Kelly's 2016 Apartment Patio Garden - Page 16

TexasTycoon · October 19, 2016

Not a gardening update but a life update because this is my thread and I've already shared plenty of personal info in here so what's one more thing?

I lost my job of 5 years yesterday. The company merged with another company last year, and the company they merged with has expressed concern for a few months that my department in Austin (we're spread between California, Texas, Michigan, New York, and others) was too large (at 4 people?!) and we were let go yesterday afternoon. I cried a lot. I've cried a lot today too. I know crying doesn't fix anything but I'm a crier. We were just starting to get back on our feet and my credit was just starting to recover since my husband was unemployed for 8 months last year and earlier this year, and now this. I know it's not the end of the world, but it feels like it.

In better news, I've already talk with TWC and I may be eligible for unemployment benefits at 70% of my previous pay. My final checks from the job should come to me within the next month and I had 90+ hours of vacation that will be paid out as well. My boss offered to write me a letter of recommendation and said I can use him as a reference, and my coworkers are happy to be used as references as well. I applied for two jobs last night on LinkedIn and am updating my actual resume today. I'm trying very hard to find some optimism and not dwell on these distraught feelings because I know no good will come of it. Trying to keep busy and be productive around the house to help my husband out.

salix · October 19, 2016

I am so sorry to hear this news, Kelly. Hope that something comes of your new job applications, and that you will be back at work soon. Am a believer that when one door closes another one opens, even if we may not immediately recognize the new doorway. Keeping good thoughts for you and yours.

Salsacharley · October 20, 2016

Best wishes to you as you pursue new opportunities. Aggressive job seeking should prove fruitful.

Worth1 · October 20, 2016

Sad to hear this.

Worth

TexasTycoon · March 14, 2017

Hey y'all! No big garden plans for this year since I don't want to move plants, but I wanted to provide an update for anyone who might be wondering about me since I've been gone a while.

Well, a few updates.

First, it took long enough but I was finally granted unemployment compensation in December. It helped tremendously with our financial struggles.

Second, I got a new job almost exactly a month ago at a small software company writing documentation for their software. I'm making more now than I did before and I love my job and coworkers!

Third, we're still moving to that house I told y'all about wayyyyyy back. We'll move in August 1st, and we'll rent from my FIL and SMIL (stepmother-in-law) for a year or two at half of what we offered to pay them, they want us to take care of our debt and replenish our savings as soon as possible and this will be a humongous help. We will likely buy the house from them after that time has passed.

Fourth, we finally got a second car! We had to, since I now work in the opposite direction from my husband's workplace (we used to work for the same company). It's my FIL's old car, so nothing too fancy (2006 Buick LaCrosse), but it gets the job done and is a good car with a smooth ride.

In not-so-great news, my aunt who I talked about in another thread over in 2 Cents (where this stuff probably belongs but oh well) has been in palliative care for the past 9 months after suffering a stroke at home and being found three days later. She enters into hospice care tomorrow after all these months of showing little to no improvement and her quality of life deteriorating. I won't go into all the details, but she currently cannot support herself to sit up, cannot walk, talks only occasionally, and has had a feeding tube to try to get more nutrients in her. I've been involved in the family discussions regarding her future and this is the best and most humane option for her at this point.

In happier news, my mom has officially been sober for 9 months and our relationship has drastically improved! I won't go into details about that either, y'all just be happy for her.

I also participated in the Warm Up America Crochet Challenge again this year, sorry for not posting about it here like I did the first time around. This time the challenge was to crochet a baby blanket to go home with a newborn from Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas.

I'm sure there are other things to update with, but that's all I can think of for now! Sorry for such a long absence, it was not planned!

dmforcier · March 14, 2017

Good to hear from you, Kelly. Writing software docs was how I got started lo! about a half century ago. Play your cards right and you could turn out like me! (Well, minus the facial hair.)

You know the new house will force its own garden in time..

TexasTycoon · March 14, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmforcier

Good to hear from you, Kelly. Writing software docs was how I got started lo! about a half century ago. Play your cards right and you could turn out like me! (Well, minus the facial hair.)

You know the new house will force its own garden in time..

You never know, I could end up sprouting a beard one of these days!

I love technical writing, though, it's what I've been doing the past four years but never for software until now (used to work for a mortgage bank writing their policies and procedures).

And yes, we've already been talking about what we want to plant at the house. FIL cleared out the two willow trees that were dying and/or dead in the back yard, so that leaves a lot of space we need to fill and shade we need to restore. I can't wait! Might even plant a few things for a fall garden, just depends on how soon we get settled.

AlittleSalt · March 14, 2017

Welcome back Kelly. I'm glad you got a job and better paying one at that.

TexasTycoon · March 14, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlittleSalt

Welcome back Kelly. I'm glad you got a job and better paying one at that.

Glad to be back, Robert! Me too!

TexasTycoon · March 14, 2017

For a little more positivity, here's a cute little bat I finished crocheting tonight for my friend whose birthday was today! She loves bats and purple, so I think I've got my bases covered!

Worth1 · March 15, 2017

Love the bat.

Worth

TexasTycoon · March 15, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by Worth1

Love the bat.

Worth

Thank you, I do too!

TexasTycoon · March 16, 2017

Here's the floorplan for the house we're moving into in August, just because I'm so excited about it and have to share haha. It's got all the optional features, but Bedroom 2 has a window that's not shown and the garage doesn't have a side door, also there's a covered front porch spanning the width of the front of the house. For scale, that main hallway is 30 feet long. I can't wait to move and have a yard to garden in again!

Hollylasue · March 16, 2017

I love that it has an entryway. We looked at so many houses the front door opened directly into the living room which I dislike.Looks big!

Father'sDaughter · March 16, 2017

That's a mansion compared to my house! Congratulations on both the new house and the new job.

October 19, 2016	#226
TexasTycoon Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2015 Location: Round Rock, TX, Zone 8b Posts: 1,157	Not a gardening update but a life update because this is my thread and I've already shared plenty of personal info in here so what's one more thing? I lost my job of 5 years yesterday. The company merged with another company last year, and the company they merged with has expressed concern for a few months that my department in Austin (we're spread between California, Texas, Michigan, New York, and others) was too large (at 4 people?!) and we were let go yesterday afternoon. I cried a lot. I've cried a lot today too. I know crying doesn't fix anything but I'm a crier. We were just starting to get back on our feet and my credit was just starting to recover since my husband was unemployed for 8 months last year and earlier this year, and now this. I know it's not the end of the world, but it feels like it. In better news, I've already talk with TWC and I may be eligible for unemployment benefits at 70% of my previous pay. My final checks from the job should come to me within the next month and I had 90+ hours of vacation that will be paid out as well. My boss offered to write me a letter of recommendation and said I can use him as a reference, and my coworkers are happy to be used as references as well. I applied for two jobs last night on LinkedIn and am updating my actual resume today. I'm trying very hard to find some optimism and not dwell on these distraught feelings because I know no good will come of it. Trying to keep busy and be productive around the house to help my husband out. __________________ -Kelly "To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow." - Audrey Hepburn Bloom where you are planted.

October 19, 2016	#227
salix Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: north central B.C. Posts: 2,310	I am so sorry to hear this news, Kelly. Hope that something comes of your new job applications, and that you will be back at work soon. Am a believer that when one door closes another one opens, even if we may not immediately recognize the new doorway. Keeping good thoughts for you and yours. __________________ "He who has a library and a garden wants for nothing." -Cicero

March 14, 2017	#230
TexasTycoon Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2015 Location: Round Rock, TX, Zone 8b Posts: 1,157	Hey y'all! No big garden plans for this year since I don't want to move plants, but I wanted to provide an update for anyone who might be wondering about me since I've been gone a while. Well, a few updates. First, it took long enough but I was finally granted unemployment compensation in December. It helped tremendously with our financial struggles. Second, I got a new job almost exactly a month ago at a small software company writing documentation for their software. I'm making more now than I did before and I love my job and coworkers! Third, we're still moving to that house I told y'all about wayyyyyy back. We'll move in August 1st, and we'll rent from my FIL and SMIL (stepmother-in-law) for a year or two at half of what we offered to pay them, they want us to take care of our debt and replenish our savings as soon as possible and this will be a humongous help. We will likely buy the house from them after that time has passed. Fourth, we finally got a second car! We had to, since I now work in the opposite direction from my husband's workplace (we used to work for the same company). It's my FIL's old car, so nothing too fancy (2006 Buick LaCrosse), but it gets the job done and is a good car with a smooth ride. In not-so-great news, my aunt who I talked about in another thread over in 2 Cents (where this stuff probably belongs but oh well) has been in palliative care for the past 9 months after suffering a stroke at home and being found three days later. She enters into hospice care tomorrow after all these months of showing little to no improvement and her quality of life deteriorating. I won't go into all the details, but she currently cannot support herself to sit up, cannot walk, talks only occasionally, and has had a feeding tube to try to get more nutrients in her. I've been involved in the family discussions regarding her future and this is the best and most humane option for her at this point. In happier news, my mom has officially been sober for 9 months and our relationship has drastically improved! I won't go into details about that either, y'all just be happy for her. I also participated in the Warm Up America Crochet Challenge again this year, sorry for not posting about it here like I did the first time around. This time the challenge was to crochet a baby blanket to go home with a newborn from Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas. I'm sure there are other things to update with, but that's all I can think of for now! Sorry for such a long absence, it was not planned! __________________ -Kelly "To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow." - Audrey Hepburn Bloom where you are planted.

March 14, 2017	#231
dmforcier Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 3,825	Good to hear from you, Kelly. Writing software docs was how I got started lo! about a half century ago. Play your cards right and you could turn out like me! (Well, minus the facial hair.) You know the new house will force its own garden in time.. __________________ Stupidity got us into this mess. Why can't it get us out? - Will Rogers

October 20, 2016	#228
Salsacharley Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2013 Location: New Mexico Posts: 2,052	Best wishes to you as you pursue new opportunities. Aggressive job seeking should prove fruitful.

October 20, 2016	#229
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	Sad to hear this. Worth

March 14, 2017	#233
AlittleSalt BANNED FOR LIFE Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 13,333	Welcome back Kelly. I'm glad you got a job and better paying one at that.

March 15, 2017	#236
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	Love the bat. Worth

March 16, 2017	#239
Hollylasue Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: GroveOak Al Posts: 91	I love that it has an entryway. We looked at so many houses the front door opened directly into the living room which I dislike.Looks big!

March 16, 2017	#240
Father'sDaughter Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: MA/NH Border Posts: 4,917	That's a mansion compared to my house! Congratulations on both the new house and the new job.