JessieLilley wrote:
Hey Karen:

Glad to see you back. Many trials and tribulations. Jeeziz. So wait, now if one is out of work and the other is capable fo working, they HAVE to work? And if the one out of work is ill and can't care for the kids, too damned bad? This is news. Must be a state thing? Hope it's not Federal! At least you have the option to take classes instead, but man! So who takes care of the house? Who MAKES these laws?

I think it's state law. My youngest is going to be 9 so I don't get the option of not working or playing the unemployment game because the oldr kids are old enough to watch her. Apparently if I got a doctor's note (talk about grade school ) saying that Manette needed a babysitter because he can't see his med bottles or glucose meter (which he can't right now) or drive etc. I supposedly could be exempt. It's enough to remind me why we never went for help before and did everything ourselves! The state mandates that I have to spend 35 hours a week seeking a job or doing an "activity" grade school again!) to add up to the 35 hours a week. There are log books and report sheets and weekly weigh ins...... Oops that's weight watchers (not that I'm a member)...... But all hours have to be accounted for weekly or you get sanctioned. ohhhh a shivery word that!

During this orientation which consisted of an overhead projector and a human reading the transparencies, the rules were discussed and if you have a baby 18 months or younger you still have to look for a job 20 hours a week or you lose your state help. That's right... We were in the welfare to work meeting! Ugh. I figured if the state really wanted to fork over the $6000 I was short to get my degrees then I won't tell them they messed up. Being self employed is beyond their ken for some reason, apparently it's equal to unemployed and a deadbeat. I did get a handy dandy nifty guide to free monies towards starting a business from them. Apparently I'm double popular right now, a woman and unemployed so they will find money to pay off my car if I sell it to the Studio (is that a DUH or what????) for business use, money to purchase that laser engraver I've been coveting, a kiln for that surprisingly successful dinnerware venture (dogs dancing on your salad anyone?), and a couple new computers and software. I just have to employ a couple people which we do sometimes anyway depending on the season. As a positive to this mess it might be one. I'd much rather have Manette back to running equipment and getting real money coming in but he can't see right now because of the meds and diabetes. Everything is blurry and he can't see the computer screen never mind a dashboard or septic design!

I'll have pics of the new property soon with no snow It's finally melting up there!


Karen Frenette, Dilly, & Rowdy the Ruckus Raiser
Proprietors of

Dog Dances Studios the Art of the Active Dog
Rowdy's Stories or Rowdy and Me