My brain is empty today. All the crap going on in our government just disgusts me and what really angers me is the stupidity that's being perpetrated on both sides so I simply can't allow myself to muster the anger/energy to raise my blood pressure which is a bad idea for me anyway as y'all well know.
I just heard yet another congressman mourn poor old ladies living on 19K a year. If I got 19K a year, I'd think I was rich. Sigh. I get less than half of that so when I say that I'm poor, I'm not lying or exaggerating.
My son called early this morning and told me that he was headed my way but may not have time to see me. His best friend's dad passed away and he's just coming in for the funeral and will be driving back to Kentucky post haste. This touched me, too, because I knew Tommy's dad. I spent 6 years living in the same neighborhood, attending school, and graduating from high school together in 1965. We weren't good friends but when I think of him, the words 'funny' and 'pretty nice' -- mostly because he didn't tease me a lot. His son and my son have been best friends since their freshmen year in high school (the same high school as his dad and I did) when they began playing high school soccer 22 years ago. Tom Jr. calls me 'Mom' and my daughter 'sis' because he was an only child so he counted our family as his. My son called his mom 'Mom'. We joke that they needed two mothers. I guess I have to go to calling hours as much as I hate them. Eric can't stay long -- Jen and his boys are now in Kentucky and school starts this week -- and his swimmers are back to begin training -- not to mention that he and Jen are getting settled in their new home. I don't know if I'll see him or not but I do understand if I don't get a visit.
Hope y'all are having a great day!
Happy Blogging!!!!
Kay
Hi Kay,
ReplyDeleteDon't feel alone. My social security is less than half that $19,000 also. I think there are a lot of us who didn't start working until we were older and just didn't have that much of an income.
I hope it works out to see your son. It is usually a positive thing, but maybe not so much in this situation. I hate it when people who are good folks in my memory are suddenly gone like that, especially if it has been a long time since we'd seen each other.
ReplyDeleteYou are a very understanding mom with a good attitude. Your son probably feels badly about not having time to visit you, but funerals won't wait.
ReplyDeleteMy S.S. is a tad more than half of $19,000 but not by much. I am grateful that it is enough for me to live independently and to survive.
Kay and Linda... you are so right.. I don't get even half...and when they said that those of $55,000 were poor, I thought what the HECK..am I .. I didn't make that when I was working.. as my dad use to say.. the rich get richer and the poor get more kids... lol.. guess that was were I came in.. with my 8
ReplyDeleteI would like for something extremely nice to happen to you in the very, very near future. May it be so.
ReplyDeleteAnd I admire your son for calling to tell you he'd be near but unable to visit. It would have been very tempting to have bypassed that call. Boy's got character.
I have a friend who lost his job in 2009 before he was eligible for Medicare. He wrote a letter to all the local and state politicians and, on a whim, sent a copy to the President. His letter was chosen as one of six and he was invited to the White House for the signing of the Patient Care Act.
That didn't fix everything, but he says it changed his life entirely and in positive ways. We do what we can. We vote, we try to become involved in campaigns in some fashion, we blog, and we write letters.
I consider your blog and your contributions to other blogs to be a real service.
Nance said it very well.
ReplyDeleteLinda: I'm not complaining -- just wondering if they realize that lots of us are worse off. My then husband and I felt it was best for me to stay home and I think it really was.
ReplyDeleteAITBR: I do, too but I'm also glad that he takes his family obligations seriously.
Darlene: I hear ya! My point is that I wonder if those Congressmen realize that lots of us get lots less. Eric is a good man. I'm just glad he can be there for Tom.
Word: I hear ya!
Nance: Thank you!!! And yeah, my son has. and is a, character -- he's also a wonderful husband and father which is as it should be,
And I'm not really complaining -- just perplexed that they mention such a high income when most of us get lots less.
My blog is just how I feel and yes, I'll be helping with the coming fight for SB 5 if I'm well enough.
Lorna: Awwwwww shucks!!!!
I can't bear all the politicking and bull***t that is going on...I have stopped watching the news--It Is Too Damn DEPRESSING!!!
ReplyDeleteI hope you get to see your son--even for a minute...But if not, well, that is life, too, isn't it? It's lovely of him to make the effort to come and be with his dear close friend ...!
Take Good Care, My Dear.
Kay: I can't imagine how you get by. And how much time you have to spend dealing with social services.
ReplyDeleteI'll tell you one country where women don't pay a penalty for child rearing, and that's Switzerland. I get an $800.00 a month pension from the Swiss government for the 13 years I spent bringing up my children in their country. They would consider it a disgrace to have a lot of old women struggling to survive after they had spent so many years taking care of households and children.
Those funny Swiss!