<abbr>Barbara Swaffords last blog post..Blogging – Is It A Cure For Insomnia</abbr>

That’s the best I could do, and I took the whole night to think about it.

Mom: Hi Mommy. I’m glad we grew up humble too. I never had any objection to getting all our clothes from Goodwill or the Purple Heart. I did however object to some of the selections. Seriously mom… the seventies were over.

Seamus: That’s funny. I read your lawnmower post. I can relate. My neighborhood is SO noisy, and it starts first thing in the morning. Weekends are worse. By the time it quiets enough to work, I’m too exhausted to get anything done. But I promise, my compassion is firmly in place.

Well I had a read of the reply to Beth and I can certainly understand how these people would piss you off, especially so close to home.

You have to wonder how or why people come to be like they are; these people who irritate you and the flashy, (potentially) heartless rich that irritate me. Nobody’s created in a vacuum.

I’m sure you’re a compassionate man, and hey, if I’m allowed to get mad at my neighbours just for mowing the lawn, then I should probably say no more ;-)

Seamus Anthonys last blog post..The Subtle Art of Getting Jack-Shit Done

I think that the hardest thing about being on welfare was waiting in the checkout line at the grocer store. Me, a baby faced, well dressed, educated twenty-something with an above average IQ, toting four kids aged a few months through 8 years old. Judging by the looks we got, I might as well have hung a sign around my neck that read: “ignorant, baby making, leech on society.” I would pretend not to see people scrutinizing our purchases, resenting the abundant array of meats, fresh produce, healthy fare – only the best that our double coupons and food stamps could buy. They never stopped to think that the beautiful $6.00 roast with 50 cents worth of potatoes and 35 cents worth of carrots would make a pot roast feast for dinner and sandwiches the next day. Two meals for a family of six – beat the heck outta one drive through meal at McDonalds. Those carefully spent food stamp dollars were stretched, sometimes it seemed, a la Jesus Christ and the loaves and fishes. Having welfare was salvation for our family during a difficult time. It enabled us to have food, shelter, medicine,care and a springboard to a brighter future. I believe that sometimes public assistance is an absolute necessity. We as a society, have a moral obligation to help those with a critical need (I am after all a child of the 60′s). This, however, should serve as a temporary tool – not a life sentence. I couldn’t wait to get the hell off of welfare, but this comes from having pride and self respect. You don’t just pull that out of a cracker jack box (God, am I dating myself?) but must be instilled in you. While growing up in South Central LA, I never knew that we were poor. Papí had two jobs – eventually, his own store. Mom was June Cleaver. I went to the best schools (Catholic) and wore couture clothing (all hand made by Mom with homemade brown paper sack patterns). Never did I go hungry, and was quite happy with my hand me down roller skates, box of crayons and never ending supply of library books. I am grateful that you and KittyTown got to experience both sides of the financial spectrum. It gave you guys a healthy perspective and is a part of who you are today.

Love ya,

Mom

This was a wonderful post.

Crickets last blog post..He is leaving today