Going away party and we're not gone yet

10/11/06 Wednesday
I am not even in a good mood right now. Just got off the phone with Allen. Boy do I feel like a sucker. For three years I’ve been there for him. I helped him when he was recovering from blowing himself up in the fireworks accident, took him to the hospital, I’ve worked to get him approved for medical help from the state, got him on foodstamps (there’s 150 bucks a month in food), started the application process for disability, cleaned his place, busted my ass helping him get his garden together every year, and on and on. Now, the only time in three years I asked for help all I got was talk. I called Allen at 2:00 figuring he might be up and left a message on his machine. Called again at 3:30 and left another message but he called me back. “You need to stop doing that shit” he tells me. That shit is calling him more than once. “Oh! I’m sorry I inconvenienced you” I told him and hung up. I am tired of his whiney ass and at this point really don’t care to listen to crap. He can sit in his basement and have his one man pity party. He never followed through with any of the stuff I tried to do for him. Just sat on the forms he was sent from the government for disability and never filled one out. His life is a direct result of the decisions he continues to make and I tried my best. I’m done.

10/12/06 Thursday
Can’t believe it’s already 11:00. Yesterday ended in a real positive note despite my anger at Allen still resonating in my mind. We took Cherie’s family out to eat at the Mango Tree as planned. They were all able to be there including Nate

That was a question because of the big job in Detroit he was working on getting and the fact that his dad was in town. Glad he could make it. Here's Nate and his mom. She'll kill me for posting her picture.


We had an uproariously good time, laughing and joking and generally driving the other patrons of the restaurant nuts. The picture is of Joshua, Cathy's youngest. It was so much fun I wish we had done this before. I made sure to encourage them to order any and everything they wanted, that this was our gift. The food was fantastic but the fellowship was better. We took lots of pictures.


Cherie had three glasses of wine which is a lot for her (actually it’s allot for me anymore as we don’t really drink) so giggled and laughed just about nonstop. We all had a good time.
Here's Mom and Dad

It was 30 degrees out this morning and will only get into the forties so the cold weather is here. It’s going to be another fun day working on the trailer. Don’t know when we will leave but it’s nice to not be pressed. We will leave when everything is right. I wrote a letter to Allen to tell him what I think. I’ll have to wait till he gets his ass up to get it to him. Talking doesn’t work because of my emotional control issues so it wouldn’t take long for me to go off so the letter will be better. I just won’t leave with this crap on my heart. That’s the way I am.

Got to get moving now. I’m going to look at Cherie’s car again to see if I can get a CB radio in it. Not much space in her little bitty car. Then I need to figure out how to mount the CB I got for the truck. Got much more to do on the trailer also so despite the cold I’m going. At least it’s sunny for now though clouds are moving in.

It just started snowing. First snow for the year. Not much and it won't accumulate but coupled with the thirty to fifty MPH wind gusts it'll make working outside fun. I think I'll help packing inside some. Run out and work and come in to warm up.

Oh yeah, it’s cold out. Not bad until you get in the wind but until I make a back door for the trailer the wind blows right through. I bought a CB radio for Cherie’s car. It costs twice as much as the one I got for the truck but has a remote hookup so all she needs is a place for the microphone to hang. Cost a hundred bucks but you can’t put a price on safety. To be able to talk during the long drive will help us both a ton. Not as worried about talking to the truckers, in fact much of their chatter I won’t want to hear but it will be good to be warned about road conditions up ahead. I’m not at all worried about where the “smokies” are. I think that’s what they call the cops but can’t be sure. I used to have CB’s in the 70’s but can’t rely on my memories of CB language. I’m sure I’ll get an education when I turn the thing on. Right now I am confused about how to hook this thing up to the antenna. The magnetic base one for Cherie’s car is straightforward but the other one doesn’t have a co-axial cable, just two wires. Didn’t notice it has lights in it until I got home. Now I’m going online to the website listed on the antenna package to learn what I can.

I hate it when I feel stupid. Can’t understand or deal with CB stuff now. Slowing down, perhaps from trying to sort this out. There was nothing on the manufacturers website about how to install the antenna. All kinds of stuff about SWR meters but I don’t need that, just want to understand this one antenna. I’m really slowing down bad. Not a good time to talk to anyone at the store. Think I’ll call Nate.