Sunday

I'm not ignoring this blog - I've just been posting a lot more at KCL - KeepConnectedLive.com.
It is slowly seeming - at least the skeletal remains - of what was once the "Great JS". There are lots of new faces there as well, but there is definitely a good core of what used to make up JS. So, I'm slowly fading into the walls and becoming a small part of it over there.

However, for whatever reason, I feel more "freedom" in writing over here. I can't possibly explain it, so I won't try.

Anyway, I just spend a good portion of time pulling weeds out front. I have let it go - to some small degree anyway - because it's just been plain too hot and all the ordeal I went through baking in the heat last weekend without AC - just haven't wanted to do any of it. Which doesn't mean I got everything done out there - but I got a good portion of it done which makes me feel a little better about it.

Which also makes me want to get this drip installation system installed. It won't just save on water, it will only water the plants - not the weeds around the plants - and those weeds will find no sustainable source of water in order to survive. Same with the side yard - the grass and weeds that is an endless problem over there should die off substantially after I get the system installed there. It would be helpful if I could afford to install the landscaping rock - just smother out the grass and weeds - but I cannot.

Besides, that would entail a GREAT amount of work in hauling the rock over there. The closest place to dump a pile of rocks is on the other side of the house. Meaning hauling by bucketfuls or wheelbarrow fulls - I'm guessing I'll need about 8 tons of rock over there. Yes, that's a lot of hauling. I don't think a dump truck can make the turn around the back of my house - a small one could. It would be able to get the rock much closer.

Dunno why I'm talking about that - the money's just not there. The 401k loan is not for that purpose. It would be nice if the loan mod I'm getting would include a reduced interest rate - meaning smaller monthly payment - but I have no idea about that. I will definitely call Monday to find out the verdict. The guy was supposed to call me on Friday which he did not do. Perhaps he just isn't finished with whatever needs to be done to make a decision on my account. Regardless, I will at least have the money to make a payment next week which will keep the actual word: FORECLOSURE off my back.

In fact, with 2 tenant payments, a paycheck and a 401k loan all coming within days of each other, I will have quite a lot of money next week. The paycheck and the tenant payments are all accounted for: mortgage payment, car payment and child support. The 401k - a portion of it - will be dug into for making all those payments plus more. That's the point: That AC fix killed my finances. I don't know how long it will take to get back on track - I would like to not touch the 401k loan as much as possible. I figure a good 1/3rd of it will disappear initially, after that, I will fight to hold onto it as emergency monies. That may end up being a losing battle, but I will try my best.

The loss of the money to AC has stalled the car payment. I would have already made that and other payments. However, I have found out - the scary way really - that I can push it until another payment is due before they start threatening me with repo action. It's scary because really, they can come and take your car as soon as the payment is late. I am supposing not a smart move - I imagine a lot of people are late on all kinds of payments at this point. I figure most auto lenders probably give at least a month before they send out the "legal steal experts" to come whisk your car away in the night. Which is exactly what they do. If I were facing that, I could, potentially, lock the car behind closed gates in my yard if I thought I could come up with the money to make up the back payments.

I am not facing that - and I don't want to include the word yet. Instead, I'll remain optimistic about my employment status and hope beyond hope that I don't have to face getting laid off.

So - really - the only thing the AC chaos did for me was make me worry even more about my financial situation. I'm working towards getting something back from that - but I have no guarantees even with my relentless pursuit of "justice" is what I call it in this case. I do think it an injustice to some degree that I have to shell out that much money for a system that is a year and a half old - and that the main component - and probably most expensive - part in that system took a dump on me that soon. My system is working no harder than anyone else's - it's not like it's being abused.

Well, anyway, my watering duties are accomplished for today excepting I have the soaker hose going over certain spreads of plants that need a longer, slower, and broader watering than what I can do standing there with the hose going full tilt. Which is good, because it is frickin' humid out there and soon to transform to just plain hot. Humid in the morning - pretty much every day. Then the sun bakes it all out but the temps go WAY up. Six of one, half a dozen of the other - it's ALL hot!

Hope you all are doing well.
ben