The year is almost done

As years go, this was better than some but could have been better. With Christmas three days away, the typical crunch for me this time of year is already here.

No  money, low on gas (I don't have enough gas to get to Amber's for Christmas this year), food in the kitchen at least (one of the things we are well stocked on) and the only gifts purchased were candy for me and sardines for Jon because those are special treats and we could use my food money on them. 

On the plus side, going to see the new Avatar movie today, been looking forward to it for years and yet am not that excited about seeing it now. It's like, it may be too much and cause too many emotions but I am obligated as a good friend (thank you!) gave me the money to buy tickets as a Christmas present. Besides, am I going to wait for 12 years for it to get here and then say, 'nah I'm good'? Hell no! There are so many things that will spark my creativity and imagination I can't miss this!

Will I watch the other ones, if they come? Maybe... we will see what happens in this one and what happens two years from now.

News from Amber, the friend that she had been doing home hospice for the last 10 years is moving to Montana to be with his brother. That's not necessarily bad but the way he told her was by way of his daughter who called and asked if she had talked to him. In other words, he's known for two weeks that he was moving and hadn't told her yet. He already put in a 30 day notice to the apartments he's in so... she's now out of a job. Good for her she has 10 years experience but her schedule with this one was so much to her advantage that she doubts she can get another one that pays as well with those hours. Needless to say she was pissed. She had already spent her usual amount on gifts for her kids and other people which means she has no check to look forward to in order to make up for that. They have been a one income house since her boyfriend is going to UCSD and has another year and a half before he's done. She worked, he went to school and when that was going to be done he was going to work and she was going to go to school.

Oh and her ex Dan is back in San Diego and wanted as much visiting as possible to see the kids, which she had to put a kabosh on because she has custody at this point and calls the shots. So two major upheavals in as many weeks is very stressful for her and her family.

We are hopeful that the COLA boost to our SSI will give us a little breathing room next month and going forward, as long as they don't raise the rent here again. Trying to stay hopeful and positive but you know how that goes. 

I'm doing a lot more cooking lately because we have the supplies to do so. Right now going to go put some potatoes and other things in the crockpot for a loaded potato dish and when we get back from the movie will cook a steak on the stove and make a mushroom sauce to go with it. Mushrooms courtesy of another friend that we did a food exchange with. Gave her all our surplus rice, beans and canned goods as well as some other things and in return got fresh veggies and a fresh loaf of home made wheat bread.

We have a bounty of food...life and love are there too.

Happy Solstice and all the holidays to come.