Homelessness Hits Home...

The Bird Family tried everything they could to make ends meet. The gave up going to the movies, their cell phones, cable TV and internet service. They sold their cars and rode the bus. They sold eggs on the side for extra income. They cut their grocery bills by eating like, well, birds. But in the end the bank still took their nest.

As for me, I am managing to hang onto my property at present. I never had a cell phone, nor do I spent money on entertainment. Instead of going through a bank, I went to a mortgage company, and refinanced just before the mess got worse. Luckily just in the knick of time. My payments are one whole paycheck and the other paycheck is what I live on and pay all my bills. There are no luxuries here. I know that I am only one paycheck from the street myself and that is a scary thought.

My daughter and son-in-law as of tonight will be homeless with their two children. They didn't lose their home, they just cannot pay rent. The truth is, they are pretty much lazy and have had substance abuse problems. Long story, those two adults have bent all of us (mother-in-law, father-in-law and me!). If it were not for the kids, their pawns with which to extort, they probably would have starved by now. As it was they were selling the food stamps for cigarette or "run" money, and ended up getting kicked out of a Suboxone treatment program. I now wonder whether or not my daughter's panic attack was partly anxiety and drug withdrawal going on as well. My concern is not necessarily those two, but the kids. I am sure little Isabella at seven years old must be pretty scared about what is going on, and she has been through a lot. Wyatt will be 3 years old July 4th. I got a phone call earlier asking me if I would keep the kids tonight as they were having to move all of their stuff out tonight of this rental house, and I told them I would, however, at 10 p.m. I got a call back telling me the kids were with mother-in-law, which is fine, as neither one of them work and have time to dedicate. Work for me starts early at 7 a.m. sharp! My daughter says they are moving into a shelter, who will in term help them find a place to live ... till next time ...

In other news, my teen called tonight, she got a 5 minute phone call. She seemed very upbeat and I was happy to hear that she was working hard and taking responsibility for her own decisions and consequences. She had talked to a social worker and was fairly certain that she would come home to stay in early July. I told her that is what I hoped for too, that she certainly gave herself a dose of harsh reality in involving the law over not wanting to follow rules at home?! I think she will finally grow up a little and move forward. I sure hope so.