I've been out of work since the Big Recession of the early 80's - these things have a way of digging in once they get started. I did one year as an honest-to-god employee since then, the rest has been freelance or self-employed, and taking care of the kid. I almost got a job with the county, i had the top test score, but i guess i didn't interview well. Married, divorced, single dad, been making some money on ebay lately, and generally buying and selling. I found about $500 worth of silver in bank rolls, and the tellers save the half dollars that come in for me, got about 8 silver half dollars this year from them. Our city replaced our old trailer with a new one last summer, for free. You have to look for those housing programs in your area. I got a $100 for some photos I sold the local paper. They paid me with a money order from quickee mart, the sun-sentinel was in bankruptcy and they couldn't write me a check if you can believe that. Newspapers aren't what they used to be, I was a stringer in the old days. I needed a beagle as I'd always promised my son since he was 5 that I'd get him one when he got to be 12. He turned 12, but the process of getting the new home postponed getting a puppy, so I told him I'd get it when we moved into the new trailer - he was still 12, with 6 months to spare when the trailer got certified for occupancy. The day we moved into the new trailer, a lady came around the corner just as i was leaving my dad's house, taking our stuff that I'd stored at his house to our new trailer, and she had a 10 month beagle puppy she had rescued and she gave her to me. She's the sweetest, smartest dog I've ever known. We still visit that lady and Beebee plays with her old pals there. I still can't believe it, a beagle puppy costs $300-600 around here. Things work out even if they don't - it's like that old Chinese proverb: #1 son broke his leg, everyone sad because now they can't get the harvest in. Next day, the army comes along and takes all the #1 sons in town except the boy with the broken leg. That sort of thing, bad times bring opportunities too. I never advanced my education, never got a career, but I did a little business and raised a son. He's 13 now. When he was little of course, he believed in me completely. Now he's old enough to know I ain't much and my little successes don't impress him at all, especially not the metal detecting, the only thing he thought was cool was when i arrowed a buck while we were living in a hotel in town (which the city paid for) waiting for the new trailer to be installed. since i work from home i was essentially out of business, so I started practicing with my bow and arrow in big empty lot by the hotel. I had bow-hunted a bit long before my son was born so when I told him i was going out to arrow a buck he paid no attention, he had no idea that there were deer near by or that anyone could sneak up on one, shoot an arrow and get one, let alone his old man. So, he was impressed when he seen the antlers sticking out of the big cooler in the back of my old Durango. He put on his facebook page that his dad went in the woods with a bow and arrow and got a deer, the ultimate compliment i guess. The point is, something always comes along. Get done what you got to get done while you're young. don't wait, thinking there is time, there is no time. life is short.
