WARNING: Pity Party in Progress

Got home just before another big storm--pitch dark, thunder, high winds, torrential rain--naturally, branches came down from my trees (all into the street as far as I can tell--better than on my roof, I guess), my new gutters overflowed just like the old ones did. When I went out to drag the branches out of the street, some guy in a big SUV sped up on purpose so he could splash water all over me.

I've been worrying over the windows--I was going to get them repainted and reglazed, but can't seem to come up with the money. If nothing else, I've got to get the windows and doors and foundation caulked before winter. Drippy faucets, broken linoleum, rusty kitchen cabinets, and don't get me started on the van...

I hate my job. I hate it. And I can't get out of it. I spent two years interviewing trying to get another job. This isn't that big a place, it's not like you have a big choice of employers. The university and the hospital are the two largest employers in town. I'd retire, but I can't afford it. I can barely live on what I'm making now; how could I manage on some percentage of my current pay? And I don't think the work I do is going to qualify me for a job reclassification.

I got to daydreaming about still being able to pack up everything I own in the back of a station wagon and move elsewhere. I know, you can't run away from your troubles. As some net-surfing proved--I don't think there's any place else but this poverty-stricken part of the midwest where I could afford to buy a house. Do you know you can still buy a pretty decent house--nothing fancy, no huge master suites or media rooms or things, but say 3 bedrooms and 1.5 baths, with a nice size yard, for $60k or $70k around here?-- what they call the Tri-States area--Missouri, Illinois, and Iowa. I know of a completely stunning Queen Anne-style 3-story with a turret, a huge front porch, a wood-burning fireplace, an E-normous finished attic, and an old stable out back that serves as a garage downstairs and a studio upstairs for under $200k. That's a pittance compared to what it would sell for on one of the coasts.

I don't think my house would sell for more than $60k. Probably less. So there's not really anywhere I could move where I could have a house and a yard and a couple of German Shepherds. It would be back to apartment living, and then what's the point of moving?

But it's pretty awful to dread going to work every single day.

(*big sigh*) It'll probably be better once school starts up and people I like come back to the building. I guess.

Okay--good things:

• the storm brought the temp down into the 70s and it's much cooler
• everything got a good watering
• I'm getting on toward the end of a little lion costume I'm making my nephew Leo. It's just little shorts with a tail on the back, and a hood with a little shoulder cape. It's mostly knit, but the ears are crocheted, and the trim is backward crochet. The tail is supposed to be crocheted, but I decided to do i-cord instead. I've got about a third of the tail done, and then I have to do the mane, which is putting strands of yarn all over the hood like fringe on a bedspread or poncho. The original pattern calls for snaps to hold the hood on, but I'm thinking of stick-on velcro dots. It's for his birthday and I hope he can wear it for his first Halloween costume. The pattern is from an old pattern magazine from the 70s (there's a reason I don't throw things away). I should have pictures soon.
• A fellow genealogical researcher told me I'm a "lady and a scholar." That made me feel good.
• a friend sent me a link to an adorable video--check it out!