I loved the comments from readers about "Madly In Love". Thank you for taking the time to write a comment on that and other posts. I truly appreciate all my readers. I know it's a major hassle to leave a comment, but it sure is nice to have some!
On a scale of like and hate, I enjoy washing windows about as much as I enjoy dropping a hammer on my toes.
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| A certain little puppy dog, is responsible for some of the doggy slobber juice on my windows... Click to enlarge the picture, but don't let this ferocious dog frighten you! |
I recently cleaned the inside of the windows, well most of them anyhow. Lots of muck came off, sticking to the paper towels. I did this one evening while chatting away on the cell phone with one of my favorite friends. I clipped the phone to my collar, talked and washed. It made the work go by quicker. This was at night. In the dark.
I'm losing my cell phone soon, so I might as well enjoy the company of friends by phone, until the day it goes dead. My hospital bills are piled up on my credit cards. Each month, the bank raises my payments, so each month I have to come up with more money. So looks like the phone may be the next thing to go, until things improve around here. My book sales took a dive, I guess it's the after-Christmas blues.
If you have read my book, I am trying to amass 50 book reviews on Amazon. So far I am up to 28. Lots of readers have sent me their reviews, directly to me. I am flattered, no doubt about it! But Amazon won't let me post them. The reader has to post them. Even if you got my book from somewhere else, you can still write the review. A five star review is a HUGE help. *wink wink*
Rumor is Amazon will give me some free publicity, once I accumulate 50+ reviews. Wouldn't that be nice? Most people just read the books, they never write a review, it's understandable too. But reviews are a big, big help.
At daylight, I was up, expecting to enjoy my new clean windows with the sun rise. But you can't even tell I washed the windows on the inside, because the outside is so covered with water spots. *SIGH*
I'm in a ton of pain today. I tried walking the doggy, but we barely did a half mile, the pain was making me cranky. So that's why I was thinking of washing the outside windows. If I have to feel miserable, might as well do an ugly chore. Can you feel twice as miserable? I think not. Misery is misery in my book.
But I woke up with the mattress warmer on a high number ten setting. I think I've learned to adjust the temperature in my sleep now. I never want to get up, the bed is oh so cozy and comfy. But for some silly reason, I crawled out of bed to make coffee, nearly freezing along the way. So I piled on a bunch of clothes including socks and boots, then I turned the heater on. I probably should have done it in the reverse but I was half asleep and couldn't think much.
I just wanted to stay in bed, but it's better to get up and tackle the day, pain and all.
When puppy tumbled out of his bed two hours later, he saw me all dressed up, so he ran for the door. I piled on my heaviest jacket, actually my only jacket save for a white flimsy cover-up I own that is only suited for spring and summer breezes (but looks great with my summery dresses and sarongs!)
Yes, I'm a fruitcake. When I moved from the Caribbean, I had to leave many clothes behind. But I brought most of my Caribbean sarongs with me because they were beautiful. Some I use for table cloths outside, some I sleep in, and some I wear on summery days to feel closer to the Caribbean.
It's been hard to pick up and relocate back to America, after living in the Caribbean for 22 years. A lot has changed.
I often feel like, I landed here from another planet.
Sometimes people are impatient with me, as I navigate my way through modern American ways.
Some things I love about America, other things worry me greatly.
Personal freedoms have tremendously eroded. There are far too many laws on the books, plus way too many lawyers. Litigation and liability is at an all time high of ridiculousness.
If the USA could export their love for litigation, that would solve the trade deficit.
Well, back to the windows. I specifically liked this old RV when I was shopping around on my tiny budget, because it had nice big windows throughout. I need my views, where ever I am parked. When I get up, all the shades go up. The bathroom shade goes up and down a dozen times a day, because I want my bathroom to have the sterilizing effects of the sunshine.
Yeah, I'm a nut case, I flush the toilet, then open the shade again.
Recently I was a tad miffed because two of my shades broke, one was nearly new, a bit pricey too. But eventually they were repaired, with a big help from my traveling friend, who saw something I had overlooked in diagnosing the problems. All but one of my shades are circa 1994.
There is always something major or minor to be repaired plus the maintenance items.
Like washing windows.
The air conditioner and fan suddenly stopped working. Something else for me to attempt to repair. If I can't fix it then *ut oh* I may need hired help. That is always pricey, unless you luck into a handy man type that is affordable or should I politely say "budget-friendly".
I don't need the A/C but I miss the fan. I want the A/C repaired because sometimes I have one of my friends traveling with me, and they very often need it, even if I don't.
I'm not a cheapskate, but my current income is less than a fifth of what I used to earn before I was stuck in the hospital for so long.
At least I am alive with a place to sleep and food to eat and a doggy to keep me exercising to improve my stamina.
There was a year when I was a very young teenager, no where near 18 years old. I was hungry all the time. I had six eggs and a stale loaf of bread to stretch out each week for sustenance. The rest of my meager earnings went for weekly rent to a landlord who showed up every Friday afternoon collecting in person. I had to pay or move out within 5 minutes. I had seen him throw other people out this way. There wasn't much left over for anything else.
I dreamed about food all the time. The common porch area, came with a old-fashioned porch swing. I remember swinging there back and forth, every evening, staring at the sky, trying to think about anything besides hunger.
Once a week the zoo was free on the same day I was off work. I used to take myself there, I could walk there from my place. They were feeding the big cats one day. I was so envious of the large hunk of meat the cat was tearing with his fangs. My stomach made this loud growl, causing others to stare at me and someone snickered.
I ran home in tears. Isn't that the silliest thing? It's seems silly now that I write about it, but I surely remember that day. The next week I didn't go back to the zoo.
One night the neighbors, I shared the porch with, had me over for dinner. They fed me ham, mashed potatoes, corn on the cob and green beans. I tried not to make a pig of myself, but I savored every mouthful, chewing it super slow, wanting it to last forever. Someone had given them a ham and a sack of green beans. They were sharing it with me, I felt so honored. I washed all the dishes for them afterwards and kept thanking them so much for the food. They had no idea what a major treat it was for me, to go to sleep that night with a happy tummy.
I dreamed life would get better. It finally did too. Matter of fact, about a year later, my life took off, literally. After that tough year, I never felt the pain of hunger again. I sometimes think about other teenagers who may be facing really tough times these days or find themselves unexpectedly supporting themselves long before they are 18, like happened to me. I wonder if it's any easier now, or if it's worse. In my case, I simply lied about my age to get a job. No one asked for any paperwork.
Now you need mountains of paperwork to do anything in America.
I had to do major battle to get an American driving license when I moved back to America recently. South Carolina wouldn't accept my USA passport and current driving license from overseas, as positive proof of ID. It took me five trips over the course of months, doing battle with the DMV before I finally got a license to drive in America. I had already bought my motorhome and insured it. The insurance company was going nuts,calling me and sending me letters every week, reminding me to get a local license.
I keep dreaming now, it will get better. Maybe a year from now, I will laugh this all off. I am ever so lucky I have all the basics now. I have food, a place to sleep, and a doggy who has drastically improved my health.
I may be in pain, but I can creep around the galley, steam some veggies, make some rice, being extremely grateful I am alive and almost well.
It's a great day, cold weather and all. But it's so cold, I don't think I will be washing windows, until it warms up.
Praise be! Thank God, thank angels, thank the higher powers to be.
I woke up alive again.
With dirty windows.
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Maybe you should write a book about your life and why you were all on your own at such a young age. I am sure it's an interesting story.
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