Thursday, September 27, 1984

I went back to the ADC office this morning, and they want a statement from the unemployment office and a statement from Steve, stating he didn't pay me after August 25th, 1984. I don't have the foggiest idea how to get in touch with Steve. Steve's brother did live a few blocks away, but has moved. His youngest sister got married and I don't know her married name. His ex-girlfriend has an unlisted phone number and I don't know where she lives. I don't know Steve's other sister's name. When Steve applied for food stamps, I gave the ADC office all the information they required, including a statement from me stating that Steve was living at my house, and I wasn't collecting any rent, because he hadn't received any unemployment. Trying to find Steve is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. They lost the information I gave them and are probably just re-shuffling papers again, and maybe haven't been funded either. I missed another hour's work today, another $3.00.

Alma's great granddaughter's first birthday was tonight, so, I spent all day getting Alma primped for the party.

Greg left me a note that he will move by Sunday.

My days and nights are extremely busy. I get up at Ruth's between 7AM and 7:30AM, plug in the coffeepot, put Ruth's breakfast in the toaster oven, make my bed into a studio couch, get dressed, do my personal hygiene, get Ruth up, put Ruth on the portable toilet, wash her face and bottom, comb her hair, dress her and feed her breakfast. By then it's 9AM, and I drive home, put the newspaper in the car to take to Alma's, feed and water the dogs, run errands or work on cleaning or repair projects at home, and leave for work at Alma's at 9:45AM. When I get to Alma's , I wash her face, brush her hair, clean her glasses, feed her a snack if she's hungry, do some house cleaning, fix lunch, do dishes, do some more housecleaning, primp Alma if needed, feed Alma a mid-afternoon snack and start fixing dinner for Alma and Larry. I clean their house with any spare time I have. I set the table, put all the food on the table and leave: it's 4P. If Alma has a bad day, I've also chased her around the entire six hours. I'm home at 4:15PM if I don't have errrands to run or repairs to do at Mom's house. If I don't have to leave early to buy groceries to eat at Ruth's, I leave home at 6:45PM. I start work at Ruth's at 7PM. I make my bed out for the night, which includes unfolding the couch, putting three -inch thick, foam rubber on top of the couch, and making it into a bed with bedding. I take a bath and wash my hair if I have time. I get Ruth up, if she isn't up from her nap already, wash and comb her hair, etc. and start getting her dinner and 9PM snack. I feed her when her dinner gets hot in the toaster oven. I get her breakfast ready to put in the toaster oven in the AM, also snack or laxative foods that I will need the next day. I put Ruth to bed, after putting oil on her skin, primping her, putting her on the toilet, washing her face, washing her bottom, and dressing her for bed. Its almost 10PM. Then it's on to the housework and dirty dishes. If I'm not too tired, I fix myself dinner. Then I write the day's events, go to bed and start all over again tomorrow. If I'm lucky, Ruth will sleep four to 6 hours and I get some consecutive sleep, if not, I nap. Tonight, I wasn't too tired to eat. If Ruth has a bad night, I also have a bad night, and I always get less sleep than Ruth does. Lately, this last couple of weeks, my feet and back hurt, even when I first wake up. I feel very old and arthritic.