Coming Into the Home Stretch

 Four months ago we were on the brink of foreclosure and was at my wit's end. Desperate times call for desperate measures and taking a plunge of complete faith made the biggest change I ever had, threw caution to the wind, pulled up my big girl panties and stepped out on that limb.

Four months later we have not only caught up two months back mortgage but are current and all bills are being paid on time for the first time in almost five years.

God opened that window we've been banging on and is beautiful on the other side!

For almost four months I still worked my other job as well, They had been absolutely wonderful to me and although hated losing me full time , knew it was an opportunity I couldn't turn down.

Three months in working seven days a week proved too much for this ole gal, especially with the stress of now commuting , maneuvering the city known as "Hartsfield Jackson" and battling public transportation wore me "Slap Out" as we say here in the south .

I went down to one day a week at my old place and after another three weeks, all bills were caught up and one morning  woke up and thought, "I'm really tired".

I spent almost three hours on my less than one page long letter of resignation and like a coward, simply left it on the desk in their office.

The wife understood, The husband is Italian and took him a couple of days but can see it in his eyes, he genuinely cares about me as I do him.

I was planning on working out my two week notice but when  stopping by the day before my last shift to see what time to come in saw I wasn't on the schedule anymore.

The owner was training two new servers and didn't want to bother him but he told the bartender to tell me he had relieved me of my obligations. (and said it very nicely)

You know, it kinda hurt, but in a good way.

Now I was not only the proud owner of a fantastically lucrative job, but knew Len wasn't mad at me anymore and was giving me his blessing.

I felt like walking over to him, kneel and kiss his wedding ring like grateful  poor peeps did to Marlon Brando in The Godfather but decided against it. Instead I spoke to him briefly on the way out and could see it in his face. It was okay with Len and he understood.

As I drove home in my still borrowed rental vehicle, it hit me like a wave.

The family restaurant I drove away from was my home for over four years and was a good home.

I was pushed out of my comfortable nest by necessity and despair. Yes I fluttered, flitted about and fell (literally off the Sardine Shuttle one day) but after three weeks was making more money than I ever have as a server after thirty five years...and liked the job!

I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop (which would be shoe number four by the way) but after almost four months feel pretty good about my leap.

Yes it's a challenge and yes it'a a lot to learn but I'm banking on Henry Fonda being right.

Dang, I'm home early on a slow night, still walked with over two Bens and now have two days off a week.

I think maybe God DOES like me!

Maybe He didn't like my often used jokes I've  stolen from others. My favorite one  is from Lewis Grizzard.

This past weekend I was talking with a bartender at my new job. He's a super nice and knowledgeable guy and pretty obviously "Fabulous." Atlanta was having a Black Pride Gay parade and asked  if he went?

He said no and the Phyliss Diller in me came back and said "Geez, did you hear about the two gay guys attacking a woman in Piedmont Park this weekend?"

He looked mortified as I continued to rattle on "Yeah! One of them held her down and the other one did her hair!"

That one gets them every time!

I even exhaust myself sometimes but feeling this great feels so absolutely wonderful after so incredibly long that I come back to this  solution:

Dr. Seuss was a pretty smart man too.

I have God as my Pilot, tons of champions behind me and the rest of my life to explore.

A very HAPPY COTTON

Make it Stop Please

I'm trying to stay positive and trying not to doubt but finding it hard to do. I've stepped out of my comfort zone and taken a huge leap of faith with this new job.  It's certainly not easy to take a job twenty five miles away when you don't even have a vehicle but did it anyway. My absolutely wonderful neighbors have been letting me drive their little spare truck to and from the past two weeks and wouldn't even have been able to finish my training without it. I wanted Tim to have his car here for job hunting and helping get Zach to and from work.

Well THAT came to a halt. I don't know why I even call home from work but I did when I took a restroom break. Tim had a lead on a job and wanted to find out how it went. What I found out was Tim' car went Ka Put. Zach had gone to the credit union to get a loan for a truck he's buying and barely made it back to the house in the car.

By the time I got home from work was more depressed than I've been in quite a while. I wanted to blog but felt so sorry for myself I couldn't think of anything positive to say, didn't want to start a pity party so just fell into bed hoping it would be better the next day.

I read the quote above a little differently. To me it says "No I am definitely not lucky and could sure use some but on the other hand I AM blessed because I am loved."

We found out today after Tim clunked the clattering car to our mechanic that it needed to go to a muffler shop and is where it sits waiting on the verdict. If it's a hundred dollar fix we can handle it. If it's not we'll be needing a miracle to fall out of the sky. Lucky for us, God lives up there so maybe He'll send the answer.

Once again I went next door and climbed into my freebie loaner from the best neighbors in the world and left for the airport convincing myself today would be a better day.

Quickly found a really close spot to park and made it into the train station right as a few drops began to fall. Five minutes later when I got off at the airport it was a torrential downpour. I usually go right outside and catch the shuttle bus to international but would have gotten soaked standing in the rain, even with my umbrella. I headed back inside to go through security and catch the underground Plane Train. I got turned around because I never take the Plane Train out TO the concourse, only take it FROM and wound up in the wrong security line with no employee entrance. There were at least seventy five people in front of me.

I took my chances and headed back to the shuttle bus. By the time I got back the storm had passed and the sun was out. I took this as a lucky sign as I got on the bus. The security line at international is much smaller and quicker to get through anyway.

I got there with some time to to spare. I sat down and got all my massive index cards in order and gave myself a mental pep talk before heading up the escalator to the restaurant.

Right as I started to step on to the escalator I saw a penny on the floor. I had to put on my glasses to make sure it was on heads before I dared to pick it up.

Yep! Another good sign. I stuck ole Abe on heads in my front pocket, took a big breath and marched up the escalator for work.

I still feel nervous every shift, training for a new job makes me this way. I've only had three jobs since 1981 and obviously don't like change.

I feel a little better with each shift though. I've learned what needs to be done and quickly do it without being told when I get there. It doesn't take a genius to realize how to bus or reset tables, fill up an ice bin or polish glasses and silverware.

I got assigned to follow a server I liked from the get go. She knows her stuff and knew I would learn a lot from traipsing along beside her like a ninety eight pound puppy dog so off we went! I let her lead and listened to her spiel as she greeted tables, making lots of mental notes. I rang in all the orders for her on the computer and after about thirty minutes got up the courage to greet the next table myself.

Yes my voice cracked like Peter Brady when talking to them and felt ill at ease about my spiel but did an okay job.

She made several observations and comments about what I needed to work on or change. She made the comments in a positive way and the way I gratefully took them. Before I knew it, it was almost eight o'clock. I asked if I could take a restroom break and trotted across the food court.

Sitting on the toilet, not having to pee took out my cell phone which had buzzed a couple of times in my back pocket during training.

I sent a dear friend from school a quick text updating her on my unlucky life's turn of events then clicked on a message from my daughter away at Girl Scout camp working as a counselor for the summer.

Guess she had read my sad post from last night about what a crappy day I'd had.

This is what she'd sent me:

I'm not too sure how my girl got so smart, certainly wasn't from me but the message came through loud and clear.

The part I liked the most is "Because, once we have overcome the defeats---and we always do---we are filled by a greater sense of euphoria and confidence."

I have a wonderful husband who has taken even more hard knocks than I have but still tries to remain positive. I have three kids who constantly worry about and take care of me and a network of family, friends and readers who urge and encourage me every day.

At least I still weigh more than the mouse above but feel like a giant tonight.

I don't have the new job down pat but finally feel like I can do it and really be good at it if I continue to work hard, ask lots of questions and try my best.

You know what?

I can and I WILL!

Til next time COTTON

Flying High!

This is the letter of recommendation my sister wrote for Massey when she filed for her college scholarship requests.

"I have never had a request for a letter of recommendation that was easier or more pleasant to write than this one for Massey Cotton, someone very worthy of your help. As a former high school teacher I can say that high school students with Massey's compassion are few and far between. She treats everyone with respect and is friends with students across all social, racial and economic strata. Kids with physical disabilities are just as likely to be smiled upon and treated as special by Massey as are the more popular kids, all of whom are her friends.

While her family has had financial struggles not of their own making the last few years, not only has Massey never complained or felt sorry for herself, but she has grown even closer to her family and is grateful for how hard her parents work. She takes her education seriously and works hard. I hope that she will be successful and make a lot of money doing what she loves. She hopes she can get an education so that she can be of help to others. How many seventeen year olds think like that? Massey is as unique as her name. She was given the maiden name of her grandmother who died at age 48, on August 19, 1977, the day Massey was born, 18 years later.

I thank you for your consideration of this most special girl."

You know, as a parent you sometimes get fed up with  your kids and all  that attitude they seem to get. Then  I stop and think back to the seventies when I was a kid. I was a selfish teen and put my Diddy  through the wringer after my own Momma died when I had just turned seventeen. He stood by me, paid for many of my mistakes and never stopped loving me.

 I was a little perturbed Massey wanted to go on a week long trip to Disney with  a high school friend for Spring Break  two weeks after getting home from New York but sent her on her way with minimal spending money...in other words all the money I had after paying bills. Her park ticket was covered by  the  family who took her but I had to give her something to take.

I was broke and for two days it was like watching paint dry at  the restaurant. Then the dam broke and suddenly I'm not broke!

It  was like people were just handing me their wallets and letting me pick out what I wanted. I got the cell phone bill paid, bought groceries and had money for gas in both cars.

When you've been broke for a few years it's the little things that make you happy.

I worked at  the furniture store yesterday and felt like the biggest loser ever. Not one sale all day. Now I'm reconsidering how smart it was to let Massey go to Disney. Then fifteen minutes before closing a lone guy drives up in a new Mercedes. You know me, I'm a talker. I found out he had recently divorced and the ex  made out a lot better than him, furnishing wise. He was sleeping on a couch. Long story short, he bought over $2200 and coming back in Monday to seal the deal.

I was tired but since the furniture store was closed on  Easter picked up a shift at  the restaurant. Once again, God smiled upon me. It took over seven hours but I  walked out with Ben Franklin and quite a few buddies.

I came home to a silent house. Ham and Charlie were asleep on the couch and Ziggy was in his crate.

I logged onto Facebook and saw Massey had posted photos from Disney. She was having a blast!

It all makes sense now.

It's not her fault...it's ours and lucky for us she doesn't blame us. She's a great girl and yes has her low points...cleaning her room or following through on household chores. She also has her high  points, great GPA, not a party girl but a loving girl. College driven and may end up being my and Tim's way into a really nice assisted living facility one day.

I made enough at work today to take tomorrow off and "That's what I'm talking about!"

Then I think about it being Easter.  We always have Easter at my sister's house. I worked, Tim worked and Zach worked. Massey was flying high on Dumbo.

At least I talked with my sis and at least we all have a  roof over our heads. At least my girl had one final Senior spring fling.

Walter came into eat with me today at the restaurant. This is a photo of him with his sweet wife who recently passed. I say if you make it to ninety two, you've won the battle.  His kids brought him for Easter dinner and we opened a back emergency exit when he left so he wouldn't have to walk so far. As I literally held him up, shuffling along in his bedroom shoes towards the back escape route, he patted my arm and said "Your husband would kill me if he knew I was hanging on to you like this." I told Walter "He'd probably  pay you  to take me with you."

I woke up yesterday, no day off in over a week and then some. I was ill and angry. Tim has been working a lot, but that's what he does...work. I, on the other hand work a lot too but also do laundry, keep  the yards up, sometimes cook and always clean up. I basically screamed at him before I left for work. He had two days off...in a row! I barked out that the laundry needed to be pushed through, house vacuumed and bathrooms cleaned.

When I got home it was like walking into a model home for poor peeps! All the laundry and dishes were  done. The kitchen was mopped. The bathrooms were mopped.

I went into work today and told Barb (my boss) about how much Tim had done. I said the only down side was he still isn't speaking to me after my tirade. She commented "Sounds like a win/ win situation."

So Massey is having a ball, as she should. I have a day off on Monday...as I should.Life's getting better every day.

You just gotta keep on truckin...and I will!

Til next tine COTTON

The Cold Sale

So I started my third weekend at my new part time gig. It's nice to be doing something different two days a week and after the week I had at the restaurant was sorta like a paid vacation. I'm selling furniture at a discount/no frills store. Low overhead, low prices and even lower temps. The place doesn't have heat which is fine when people walk in out of the cold and wind already bundled up  to spend a few minutes looking around. When you are there for ten hours, weigh ninety nine pounds and  a sissy when it comes to cold weather, you better be prepared.

I layered up every where but my feet. I was fine from the ankles up but forgot to put on some thick socks. I wore sock  tights under my jeans but like a dummy didn't put socks on over them. I won't be doing that again in this weather. Tootsie issue solved.

I like working there. The people I work with are nice as can be and very helpful to me.  As for my part...I'm learning something totally new and am pretty  much there for entertainment purposes between customers. A couple came in the store today who are regulars at the restaurant where I work. On their way out they stopped and looked at me for a few awkward seconds before asking where they knew me from? When I told him, he said he wasn't used to seeing me standing still.

LIGHT BULB! I'm gonna have to use one job  to network the other! I can do  the crazy  frenetic thing five days a week and the slower paced two days a week.  If I can keep  this up just a few more weeks I may be able to have a day to myself once a week. One day off is all I need...for now.

I wasn't on fire like last weekend but had two customers pick up items from last week and five minutes before closing had a woman come back and purchase a nice sized sale she had looked at  a couple of hours before. So I wasn't a total loser and have tomorrow to go  at it again.

I have my clothes all laid out...extra socks and my long trench coat with the wool lining. Like a dummy I wore my short leather jacket today.

It's different, but a good different. The more I learn the more I will be able to confidently sell. It took two hours for my feet to warm up when I got home but the pups were happy to see me.  The kids and Tim all asked about my day. I think this may work out just fine.

I'm heading to rest early, running on fumes. Like the health nut I am, have pizza rolls in the oven and three pups waiting for me to join them on the couch underneath a nice warm blanket. I have one more day to go and then have a day to myself.

It's crazy  the things you  are able to do when you have a family. It's a lot easier when family realizes what you  are doing for them and not only pitch in but pump you up.

Trying again tomorrow...in two pairs of socks!

Til next time...COTTON

It Was Worth a Shot

Still hanging on...my latest fiasco has been with my car. I have a 1995 BMW 325 convertible we bought with the insurance settlement we got when Zach totalled out my 2002 Passat. It's a rattle trap, all four shocks are gone, the radio hasn't worked since Tim put a new battery in and since we don't have an owner's manual, BMW wanted $175.00 to tell me the code to reset it. I decided to just sing while I drive. My back two tires were showing steel belts and  when I bought two new tires from my buddy at  the tire place he found a bad bearing in one of my back wheels. With no money to fix it he suggested putting the new tires on the front since the bad bearing was what was making the tire wear and shoving the two still good tires to the back. He didn't use the word "Shove" but that's the way I thought about it.

It's what I always do...shove something over or rearrange. Duct  tape is another thing I always use to fix things. Paper clips also come in handy and I love me some twist ties and Gorilla glue.

He put the new tires on the front and the semi good tires on the back and I was good to go! He told me I needed to get the bearing fixed because it would wear my back tire quicker and eventually the wheel would fall off.  Eventually to me, is a LONG way off and considering it would cost several hundred dollars to fix I told him I would save up the money  and come back to see him. He also told me it sounded like the rear end was about to go and I'd be looking at  a couple of grand when THAT happened and my best bet was get rid of  the car. I told him I really didn't have that option but it was nice to be informed.

It's taken six months but the bad bearing finally wormed his wicked way to my back tire that USED to be semi good. My  son noticed last week that I had steel belt showing again on the bad wheel.

Dang...what to do when you can't fix it with duct  tape or Gorilla glue?

Ding Ding Ding!!  (That means I had a brilliant idea)  I told Zach yesterday  to check the spare I have never even looked at in my trunk and see  what  the tread looked like. He said it looked fine so I said "Well slap that bee-otch on the bum wheel and let's get another reprieve!"

He and his friend changed the tire and the spare looked a little low so they drove it next  door  to my next door husband's house (who doesn't have Gorilla glue or paper clips but every actual tool you could ever need) and they pumped up the tire with his compressor.

As usual I woke up for my day shift with zero minutes to spare. Four minutes for a shower, three minutes for make up, two minutes to give the dogs food and water out back and out  the door I went!

There sat my little Beemer...with a flat tire. It used to be called my spare tire but now it was called a headache.

I called work and the owner answered. I told him I had a flat and he said "That's why you have a spare...start changing it." I told him it WAS my spare that was flat but I'd get there.

I called a taxi and the guy said he had two people in front of me and it would be forty five minutes. For Pete's sake...what's he got, one cab?

I  called my sister who was luckily at  home and came to my rescue within fifteen minutes. We pulled into the parking lot at work and  the cab I had tried to  call strolled across in front of us. Whatever!

The night before another server had called to say his mother had been admitted to the hospital and asked if I would work the night shift for him after my day shift. Number one I have GOT to quit answering my cell phone on my day off,  number two I caved and said I would...not knowing I would wake up to a flat tire.

After my sister dumped me off at work (only fifteen minutes late) I plotted my next  strategic move. I called another server who was sick and off til Friday and asked if I could borrow her car? She said sure and I thought about calling back the "One Car" Taxi service when yet  another server came into the restaurant to have lunch. I asked her if she could drop me off to pick up my friend's car when she left and she agreed.

I picked up my friend's car and headed to the high school to pick up Massey (who's car was in the shop) and took her to pick up her car. I made it back to work with five minutes to spare. (Spare being a good thing this time)

I woke up  this morning and decided to just take the bald tire to a used tire dealership and buy a used one. The first place I stopped, which SHOULD be named "Casa de Viejo Tires" was no help at  all. All the amigos were busy putting thousand dollar rims on used tires on pimped out 1996 Chevrolet's and Cadillacs and were no help at  all. Fat boy behind the desk told me to try somewhere else and when I asked where he replied "A mile or two down the road."

I went to the place my Bro & Law had mentioned and walked out twenty minutes later with a brand new USED tire mounted and balanced for $49.00.

At least I am on the road again! I tried a quick fix which quickly turned into a disaster, but at least I tried!

When I took Massey to pick up her car yesterday, the guy who sold it to us ( fixed her problems and replaced her two front tires for free) told me he would take my car on a trade for a 2000 Audi he had put a new engine in and let me make payments. I am tempted.

I love my little Beemer but I just can't afford fixing all his ailments. This guy can fix and sell him whereas I can barely afford the gas for him much less shocks, bearings and a new rear end.

I think this may be the way to go. If it were the beginning of summer I would balk. I never put my top up between May and late September. I loved having a convertible. I'm just gonna think I had a good two year run with my little buddy but it's time to turn him out to pasture.

I guarantee you when we get back up to snuff  I'll get me another little convertible Beemer. But winter is coming, we ain't getting richer as fast as I hoped and with cold weather coming it may be a good thing to have a hard top over my head again. Maybe the car even has a radio that works!


Take the good with the bad. When you hit the bottom there is nowhere to go but up, unless life sends you six feet under and so far I have manged to stay on this side of the dirt.

Life is like a roller coaster in the dark. You don't know when it's gonna turn or go down or up. You never know what is around the bend...just make sure you are buckled in and  make it to the end of the ride.

"Watch your knees and exit to  your left."

Til next  time...COTTON

Been a Busy Week

I've been meaning to blog but life keeps getting in the way. Work has been hit or miss and that always stresses me out. Sometimes I feel like I should be ashamed of how I put our life out here for everyone to read and see. Then I think about the millions and millions of others even more  unfortunate than us and think , maybe I can give them hope.

We are so close I can almost taste it. It will take another five years before we are back to where we were ten years ago, but I'm okay with that!

My neck has been killing me for over a week but then again my kids have been killing me for 26 years and I'm still here.

My latest current fear is my boyfriend of four years seems to be in a coma out in my garage. Johnny Dear fell ill two weeks ago and  after consulting with my older neighbor, Mr. Slow"Lee" determined I had to call in the big guns...my Bro & Law. My younger son thought it was the battery so he got a battery charger from my next door husband  on the OTHER side of our house and hooked Johnny up. The problem is he left the key turned on . Johnny sat in the garage on a charger all night but if the problem wasn't a dead battery...it is now.

It's like my sister said to me "These kids don't even help when they TRY  and why do we keep asking them to?"

My bro&law at least determined the engine was still good when he got Johnny to turn over putting a screwdriver to the switch. Visiting hours are limited so don't drop by without calling first...he needs his rest.

I'm headed to the John Deere place in the morning to get a new cut off switch for the seat and picking up a new engine switch as well.

Massey has turned me onto Icy Hot patches for my neck and they are the bomb!

Zach had the day off too so he has been on my computer all day playing some geek game with his buddy sitting on his lap top behind him. At least I know where they are and what they are doing... which by now is getting hungry. Once again no worries...I made a pot of spaghetti sauce last night big enough to feed the neighborhood.

I'm off again tomorrow but trying to pick up a shift. I got two out of three bathrooms cleaned, all the laundry caught up put away and feel confident that the new switch will bring Johnny back to life tomorrow morning and be able to cut the front of the subdivision for an extra sixty bucks.

Making me a big salad,  heating up some "Sketti" and garlic bread and taking in a little TV time. Those peeps on Private Practice are a screwed up bunch. They may have money and pretty clothes but if they don't stop sleeping around with co workers will be soon be inbreeding.

Next blog will be about "Honey Boo Boo Child" How stupid can parents be?

Til next time...COTTON

Everyone Has Their Forte' I Found Mine in a Junk Drawer

Everyone has their strong point, mine seems to be hanging on by a thread and making it all work out.

Last week was Massey's birthday and it exhausted my limited cash flow. I only took her and a friend to a restaurant she choose in Atlanta, but it took twenty bucks worth of gas to get there and back.

 Tim and I are getting her a car as her present, it's having a new engine put in this week. Tim's Mercedes was just killing us with gas and repairs so we traded it to the guy who works on our cars. He gave Tim a 2000 Volvo station wagon he had put a new engine in  and runs like new. Nice body and paint job, leather upholstery and is so much better on gas. Since the blue book value on Tim's car was much higher, he threw in a 2000 Ford Focus for Massey that he had and is putting a new engine in. After all is said and done, we got Massey's car for five hundred bucks and thankfully he is letting us make payments. The car is in great shape body wise and the interior looks good too. Tim's already paid him a hundred bucks and I am giving him another hundred on Monday. We'll have it paid off in two weeks if the tipping gods continue to smile on me.

I had just enough money  to take Massey for her driver's exam. Next problem was they want every document you  can imagine to give a kid a permit these days. Social Security card, birth certificate, certificate of attendance from her school along with a certificate that says she took the drug awareness program.  Dang, you'd think we were signing her up to run in the Indy 500.

I know I have her Social Security card somewhere but couldn't find it for the life of me. First stop,  the Social Security office. It took thirty minutes for them to issue her a new card. Next stop the Department of Driver Services...or as I like to call it "The Torture Chamber." Twenty people in line in front of us and another thirty sitting in chairs looking pissed. I'd say out of all the people in front of us, maybe a quarter of them had all the required documents they needed. Massey's appointment which she made over a month ago was for 9AM. They called her number around 10:30. Another set of papers were filled out and twenty minutes later they asked me to drive my car to the designated parking spot and leave all my paper work on  the dash so the examiner taking her for her exam would know we were next.

After the examiner got through talking to the ticked off mother of a girl she had just flunked and listed about five things she had done wrong it was finally Massey's turn. I got out of the car, gave a few last instructions like "Check your blind spots and always come to a full stop" I walked back to the sidewalk and sat down. You couldn't pay me to go back inside and I needed to be outside to listen for sirens once my girl left the parking lot in my car.

She passed!

By the time we got through it was almost noon...ridiculous if you ask me but Massey was on cloud nine. It was my only day off and we were both starving. I had two dollars to my name.

Here comes the good part!

While searching through every box in my garage and every junk drawer in my house for Massey's birth certificate, I found not only her birth certificate but a book of checks from my bank. I thought I was out of checks and never ordered more. (I'm bad with checks...see MANY previous posts)

I took that book of checks with me and we went to the grocery store...the grocery store that takes three days to clear a check.

I bought toilet paper, chicken for dinner, bath soap, breakfast cereal, milk, a big bag of dog food and staples I was out of...and enough food to last us a few days. I thought about it...if I write a check for twenty bucks and it bounces they will charge me $35.00. If I write a check for eighty they still charge me $35 but I have a kitchen full of food and toilet paper to boot!

It was wonderful. I made dinner, washed clothes with my laundry detergent and took a bath with a full bar of soap! I have been checking online and my skills seem to have served me well. It still hasn't cleared but I worked three shifts in two days and have my deposit sitting on the kitchen counter for in the morning...early morning.

Sometimes a momma's gotta do what a momma's gotta do. I know I shouldn't have but if there is anyone who deserves to be screwed to the wall it's banks. I deposited my paycheck last week before two and it took them almost two days to process it.

Working all weekend, getting back on track.

Massey had a great birthday, she passed her driving test, the dogs have food and so do we. I got lucky and made enough money  to cover it all and will go into work tomorrow and do it all again.

Life could be a lot worse if you ask me....and often times has been.

We are on the upswing, taking baby steps but at least moving forward! I still say I will laugh at all this madness one day and be glad I have it all written down to remember.

Never take anything for granted and be grateful for every thing you do have. I have a wonderful husband,  three great kids, three pups who adore me and a roof over all of our heads.

I'd say I am a winner!

Til next  time... Cash Flow COTTON

Typical Day (For Me)

Had to wake up early to take Massey to a funeral for her friend's step dad who died from cancer. I had to stop off  at B&L tire to drop off Johnny's old tire so his new one could be mounted. I dropped it off and got back in the car looking at  the clock and said "It's only 10:35 we have 25 minutes to get to the church." Massey said quietly "It started at 10:30." (I wondered why she kept rushing me)

NO WAY! I read his obit yesterday and could have sworn it said the service started at 11:00. Massey pulled it up on her iPhone and sure 'nough it started five minutes ago. Luckily we were only five minutes away from the church.

It's not the first funeral I've been late to and  probably won't be the last. We screeched into the parking lot of the church to find four cars in the parking lot.  I remarked it was a good thing "WE" came.  We got out and pulled on the front door...locked! I had Massey pull up the obit again and it even gave the address of the church we were standing in front of locked out .

We went back to the house to look at the newspaper I had read the obit in and Massey called the funeral home.  They informed us it was indeed at that church but was being held in  the "Contemporary Chapel" not the sanctuary. I backed out of our driveway and we headed back to the church to discover a road that led behind the church to the "Con-Chap" where fifty cars were parked.
For Pete's sake!  Now we were over thirty minutes late...a new personal record for me.

Massey was gracious about my goof and as we went in the front door we were met by the dude from  the funeral home who said we could slip in quietly . I asked if we would be entering from the back so no one would notice and he said yes. I've been late to funerals before and pulled open a door and had 200 mourners staring at me...not the best feeling in the world.

He was right and we quietly slipped into the back row to hear the minister giving the closing prayer. I told Massey her friend would never know about our goof but would be happy she had come to support her. Massey was the first person the girl hugged on the way out. I hated we were THAT late but at least we made it in time for this young girl to know  Massey made an effort to be there.

We left and went back by  to see if Johnny's back leg was ready. Not yet, so we bought a bucket of KFC and went home for lunch.  Being the old woman I am I took a hour nap since I couldn't cut grass. We went back and picked up Johnny's hind leg around 2:45.

Here's the thing...like an idiot I ordered a new tire yesterday but didn't even think  I needed to take the old one off and drop it by the tire store so they would have the rim to mount the new one on. I spent ten minutes in  the garage this morning (in my nice dress) trying to get the old tire off before we left for the funeral.  One of Zach's buddies recently fixed his hunk of junk car at my house and either hid or took every screwdriver and pair of pliers in my garage. Let me show you what I finally pried the washer off the axle with:

Does this give you  any indication of "How I roll?' I can remember one time when I couldn't get the cotter pin through the front axle , broke it and used floral wire to twist tie the front tire on. It only worked for 30 minutes but I got the front yard cut before the front tire fell off.

I came home with Johnny's new back leg and got Zach to lift his ole carcass up while I slipped on his new "Cinderella slipper." It fit perfectly!  Here was the next  problem:

I have learned to hate these washers. I spent forty five minutes trying to get  this washer back on. Broke two blood vessels with the needle nose pliers I borrowed from Mr. Slow Lee next door, hit my thumb about five times with the hammer I was using to try and knock this "BEE-OTCH" back into place and finally had to quit forty five minutes before I had to clock in at work. My hands looked like I had just replaced an engine, twice. I asked Mr. Slow Lee if he had some GO JO for me to wash my hands with to which he replied "Huh?"  Massey explained it was hand cleaner and he said "Just use gasoline." The thing is I HAD no gasoline. He had left me a two gallon can when they left on their eighteen day cruise but I used that up the first time I cut his yard (and mine) while he was away. After he went in his house and shut the door I sneaked into his garage and found a can of gasoline and poured myself a handful.

No time for shower but I got one yesterday.   I went into work smelling like gasoline with melted funeral makeup touched up and some extra deodorant .  Thank goodness it was slow and I was back home in my garage by 10 PM sitting on the floor in my work skirt with a flashlight and hammer, bound and determined to get  that stinking washer back on. (I was out of floral wire and bread twist ties)

I sat for a hour on the floor banging away at my thumbs more than the washer. I came inside and called my sister to ask if her husband was still up? He came to the phone sounding sleepy and told me to put each side of the needle nose pliers into the hole on either side of the clamp and spread it open while I pushed it into place.  Armed with a Natty Light I went back into the garage. No go!  I thought I was strong but just couldn't make it happen. Instead I put the pliers (which weren't "needle" enough) through the clamp while closed and opened them stretching the clamp open until it was wide open enough to bang onto the axle, then closed the washer shut using the pliers.

"Got'er Done!"

I was exhausted, my back was killing me and felt like it was going out again from sitting on the concrete floor for two hours but at least I had Johnny's hind leg back on.

Now all I have to do is wake up in five hours and vacuum the house before I go to work at 10:30 because Massey is babysitting a seven month old while her mom works the lunch shift with me. I don't usually worry about my floors, they are over five feet below my face but this little girl is crawling and I can't leave without at least getting her "crawling space" semi clean.

Coming home and cranking ole Johnny Boy up!

Why does every  thing have to be so difficult? Of course if it wasn't...I'd know it wasn't MY life. I kinda like my crazy difficult fly by  the seat of my pants throwing it together at  the last minute life...it describes me perfectly.

Til next time...COTTON