Monday, February 21, 2022

Looking for Signs of Spring

Began a sunny, beautiful President's Day morning with breakfast and Mickey and the Roadster Racers. Mickey and the gang help Commander Heist "Stop Lazlo!" when his cat steals Professor Ludwig Von Drake's Smarty Hat and uses it to steal the secret formula for Hot Dog Hills hot dogs. Minnie, Daisy, and Cuckoo Loca help groom pooches for "The Hot Diggety Dog Show," including Ivy Beaglesnoot's prize pooch Champ. Cuckoo Loca does her best to keep a cat from riling up the contestants while Daisy and Minnie try to do something about Champ's fur when a trim gets a little out of hand.

Went straight online after that. Called two local realtor companies to see if they use third-party guarantors and got an e-mail from a third. Friedman Realty Group, owners of the Audubon Arms, does; SEBRealty, owner of The Residences at Whitehead in Stratford, do not. Left a message with the owners of Oak Terrace in Oaklyn and Oak Ridge in Runnemede. The Audubon Arms does have an apartment open, but no room outside for my bike. My neighbor texted me right before I left to say the apartment they wanted to look at was too expensive and didn't allow animals. Denise has a support dog.

Continued to look up and call companies at work; left more messages. Work was steady for pretty much the entire afternoon. Between absolutely gorgeous, sunny weather, it being in the 50's, and this being the last major holiday weekend for a month and a half, most people were probably on vacations, or at least on day trips. Switched to express mid-way through the day when the cashier there went home. Other than my first break being a little late, there were no major problems, and my relief was right on time.

I was still feeling lousy when I got home, though. I have less than a week to find an apartment, and my family is falling apart. Hearing Jodie bawl again about how she feels sorry for me but has to serve me eviction papers on the 26th if I'm still here whether she likes it or not didn't make me feel any better. I don't WANT to block the sale of the house. She can have the house. The movie producers can have the house. I don't want the house. I want a little home of my own. 

Jodie continues to insist that I should move in with Mom or Rose. Rose stopped talking to me because I wouldn't move in with Mom. Mom's angry at Rose because Rose won't let me move in with her. I understand they want to move on, too, but I wish they'd see the big picture. Everyone lives in a small space and can't spare the room or aren't allowed to have roommates. Period. No ifs, no ands, no buts. 

And Rose can get me moving to Cape May County out of her head right now, too. That is not what I need. There's no help for me there. There wasn't in 2006, and there isn't now. I'll visit my friend Kristie in the late summer or fall after things get settled. I need the things they have here - better public transportation, resources, and internet. Just because I haven't made use of those things before doesn't mean I can't now. 

Not to mention, how the heck would I and my stuff get down there? I can't make a car appear out of thin air. And if I went down there, it wouldn't be for a few months, like Rose thinks I can do. I'm not hiking down there, then back up here in a few months. Not going to happen.

Put fish, carrots, and broccoli and cauliflower in the oven while Match Game PM ran. Had southwestern-crusted tilapia with roasted carrots and broccoli and cauliflower for dinner. When Gene read a joke about Allen Ludden being out of touch with things, Betty's very offended by the contestant's answer! (For the record, Password Plus out-ran Match Game Syndication by a couple of months.) We also get the panel starting off a question about a chain gang with a song and Patty Duke helping the contestant with "__ Twister" on the Head-to-Head.

My neighbor texted me while dinner was still in the oven and wanted me to come over to talk about seeing apartments. I made it over there by quarter of 8, soon as I cleaned up after dinner and did the dishes. She settled me down in front of the roaring fire in her brick-enclosed living room and said she, Melissa, Denise, and half of Oaklyn put out feelers for me everywhere they could. They asked church ladies if they had a room. They asked cops. The asked apartment buildings. 

Trouble is...following leads is going to take time I don't have. That's a big part of why I've been so upset. I should have switched tactics and started asking about church ladies and cops ages ago, but I'm not good at problem-solving. It's easier to keep doing what you're doing than change to something else. I wish I'd been able to sit down with Rose and Jodie and discuss all this sooner. Because...while I'm glad I was there for Dad when he died, I wish things hadn't gotten so messy afterwards. 

Oh, and I heard from Melissa Martelli later in the night. Seems they might have found a room for me. At this point, I'll take just about anything. 

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