Feels More Like Friday the 13th!

My day started off fine..... for the first two hours. I was a late leaving for work, then my car stalls at the intersection just a block from my house. It wouldn't start at all. It's a 23 year old Chevy so it has it's quirks. One of it's quirks is that the choke light flickers....when I say flicker, you have to look..no stare at it to see it, but you can hear it tick. It's been doing this for years, probably 4 or so years. Now the choke is sticking and I'll have to "unstick" it with a screwdriver to get it started when it acts up. :( I was told 2 years ago that it needed a new carburator, but couldn't afford a new one at $600+ labor. I guess I will have to either buy a new one (really don't want to spend that much!), or try to locate a good used one. Buying a new car at this time in my life (or even a good used one), isn't in my budget. I don't drive much or very far at a time right now so I'm going to try to make this one last as long as possible.

The other thing that has made my day less than happy is my brother. To make a long story short, he and I are complete opposites. I'm responsible, follow the rules, attend church on a weekly basis, never even tried a cigarette or beer. My brother on the other hand is well......the exact opposite. Currently he's paying his dues for something that he got caught for last summer (it will be over on 4/23 or 4/30). Well, he's mad at me because I wouldn't take in his family AGAIN while he's serving this month in jail. They (all 6---2 adults, 4 kids) lived here with my mother and I for most of June '07 through Feb '08 because he woudn't face up to the trouble he got into. Now he's calling me a hypocrite, because he's "found God" and he says I don't practice what I preach. I feel bad for the kids, but I can NOT live with these people. It was HORRIBLE, constant screaming/fighting. My house is only ONE bedroom/ ONE bathroom. Yes, it has a FULL basement as his GF of the past 10 years tells everyone. But that full basement is just a concrete box consisting of 2 rooms. One has the furnace, water heater, washer/dryer, a shower and storage. The other has an exit and the stairs with my gym equipment in it. Oh, did I mention that there's huge puddles in the floor everytime it rains hard? Not exactly a good bedroom for 4 kids and 2 adults. He sent my mom a letter telling her that she's the only family he had and when he gets out, he'll move back to TN and when she dies there will be no reason to come back to IN..............that is of course, until he needs money, then I'll be his sweet little sister again. Did I mention that he's 48 years old, not some twenty-something???

There are some things to be thankful for........even today!

• My neighbor got my car started for me and showed me how to start it when it acts up.
• I met with the principal and she likes my plans for summer school.
• I'm going out of state with my church's ladies' group Friday.
• My good friends at GC (AJ and Love ECBs) sent me some great coupons!
• Last, but not least, my salvation!