Friday/More

Just got back from a long hike in the mountains with the dogs. There's always people up in there - miles and miles of trails - run into hikers and mountain bikes. They all just stop what they're doing when those Danes come trotting by. Those dogs were huffing and puffing hard going up and down those steep hills - it was a good workout today as I ventured further in and forced them up and down more steep hills. My goal: get the energy totally out and have them knocked out for the evening.

The Mary Report:
Just a series of emails, a lot of trash talking from her. As she progresses with her make-believe, the story gets more and more rife. The whole thing at this point is a fabricated, out-right lie. Seriously. I wrote her back and asked her to calm down, get out of the emotional state of being, sit back and take a rational look at this situation.

She wrote back and said she couldn't deal with my email anymore and that she would delete every one I sent and not to write her anymore. THEN, she writes me AGAIN - does this sound like the doings of a rational person? - more jive. She tells me the room is empty, cleaned out and the door is unlocked.

I write back: Not good enough. I need for you to actually give me the key to the room. That signals that you are giving up ownership of it. I'm not going to get into court and have some technicality thrown at me that yes, she emptied the room, but no, she didn't give me the key, therefore, she didn't lawfully give up the room. It says it in state law - that's what she must do. If she doesn't, I ain't bitin'. I did write up another Craigslist ad, though, in case she does hand me the key, I could use some rent money, even though I totally do not want 3 tenants in here.

Plus the fact it might not be such a good idea to try to get anyone else in here before I get her out. Still.....

I've been informed by Michael that a certain relative of his that owes me $300.00 from 14 months ago is going to pay me back when they get their tax refund.

I had totally blown it off. In fact, I had totally blown off the entire family sans Michael and getting anything back. This is not, BTW, the monies owed me to replace the broken - still broken - windows. That is Anthony's deal - though parents are held responsible. I could go after the mother - she has been working for quite a while now, no small miracle in itself - but I am not at this point. That judgment apparently sticks with Anthony all the way up until he's 18, and then you apparently have to file something to keep that judgment on him afterwards.

Oh, and though I don't know this for a fact, it's QUITE obvious they are now living on free rent subsidies. There is NO WAY they could be paying for that townhouse AND buying all the junk they buy on her income alone. Which is one reason I have given thought to going after that $600 plus or minus to get those windows replaced. If you are new here, well it's too much of a story, but I have 3 broken windows thanks to Michael's older brother. The kid went to jail, went to court, agreement to pay was made. I have not had the windows fixed because they are double-paned windows and only the out panes are broken. If both panes were broken on any or all of them? I dunno - I would have figured out something. THAT might be a situation where I could sell the old car to get them fixed, or even try a trade.

Right now, I'm just trying to stay afloat, those windows are FAR down the list of priorities. Like, at or near last place. Ken just paid me today his bi-monthly rent. That's $200 and $150 in the bank. I get paid next week - all of it goes to the mortgage. I have $350 to last 3 weeks unless I either am able to rent out the now vacated room - providing Mary legally gives it up - or she actually pays me the rent. We'll be going to 2 months behind in rent shortly. It's the 23rd - the end of the month draweth nigh.

I'm saying that $350 is not a lot of money to last that much time. I have resisted applying for a second job after I finally just gave up on the idea. Fry's still looms in my mind as a very-real possibility. I just don't savor the idea of working 2 jobs again - I hated it last time I did it, I hated the time before, I doubt I'll like it this time around. IF I can even GET a second, part-time job. What chaos it is out there - 2 million people were dumped last year, more every month. Giant labor cuts are announced daily or at least a couple of times per week. The gurus of finances are finally admitting this year is probably going to be FAR worse in terms of the housing chaos than last year.

I'm cutting back on lots of things that can be cut back on. Unfortunately for the doggies, I have cut out the Iams. The store I was buying it at raised their price - out of my range. I am now buying 50 pound bags at $16.00 per bag and then supplementing it with scrap meat that I have after cooking. Just want to make sure they are getting sufficient protein in their diet. Scrap meat - equals the junk you don't want to eat that dogs eat with gusto. They don't CARE what part of the meat it is, they'll consume it hungrily. They don't get the bones, though. Well, if it's LARGE bones they get those, but chickens don't have large bones. Plus, those kind of bones splinter easily and can do damage to the innards of the dog - stomach lining and intestines.

God knows that dog eats. I just fed them - Duke is a giant PIG. He eats and eats and eats. It's amazing he isn't fat as a whale.

Ummmm, anyway. I'll just sit here and mull these series of problems that are facing me and go and enjoy everyone else's entries.
G'nite.
ben