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*Beth* · Jan 22, 2023 at 04:14 PM

Thank you, Trav, for starting this thread. What a nice idea

Weather. After our absolutely bizarre three solid weeks of heavy rain storms, the past few days have been bright and sunny, though quite chilly. Today is 51 degrees (low tonight will be 41), but there's a gusty wind and it's cold. I'm concerned that more trees will fall due to the drought-dry undersoil with the rain-soaked topsoil + the strong wind.

In February we will see the very first blossoms of spring on some trees. Sometimes by Valentine's Day the temperature is nice and there's a feeling of spring around the corner, and that is an absolute joy!

Cars seem to be a common theme of this thread. So what do I drive? A 2002 Saturn Vue (SUV) that was handed down to me by a relative. It is pretty much scrap metal on decent tires. It does have a radio and the a/c works well, thankfully. I would love to own a reliable car, but the Saturn is all I have and believe me, I am grateful for it.

Finances? I receive less than $300/month SSDI and for any additional money I am entirely dependent upon my husband. I don't have a bank account of any kind at this time. Needless to say my financial situation is quite desperate. I really wouldn't be terribly concerned about that, except I worry terribly about my cats, should they need emergency veterinary care, for example.

I've been married "on paper" for 40+ years. My husband and I have not lived together for nearly twenty years. He lives 1 mile from me. The choice to live separately is his, for the reason that he hoards. His "collections" fill the good-sized (3 bedroom, dining room, living room, etc.) house he lives in. He has narrow paths through his boxes and stacks of books and other collections. His situation is unsafe, but no one knows what to do, so there it is.

I live in a tiny apartment, which is fine with me because I can keep it decently clean and tidy without tremendous effort. That it has large windows, including a (smaller) window in the bathroom and some lovely, old trees (including a redwood tree!) outside is meaningful to me.

We have 2 adult children, a daughter who lives in NYC and a son who lives in San Francisco. Both children are doing well professionally. I have not seen my daughter in four years. I see my son 2 or 3 times/year. I terribly miss having my family all together under one roof but, of course, children grow up.

Oh, phone. I am quite fine with using a landline. I have no way to afford a smartphone or whatever they're called and besides I have zero desire to figure something like that out. I carry a government-issued "Obama phone" with me when I drive so I can call roadside assistance (which I am immensely grateful to have) if need be. The phone is a barely usable piece of crap. Oh, well.

There's a synopsis of Beth's life