Wednesday, April 22, 2020

Wednesday

I didn't sleep well and had to get up at 3.  But I had taken my shower last night so I could just get dressed today, and get Ron going.  We went to work with "the guy". 

Years ago the illustrator on site made a "Metrolift" sign for the proper driveway.  The old driveways were confusing the drivers always went to the wrong parking lot.  The hope was the drivers would see the sign. 

You can't see the sign unless you're on top of it but they put up barricades for the other parking lot so they have to come to us now, but the other employees see the sign everytime they enter/leave the facility "Metrolift comes here" and as a result a few have gotten services and now use it to go to work. 

One can drive but says she can't afford (on 50K a year?!) to drive anymore so she uses it, another bigmouth odd man goes in the early morning, and we rode with him.  He kept asking me questions about my insurance claim and couldn't understand the homeowners paid for a broken pipe and we did NOT use "flood" insurance for the "flood".  I think he has some cognitive issues and probably shouldn't be working any more.  Sad, really, that he is even out of the house by himself when I think about it. 

Whenever he sees me he always tells me how his cats died again and again and again.  I get very sick of it, but like I said I can only conclude he had a stroke or something and just doesn't understand normal social rules anymore.  I have had to resort to being very rude at times. 

We got to work, sales were very slow.  We stocked.  The custodians are lazy and do not mop in front of the vending machines.  They won't let us use their mops.  So now we are getting yelled at for that and I explained it costs $500 to "move" them so if they want that done they will have to pay.  He said they will "figure something else out".  God knows what. 

But so much of the plant is utterly FILTHY they don't have handwashing facilities they don't even have proper sanitizer.  And they are worried about a little grime in front of a soda machine? 

Really a terrible idea to put white floors in the cafeteria.  They are starting to install black flooring so we will see how that goes.  If they do put it over by the machines I think it will be a bonus for us. 

Soda came, but about 40% of what we ordered.  I don't know if I mentioned it but when I went to Walmart yesterday the Dr Pepper section was not well stocked.  I believe they are having problems at the bottling plant but the driver couldn't tell me.  I paid for what we did get and put it away, then we left and came home. 

I got Ron settled and took a nap.  I had a pretty good nap slept until about 2. 

I got up and had a hemp smoke out in the driveway, waved at the trash collectors.  Torbie got in my lap after I finished, outside.  She likes to get in my lap outside so I let her, gave her lots of petting. 

After we finished I came in and called the social worker, the voicemail did NOT hang up on me and I had a very nice recorded message from the caseworker, she sounds very nice.  I left a message. 

The letter said I had until the 23rd to respond (Or what, I didn't want to find out!), I did that.  Now the ball is in her court. 

My aunt keeps saying no one is going to make a home visit during the virus, we will see.  She was also worried I may have "Laid it on too thick" when I said I knew she had a hard job and appreciated the hard work. 

I did say I knew someone was worried about us but I didn't feel it was warranted. 

My aunt wanted to know how a blog reader could make a report.  I said it was possible to find out my full name from information provided on the blog.  There are only 2 women with my name, one of whom lives in another state.  I have always been clear about living in Houston. 

I said a report could be made with a full name and address.  I said someone had been leaving comments with my personal information.  I didn't publish them of course.  She was pretty disturbed by that but I didn't take it personally.  If a blog reader made a report it is likely that person, and that's how it could happen if it was a reader. 

Do I care who made the report?  At this stage, really, I don't.  Someone was worried and I am going on the "did it out of love and concern" angle rather than the paranoid "someone is out to ruin my life" angle.  The social worker is only worried, not out to wreck my life.  The reporting party likely had a similar motivation.  She (social worker) sounds like a very sweet lady and we will likely adore her.  I do hope she likes cats if she does a home visit. 

So, not worried.  I just want to get it done. 

Spotty came in and left a stinker so I got "permission" from Ron to light some incense [rolleyes].  He used to mock the people with chemical sensitivity but I think he has it, many times common household cleaners, plug ins, detergent, etc. makes his allergies go into overdrive and he will literally scream about it.  But so far we are OK with a stick of rose incense from the head shop.  He can't do Nag Champa incense but hopefully he can do this, especially if I keep it at the front of the house and not near our bedrooms (in the back of the house). 

He is pretty drunk but OK.  Not ugly at any rate and didn't pee on the floor.  I am not sure if I want to:
1.  Cut out the carpet and replace it with a doormat
2.  Get a carpet cleaner

Until we can get it all fixed.  We will see.  Mail comes in about half an hour hopefully some good news. 

I need to figure out a nutritious dinner for me.  Ron is addicted to his casserole: 1 can corn, drained; 1 can pork and beans; bacon bits. 

I need to eat something with protein and vegetables I just need to figure out what.  I feel worn out but not especially tired. 

I was pretty manic before I took my nap so I did my mood stabilizers early.  Trash already came. 

I can't decide if a lot of people are moving or whether they just decided to do some purging, but a lot of piles of crap out at the curb today.  We had one in front of #8, but the trash guys didn't take it all.  #8 really abuses the trash pickup. 

When I had a serious job I did a dumpster and I plan to hire another (smaller) when I redo Ron's room so Carlos doesn't have to take that filthy, pissy, carpet in his work truck.  Bin There Dump That has a smaller dumpster that would be perfect for that job. 

And then my house will be done, yay! 

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

I agree that whoever made the report did it out of concern. I lean toward it being the police or hospital staff.

Anonymous said...

It doesn't matter who made the report. You are focusing on the wrong thing. Time to maybe reevaluate your life and Rons based on the report. Surely you both could be doing better than you are.

Anonymous said...

Bin There Dump That is an awesome dumpster company name.

I recommend ripping up the carpet. I have a carpet cleaner. They can't do what you need done. I ripped up my soiled carpets after trying to shampoo old, dirty carpets. It degraded the carpet and only minimized the smell. Rip it out.

Anonymous said...

You can rip it all out but until you fix the problem (Ron) your house will still wreak of urine and any new flooring you out in will be ruined

Heather Knits said...

I am leaning towards ripping it out.

I'm not focusing on the reporting party... from my angle we each have food, housing, utilities, entertainment (Well Ron will once the talking book library opens again), pets, all well cared for.

Yes, Ron could bathe more often, that and "telling them all about us" probably got the report. But I got Ron to agree to better bathing routine... he is well nourished, reasonably happy when his back is OK.

If I can I will accept some help or at least some numbers. I'm not hostile, I'm not defensive... I am honestly baffled.

Of all the places we lived I could tell you:
1. First apartment was converted garage, still had garage door on it, big floor drain, two outlets, very dark, damp, and cold. Totally illegal.

2. Second apartment the overflow for the tub above us was busted and he would have had a big repair job so he never fixed it (landlord) let the water destroy our bathroom ceiling mold everywhere it was horrible but housing was so expensive we couldn't afford anything else - where was APS THEN? We really could have used some help back then... I could go on but you get the idea.

So this is - with the exception of the pissy carpet, probably the best we have been in our life together. We actually have some stability and everything works.

So now, of all times, I just find the timing odd.

Anonymous said...

So all your time with ron he made you live in squalor and never earned a decent amount of money. Even now he would not have fixed the leak if you hadn't insisted. He truly is mentally ill and likes filth. How many years gas he been urinating in bottles?

Heather Knits said...

Sometimes he misses... not really fixable unless he wears a catheter and I don't think it's that extreme. There are things I can't talk about that are in play but don't help 100%. From what I have seen with my hair dripping on the floor, Spotty didn't quite make it one day to his box, Biscuit threw up, the plank floors are a LOT more forgiving than carpet. Just a quick wipe (disinfecting wipe for the solid accident and the puke) and all better.

Is it going to be perfect? No. Is it going to be better? Absolutely.

Heather Knits said...

@ Squalor in the SF Bay Area of CA you had to take what you got.

He was willing to fix the leak every time we had one... BUT he wasn't crazy about the re pipe and going into debt to my Dad. I had to tell him I would pay it back before he climbed aboard, and he does give me money towards it every month he can.

Bottles? Off and on for a while, I remember our first place in Houston (our first decent apartment) the bathroom was in the bedroom and he didn't like walking in and waking me up, so he used a bottle then, that was 2000. We have slept separately since about 1995. If it matters.

Anonymous said...

"Sometimes he misses... not really fixable unless he wears a catheter" Please stop lying. You have caught him intentionally urinating on the floor and he has now been unable to even get the bottle in time. I really think you try and forget some of the things he does because you know they aren't right. Good thing you have readers of your blog to remind you.

Anonymous said...

I agree that you will make yourself nuts wondering who reported you. Focus on the meeting with the social worker. I would bet it was the hospital, personally.

Heather Knits said...

I do have to say no new problems since he started the prostate med.

I won't ask but she may tell me who reported... but at the end of it the house is basically OK I just need to throw Ron in the bath and we are good to go.

You may remember me from years ago back on LCF and I always said this was my worst case scenario, getting a social worker in our business. Now it is here and I can stop worrying about it. It is almost a relief because I am in a better place than I was.

Anonymous said...

Don't give me that bull that rent was so high when you lived here. I once told you I live just one town over from where you lived. It's only the last few years that housing has gone crazy, and that's because of Silicon Valley. I made just over minimum wage. I still was able to rent a two-bedroom house and pay my bills.

What was going on in your life then, that you couldn't find a decent apartment? Weren't either of you working? I bet the apartment you rented then goes for close to $2000 now. So, you wouldn't even be able to live there now.

Heather Knits said...

It was over a thousand a month for a 1 bedroom with the mold issue, when we left. You think I didn't want to leave Ron? You think I didn't look? The best I could get would have been a cot set up in a 1 bedroom apartment with a spanish speaking woman, her boyfriend, and 2 toddlers. In a one bedroom. The kids would have been all over my stuff and no privacy.

I don't know where you think I lived but it was in no way cheap. I have always worked my whole adult life and, at the end, attended night college and worked 30 hours in addition to taking care of Ron (even then he needed some help but not as much).

My plan was to move first and then, once there break it off with Ron and tell him to stay in CA. He must have figured out my plan because he signed his resignation letter at work after I TOLD him to wait and bought a bus ticket to "go out with me". He took the bus and I flew. I was most unhappy he did it that way but he had burned a lot of bridges at work and they would not have taken him back after he signed the letter.

Once we got to TX the apartment was in my name and I was the only one working for a solid year. I told him his "open marriage" bullshit was at and end and if he didn't like it he could move in with Mommy and Daddy - the same thing he used to say to me. He was furious but didn't have a choice. He still cheated he just did not throw it in my face anymore.

But the plan was to move to Texas alone.

Anonymous said...

OK but you did not have to live with him just because he followed you from California to Texas. You could have told him to f-ck off. That he was not going to live with you and that it was too bad that he quit his job and moved to TX but he was on his own. You allowed him to live with you unemployed while you worked. Who gave him money for drugs and for alcohol and for these women? More than likely you signed your check over to him and let him use it for whatever he wanted. No woman would find a man without money attractive, let alone sleeping with them. The fact that you put up with that and supported him while he cheated on you is very sad.

And the plan could have always been for you to move to Texas alone. But you chose to feel sorry for him and let him worm his way into your life. The point is he has never made good financial choices for you or for him. He has always wasted money and did not care what kind of nasty place you lived in and even now still wastes money and won't save any money. So you are in many respects still living the life you lived decades ago. Coupled now with the fact that you work for him and do everything while he does nothing and he still gets the larger paycheck is just pathetic.

Heather Knits said...

Thanks for that, always enjoy being called "pathetic".

He has always gotten a disability check and used that for spending money. He got involved with the vending program as soon as he could (he had to establish residency) and spent about half the year in Austin training. Once he graduated (top of the class) he had to bid on a location and do training there which we both did. Then we took over it one year after we had moved.

Overall I like working for Ron and doing vending. He did get run over by a truck so I try to cut him some slack on the physical labor, which doesn't faze me.

Heather Knits said...

No I lived in Atherton LOL