This small insignificant piece of life of mine.....has changed so drastically since 1995. I am places in my choices, thinking and lifestyle, that I never would of dreamed to be. Back in 1995, I was the wife of a small town building official, way out west. 2 kids in high school, one in middle school. Full time job...full time wife and mother. At that point, had been married 17 years.
Fast forward to 2012- Divorced but now engaged. Moved 1K miles east, of where I was then. Having, out of necessity, to re-evaluate everything that used to indicate "normal holding pattern"..in my life. A full time job. Do-able income. Etc.
S.O and I, are by pure necessity...having to tighten...and re-tighten that old belt. I got laid off in 2009..then sep from the company 6 months later. The economy went so flat, that it will take years to recover. The company I was with.....hired full time with full bennies ......even perks......projected it would take them 5 years to recover. Maybe.
Then, H1N1 came about. I had it mild, but I still kicked my butt.
S.O....his job of 10 years at that point....lost customers, employees, payroll. All bennies cancelled. SO was sick with H1N1 for 6 weeks of late 2009, but orders were so non existent by then, he was able to stay home and not spread the flu. 6 weeks. And his employer....had to cancel all perks. Uniforms, health insurance, vacay/sick pay,no raises, direct deposit even. Everything ...gone....except his job and the ability to still go to work.
As we were enjoying our morning cuppa coffee this morning, SO made the decision to cancel an account he had had for years. A social network. One had paid a slight fee for 12 months of use. And, here I stand at my kitchen sink, hand washing the whites and hankies.....because the well runs dry when we use it for laundry in the washing machine. I only go to town 1x a week, for groceries. But even they get re-evaluated on a weekly basis now. Costs have risen so much...doubled on too many items. I am now back to using my calculator as I shop.....counting every dollar spent. I did that all the time as a young navy wife...way back when. Now, the need is back.
I am working on setting up my alterations business.....currently waiting on some paperwork back from a lawyer. This will be the 2nd week on that. The need to open my own business as jobs to be had here, despite of "promising" news reports.......still are just mirages. Tight...tight...tight. And,I have no problem living the frugal life. My dad was very frugal...to the point of stingy. He has mellowed a bit at 86.....but he wasn't when I was young.
We are raising chickens. They just turned 7 months old, and started laying eggs the other day...finally. But, being wild game fowl....they don't want to be caught acting like domestic chickens. I went up to sew yesterday.....after doing my laundry. Came back to the main house about 2ish. A hen was on the front porch, talking to her reflection in the front door glass. NO problem. I had let 2 hens out to free range. Well, went to the back to check the rest. 1 hen was in the tractor. The rest, and the roo, had escaped. Danngit. I chased chickens for 2.5 hours. Supper didn't get made. One hen would not go back to the coop. so, she was on her own last night. I'll be going back outside in a little while to see if she survived the night by her lonely self. No roost. No coop mates, no cover. No protection. SO says we'll just cull them all if they want to be difficult. Go figure, just when they start laying. Pffft.
So...life goes on in this leaky little lifeboat that sweetie and I row together. Sometimes, one of us has to row the whole boat. Let the other rest. Most times, we both row together. Just no telling where this grand experiment in life will take us.
The previous owners, an elderly couple...had installed a grab bar on the short stair way coming up from the new addition. We left it there. And have been using it of course. Any new remodel/repairs to the place, we have to consider accessibility. For the future. Some things, we can't change. Others, we will. But, it all takes time and money.
