I slept for 8 hours which is better than 6, but I could’ve used 10. When I awoke, I asked myself the usual question: What shit will the fat bitch next door sic on me today? So far there’s been a few-minute barking spree at the back door when the dog wanted to be let in to greet her usual weekday company along with her. But as is always the case these days, greeting her company and ignoring the dog was more important than risking possible complaints and eventual eviction. As it is, she’s spiting herself by not controlling the barking and having to listen to my bass pounding over there which is exactly what she gets when she ignores the fucking beast. I can’t believe she can’t hear it and that she’s not bothered by it, though with my shit luck, God’s blocking the sound from her or having it be that she’s not at all bothered by it. She’s obviously not afraid of any possible complaints. Or maybe her attitude is: I’m not always good at keeping the dog from barking, so I deserve the bass concerts she gives me for it. But somehow I doubt this is the case. This has proven to be a rather defiant, rebellious person who would never accept blame or admit that they deserved anything.

She’s also got to know that she’s spited herself out of knowing when we give notice unless he sends it in writing (since they’ll be closed before he gets out of work if he keeps getting overtime) and Pam gets the letter before she comes in and then mentions it to her.

Tom, who’s notorious for being overly paranoid, doesn’t want to complain for fear of it hindering us from getting a place, so I decided he can have his way on that one, but not with what I intend to do once we’ve moved and received our deposit. He’s the one that says we should go on the offensive and not just sit back and take shit anyway. I’m going to email Pam and let her know that we moved because Patty made living there unbearable with the dog, TV and company and the only reason we didn’t speak up sooner was that we were afraid of how she might react (I thought that one would be better than saying we feared we couldn’t get a place because I know better). In doing this I would feel like we did truly go on the offensive and we did “fight back” and speak up without sitting back and just taking it. People need to learn that we’re not going to silently sit back and put up with their shit, so this will be a good place to start. A tiny town like this is the last place we’d want to give the wrong message by sending a message saying we’re wimps that people can walk all over. It may not change anything and the bitch may never hear of the email, but at least I’ll feel like I’ve done something. Also, if the next person in here complains, my complaint will back theirs up and give them more credibility.

This is so just like old times. So just like it. I’m back in Phoenix again, minus the basketball games. But will I ever get to live in the country again and have that be just like old times, too? Of course not!

As for his shit of a mother, he says he can’t explain it but that his gut instinct says she’ll send the money we need to get ahead. Well, my logic says she won’t, but Marjorie S isn’t always a very logical person. If she blows us off, she’ll be hearing all the things I’ve been dying to tell her for nearly a year now. Maybe God knowing that will be enough for Him to influence her to send it after all, which I’d certainly prefer.

Later…

The dog gave one bark at the back door and she let it in right away. Now that’s certainly more tolerable than the multi-minute barking sprees, but I wish she’d do the right thing instead and only let it out long enough to piss and shit while she waited for it at the door. Anyway, hopefully she’ll keep it inside for more than 5 minutes. Sometimes I wonder how I’m going to survive the next 5½ weeks here! I tell myself it’s better than 26 weeks in jail, but it’s bad enough at times.

Tom says that if he could get 2-3 more weeks of overtime, it’ll help a lot with the move. He’s hopeful that the owners will be more generous to him when giving him a raise because they just got paid 30 grand for a big project. I still only see a quarter or maybe 40¢ because we’re still under a financial curse that’s going to last what’ll probably be for the rest of our lives.

Next weekend is when we’re going to fire up the truck. That’s exciting! That’ll make the move seem like it’s getting a bit more real, so to speak. I love our weekly walks and I look forward to getting a bike of my own next spring, but I also look forward to having the truck registered and licensed because it gives me more of a sense of freedom. It’s also good to know that if we did want to go somewhere 10 miles away, we could. We could also haul more stuff in it than we could carry, too.

It’s only 78º in here right now and it’s already coming up on 2:00. That’ll save us money right there since I won’t need the AC for most of the day.

Later…

Finally received the canvas shoes from Gravis. FedEx left them by the door while I was listening to music. I was beginning to wonder if they’d ever come. The whole process took a while. I won them on May 31st, wasn’t notified till June 24th, and now I just got them. That’s 2 months from when I won them. Better later than never, I guess. I’m hoping my name got snagged again and that I just don’t know it yet. Tom thinks I’ll get another win before the move. I hope so! Little wins are nice, but God do I want big money! I’d even settle for just a grand if I can’t have many thousands or millions. I hope these shoes aren’t simply a case of beginner’s luck or something up there that’s just teasing me with thinking I can win at least every other month, only to end up like that poor person who swept for years just to win nothing.

Anyway, the shoes are nicer than I envisioned. They look more like sneakers than the canvas shoes I have. The only sucky thing is that they’re lace-ups and not Velcro, but I’m sure Tom won’t mind.

They enclosed a DVD and a CD, but it doesn’t look like anything exciting. It’s just about their products.

It’s definitely cooler than it has been. The AC didn’t come on till 4:45, and of course next door’s back to slamming doors. I am looking so forward to getting out of here! As much as I hate the annoyances around here, well, if there’s any good in it it’s that it only strengthens my desire to move and makes the idea of it all the more exciting.

Later…

Miss Bubble Butt’s out there right now fiddling with the rosebush that’s at the corner of the bedroom where the dog sometimes takes its fit. What the hell she’s doing to them, I do not know. It looks like she’s peeling all the petals off. What’s she doing that for? Why do I always end up with the nuts, if not the freeloaders? All I know is that no one in their right mind walks up to a rosebush and plucks its petals unless they’re not wired right.

Later…

The dog went off while she was doing whatever weirdo thing she was doing to the roses and she ignored it completely till I blasted my music. That drove them inside rather fast, but the dog was back out just a few minutes later. It might be back in now, but I’ve got the headphones on.

Tom’s home now. He worked 3 hours of overtime today which is good, but what’s not good is that the overtime is going to end after Thursday. And we don’t even know if he’s going to get a raise of any kind yet.