And the Oscar goes to...my Hubby

My husband informed me at 5:30 this miserable, rainy, and sleep deprived morning that he has come down with the flu. What he really meant was that after taking care of the kids for the last two days while I was deathly ill, now that the little ones are running fevers...he's outta here. Why am I so sure he's faking? Well, after sporting temps of 103 degrees plus, and comforting babies with temps of 103 degrees plus...Hubby's is 98.5 degrees. Suspicious, huh? After having my body ache like it was being carved into little pieces by blunt steak knives, he is stretching out in the bed like a lithe leopard. And, the final piece of evidence I'll offer is my cat's testimony. My cat won't bother you, unless you are sick, and then he holds a vigil by your bedside until you feel well enough to find him some table scraps to make his cat food more palatable. My cat is ignoring Hubby, just like always. He says he's sick? Bullshit. Try lazy on for a better fit.

This is our second Saturday after the move. There is a phenomenal amount of work to be done. I wonder which adult just got chosen in the "Who Got Screwed" lottery? Oh, yeah. Me. ME, me, me. No big deal, I'll stumble around dizzy and on the brink of passing out while climbing ladders and shampooing carpet. Am I a lucky girl or what?

Getting back up on our feet...again

I know that I have been away from my blog for...forever, but, let me try to catch you guys up.

My husband has been home since September, when he was let go from his job. Things were really, REALLY bleak for a time. For example, it took dear old Uncle Sam 4 months and 2 days to supply us with an SF-50 (those non-federal folk, it is a required form to submit in order to get Unemployment) and so it took us almost 4 and a half months to get our first Unemployment check. With huge thanks to my family, especially my big sis, we survived. Barely.

Then, came the week before Christmas. That week brought an eviction summons from my husband's brother. Let ME tell YOU, that man has nothing on Santa. He gave up on us ever getting Unemployment and acted accordingly. So...Christmas and the month that followed were just hell for us.

How are you guys on miracles? I am reformed into believing. We called a former neighbor who had an empty place on our street. He came by the next day to give us keys. We are now paying *half* the rent we were. We have a bigger place. Brand new carpet, new paint, new stove, new fridge AND working laundry room!!! My dogs and birds have their own room now, the only room with tile, which doubles as my 'office.' Our whole family is overjoyed...and 100% together, something I worried (understatement) about daily.

As for everything else? Well, the job market is terrible here. There is so little road work going on that I am indeed panicky about Hubby getting a new job. But, for today, for now...we have had a miracle happen and we are content knowing that we can keep our heads above water, not comfortably, but, we definitely can. That knowledge is good for me for right now. Very, very good.

With our sudden change in circumstances, we trimmed off all non-essential perks like phones, internet, cable...paper towels. We are back on-line now, which we expect to make the job hunt more effective. It also makes blogging more accessible, and hopefully, my next post will be a more normal variety...maybe we'll talk about my teenager's report card...then again, maybe I'll post about something that doesn't make the little tiny blood vessels in my eyeballs rupture.

If you don't have anything nice to say...

Hi Guys,

Thanks for all your thoughts and well wishes. You haven't heard from me because I don't have a great deal to say. Unemployment hasn't paid us a dime yet. As a former federal employee, the state won't pay until the federal government furnishes them with my husband's wage statement...which they haven't done yet...it'll be three months on the 16th. That has left us scrambling to put food on the table and keep the lights on. Without my sister, this Christmas would not only be non-existent, it would be spent in the dark. My husband's brother is being more than patient about collecting his rent. The current stress level is mind numbing. To add insult to injury, Toby, my oldest cat, the love of my life, has been missing since Sunday night.

So...how are the kids? They're great! They have adjusted with grace. I know that I (just as you all know this about your own) have the best kids in the world.

Much love to all of you, you are seldom far from my thoughts. I hope that all your holidays will be filled with love, peace, and cheer.

Until the next time,

Viv

Raining...pouring

Our family joined the ranks of those faced with unemployment last month. I've been feeling a bit blue as a result. Starting to worry 24/7 about just about everything. Can't help but think, that I am ready to catch a break.

I'll try and get a proper post up here within the next couple of days.

Hey Y'all

The Proud crew is alive and well. My ISP is upgrading to a 4G network, and my 3G modem is pretty much worthless right now. My contract is up this month, so, soon I'll be back online, one way or the other.

The Summer was eventful, and uneventful, all at the same time. This is the children's second week back at school, so Summer, except for the oppressive heat, is over. BB is in 7th grade now, JB is in 5th, LB in 3rd. I'm tired of homework already, not sure where the kids stand on the subject, but, I'm a hater. I'm still wading my way through their packets of paperwork...perhaps I should have said mountains, and playing Homework Nazi to the children.

This is just a quickie post to let you all know that I'm still here, and hoping to come back to the bloggy world soon. Please drop me a line, or a comment and let me know how you and yours are doing, because I do think about you all.

Until a technological miracle occurs,

Viv

Little Bo Peep lost her sheep...and Viv found them

My vacation is taking care of my six kids, my flock of (20) birds, our six guinea pigs, four hamsters, and a total of fifteen dogs, seven cats, Boss Lady's flock of 11 birds, two bunnies, a bearded dragon, and their hamster. (They have two snakes too, which blessedly, have already eaten.) I am totally in my element here, I only wish that my children were far, far away from my element. This work-cation is really for them though. They have been swimming in the pool, running after dogs, playing on the swings, jumping on the trampoline, having picnics in the shade under the trees, and feeding crickets to the bearded dragons.

*I* have been cleaning bird cages, serving meals to the menagerie, and sweeping the floors six times a day. I keep hoping to have the energy left after the kids go to sleep to take advantage of the pool myself...thus far...not so much. I have been snuggling sweet dogs, turning a rescued puppy mill dog into a tail wagging, people jumping, pseudo-extrovert...which her family sees all the time, I am sure, but it has been rewarding to have her come out of her shell with me.

Entertaining the masses today (okay fine, just my aunt, and neighbor's family as he is doing some work on the property out here) and keeping the kids from drowning felt like a full time occupation today. I think that tonight I'll go to bed early (not too early, last let out for the dogs is midnight) and bring my coffee maker over here in the morning. I am in need of caffeine. This is day two without coffee...and you all know, I need my coffee.

In other news, my Lilly has been so flipping awesome with everyone. I'm so proud. My other dogs have been great too. Turns out that the snarling beast my Patty becomes when faced with strangers is actually just a bad case of leash aggression...who knew???!!!

I have a new bird, a quaker named Kiwi. Kiwi came into my life just a couple of days before we left, and he grabbed my heart with an iron fist. He is fifteen years old, and he quickly wrapped me and my favorite Nanday around his beak. Even the kids adore him. I was sobbing yesterday because I missed him so much (I go back everyday to feed and check on our crew with the exception of the dogs who came with) and was really sad to be without him. Today was better, he gave me kisses and accepted my parting gift of people junk food with much enthusiasm. My Nan gave me kisses too, and I miss them terribly, but, I don't feel as badly about leaving them today. It is especially happy that they have each other for company.

Boss Lady has around 5,000 cable channels. Whoot! Gather children, and let Dora work her magic, and have her wicked way with you. I know this a horrible substitute for mind stimulating, mother led, activity. On the plus side, working the remote is like a lesson in computer science.

Okay, well, I am about to put my midgets upstairs in the hope that they will go to sleep. I will slip out to the pool, and hopefully swim off a few of the strawberry milkshake creme oreos that I just ate...with fat free milk of course.

V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N

Tonight I blog from Boss Lady's home. We are house/dog/bird/etc sitting for her family this week. Tonight, is our first night here, and with the exception of one very headstrong dog who refuses to come in, all is well. This is the first night that I have spent away from my babies by choice in....well, ever. BB and JB are my oldest, and, the only two with me here tonight.

My dogs are here with us, and they are being amazing. They acted like they had been here all their lives, and their dogs acted like they had been reunited with their long lost siblings. Very cool. Very cool, because I was super stressed about it. All four legged animals are at peace.

I am almost in tears missing my birds though. It is really hard to be away from them, I know that my hubby didn't kiss our Nanday good night. My sun conure hates my husband, and the quaker and the green cheek really don't know him. My babies! *sob*

I am less worried about my children with him. They are all pretty vocal at this point, and they will demand things like food and water. He is extremely frustrated because he has to watch the babies tonight...oddly (or perhaps not oddly at all) I am not sympathetic to this.

Okay, well, I will try to blog a bit more frequently now. My home network went down again, and they got it back up and running just shortly before I left home...so...here is hoping that I will be able to access the internet on a regular basis again.