keeping up

That pressure to give the kids a fun summer every year is a tough one. It's the busiest season for our business and it seems like every year, we struggle with emergency expenses. My truck, Butch, passed inspection, then broke down 2 days later. 2 trips to the garage, and $2500.00 later, she's running great. Our roofing truck, Stella, didn't even pass. She needs about $1500.00 worth of front end work, so she's parked while we think about what we want to/can do. For the time being, Yogi is only driving our 14 foot box truck, Gloria. She passed with flying colors. All 3 vehicles had to be registered as well, as both of our Birthdays are in June. Add all that to the $1800.00 we've handed our lawyer, the one we didn't really even need, and you've got poop soup. ShawnAlan's Birthday went pretty much unnoticed. We hung out up at my parent's lake house got him a cookie cake, and did some kayaking. My parents bought him a cool scooter. He noticed the lack of hoopla, in comparison to his friend's special days. Last week both youngest kids were sick with summer colds, sore throats and fevers. Ken is still getting over it. The last 3 weekends, in a row, have been stormy. We've had court, it seems, every Wednesday. The dogs both caught a skin infection at the swamp. I'm into that for 300$ already, and they both need one more shot. Our coon hound will need immunizations after that, and STILL needs to be neutered. Have I mentioned we are among the uninsured? The medical bills are mounting, especially mine, mostly simply because I have lady bits. Insured or not, that crap still needs to be.. um... analyzed LOL. I also suffer injuries now & then, and to keep doing what I do, they need treatment and care. The list just goes on and on and on and on. 

All. The. Time. 

I really thought we'd be in a much better financial place by 43&49. It just hasn't gone that way. I know we are not alone, and that helps my aching head, but not much. Seems everyone is struggling. My shrink seems to be doing pretty well. I should have gone to school for that shit.

Anyway, I'm always feeling some guilt about something. I hope the weather is decent this weekend so we/I can take the kids on the train ride we promised, or maybe go to a (sort of) local amusement park. Water park? whatever. Gotta do SOMETHING. We saw the ocean ONCE. On Mother's Day. While Jackson was MISSING. Fuckin' awesome. In Yogi's defense, he offered to take me to the ocean for my Birthday, I didn't want to, but I can't remember why, now. I think i was hurt.

Shawn's Montessori school closed for good in June, LONG STORY, so I need to register him for public school this week. I'm not thrilled about it, can you tell? It's only 2 hours a day-his other school was 4. After court tomorrow, (Tomorrow is Wednesday!)I'm taking the kids up to the lake for the remainder of the week, mostly so I can listen to Kendyl sob for her Daddy at night. He will come up mid day Saturday, most likely, then spend the rest of the weekend with us up there. 

On KoobFace, I read status updates about amazing summer vacations and cool day trips, and I feel guilty that we can't make those memories for them. WE do what we can. No idea if it's enough. 

Court tomorrow is another story... I will update you after it's over. It's been a long, crazy month, as far as that stuff goes, too. OY!

Xanax please!