Saturday, December 13, 2008

Disability News

I had my disability hearing yesterday and I think it went well. We are back in wait and see mode now. I don't really expect to hear anything until February or so but it would be a very nice Christmas present if the Judge is on the ball and gets his opinion in. But even if he wrote his decision last night and submitted it to SSD, it will take them at least a month if not longer to get the paperwork done. Our government moves at the speed of racing snails.

On a better note, I should have almost 3 years of back pay when it finally comes through. Plus whatever I get for the kids. That will allow us to stay in the house for a while should something happen to my husband's job. It will at least pay the house payment and electric bill. So a part time job for my Hubby would cover the rest of it. Or we could use it to pay off the house completely and not have a house payment at all. And when we do decide to sell, it would be all profit. Or, we could just keep it in savings and add it to whatever profit we get from the house when we do sell, allowing us to get a nicer place, free and clear of debt. Decisions, decisions.

Any way you look at it, if it comes through, it will release a TON of stress off of our shoulders. Our biggest worry over the last couple of years has been him keeping his job long enough to get the kids out of school. It doesn't matter where we live while the kids are in college, since they won't be here anyway. But if we can find a decent house with at least 5 acres, we wouldn't need as much money to live on. Especially since it would just be the two of us with occasional guests.

I know that I have talked about this before, but I want a homestead. You know the kind of place, an older house with character but not falling down around us, a big garden, wood stove for heat, basement/root cellar, chickens, pigs, a milk cow or two, a nice shop or barn that I can turn into a commercial style kitchen for canning and entertaining, maybe even a small guesthouse out back.

I would like to have a market stand if we can find a place with highway frontage where I can sell some of my extra produce from the garden and maybe extra eggs. I will have to look into the laws before I do that though. I am pretty sure I can sell the produce without any problem, but the eggs might be different. We will just have to worry about that when it happens.

I don't want to go too overboard but I think that once everything is settled and I can get some perennials established, it might be a good way to supplement our income. After all, if our only income is my disability, any little extra can only be a good thing.

Either way, I am excited again.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Experimental Holiday

Well, Thanksgiving is finally over, for which I am truly thankful, and now it is on to thinking about Christmas.

This year, it appears, will be something of an experiment with my husband's family. The annual sniping and bickering was more intense than normal that, in turn, caused a rather explosive response. Feelings were injured and regrettable words were spoken. Fortunately, we were not there to witness the event, so we have been able to distance ourselves from the fray. But it threatened to pull the family apart completely.

My husband's nephew finally had enough. He declared that Christmas would be at his house this year, that he would do the cooking, and that everyone would have a good time, or else. I am so very proud of him for that. He has been the only one willing to take a stand to keep the family from falling apart. The other family members I have talked to since the "announcement" are taking a wait and see approach. They don't think he will be able to pull it off. I, on the other hand, think it is wonderful. And I volunteered to help him with the preparations. Not only because he really has no idea what all it will involve, but he has no clue how to cook. At least not an entire meal for 14 people.

I will do my dead level best to make sure that he has a fair chance to pull this fractured family back together. As much as these folks literally make me crazy, I love them all very much. And all of the constant backbiting and petty remarks should be put behind us.

It gives me hope that maybe the next generation can do something good.

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