I've had challenges with my daycare person from the get-go, mostly through her mother. Her mother tried to have her tell me that she was going to charge $5/hour at the beginning of the summer. I said that that would equate to nearly all my paycheck and that I could take Russell to a Christian daycare in town, if she needed to make money because they were only charging about $90/week and they were licensed. She said it was because she was coming into my home and stuff, but I had also said that I'd expected that she could have fun and I"d do my best to pay for it, including water park tickets, etc. I said if she didn't want to do the job, that I would take him to the Christian daycare place in town and call it good.

She assured me that no, she wanted the job.

Well, yesterday at 6pm, she informed me that today was to be her last day. Mind you, she only has two more weeks and both Mike and I are working horrible long hours and need the help. And then she told me it was for "personal" reasons. I said,"With only one day's notice, I'd hope you'd give me more information." Somewhere it came out that her mom was making her do this. I asked if her mom understood that I was getting one day's notice to find alternative care for my children? She said she didn't know and cried.

I tried to negotiate with her and she said she couldn't negotiate due to her mom. Mysterious Mom. Backtracking though, she told me on Monday that she'd expected more money and I tried to find out an exact amount and she didn't give me one. I asked her how much more and she kept avoiding it. I finally asked if $20 more was enough or if she needed more or what and she said that that was fine and I said okay and moved on. Apparently, Mysterious Mom didn't think I was paying her enough. I can't get out of anyone how much was expected. I'd have worked with her if she'd given me an amount, but she didn't. The only amount we'd ever heard from mom was $5/hour, which I'd already said I can't afford -- MONTHS ago.

I feel furious.

However, I talked to my neighbor and she's taking Russell and will pick up Genny for me for the next two weeks. I can meet her at a park M-Th that's only a few blocks from my job because she takes her son to football league. I can pick up the kids any time, so it'll work out timewise. The really cool thing is that I know there won't be any hassle associated with this. Russell will be able to play with a friend. Genny will play at the park with her brother. Mike and I can work as long as I need to, during this crunch time at both of our jobs. Essentially, this works out better. Sylvia will be glad for the money and we'll make our bosses happy.

Speaking of bosses, my boss came in here looking terrific and then last night, we were talking and he looked beat down. This is however, the same guy who hasn't bought himself groceries yet. I keep thinking,"You can't take care of others if you don't take care of yourself." I'm glad I exercised yesterday. I'm glad I'm taking a vitamin. I wish he would. He was giving me some hope there for a while.

I sent my resume out last night to a couple of jobs I found on the web.

Friday Five

1. Do you have a car? If so, what kind of car is it? We have a green '97 Saturn SL2 and a white '02 Chevy Tracker.
   
   
2. Do you drive very often? All the time. I do the majority of the family driving because I am the better driver. My husband is afraid to drive in urban places. Hell, you'd be afraid of him driving, too.
   
   
3. What's your dream car? If I could drive any car I wanted, I'd have one of those cute little MGB's from the 60's. *drool*
   
   <.li>Have you ever received a ticket? Several.
   
   
4. Have you ever been in an accident? Three serious ones. I had that woman hit and run us when I was pregnant with Genny. When I was about 21, I sideswiped a guy because the car in front of me stopped dead in the road for no apparent reason. I was in a rental, so I had to pay a small deductible and it wasn't my problem after that. And there was the deer that my husband bounced off Levy Hacker the Chevy Tracker on Memorial Day Weekend.