Tuesday, June 5, 1984

I haven't been sleeping worth a damn since I first realized that my house had been invaded by wood roaches, and last night was no exception. It took me 'til 2AM to go to sleep and then I woke up a half a dozen times thinking they were dropping from the ceiling onto me in bed. I gave up trying to sleep at 6AM.

The plumber spent one and one-half hours here and charged me $73.00 for labor and parts. He cut the trap off, and fit plastic piping to the water pipe that goes to the sewer. He fixed my hot and cold water problems too. Even then, I had to put about two-thirds gallon of muratic acid down the tub drain before it would work well. He got paid $5.30 more than my unemployment check for a week. I don't want to be Road Commissioner, publisher or mortician, I want to be a plumber. I got the kitchen somewhat clean from the plumbing mess.

I got the refrigerator in the garage moved from one wall of the garage to the opposite wall and got a big overstuffed chair of Mom's moved into Steve's bedroom, with Steve's help. I put another coat of polyurethane on the dresser, dresser wooden handles and top of the nightstand, after I sanded the plastic wood filler that I filled the dents and chips with. I still have the headboard, footboard, side-boards and dresser mirror frame to do.

I boxed up all the clothes of mine that didn't sell. I gave Mom's clothes to Ila. Maybe she can use them or give them to some of the residents at her mother's nursing home.

Rob stopped by and is thinking about giving up his custody rights of his three daughters, because he can't pay the child support, and his ex-wife won't let him see his kids without the child support payments. His reasoning is since he's unemployed, can't pay his child support and is having to live with his parents, and is incurring more of a child support debt all the time, without being able to see his children, what's the use of wanting or trying to be a father.