It Could Have Been So Much Worse

Finally seeing an end to the anxiety that came with Phill losing his job.  Thanks to the money Matt gave us we have been able to pay our rent and the bank again this fortnight, and selling the boat is keeping us fed and bills paid, mostly.  Phill has started work, they called him out on Saturday night and he's worked every day since except for yesterday when he had his medical.  He won't get paid for another two weeks but we can get through that and then be back on track.  Heh heh, that's a pun, back on track, get it?  We won't be earning as much as with the old company (part of their problems I think) but a job is a job and now he has one.  It's amazing what you can do without when you have to and not even miss it.  We spend money on so much that is not necessary.  I've been buying marked down meat and we're still eating really well, I made an excellent Osso Buco with risotto Milanese the other night, got the meat cheap and most of the other stuff I already had.  I lived for years on a single parent pension on two occasions and know how to live cheaply but well and that has stood me in good stead for this.
Emily made Val a lovely batch of shortbread and a home made "thank you" card and she wasn't there when I took them over so I left them on the table outside her door.  Haven't heard from her since, hope we didn't poison her.  Em made a lovely card for Matt as well and I put a whole lot of school photos of Katy in it and posted it to him, he hasn't got it yet but I know he'll appreciate it when he does.
Just saw a piece on one of the local news shows  about the El Zorro situation.  We are so lucky that Phill got a new job, some of them still don't have one and no word on whether they will get their entitlements.  The company hasn't officially gone under apparently, we thought they had, so the workers can't access the Federal government funding.  One of our old friends is having to defer their mortgage and other payments, they have three young children.  I want to find out if they need anything and try to help them if we can, we've known them since they were just going out together.  But they are young, in their 30s and early 40s and have family nearby so hopefully they are being well supported.  So wrong that one man, one company can cause so much heartache for so many families and individuals. 
It's wet and cold here, and this house is so dark, it's like living in a cave, the only rooms with any decent natural light are the kitchen and the family room.  I am going to make a little space out in the family room with an armchair and table, and when we get a tv to replace the one that broke out there, I'll be set.  It's nice to know we're going to have an income again and can plan things. 
I really need to laugh, just laugh, thankfully my kids bring that to me.  They spent the afternoon making a new film.  They're in the dining room blocking access to the kitchen so I can't clean up after dinner (I have to cart dirty dishes way out to the laundry where the dishwasher is) but who cares?  They are creating, they got out of the house, they are doing something together.  Can't wait to see the finished product, they wouldn't let me look over their shoulders.
I have a very smart cat.  Harley, who was never an affectionate cat even as a kitten, has taken to getting up on the bed with me at night when I'm watching tv and even letting me pat her.  Amazing.  We have spray bottles that we use to discipline them, if they are meowing around my feet in the kitchen they get a spray, or if they try to go through bins, or are being too rowdy.  I don't even have to spray Harley, she only has to see the bottle and she's off.  Yesterday it was sitting on the edge of the wall unit in the dining room and I turned around to see her trying to paw it off onto the floor.  So funny, I don't know what she was going to do once she got it off.  Hide it?  Throw it in the bin?  Smart girl that one.
Oh dear, it's much later now and the Ferals are still sitting there.  *sigh* guess I won't be able to do the clearing up till tomorrow.  Bugger.