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| Sea Promenade, Michael Ancher 1896 |
I hope that all of you are feeling well, doing good, and sharing your joie de vivre with others.
Dear Mrs. Sherman forwarded to me a question about my well-being that she had received, and I realized just how very long it had been since I had last written.
I can only apologize and offer the explanation that I work many hours each day and usually only have a few hours access to my laptop computer each week, with other work taking priority. Some people can blog on a phone; I am not one of them.
The most frequently asked question was, not surprisingly, "How did you become homeless?" I am working on a longer response for that one, but the essentials are as follows: disabilities, medical debt, and an ex-boyfriend with a gun and a badge.
Short questions are easier to answer:
1. Why don't you go on Section 8? We don't qualify, and the list for Section 8 only opens every few years here. The last time the list was opened, a near riot ensued. Plus, I would be exposed to Cannabis even if the housing did not allow Cannabis.
2. Why don't you qualify for welfare? Many, if not most, widowed persons do not. Even if Social Security and Retirement Benefits are completely taken by the deceased person's debts, those benefits are counted against widowed persons in the calculating of welfare benefits. Besides, I prefer to work however I can for as long as I can since I will probably end up being dependent later in life.
3. How did you stay warm? The youngsters had thirty-degree sleeping bags and occasionally pulled a blanket over themselves on particularly cold nights. They also wore beanies as did I. I used a fifty-degree sleeping bag (the Fearless Dreamers Disney Princess model, a gift from one of the youngsters), woolie socks (also a gift from one of the youngsters), a pashmina that I already had, and my pillows.
4. How do you eat? I buy pre-cooked food at the grocery store and we go to a local charity for lunch on the weekends. I keep a box of plates, silverware, and napkins in our vehicle, so we still eat decently.
5. What have you learned? I have been reminded that homeless people come in every strata and stripe of society. Most of the people who stay where we stay at night are middle class or above.
6. Are you okay? I try to be. I keep a positive mental attitude and I hope for a better day. I ask my FB friends for prayer so often that they are probably sick of my doing so. Physically, I have stage two Lymphedema and have developed Cellulitis, for which I am taking an antibiotic.
Here comes the Etc.
1. A couple of years ago, I formally copyrighted and published as an eBook my curriculum and commentary, A Fascinating Companion. I had planned to publish a paperback version very shortly thereafter, but life intervened. Recently, though, I received two requests in one week for a paperback version and decided to do it. To fund the project, I am offering a pre-order special of $30.00. The book will retail for $45.00 on Amazon, so the discount is substantial. If you would like to pre-order a paperback copy of A Fascinating Companion, which will include my workbook that only my students have had access to so far, please contact me via email or this blog, and I will send you an invoice for the pre-order.
2. For the past decade or so, I have hosted a Yahoo! group about Mrs. Andelin's books. In the past couple of years, the software mechanism of the group had been deteriorating, which wasn't a problem until we became homeless and I only had a few minutes a week to maintain the group. I have gathered all the prompts from the group and placed them into an eBook, The Year of You: Daily, Weekly, and Monthly Assignments to Help You Become a More Feminine Woman. You can purchase a copy on my Etsy store or by sending me $5.00 via PayPal.
Well, that's it from here. Please keep us in prayer; we live every day by God's grace and providence.
Agape always,
Cynthia
PS: I am still interested in selling my pamphlets.
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