected to charge up.  I am really sad about this.  So far I cannot find computer repair guys for hardware, just software.  I am having a hard time adjusting to limited compute access while I try to figure out what to do about poor Sophie. (Isn't life tough?)

Andrew and Benjamin are trying out working as door-to-door salesmen for a Pest Control Company starting this week.  oh yuck.  I worry about whether the company is legit.  (They really think so.)  About their safety.  And about whether they can really earn anything.  It is purely commission based.  But I admire them for trying.  I figure they can try it for a week or two and then we will know whether they should keep it up. 

Benjamin is working part time for the Raley Field Clean Up Crew.  I thought is was bad when he had to be at work by 6am. This month he has a couple of times when he has to be there 10pm to 6am.  They call it Graveyard for a reason.  good thing he's young.

Andrew is still going over to help his dad every Monday.  I finally told him that he had to help earn money for his schooling.  He could either talk to Dad about money or tell Dad he cannot come.  So he talked to his Dad, and Glen said "tell me how much it costs and we will see".  Andrew said, I am sure he will pay at least $100.  I was outraged. That's not even one class!  Of course, that was just Andrew.  Andrew said Glen's working 3 jobs.  His full-time,  well paying State Controller job, a part-time job as a security camera watcher and another part-time job I don't know what.  Which tells me that he has not learned to control his bad spending habits, although I am sure he blames the alimony.  I don't think it's the $1500. After he pays his alimony he has more take home from his state job than I have from mine and the alimony together. I admit I don't know how he has the energy to do part-time jobs, I cannot imagine it.  But then he doesn't drain any energy on relationships. Andrew is going to try the pest control thing before for a while before he tells his Dad that he cannot go over there anymore.  In the meantime, he just isn't working sales on Monday. 

I have been feeling very down lately. And having a dismal time trying to fight it.  I just want to cry a lot of the time.  Which is pathetic considering how good my life really is.  Down about my computer, about no retirement money, about not much fun now money, about all the things I should be doing but don't get done.  The usual stuff,  Nothing really serious, big, or new (except Sophie).  I just haven't been very cope-able.  Last night I did one thing that helped, however, Oh, lots of things help a little - showers, prayer, blessing counting, beef. 

 Last night, for the first time in a long time, I did "Reading Club".  It has been almost impossible to get us together.  Not only were we all available for an hour last night, but we are re-reading a book I read to the guys while Andrew was on his mission.  So Benjamin and Joseph are not in the club for this book. I only have to get together with Andrew who is loving this book.  "Murder with Peacocks" by Donna Andrews.  It is rollicking good fun.