Working

[designgyrl]

Good morning all my forum friends and mama's who take very good care of me.  So Friday I was off work, yet was able to work 8 hours, Saturday I worked 12 hours and yesterday I went back in and worked 7 hours.  I really need the overtime since I've been on FMLA and didn't get paid for a month.  I've seen Jamie's posts and know she's been in the same boat.  I'm single, so it's been difficult but I made it by the grace of my ex boyfriend who is a computer chip designer in Austin Texas, yes I do live in Kansas.  He makes enough money that he's basically given me money to pay my rent, car payment, bills, medications, but now that I'm back to work I won't need to rely on him anymore.  I do feel I need to do something special for him. Anyone think of something that I could do for him to show him how much I appreciate him?  And by the way, eyes are STILL dilated.

[RunningMom]

Wow, what a fantastic and caring friend you have.  Mellie has some really great ideas.  Maybe you guys could hang out once in a while as friends.  Maybe take him out fishing or to a game.  Eating out sounds nice too.  Good luck with what you decide. :o)

[mellie4]

What a wonderful friend to help you out that way!!!  Money is such an added stress when we're out of work.  I've been out for 3 years.  I'm a court reporter and I do get worker's comp.  But I only get 60% of my pay.  Also, I make extra money on the trial transcripts.  It's actually the transcripts where I make the real money, and I don't get compensated for that.  In addition, I got divorced, and he refuses to pay child support.  In the past 3 years he has paid around $1,000 for four kids.  We've gone back to court so many times I'm sick of it.  He'll bring $150 to court and say he wants to get on track.  They come up with yet another agreement and it starts all over again.  And every time I want to bring him back into court it costs me $150 to have him served with papers.  Right now I'm waiting for an extra $150 to bring him in again.  Currently he owes me around $24,000.

I'm so lucky when I got divorced, I sold my house, and we put an addition on my dad's house.  It's worked out well.  He's 82 and my mom died 4 years ago.  He's starting to show the signs of age and it's been really good for him to have us around.  He's been so generous to us.  I don't have to pay any rent or bills, but even with that big of a break, I still find it hard to make ends meet with the kids, tuitions, haircuts, clothes, all the usual stuff.  I feel so guilty because my dad is on a really fixed income.  I'm fairly sure he's gone through most of his savings because of us.  I do help him in a lot of ways.  I cook for him and do his laundry.  I take him to his doctor's appointments and tests and help him make medical decisions.  I manage all his medications.  But I feel like he should be enjoying the peace and quiet of retirement and instead he's living with me and 2 teenagers and 2 preteens.  

Hmmm, what to get your friend???  Tough one.  What does he like?  Cook, garden, eat out, read, travel?  I'm guessing he's single, right?  There's a lot of things you could do from gift cards to making him something.  Or you could get him some kind of tree or rose bush or lilac bush to plant in his yard and write a note about how much he did for you and how much he means to you.  Every year he could watch it grow and remember what a great thing he did.  You could also make a donation to his favorite charity.

I'm sure someone will come up with something better and more creative.