Wednesday, September 14, 2011

One Year Ago - GBE2 Topic for Week #17

First of all, hi everyone! I hope y'all at least noticed I was missing over the past month. (I'm teasing.) I was working hard on genealogical research, so didn't have enough spare brain space to tackle anything creative. But, here I am and am looking forward to getting back on track.


This week's topic is "One Year Ago". I remember it well. One year ago, my son, his fiancee and my granddaughter were here with plans to stay put for a while. It was an interesting mix of cheer that they were here, anxiety because the local schools refused to allow my granddaughter to attend for even one day without their required FIVE proofs of residence (none of which they could get since they were living with us) despite state law saying otherwise, stress (when you go from two people with loads of living space between them to five people who were seemingly everywhere, it's difficult), opportunity (I hadn't seen my granddaughter since she was a month old, so it was time to get to know her) and financial worries (theirs and ours since our housing costs went up with the extra people in the house).


My son longed to be back on the job in Wyoming doing what he loved - being a rigger in the natural gas fields. My granddaughter wished she were in school and was missing more and more as each day passed. Her mother had her own issues, some of which spilled over on to the rest of us. My daughter was feeling that her privacy had been invaded despite that she'd never turn down her brother in a time of need. And, I was also feeling a bit cramped since I had developed a routine online and was making a little money doing this and that. Once five of us began to use the same computer, it became more and more difficult to get anything done or have any alone time to think creatively. It's not that we begrudged their needs (they had lost their home because my son's unemployment had run out and needed a place to live), but it was more that everyone's routines had been turned upside down. We just couldn't live as we had lived before their arrival. 


Despite that, it was so good to see my son again and to see how smart his little girl was. I enjoyed sharing different ethnic cuisines with his fiancee, who enjoyed trying new things. Eventually, though, my granddaughter HAD to go to school, so money was pooled and she and her mother went back to Utah in October just in time for Halloween. Paul stayed here because he had found work, albeit not as lucrative as the fuel industry, but it was a paycheck he didn't have before and he stuck with it until his sons' desire to see Dad (and his to see them) drew him back to Utah where he is today. He eventually was able to go back to his old job in Wyoming and is now able to provide for his young family and to get a house where they can all live without being cramped; one with a big fenced-in yard. He's very happy. He wasn't so happy here because he felt like he had failed his kids. 


So, that's how things were one year ago. Family came and went. My daughter sold her old car and bought another one. I sold my car to the junker because I couldn't afford to fix it so it would pass inspection. We gained a new kitten whose family had been killed by a dog but who had the wits to stay out of harm's way and survive. She is now a year old. My daughter broke up with her boyfriend of five years and is happier and calmer than she's been in a very long time. And, I still plug along, trying to earn money doing this and that online, looking for work in the community that doesn't require that I stand for eight hours or lift or do a lot of bending and finally getting back on track with my doctor's visits to better manage my diabetes. Because I'm not working, I have no insurance. But, I was finally approved for charity care through a local hospital, which means my doctor visits and lab work are free for a year. Even if I need hospitalization, it's covered. I feel a bit more secure knowing that's one less worry to deal with.

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7 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

So much can happen in a year, that's for sure.

September 14, 2011 at 9:57 PM  
Blogger Amy McMunn said...

It looks as though the year has brought you to a better place. I'm happy for that. Sometimes we inch along, but it takes looking at the big picture to see the progress.

September 15, 2011 at 9:07 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Wow Jersey, you are a busy girl indeed.
Back away from the computer and get ice cream.
I enjoy my family, but when I've had enough I garb a pint of Cherry Garcia and retreat to my bedroom.

September 15, 2011 at 12:02 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I definitely noticed your absence, and I missed you! If this year is better than last, that's a good thing. Hopefully, this upcoming year will see everything fall into place for you.

Did someone say Cherry Garcia? ;O)

September 15, 2011 at 9:38 PM  
Blogger SJerZGirl said...

Thanks, everybody! And, WN - I do so love Cherry Garcia!! (Kind of like Moose Tracks, too.)

September 16, 2011 at 12:12 AM  
Blogger pbquig said...

That was a year to remember, whew. I go along with the ice cream suggestion.
Pam
A Pirate Looks Past Sixty

September 17, 2011 at 12:20 AM  
Blogger Jo said...

It's good to see that the year brought a lot of changes and ended with life a little more sorted out. Head high and keep pluggin'.

September 17, 2011 at 7:56 PM  

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