Friday, February 04, 2022

3 Years Later...

 Wow!  It's been quite a long time since my last post... LOL oh well...

So, yeah, this will be a life update.

Calista and Ursula have both moved out.  Calista's been living with Cody and his parents (and more recently, Cody's oldest brother, Philip).  Ursula first moved out right after graduation last year.  She moved in with her cousin, Olivia, as they had planned for years prior.  However, the situation was not what she had intended as Olivia had made arrangements to share an apartment with two (a couple) classmates.  That wasn't working out at all, as the guy thought he was their father or something... so, Ursula moved out into a studio apartment for $425/mth.  That would have worked out great had Ursula been able to get a job.  She was having to go back and forth to Mama's Fried Chicken in Opelousas!  So, I finally convinced her to just move back with us.  Well, she moved her things in her old room; however, she's been staying with Hunter in Opelousas :-/.  

Brief update about Calista:

    She and Cody are engaged.  They want to wait to marry and start a family until they have their own place (they don't want to rent).  Can't blame them for that.  Calista will be 23 this month and Cody just turned 22 in December.  She wants to be a sahm mom :)  He has a good job and has been saving money since they live with his parents.  His parents love Calista! I love it!  I'm so happy for her!  Shucks, they love Ursula too LOL  Ursula will go hang out with Cody... which is great because they didn't get along for a long time! hehehe  Now, it is definitely like they're (we're) all family.  Calista quit working at Mama's Fried Chicken on Landry after like 3 years.  She will still go in from time to time if they call and she's off, for cash.  She went to work as a cleaning lady at a Nursing home in Arnaudville for like 3 mths, but quit that after a few incidents that she didn't want to have to continue to deal with (scheming co-workers & a close call with one of the residents appearing to have died).  So, an opportunity came up to work with Cody's brother, Philip, in Lafayette, at a parts store.  She'd be able to ride to and from work with Philip.  She took the job and she loves it!  She has plenty of free time.  She's in the stock room; stocking products.  She has also been taking commissions to do art (such as tattoo artwork).  So, she's still doing artwork and artistic projects (like jewelry).  She got her conceal & carry permit last weekend.  We bought her a handgun for Christmas :)  Calista had bought her own car (Toyota Camry) a couple of years ago. Cody's great-grandmother had died and no one needed a car from the family, so, they offered it to Calista for $2000!  It was a great buy as it still has under 100,000 miles on it!  She has her own insurance and pays it.  We pay for her phone service still.

Brief update about Ursula:

    As mentioned above, she graduated last year; she's 19 years old now.  She was like #30, so, she pretty much landed right in the middle of her class of 60 LOL  She had completed her two school years in cosmetology which leaves her with around 900 hours (I think) remaining.  She was going and actually did, attend cosmetology school in Houma when she moved down, but, ended up not continuing due to the situation of things (Covid "pandemic" and Hurricane Ida).  As of right now, she's employed by Mama's Fried Chicken on Landry once again (started there right after turning 16), and is working 6 days a week. Hunter, her significant other (they aren't saying that they're bf/gf), is also working there as well as Bellard's.  They're living in Hunter's stepmother's house in Opelousas.  She has intentions to complete her hours for Cosmetology; she says she has like 5 years.  IDK when she'll want to do that... but, hopefully, she does!  I'd love for her to have a skill to fall back on if need be!  I'd love that for all of my children, of course!  Ursula paid for her own car too (2006 Toyota Matrix).  We pay her insurance and her phone bill; she pays for her phone.


Brief update about Wyatt:

    Wyatt's 16 now.  He's had invitations to sleep over at his friends' houses this year!  I'm glad he's making friends and being social :D  He's in 9th grade (yes, should be in 10th).  He's doing better in math (algebra), but still having issues in English (English 1) :(  He has grown up so much in the last 3 years!  He's about 5'8" now.  Wears like a 9.5 shoe, 29x30 (but, they're getting short now), and a man's size small shirt.  Man size now!  Where did my sweet baby boy go???  His attitude has gone to the dark side on occasion (thanks puberty!), but he is still a sweet boy to me sometimes.  ha ha  He'll come sit with me in the recliner sometimes.  We bought him a gaming PC Christmas '20 and he hasn't touched his XBox since! LOL  He wants to work at Mama's also (they've been asking for him since he was 14), but, I told him I can't allow him to work until his grades are better!  Of course, he'd love to start with driving lessons and all, but again, he needs to improve his grades.  And, omg, his handwriting is AWFUL!  

Brief update about us:

    Well, this past week, someone hacked my bank card and spent about $600 at apple.com!  Our bank (Hancock Whitney) was on top of it, but, the money hasn't been returned to us as of today :(  Thankfully, we do have money in the bank!  Last night, on his way home from work, the Cougar broke down (rear end) and I (along with a visiting Ursula) went pick him up in Livonia from Soprano's.  He  had arranged with his friend, Chris, to tow it back to his place today.  Chris has like 2 lifts in his shop; nice, huh? So, as of now, we're down to one car.  He will be using the Genesis until either the Cougar is fixed or he buys another car.  I'd rather get a truck (so we could haul things), but, they're soooo expensive now!  It's insane :(  We asked Calista if I could borrow her car until we have two working cars again and she's fine with that (she barely uses it anyways).

Turner (been there around 6 years now; altogether, much longer), said they'll be working 7 days/week this month.  Guess we'll see if that actually comes to fruition.  

July 29th 2019 is the date we bought the 2013 Hyundai Genesis.  Its a really awesome car we all love it. :D

We still live in the same house in Opelousas that we've been in for 20 years now :-/  Our landlord seems to be going downhill though. He's my parents' age.  He tries to stay active.  He gets confused about things now... like whether we paid our rent (thankfully we pay by check, so that's easily shown) and what electric bills he pays.

Update on the state of things:

    Covid 19 "pandemic" (plandemic) hit early 2020.  Totally ridiculous.  Has ruined our economy.  Has ruined children's schooling and socializing experiences.  Then, unfortunately, the people who are in control, put Joe Biden in as president and he has further led our nation to its demise.  I actually feel bad for  him.  He is not operating in his full mental compacity; seems to have dementia.  He is a puppet.  The powers that be are working to destroy this nation.  Trying to get us under socialism, and ultimately, communism.  Hopefully, enough people will wake up and see how messed up things have been and change it.  Seems like if things keep going as they are, people will revolt and there'll be an uprising; anther civil war.  Watching dystopic movies is like watching what our possible future could be.  Idiocrasy seems to be a document instead of a movie made in 2006.

Update on me:

    I started working July 29th, 2019.  I applied and got the job as a driver for Waitr.  Pay was $5/hr. plus tips.  I really, really enjoyed my job!  I hadn't worked in 20 years as I was a stay-at-home mom for all those years!  I started looking once Wyatt turned 12, but, I needed certain hours as I wanted to be available in case any of my children needed me!  And Waitr turned out to be a Godsend!  I was promoted to Tech Installer Driver after a few months!  I then made $9/hr plus tips. I'd be doing maintenance on all of the iPads at the Waitr partners in Opelousas as well as installing new iPads with new partners and teaching them how to use them.  Again, loved this job!  Made really good money.  Then, Waitr decided to do away with hourly paid drivers and go the way of other "gig" platforms and have us convert to independent contractors.  I waited to convert as long as I could, but eventually did around April/May 2020.  Around this time is when "Covid" hit and delivery drivers were some of the people who were deemed "essential" and we continued to work.  Let me tell you, it was a good time!  We were making good money; staying busy!  And then, Waitr decided to inundate all their markets with way too many drivers.  Offers/orders started being fewer and fewer for drivers.  I barely worked last year... made a whole $6000 in 2021... way less than the combined amounts of hourly and IC from 2020 of $22,000.  I also did other platforms though.  UberEats and DoorDash came to Opelousas.  I did those as well.  I love UE. But, their orders aren't very abundant here in Opelousas :(  I love UE because they pay their drivers well!  I can do an order for $21!  Whereas, Waitr's guaranteed minimum is $5 and DD is even worse.  I've been offered $2 and $3 DD orders :(  Not gonna happen.  My acceptance rating for DD is super low.. LOL

I'm still on BP meds.  I started going to the Aspen Clinic in Lafayette and got on phentermine again.  However, I really feel that either they changed their recipe for them or I'm getting a placebo because it feels like I'm the one doing the work and its definitely not working like it had back when I had taken in my 30's.  I haven't been doing any regular exercises yet.  I know I need to.. .just not feeling it.  The Aspen Clinic doctor wants me to do cardio, no weigh training  yet.  What's been making a difference is watching my carb intake.  My current weight is like 169lbs.  I'll be 49 this April.

Update on Jeremy:

    He's "on the wagon" again since December 2020.  I've told him that if he starts drinking again, that's it.  I'm not/I can't stay with him.  Every time he starts drinking, it has gotten progressively worse.  Should he start again, I'd really be in fear of my life.  Seriously. He's been vaping CBD? or whatever is legal in Louisiana... its from Hemp.  It works.  He's a much happier person using it.