on a personal note...

[leashedForLife]

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I found 2 products that may help - a re-designed catheter, & a skin-friendly strap to secure the tube.
I ordered the caths, hopefully they arrive Thurs not Fri, but the strap is a UK-design, & they have no distributors, here in the U-S. I requested a free sample from their U-S branch, but my reply came from the headquarters in the UK, with the sad news that they cannot supply it to me, here.

the caths -
Conveen® Optima male external catheter

they have a bellows-end to restrict backflow & prevent softening of the adhesive, plus a band to pull which unrolls the cath smoothly one-handed; a particular challenge when applying caths is that skin-adhesive is helpful to KEEP THEM ON, but it's a massive complication in *getting them on* - the rolled cuff, of course, is sticky-side out.
I have mastered the fiddly art of unrolling it onto the client even while gloved; the adhesive gloms onto gloves much tighter than it clings to skin, so it's a real pain - my client wanted me to ditch the gloves, as my prior experience was with non-adhesive types, but there's no way i'm manipulating genitals bare-handed in the midst of the morning bath, then going on with the bath - & stopping to wash my hands properly only adds more time-wasting.
So now, i can deploy the cath reliably while gloved, but there's always a varying gap between skin & cath-cap interior, where urine can collect, even if only briefly. // I am determined to find a way to minimize that gap - rolling the cuff upward to make the cap above more-shallow didn't help.

I also, as advised by the maker, ordered the "sport" length cath, which is half the length of standard - the rationale being that if the penis retracts, the cath itself won't roll back. [I haven't actually seen that - when it retracts, it simply leaves the cath as a fully-extended, empty sock, lying unattached inside his clothing. But that's their recommendation, & i won't argue - i'll try anything that might work.]

the strap -
Ugo Fix Catheter Strap - Optimum Medical - United States

click the "find out more" button to see the description - this is a how-to:

I know this is a very-remote possibility, but would anyone on the forum be willing to forward a free sample to me, via post?
It's only a 1.5-inch wide elastic strap with a silicone 'buckle', so it can't weigh very much, & if U have PayPal i can easily pay the overseas postage. // The only other place where they're sold is Oz, & i can't get it from the Southern Hemisphere in time to possibly save my job.
If U would be willing, please send a P.M. - I'll gladly provide my details, & would be so thankful for the help.

So far, the case of catheters has cost me $60 - i have a lot invested in getting this problem sorted. I only hope it works!
- terry

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[leashedForLife]

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UPDATE -
the UK headquarters has an exceedingly sympathetic rep, & Charise has sent me a sample pack!
I can't tell U how much I look forward to getting the package, & I'm praying to an entire pantheon of divinities that the strap helps.

I also found a clinical trial, which asks volunteers to wear a free sample of underwear, designed with a clever pair of thigh-front pockets to support leg bags, plus tubing tunnels & a velcro-sealed opening for catheters. They allow cath-patients to swim, go to the beach, or wear shorts, with no tubes, caths, or leg-bags visible to the passing throng.

Our Product - CATHwear

per the inventor, the samples should be made & ready to ship in about 45-days, so I'll let my client & his wife know, & ask if he'd like to try them. // He hasn't worn shorts in more than 5 years, I think it might be a nice change.
That would be around mid-August, certainly a nice, hot, sticky time of year, LOL - apropos for shorts.

hoping,
- terry

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[leashedForLife]

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I'm ticked off. . I left the house at 6:45 for what SHOULD have been a 30-min trip; I wanted to make my bed, put my gear away, etc. // Instead, we went a different route from my pre-selected Google map, 'cuz my driver spoke no English, only Chinese, & followed the route per Uber.
I was so happy to see "lighter than usual traffic" on my map, & it predicted 25-mins!

Instead, we got stuck in Somerville in some tiny street with parking on BOTH sides, & traffic clogged to a standstill.
ARRGGHHH. :head-pounding: I tried to read my book, b/c looking out the window made me want to scream in frustration. Gah! head/desk
I got to work at TEN MINUTES PAST EIGHT - & my blood-pressure is still elevated. Dammit! // I was scheduled to start at 8.

I can't swear sufficiently loudly to vent my aggravation. Blast, damn, & h***. And of course, my client's wife takes this as one more example of my incompetence. **gnashes teeth furiously**
Tththththhppptt.

I only just got here, & i wanna go home & start over. *sigh*
- terry

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[leashedForLife]

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on Sunday morning, bizarrely, while in the standing-frame, my client told his wife that he'd fallen to the floor while in the standing-frame, when she was out of town, back in March... & moreover, seemed to think that had caused the trauma to his toe, about 4-weeks ago.
The big-toe of his L foot had the nail cut too-short, & about 10-days or 2-weeks later, it turned pink & swelled puffily on the inside-aspect, with a particularly-deep rosey area at the base of the nail, on the inside aspect. // His wife, at that time, was absolutely-sure that the person who'd trimmed the nail too short had somehow caused an infection, but there was no broken skin; it later became obvious that there'd been a pinching or crushing pressure that injured his toe, as the "moon" of that nail has turned dark, there's visible bruising under the nail, & it will most likely fall off as new-nail grows in.
But all of that is recent - it has NOTHING to do with his slip in the standing-frame, which DID NOT send him "to the floor".

As I was getting ready to transfer him to the power-chair, i'd already lowered his seat part-way, & went around to the far side to move his L foot, to make space for the Hoyer lift's wheelbase to slide into the angle of the standing frame... AND I FORGOT he wasn't fully down, & unlatched the knee-locking gate.
His bottom & his body promptly slid forward [he has the frame set for his comfort, not for safety, & it's steeply reclined; it's fully 30 or even 40-degrees out of the safety zone on the dial - they bought it during sainted Elijah's tenure, & he set it up to make his client happy], still held by the harness that crosses his chest, from above his shoulders & under his armpits to the rear, plus his Rt knee was still held by the knee-cushion of the locking gate - it only swings open on his left side.
I quickly attached the lift hooks to his Hoyer pad, got him up & out of the frame, & no harm was done, other than scaring me to death - I asked him repeatedly if anything hurt, his G-tube is well-below the harness & untouched, but I was concerned that his shoulders might be strained. He told me that afternoon, & the following morning, when i did RoM, & the following EVENING, that he was fine, he hit nothing, there was no pain anywhere; no bruises developed [during bed-baths, I'd have seen them], & he told none of the other aides about pain, discomfort, nuthin' - we all do Range of Motion / RoM exercises with all 4 limbs, morning & evening.

So what was the point of bringing this up now, in early June? - I have no idea.
To say nothing of the fact that HE CANNOT HAVE "FALLEN TO THE FLOOR" SIMPLY BECAUSE HE'D STILL BE THERE, unless i'd called 911 for help.
Their Hoyer does not do floor-level lifts - it only reaches down to maybe 3-ft above the floor, at max extension. Lifting a 185# person, deadweight, 3-ft off the floor, in order to reach the Hoyer, or even lifting his torso up, would be impossible solo. Lifting the Hoyer sling that high would only slide him out of it, onto the hardwood floor. Picking him up "by the sling" with my arms??!!!... no one could do that, Mr Universe couldn't do that.

He further told his wife that he was STANDING - all the way up - when I unlocked the knee-gate. // I would guess that unlocking the knee-lock while standing would probly cause severe injury to the person's neck, as they'd slip downward vertically when their legs collapsed, & the chest-harness would ride up violently & throttle them, with all their weight on the base of the neck... but that's complete hypothesis, as I honestly don't know. I'm just trying to imagine it.
In any case, that didn't happen, either. // I was going to request a CCTV camera in the bedroom, later in the day, as the conversation stopped when the client became agitated & his Rt foot / ankle went out of alignment, as his muscles spasmed; I lowered him, re-placed his foot, raised him, & he finished the session.
I fully intended to continue that convo, as it was noon; his lunch was the next scheduled event, after the standing-frame slot. I thought after dinner, all 3 of us could talk about it.

At 1-pm, his dotter was visiting, making soup to be portioned & frozen; his wife asked me to step into the sunporch, for privacy - where she told me they were ending my employment. It was much too polite to be called "firing", & she insisted her husband's story of "falling to the floor" had nothing to do with it, but it seems very oddly coincidental.

We weren't keeping a log at the time, & I didn't "keep it a secret" - so many things went on at the time, new aides, their son house-hunting, the lack of help to give any aides breaks during shifts, etc, that the incident, with no injury & no after-effect, just slipped out of my mind. I fully expected that he'd talk to his wife about it, but she wasn't gone for "a couple of days", she was out of state for 10-days, & this happened just 2 or 3 days after her departure. By the time she came back, dozens of other events had crowded it out.
The only consequences of note were that, without asking my client, i slowly began to change the seat-angle on the standing-frame to gradually get it closer to the "safe range", AND I never again touched the knee-gate until he was absolutely all the way down. // The seat-angle is still in the red - technically, he shouldn't even be using it, but when I brought that up after reading the stickers on the frame back in January & adjusted it to be "in the green", he absolutely that insisted it be put back where it had been; to H*** with safety, he wanted it to his preference.
{he wants it reclined because of the severe forward-angle of his neck - his chin, at this point, is within an inch of his chest, & with the standing-frame in the SAFE range, he looks only down at the table in front of him, & cannot see the TV mounted high on the wall, for a watching-angle made for lying in his bed.}

There wasn't much to say - I had no idea that he'd been unhappy with me, as he'd never said anything to indicate it, but I'd been well-aware of his constantly-anxious wife's micromanaging, & her incessant oversight. (Cleire has complained many times that "she doesn't trust us", & she's cut her own hours from 12 per shift, 8-am to 8-pm, to 6 - starting at 8-am, ending at 2-pm; she also plans to leave their employ altogether, soon, as she finds them both difficult to satisfy.
The morning that she told the client's wife about cutting back her scheduled hours, they had a shouting argument, upstairs - it was a Monday, & i slept thru it.]

I put an ad on CraigsList & found a driver with an SUV to transport me & my gear, stripped the bed, washed my sheets, packed my clothes, books, & groceries, & departed. // The client's wife was extremely worried about my using a total stranger as a driver, she wanted to pay for an Uber to pick up my gear & me, but I have no idea how that would work, & I reassured her that I've done this B4, & so far, everyone i've hired has been nice & normal [when they showed up - there have been those few who said they'd be there, & never arrived, or were over 30-mins late, but those were very rare].
She was pretty sure i'd be murdered or robbed, LOL, but my driver was very nice, prompt, & she even helped me to load / unload, which i specifically said was not needed, in my ad. -- So i tipped her $10 over my listed pay.

so... now, i have no job, & I still need to move by Sept. // Life is such a joy.

I'm waiting to hear from a woman who needs 72-hours coverage for her mother; SHE contacted ME via CareDotCom, yesterday - a vanishingly-rare event; usually, the only thing i get via my Care.com profile is spam-texts to my mobile phone.
It's 11:30 local, & she hasn't phoned yet; she e-mailed me twice last night, the 2nd at 11-pm to ask what time would be best to phone today; I told her anytime after 9-am, as i'd been called from bed twice on Sat night, at 11 & 2-am, & getting up at 6:45, i was a bit short on sleep. [I didn't tell her that i saw 4-am come & go, B4 i got back to sleep.]
Waiting... *sigh*

Wish me luck; i now need FT employment, plus new living-space. // Hopefully, a live-in job comes along soon.

- terry

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[leashedForLife]

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Cleire sez things at the Melrose client's house continue to slide downhill; the changes made to improve his bowel regimen back in March are all rescinded, he's gone abruptly from 2 tsp of BeneFiber 4X / day, each time in 500-mls of water [given by G-tube] to just ONE dose of 2-tsp, in the morning only - at 8-AM.
That's going from 8-tsp of supplemental fiber, down to 2, in one stell foop. If he does NOT get constipation, I will be astounded.
He'd been taking 3-tsp, 4X daily - for a total of 12-tsp / day of added fiber - since early March. That was keeping his bowel routine up nicely, along with less protein, fewer carbs, & more beans, more veg, more lentils. That dosage was just recently cut, to 2-tsp per each of 4 fluids sessions // 8-tsp / day, back in May.

He still gets fluids 3 more times, at 2-pm, 7-pm, & 10-pm; but it's plain water - no fiber added. // The fiber was to encourage a regular BM on Ms, Ws, & Fs, when he has his showers - he gets a suppository B4 his shower, & he was sitting in the bathroom waiting for that BM, sometimes an hour or longer; he ate breakfast in the bathroom, essentially sitting on his toilet [in the vinyl-webbing shower chair] perforce, as otherwise he wouldn't get to eat brekkie B4 10:30 or 11-am.
As Cleire is the one doing all 5 days, the showers / BM routine are her responsibility, & things were so much improved - now she's worried they'll be back to lengthy waits & discomfort, or none in the shower but delayed BMs into his clothing, hours later.
She's very frustrated.
- t

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[leashedForLife]

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After a dozen applications via Care-dot-com & even more vanishing into the ether, unanswered, as replies to CraigsList ads, I had a contact FROM a case-Mgr, who saw my resume' on-line.
I interviewed today, met the client & her kitty, & things went swimmingly - I train next Thurs AM, & start next Sunday evening [July 1]. It's not live-in, but it's 12-hrs on weekends, plus I can pick up weekday shifts, 8-am to noon, 5 days. // If i get them all, that's 32-hours; it's not enuf, alone, but it's a huge help.

The client is very independent, can stand-pivot for transfers [no lift], needs help with her shower [a tub with a slide-over chair that has 2 legs outside the tub, & 2 in], & uses a power-chair. She likes to go out to dinner on the weekend, & has both PT & RoM to help slow contracture.
Her case-Mgr said she's easygoing & has her household routine down pat. Good on her!
I don't know if she likes to swim - I'm going to look for a heated pool with a chair-lift, nearby, so if she does, I've got a reachable location.
Her kitty is delightful, a petite black SHD, with white tips on her toes, & a tiny white locket on her chest - the rest of her, above & below, is jet-black. She's sweet as pie, loves petting, & dribbles when she's happy, LOL. She's also a talker, but has a soft voice, not the bleating-goat of a Siamese.

- terry

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[leashedForLife]

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last week, I saved some $$ & spent time walking to my destinations - I saw some lovely flowers, nifty houses, & interesting architectural details.

this is a flower from my childhood! -
I've been unable to find them, & no one was home at this house. Our neighbor, Edna Nagy, gave us some; she said the common name was 'Old Man's Love', but they re-seeded in the garden along the back side of the house, & while I thought that was great, as it was a steep slope & shaded much of the day, my mother didn't like it, & pulled it all out.
I *think* from the leaf that it's a chrysanthemum relative?...

This poor thing is planted in TERRIBLE soil, it's mostly ash & fine gravel, & not only dusty & choking, but dry, dry, dry... but it's flowering, despite its awful circs.

believe it or not, this thriving succulent is just a foot or 2 from that striped flower, in the same horrible "soil", & it's thriving. Just goes to show how important planting in the right place for that species, is.
I also love the contrast of the soft, plump succulent, the rigid old pipe bannister, & the stone wall.

I love these old stone steps... it seems a shame that no one walks up & down them, any more.
There must be another way to the house door, probly by the garage, opening onto the other street, behind the house.

don't they look inviting & mysterious?

this old wall, a short distance from the hidden stairwell, is spalling badly.

... I like the patterns it makes, but it's a very good illustration of why U do NOT want to use slate & other mudstones in a mortared wall - frost enters the cracks in the mortar, then water & frost bleed into the 'pages' of the mud as it was laid down before the slate hardened, & the 'pages' flake away.
Siltstones of all kinds are easily split on their horizontal grain - they can be flaked; that's how they make slate roof shingles, slate cutting boards, cheese boards, slate CHALKboards [shades of my childhood!... the smell of chalk-dust, the squeee of new chalk slipping on the board, the whisper of the felt eraser... ], & so on.

- terry

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[leashedForLife]

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After interviewing with the case-Mgr & new client, I walked around town for awhile - saw some wonderful early-industrial buildings, old houses, ex-stables from the 1800s, Edwardians...

good day.

- terry

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[leashedForLife]

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I trained for a new PT job with a new client - it's only 12-hrs a week, 4-hrs each on F / St / Sn; I have 16-hours in, so far -- a Sunday evening & 3 nights last weekend - but haven't been payed, yet.
I'm struggling financially, I had to break my weekly rent in 2 last week, & of course my landlord is now worried that I'm not reliable.

TODAY - I have a very important interview, this afternoon.
A live-in job, with real living-wage pay, for a quadraplegic client - he works from home, & lives in Boston half the year, then Florida half the year. // I will have my own room, in both houses, & work 5 days a week.

Please send good vibes! - pray, burn incense, sacrifice fruits & nuts, whatever... I need all the help I can get. That it's Friday the 13th is a plus, those are generally lucky for me.

I have a written reference from my 18-month-long live-in case, I haven't even opened the attachment to read it, I'm going to print it as hard-copy at the library, so I can take it along.
On tenterhooks,
- terry

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[arealhuman]

Good vibes and best wishes sent. How did it go?

 

[leashedForLife]

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the interview went well, & pending reference confirmations & a CORI check [criminal background], I've been conditionally offered the job!
I've had CORI checks for every job since the 1st, they're just standard. // I had the most-recent 3-weeks ago.

I need to exit my current sublet-room, pack up & store, take extra books to the used-book store, & tentatively cover the 23rd thru the 27th, morning shifts - her regular PCA is on vacation that week.
So I would begin this job in August.

After a more formal offer, I think I'll ask about possibly training this coming week, to get it under my belt & done. All digits crossed, it's not mine yet...
- terry

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[arealhuman]

Well done! I hope it pans out for you

 

[Teddy560]

Congrats Terri. Really hoping this works out for you.

 

[leashedForLife]

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I don't understand what's going on - no news from the prospective client, & he didn't contact the long-term client's widow.
I'm confused - he was very committed, previously, & now it's gone cold - no word since Sunday.

Oy.


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[leashedForLife]

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UPDATE! -
I got a request via e-mail, to "fill out the attached CORI form".

I panicked, initially, thinking this was some sort of multi-page monster of bureaucratic trivia, asking me for dates of occupancy, employers, landlords, etc, for all 3 of the states I've lived in - but no, the client-prospect said it was just the legal permit [a form U sign, to allow someone to request a background check on U].

I then asked if he could convert the document, as it was in PAGES format, & I couldn't open it. // I sent the requisite link to a step-by-step how-to.

Then i figured out how to OPEN it, EDIT it, & even SAVE it - all on my own; I attached the completed form to my reply, & sent it back. // I awarded myself 5 points. . I think I'll have chocolate...

So I'm still a live prospect, & I presume he just hasn't had the time to phone my deceased client's widow [he works his own business from M - F, & runs a non-profit that advocates for disabled rights, as well].

Keep those good vibes coming! ... I am so hoping for this job.
- terry

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[arealhuman]

Fingers crossed!

 

[leashedForLife]

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I finally got to the library, & filed a formal complaint with the Arizona Atty-general's office, re the online "business" that I ordered a case of 2K laetrile exam-gloves from... on Jan-14th.
No case arrived; 10-days later, per their own tracking link on my PAID order [they *did* bill me & get the $$], nothing had left the warehouse. // The owner claimed "that item was back-ordered", tho it showed as in-stock when i placed the order, & he assured me by e-mail that the gloves would arrive by Jan-31. - Nada.
Meanwhile, i need GLOVES for my work! -- I had to order a case of 1K gloves from another supplier, & paid extra for 2-day shipping.

Feb-6th: I phoned, being careful to use Calif time, & left messages on both the listed numbers [where no one ever answers] AND the 3rd # listed by the Better Business Bureau, & cancelled my order.
I requested an immediate reimbursement - $111.77 is not chump change.

Feb 16th: another e-mail sent, again requesting reimbursement. // No reply, no POS refund.

I'm not alone in my dissatisfaction.

BBB Business Profile | Glove Saver | Reviews and Complaints

I don't think a "business" exists; apparently, the physical address is a rented box in a UPS Store.
No warehouse, no office, no employees.
I hope the AZ A-G office shuts them down, & gets my $$ back - I can't afford to kiss that good-bye.

- t

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[leashedForLife]

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I received an electronic form-letter acknowledging my complaint from the AZ Atty-Gen's office, & hopefully I'll see results - at some point! - in the form of money. // As it's been nearly 8-mos, i asked for interest on my money, too. Stinkin' robbery, taking $$ for no product.

UPDATE on the live-in job:
I'm to come to dinner on Wed, & do the evening training, after. // I'm taking dessert - I've already planned it, sour-cream biscuits from Trader Joe's, to be split & topped with fresh berries, & a yogurt / Pomegranate molasses drizzle. I'll bring flowers, too.
I fully intend to dress for dinner, & then change for work - I haven't dressed for an event in months. My pants & shirt will easily roll wrinkle-free & travel in my back-pack.
I will see my room, then - & i plan to drop off a few personal items, there, too: my 3 Tillandsia, my succulent, & my philodendron.

Out of season stuff will go into storage - my winter clothes, etc.
My 'horseback-riding' muscle-powered bike will go with me; it only takes up 2 x 2.5 ft of floor-space.
I'm sorting my books into resell / keep / donate.
I scored a 15%-off month with Uber, & I'll use a few rides to move awkward things to my storage unit - at about $8 / trip; the bulk will travel via a driver & van / SUV from CraigsList, in a single load. That will cost me $30 to $40.
If the lady who helped me vacate from the Melrose client's house is willing, I'll defo hire her! - but this time, no twin mattress & box-spring taking space in the back, LOL. I know she won't mind helping to move my rugs from the 2nd floor, down the stairs; they're jute, not heavy, but the 2 of us can shift all 3 at once.
I can move all the boxed things down to the screened porch ahead of time, so they only need to shift down 4 steps into a waiting vehicle; if it's not raining on the day, I can stack them at curbside.

Lots to do, & this coming week is the weird one - covering for the PCA on vacay, I must be there at 8-AM vs the usual aft/ eve. // The advantage is having daylight to do personal stuff, when i'm done with the early shift.

- terry

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[leashedForLife]

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my "garden", such as it is -

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The rock-garden succulent is in a small pottery bowl with magnets, & can hang on a refrigerator or any steel fire-door.
The dried baby's-breath came from a flower arrangement - the dried rose was a corsage i made for myself, the Monday after Mother's Day, in part to remind myself NOT to use the arm they'd stuck for a blood sample, when hoisting my 35# backpack!
My 3 Tillandsia share the glazed terra-cotta pot; the water-rooting philodendron cuttings are in the glass jar.

I also have 4 hyacinth bulbs that i've dried out, & must chill to get them to re-bloom. // I kept them green & in foliage until June / July, to ensure they had lots of time to photosynthesize. Next spring they should bloom lustily.

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[leashedForLife]

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I'm to start the new live-in job this coming Tuesday morning.

I need to get my everyday stuff packed to go to the new apt, & get my seasonal / occasional stuff into storage - which means PAYING a driver, & i wasn't paid yet by the 12-hr/wk weekend job.
They finally paid me TODAY - my 1st day on the job was was July 1, payday should have been the 6th & the 20th, but they didn't pay last weekend, either.

So i was paid only for 7 shifts, not for the expected 10. // I have $100 less than expected - I won't even be able to pay my weekly rent; I MUST be able to pay cash to the person/s who help me haul my gear.

I have no idea how i will manage this, frankly.
I have just $180 to last me - I *think* that I will be paid again on Aug 3rd, but can't swear to it.
This is very worrying. // My food stamps acct won't reill until the 14th of August. That's a long way off.

- terry

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