HOORAY!! I can type again!

I was bit by something, a spider more than likely, on my right wrist and it became infected badly.  My entire hand was swollen and it felt as though it was on fire.  In fact, it looks like I was burned; I have a spot on my hand now that is brand new tender skin, just like after a burn.  I will have a nasty scar, too, but I am past the worst of it (I can see my knuckles for the first time in weeks!).  It doesn't hurt anymore but oh my does it itch!! There were a couple of days I was worried I might actually lose my hand.  I have never had an infection that bad and hope I never get one again.  I did go to the doctor and she put me on some heavy duty antibiotics, which I just took the last of last night.  She didn't know what could have bit me but she did say it was a staph infection.  It was the grossest, nastiest thing my body has ever created, I'll say that much!!

Did I mention I have 2 new roommates?  We are a funny 21st century Three's Company, for sure, but we have fun together.  At first I wasn't sure it would work out but it does.  John is 26, I'm 48 (I just had a birthday a couple of weeks ago, took my grandson's to see The Avengers, very awesome movie!) and Pat is 68.  We look out for each other and take care of each other and somehow it works.

Yes, I had a birthday.  It's hard to believe I'm actually 48.....what an impossible number, it seems.   I remember  before I bought my home, I had a goal that I would own my own home by the time I was 42.  It was a goal I made but couldn't hang onto.  And it wasn't totally my fault but I do have to take some responsibility for how things turned out.  My goal for age 50 is different, I want to have a degree by the time I'm 50.  That's something I can hang onto no matter what.

And I am on my way.  I begin classes in 2 weeks; my tuition isn't paid for yet but will be and I have all my books.  I'm a bit excited, it will be good for me to be able to have a routine that takes me out of the house every day.  That's something I have craved for a very long time.  I've been afraid that I might not be able to do that (I never thought I would be scared to leave my home but sometimes I am; it's something I realize I have to overcome if I'm going to be healthy) but I think that this will help me get used to getting out more often, I will be able to get used to it and build on that.  Having John and Pat around helps me, too.  For too long I was alone and I never realized how easy it is to get used to being alone.  My original plan was for my kids to live with me but I think this is better in the long run.  I've been living with them for most of my life, it's time for me to spread my wings, so to speak.

Now that my hand is healed I can begin looking for work again.  I finally got my drivers license for Nevada and while I was there I picked up my driving record.  I was thinking at the very least I can deliver pizza's on weekends (I won't be in school on Friday's, Saturday's & Sunday's) or something along those lines.  Also, there is a convenience store being built around the corner from my house so I will apply there.  I don't want to rush anything but I do need to work.  I have a couple of Avon customers but not enough to help yet, although I'm trying.  It's the getting out and meeting new people thing that holds me back.  I have to come out of my shell more, I suppose.  And I will; it just wont happen overnight and I know that.  But I am excited more than I am scared and I guess that's a good sign.  

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Good news, better news and GREAT news

My electrician was telling me about this elderly woman he knew that was in a terrible place.   She was renting a room from a lady who's son also lived in the same house.  Well, he and his friends are junkies and apparently these people were robbing this woman blind.  She couldn't even go to the bathroom without them stealing her wallet and even though she would put her medication (she has terrible arthritis and has to use a walker and she takes pain medication) in her pajama pockets she would wake up in the middle of the night with someone trying to take her medication OUT OF HER PAJAMA POCKETS.   I just couldn't stomach that so I moved her into my house.  The first thing she did was lay on her bed and sleep for about 14 hours.  When she woke up she looked so much better, it made me feel good that I was able to make such a difference that she would feel so comfortable in my home she could actually sleep.

Now I have 3 adults who are helping me with the bills.  It's a bit tight (four adults in a three bedroom house) but we will work it out.  My daughter was supposed to move out at the end of the month but she can't get into her new apartment for some time (she's on a waiting list) so I told her if she wanted to stay here she had to pay me rent and she agreed.  So getting help with the bills is the good news.

The better news is that I have been approved to receive a scholarship!!  I don't know yet how much the scholarship will pay but anything is going to be welcome!!  I just enrolled for my first classes that begin in June and I'm a bit excited about going back to school.  It is a little overwhelming because the school is huge and it's not like it was in WA, where everyone I was going to school with were my age and even older.  I will truly be one of the oldest students in my classes this time but I'm not going to let that get to me.  I will try to use it to my advantage.

And the GREAT news is that I will get to see the First Lady next week!  I have been volunteering for President Obama and the lady I have been working with just called me to let me know she got me a ticket to go see Mrs. Obama.  I'm very excited....well, I don't know if I will get to meet her face to face (and me without a camera, darn it!!) but I will at least be able to see her speak in person and that is just as good to me.   I have been volunteering with Women for Obama here in Las Vegas since I moved here.  It keeps me busy but it also is important to me to re-elect the President (even more important now that we know who the GOP running against him is, don't get me started, HA!).  I have never done anything like this before but I do enjoy it. Volunteering, at the very least, gets me out of the house once in awhile and boy, I NEED that sometimes!

No, I still don't have a job but now that I have enrolled in school I know what my schedule will be like and I am trying to get a job at the school (I've given them my resume, plus I'm on a waiting list for the work study program).  I am still, however, going on interviews and putting my resume out there.  I really think the fact that I was a Manager in my last job, that may be what is holding me back.  So today I am going to redo my resume and just put that I was a cashier.  It wouldn't be a lie, the only problem is when they ask me how much I made should I down play that too??  I think I should, then again, I think I should get some advice from someone first.  Well, that's what I'm doing today.  That and waiting for the AC man to come get my AC working, it's gonna be needed this weekend.

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Things are starting to come together

The first couple of weeks in our new home were very frustrating.  The electricity didn't work at all and the electrician was dumbfounded as to the problem.  We couldn't run two electronic things at the same time, if we turned one thing on, like the dryer or the computer, it would suck all the juice out of whatever was already turned on.  If we started the washing machine or the dish washer ever light in the house would turn into a strobe light.  My daughter and even my neighbor made jokes about the house being haunted, and I was starting to believe.  We finally found out that is wasn't in the house at all, but the wiring coming in from the city.  Once they came out and fixed it everything works wonderful now!

We didn't have any furniture at first and we were piggy backing off of someone else's Internet, until they didn't pay their bill I'm guessing because the Internet was down for a few days right when we were getting information on job interviews.  So I broke down and turned on cable; with Internet and phone.  It was actually cheaper in the long run if I got all three (under $100 for the first 6 months, then I can cancel if I'm not working yet).  I got a great deal on some furniture.  I wasn't able to do the "Made in America" plan I had hoped to do,  I got 2 recliners and a sectional for less than $100 (with and that includes the truck rental to get the furniture home!).  Now we can sit down in the living room.  It was almost strange at first, sitting in my own living room.  I sat on the couch and just looked around for awhile, to just enjoy that small victory.

I have an appointment tomorrow for a grant with Vocational Rehabilitation, I have signed up for school and took (and passed) my placement tests, and next week I have an orientation at school for the Health Information Tech classes I will be taking.  I will have to be approved for these classes ahead of time and I have some pre-recs I have to take before they will allow me in but I have no doubt I will be approved.  Classes begin June 4 and I plan on having all my ducks in a row long before that.

I have been sending my resume out to everyone and going to many interviews.  My daughter has a job now, so we have to share the car.  Which means we are putting a lot of gas in the car.  The two of us have filled the tank (at about 50 bucks a pop) about 4 or 5  times since we moved into this house.  I would get a bus pass but we are both broke right now, I am considering getting a scooter for myself.  Or two....

I signed up to sell Avon.  I am really not expecting to make millions, but if I can make a little extra on the side I would be happy.  At any rate, I will get a big discount on my own make up!!  I spend about an hour a day on that, the rest of my time is spent on job sites.  I'm actually getting sick of my computer.  Every job I apply to I have to go through the questionnaires, and that takes about an hour (or two, sometimes).  It's frustrating because I am answering the same questions over and over again.  There really should be one site where I could go to and just fill out the information once and then send that to each employer.  But I am getting a lot of calls back and going to a lot of interviews and I am bound to get a job somewhere.

I'm afraid that my past job being a manager is what is holding me back.  I really need to sit down with a job counselor, and I will be able to once I have put in all that fun paperwork for Voc Rehab.  At this point, I'm almost ready to hold a sign for a tax company.  But I'm not going to give up just yet.  I just got here and I knew before I ever left WA the jobs wouldn't be dropping in my lap, that it would take some work.  At least I have a bit of an income right now, which is more than a lot of Americans in my position can say!!  So I am thankful for what I have and I am thankful for this opportunity to make the most of my situation!!