[Calvin writing] I thought I was busy before . . .

then things started to happen. Old debt caught up with me on Friday, the 16th. My paycheck is being garnished by $224 each time. Ouch!

Shannon (Loretta's younger daughter) has basically been living with her sister, Vicki, all summer. We talked to Shannon, Vicki and Vicki's boyfriend George. Shannon has committed to continuing with Vicki, which was probably a relief for all parties. Loretta and I had seen it coming; we just wanted a formal statement from them before we acted on the fact that Shannon doesn't live her any more.

Loretta went out immediately and found us a 1-bedroom apartment with lower rent which also will probably consume less utilities. She's great. It's close by, and quieter than the busy street where we live now.

Then Vicki (her older daughter) got the itch to move. She talked about moving to a place her father was working on, but maybe not. Even with three or four incomes (hers, George's, Shannon's boyrfriend Brian's and maybe something from Shannon), she's not sure about paying the rent and utilities. Plus, Shannon has no track record with paying rent, and Brian's is very short. Loretta has talked to Vicki about moving in here when we leave, but that's not certain either. They would have to pay more rent than we do, and deposit as well.

Anyhow, the term "busy" understates the action here. I'll write more when I slow down a little.

Calvin

Work work work . . .

[Calvin writing]

I see that I haven't posted since September 3. I worked six days last week, including the Labor Day holiday and Saturday. That took up the time.

I have been looking for a second vehicle. The bicycles are fine for commuting, but I go to a meeting in Hilliard on Thursday evenings and sometimes to other places at times I don't want to take the minivan or at times when Loretta needs it.

I see no way to support a car right now, even if we could afford to buy one, so I've been looking at other choices. Yesterday, I began to think seriously about mopeds. Rather than look at them as slow motorcycles, I'm considering them as faster and easier bicycles. They don't require a license or endorsement like motorcycles and they get fabulous gas mileage. Plus, they're in my price range, or at least the used ones are.

Used mopeds don't show up often, but through Ebay I found a guy in Findlay who has several. I plan to go to Findlay when I get the chance with cash, after cashing in most of the savings bonds for funding. Of course, that depends on me not changing my mind and no other events taking up the money.

Other than that, we're trying to figure out how to get gas money to visit my brother Harold in Weirton, WV, next weekend. Could happen, and it would give us another chance to camp in the minivan. If we can get the bed finished in time, we could test our setup then, too.

Well, it's Monday, so I guess I'll get ready for work soon. I finally have all the bicycles on the road. I'll be riding the Fuji today; I haven't ridden it in a long time because of all the flats I had. I probably get there quicker on it than on any of the others, so I'll give it a chance.

Calvin

It's been busy

[This is Calvin]

My mother went into the hospital at Mount Vernon on Thursday, September 1, and I've been busy with that for a couple of days. The doctor thinks she had a "little" stroke. He didn't say "mini stroke" and I don't really know what he means. He didn't want to talk about the fact that she was dehydrated, probably because he does a lot of business with the nursing home where she lives. Anyhow, he said she'd probably return to the state that she was in before, although he didn't sound very certain. You can't really say "get better" when a person has Alzheimer's.

Of course, some positive things usually come out of any given event. I have five brothers and a sister, and I got in touch with some of them. I'd already been more or less in touch with my sister, Mindy, who has the Power of Attorney for Mom. She did a great job with that responsibility. My brother Jeff and his wife, Pam, came to the hospital. I'd been out of touch with them for a couple of years. We spent some time talking, and I went to their house to visit for a few hours. That was nice. Homer showed up, and Alvin's wife, Little Vicky, came. Alvin had slipped in his muddy driveway and hurt his back. Wayne came in Thursday night and then brought "Little" Wayne with him yesterday. (Little Wayne is the tallest person in the family nowadays.) I got to meet Wayne III, too. He's four months old and a chunky, cute little fellow.

I really appreciate Little Vicky, Pam, and Loretta today. My brothers and I have a knack of marrying level-headed, caring, thoughtful women.

Wayne, Homer and I talked some about Hurricane Katrina devastating New Orleans. Each of us has visited New Orleans several times, and Katrina has destroyed all the places we knew. We all wonder what happened to the people who lived in the missions where we stayed. Wayne had an offshore oilfield job that put him up at the Marriott on weekends. We have all seen pictures on TV of that Marriott with many of its windows blown out. The whole thing saddens and scares me.