I needed a break. I felt a lot of pressure to deliver a great blog, but found that for a while, all I could do was gripe and bitch. That's no fun. I put tons of pressure on myself, can you tell? Let's see how I do this time.
All these wonderful programs the POTUS has implemented to help the middle class, like Cash for Clunkers, have done nothing to help us. Not one thing. We either made too much money (I have no idea what that means), or didn't have enough equity, or our provider for whatever didn't participate in the program, or a million other excuses I could use. Then it happened. We got behind on our house payment. Hubby worked his butt off with overtime and on call to catch us up, but it got to be too much. I looked into several refi and modification programs and none of them fit us or would work for us. Then I saw a story on the local news one day. I don't watch a ton of news, but I was glad I was watching that day. We found out our loan was a Fannie Mae loan and that started the ball rolling. This is where I openly and blatantly state : I DESPISE WELLS FARGO BANK AND THE CROOKS THAT RUN IT!!! Glad to get that off my chest.
Wells Fargo makes the modification process torture. It's almost like they want you to get fed up and either pay them or walk away from your house. We were so close to just walking the hell away. I had even gone so far as looking to sell the chickens so we didn't have to take them with us. They stalled and dragged their feet at every opportunity. They even recalculated hubby's payroll stubs. Apparently, his company that employs 1,000's of people is full of idiots that have no idea how to figure payroll. WF even recalculated one wrong! They wanted a signed letter from a company representative as to why it was wrong. Until hubby explained it to our counselor and she explained it to them. They wanted a signed letter about every little thing. I had to write 2 letters explaining that I homeschool our 3 kids and don't work outside the home. They dragged their feet so long, we're in foreclosure. The good thing? They modified our loan! Our mortgage is almost half of what it was and our interest rate went down 2 1/2 percentage points. We make our first payment today. Next up, bankruptcy. That is a process you know I'll be blogging about.
Everywhere you go is free WiFi. I rarely use my phone where there is no internet service. I've even had hubby just pull up to the redheaded little girl's hamburger joint so I can just use the WiFi. My local grocery store has it, the big box book store at the mall has it. Even the mall has it! My big girl has figured out the password to the WiFi at 2 libraries that we frequent. She's going to be such a good little computer hacker when she grows up. What I'm finding though, is that technology isn't always our friend. I really want to go back to the days where you can get a cell phone that just makes a call. That's it. I don't need a smart phone. It's nice having one, but I don't need one. I don't want to be tracked. I don't want to be marketed to. I refuse to use the self check lanes at stores. I'll stand in line for an hour before I use one. People need jobs, and that takes jobs away. I don't want to give my phone number and email everywhere I go anymore, so I don't. I just give then my first name and make them add any last name. Smith is nice. Bitch is better.
Lately, 2 separate airlines, South West and American, have had to delay or cancel flights because of a glitch in their computer systems. Hotels around the airport filled up quick. Some airports brought out cots for those stuck at their airports. Have you seen the movie Battleship? It was a little cheesy, but we still liked it. If you haven't seen it, here's a spoiler alert!!! What saves the day and planet earth? A 70 year old battleship that was built to last. What did the sailors complain about? Out of date technology they had no idea how to use. Thank goodness for the old timers that were volunteers on the ship that had actually WORKED on the ship. Ever try to call a company that has a computer answered system? We've all been lost in that hell. "I'm sorry. I don't understand what you're trying to tell me." Because you're a computer!! All of our cars are run by computers. Have one of those mother boards fry and see what happens. Been there, done that, had Big Sis push my car out of traffic with hers because of it!
Lots of stress in our home because of the modification and the bankruptcy. Combine that with my mom's birthday, my birthday, mother's day, and grief and anxiety and stress and that makes me a lean, mean, eating machine. Ok, maybe just mean and machine, but not so much the lean. Since February, I've gained 12 pounds. What the French, toast? I cannot keep food out of my mouth. I have done so well the past year keeping the stress and emotional eating at bay. Not so much lately. I know what to eat. I know how to eat for my body. I know what will break my body down. My body doesn't care. Not one damn bit. If it's sweet and delicious (it doesn't even have to be delicious), I'm going to eat it. If it's salty or savory or, my favorite, crunchy, I am all over it. Do not let me loose at a buffet. Good grief, there isn't anything left for the rest of the restaurant. The craving for a cigarette has taken hold, too. I am not going there again. Hubby asked me if I wanted him to stop and get a pack. Well, yes, but I will smack you if you do. I do not need to weigh 180 pounds and be smoking. Again. You should have seen that poor sweet potato chocolate cake. It never had a chance of making it through the night. Good thing I had help with that one.
My contract for my phone expires in a couple of months, and hubby's by the end of the year. We may be switching to phones that text only. If we can find them. I am going to try a cleanse and up my coconut oil intake to try to get rid of the sugar and food cravings. I'm working out because I want to be in the Gold Company at our dance studio and I want to be in top shape for that. Come September, our loan mod will be final and the bankruptcy well under way. By the end of the year, I should be a lean, mean, dancing machine. Hopefully not glued to my smart phone with a cigarette hanging out of my mouth. And a drink. I could really use a drink...
