Busy Friday

Yesterday was a blur. I had only had four hours of sleep and finally just got up at 4:00 AM.

In the morning the neighbors all came over and we had a discussion about what we could do about the $50. raise in the rent. Sure enough, two of them have little or no savings just like me.  They are in the same quandary.They stayed most of the morning.  I sat down after they all left and wrote a note to the woman who is managing the apartments for the one who bought it.  I put it on the back of the letter we were to sign if we understood the raise in rent and agreed to pay it. Then I put it in the mail.

Then I fixed dinner for Bob and me. I just fixed some hamburgers and homemade french fries. Bob had brought some Coke over a couple of weeks ago and since I seldom drink soda, I still had it and I also had some vanilla pudding for dessert.  After we ate, I lay down in the recliner to try to get some rest. In just a little bit the doorbell rang. I got up to answer it and it was my neighbor across the way wanting me to come over. The apartment manager was at her apartment wanting to have a meeting. We all went for the opportunity to tell our side of it. We spent the afternoon discussing the dilemma. The former landlord had the property under insured and when they went to get it insured at today's prices, it was $2,000 higher then they had anticipated and had a $5,000 deductible. And the taxes were raised another $2,000 too. That  was unanticipated consequences.

Bob and I never bought a piece of property without first inquiring about the taxes and insurance.  They bought the fourplex first and then had that surprise.  Martha called Betty, the buyer, and she came over  and explained her dilemma. (She manages an estate for a young man who is unable to do that for himself).

I explained to her that I understood their situation but that the four of us were not the cause of that problem and she was about to take a chance on losing four very clean neat widowers who might be forced to move out of the complex.  We knew when we rented these apartments that they were  a bargain we wouldn't be able to find anywhere else.  That's why we wanted them. All the furniture I had left after I gave away my third bedroom group fit into this apartment. And it has a carport to protect my car. And I simply cannot afford another move. If I could find another part time job that would be the answer to my problem.

They did agree to raise the rent starting June 1st just $25 until December and then raise it another $25 in December.. That gives us some temporary  reprieve. They had wanted to put the $50 raise in rent into a fund for repairs. However since we also have the TV in our own names now, that too is an added expense. 

The Lutheran church is looking for a part time church secretary and I will try to get my resume' to a member of the board today. The trouble is even if I could get the job,  I have a trip to Kansas City to a dinner theater that I paid for before all this came up. It is the 30th of this month...on a Wednesday.  Then in July, I am directing the family camp from July 11th until the 15th.  Also Bob and I had planned to go to Branson next weekend on the 11th and 12th. We decided this is the last year we can buy season tickets and go and we already had the ticket. I bought them last fall so I could get a bargain. All these extra curricular activities will have to come to a speedy halt this year.

What a mess!

More later....

I talked to the retiring pastor at the Lutheran Church this morning (I know him personally) and he told me to send my resume' for the job application on by attachment to e-mail so I did. Now we'll see what happens.