April Fool's Day wasn't so fun by the end of the day. Jim was given a "not April Fool's joke" lay-off notice. He has 2 months to try to find something at Wells Fargo, and then severance kicks in. (I'm still waiting "patiently" for the allotments to be given to principals to see if I'm going to be above or below the cut-off for the 600 teachers being let go.) Jim immediately applied for jobs that were posted; I imagine the other 3 who were let go at the same time did the same. Now we wait until the jobs are closed and interviews begin. Waiting is not something I do well.
Then on April 2, Andrew was hit AGAIN in the car. This time, he was traveling at 40 mph and was hit from behind so hard that yet another car has been totaled. Luckily, no one was seriously hurt -- I can imagine that being hit that hard probably should have caused him to lose control of the car, but he didn't. He remained calm and the damage was limited to the rear of the car -- though the entire frame was bent.
I've been going over in my head how we can deal with family needs without replacing that car. We might be able to do it, if we really try. But both Taylor and Andrew seem to have lined up summer jobs, which will require transportation to and from. I'd rather them have cars and those expenses, than for the kids not to have jobs at all. Taylor is seeking a job at the Y so she can "earn" her own membership -- she is so good at finding a way to get what she wants after we say we have no money for it. But that also means she wants to be at the Y a lot this summer. I can't argue with fitness. And then there is the 3 hour drive to pick up and drop off Andrew every time he needs to come home. I drove 6 hours yesterday dropping him back off in time for his classes. That is a long drive, which will have to be repeated in 4 weeks to get him moved out and home for the summer.
But until insurance comes in with the claim results, we will wait. No need to hurry a decision on a new vehicle. We just wait.
Meanwhile, I have given up Jenny Craig. The food is great, but I can do it cheaper. I don't know if I can do it as well, but we have to seriously look at expenses now and see where we can effectively cut -- because the last lay-off lasted several years. I am also thinking that I may be sensitive to gluten, along with Taylor. I have noticed in the past that something makes my stomach hurt, and I usually respond with more food to try to alleviate the pain. It isn't severe, "take me to the doctor," kind of pain -- just an uncomfortable, "I'll be cranky for a bit," kind of pain. Now I'm wondering if it could be a gluten sensitivity starting.
The more I think about it, I wonder if this could also be related to my cholesterol issues. Cholesterol is raised in response to inflammation in the body. Any allergy-related reaction causes inflammation. My cholesterol is hyper-reactive to strict dieting -- which would limit gluten as it limits excess calories and junk foods. When I first started Jenny Craig, in 6 weeks, my cholesterol dropped 60 points. The JC plan is not gluten-free, but it is far more balanced than my normal diet -- which is heavy on bread products.
I've been wondering what the focus of this blog would become. I think I will now begin a new chapter, as I work on waiting, cutting back, and dealing with gluten-free living. The challenge is going to be lunch. Wonder what I will pack to eat at school that will fill me up to get through the afternoon, will be convenient to pack quickly, and won't cost more than the Jenny Craig options I've been enjoying (only about $5 per day/entree).
Stay tuned.....
No comments:
Post a Comment