Welcome to another Friday. The Florida Meet up is happening tomorrow, but as of the time of this writing, we don't have a way there, so we're probably missing out on this one. Sunday is going to be grocery day because our SNAP comes in, so we have that to look forward to at least.
As you can see by Itzl's concerned look, this group is for us to check in at to let people know we are alive, doing OK, and not affected by such things as heat, blizzards, floods, wild fires, hurricanes, tornadoes, power outages, or other such things that could keep us off DKos. It's also so we can find other Kossacks nearby for in-person checks when other methods of communication fail - a buddy system. Members come here to check in. If you're not here, or anywhere else on DKos, and there are adverse conditions in your area (floods, heatwaves, hurricanes, etc.), we and your buddy are going to check up on you. If you are going to be away from your computer for a day or a week, let us know here. We care!
IAN is a great group to join, and a good place to learn to write diaries. Drop one of us a PM to be added to the Itzl Alert Network anytime! We all share the publishing duties, and we welcome everyone who reads IAN to write diaries for the group! Every member is an editor, so anyone can take a turn when they have something to say, photos and music to share, a cause to promote or news!
OK, we do have a diary schedule. But, when you are ready to write that diary, either post in thread or send FloridaSNMOM a Kosmail with the date. If you need someone to fill in, ditto. FloridaSNMOM is here on and off through the day usually from around 9:30 or 10 am eastern to around 11 pm eastern.
Monday:
BadKitties
Tuesday:
ejoanna
Wednesday:
Caedy
Thursday:
art ah zen
Friday:
FloridaSNMOM
Saturday:
broths
Sunday:
loggersbrat
I really hope we can somehow go, but I'm not counting on making the meet up at this point.
One of my favorite authors wrote in one of my favorite books: “She wondered that hope was so much harder then despair.” (Patricia Briggs, Cry Wolf). Often times of late that feels way too true. I've been really struggling of late. Financial stresses have been greater now that Draco aged out of child support, FlDad's check is getting garnished for student loans, and our food stamps only went up by $3 after all that (which equates to a $484 deficit from our budget every month which we couldn't afford). Caedy has gotten a couple of raises, but where she was getting about 32-35 hours a week, now she's lucky to get 30. Oh she's still working 5-6 days a week, but many of the shifts are only 3-4 hours long. And this in the middle of summer. I hesitate to think how much her hours are going to be cut once things slow down in the fall (before Christmas shopping season sets in).
We tried bundling cable/internet to save a few bucks, but that's backfiring on us, because they slammed us with connection fees and service call fees when their net keeps going out and they keep having to send techs out (they didn't tell us THAT was costing $30/visit for a problem with their equipment and their lines). And we're still having sporadic network failures, sometimes for a few hours a night, so paying for those service calls hasn't even fixed the problem. But we can't afford to keep calling them. So if we go silent, that's why, and if that happens I'll check in from the library when I can. It's going to make home school that much more difficult, we'll have to do some of that from the library as well. Thankfully Bit has her tablet and that's pretty easy to carry over there.
I have to re-apply for food stamps by the end of September. I'm afraid to do it. Every time I apply they find a way to cut them further. I honestly don't know how we're going to take another cut. If we're lucky either Caedy will find a better job or Draco's ongoing job search will bear fruit. Otherwise I may have to go AMA and try to work, though that won't last long, I'll end up having a seizure at work, or stop breathing, or end up in the hospital and that will be that.
If our LiHeap application is ever processed (we haven't even gotten the interview yet), that will help greatly. They are backed up by several months however, so by the time that comes in, it won't be helping as much as it would be now when the electric bills are so much higher. I guess next summer I need to apply in April or May.
When you're poor, if you're not psychic, you're screwed. It's just the way it is.
Sorry to be such a downer today. I hope everyone's weekend is great. I'll be around as I can.