There has been a lot of ups and downs this year, and I’ve discovered that I can in fact channel a lot of the crap into something positive.

I’d forgotten that’s possible.

For instance, I had a momentary meltdown the other day after learning it was going to be another month – at least – before my mom’s estate is settled. Now having watched other probate hells going on, I know it can be a simple, six week process, or it can be months and months, years even. The thing that finally got to me was that it’s a small estate, it was a simple will even if it was worded badly, and we’re the last to move forward. Both other recipients have gone on already, due to deals they’ve made either with their banks, or with other family.

C. and I need this to find somewhere safe to life. The house we’re in is NOT safe, but we have no choice but to live here. We were > < that close to getting out, and now we won't be able to until at least spring, if not longer. It hurts. It's literally destroying both our immune systems (black mold and wood rot) and with other things coming up, I had hoped to at least not have to worry about the roof collapsing on us this winter. Oh well. The positive to this is that we'll have more time to look at other places, even if our hearts are kinda settled on the one we were > < close to having. It means I’ll have some months to catch up on the work that I’ve been behind on for some time, and not fall even further behind by the confusing mess always created by moving computer systems from house to house. Instead of packing like a mad person, I’m writing like a mad person. I’ve reached the halfway point in NaNo, which means about a third of the way through the novel itself. I’m not too happy about the way the story is moving, but hey – I have time to fix it. It also gives us time to look around at better options for the appliances we know we’ll need, no matter where we go. Yes, I still have mine via the divorce, but they’ve been in storage since 2006. While the fridge has been plugged in, the stove has not, and is likely full of mice. It was a 25 year old stove when I got it in 2001, so… I don’t think it would hurt to get a new one. And since I won’t be moving, I’ll be able to open up for freelance assignments December through April. *thumbs up* Silver linings everywhere… ’til next week! <3 JL