TMI 63 September

September 2004 was also a bad month. I had Dr bills piling up. I no longer had a job. Quite unexpectedly, at least to me, all income from Jim's business ceased abruptly. Jim seemed unphased. We essentially had my unemployment and that was it to live on. It wouldn't begin to even cover the house payment.

Jim did not slow down his spending. He maxed out what he had remaining on his credit cards. I borrowed money from my parents because he "couldn't" from his. His daughter owed us money. His son owed us money. I cashed out the last of my 401K. It would carry us thru November. I was furiously looking for jobs. I interviewed a lot. Most didn't want to pay anything close to what I was making. Several offered me less than half my previous salary. I got an interview in Arkansas for a job that paid $75K. I flew to Arkansas for the interview.

I really didn't want to move again. I hated Arkansas and have for most of my life. Noah's daddy was from Arkansas and it just left a bad taste in my mouth.

In the meantime I got an interview with a company here in the DFW area. I went. I didn't think I had a snowball's chance in hell.

I got the offer from the job in Arkansas. It wasn't for the job I interviewed for but for another that only paid $65K annually. I didn't want to move for that. The other job here told me they would have an offer for me in 3 days. I waited on pins and needles. It finally came the day my answer was due to the job in Arkansas. It was SUBSTANTIALLY LESS than the offer in Arkansas. I would not have to move and sell a house and etc. I took the local job.

Jim was not working at all. He was drinking more and more. My patience was fraying. He refused flat out to find any form of a job. I was about at the end of my rope.

His daughter came to visit the first week in January. I didn't much care except I wouldn't be there to refree between the "guests" and Noah. I called home to check on Noah. He told me the stepgrandson got a knife from the kitchen and was poking him with it over a video game. The stepdaughter got on the phone with me and laughed about it. I was not amused. I ask to speak to Jim. I told him in no uncertain terms that this was not acceptable. He thought I was over-reacting. I was scared and livid. I left work. Went home. Got Noah and told him we were leaving and not coming back until everyone else was gone. We went to the neighbors and waited for about an hour. We returned and I told him he needed to move out that I had taken all I could. He agreed to be out in two weeks. It took closer to six. I was still glad he was gone.