Christmas

We left for Pheonix on Xmas eve at like 3pm after Erik got off work and we went to visit my mom. My mom had fallen down the stairs and was hurting pretty good. Brought her flowers and then got on the road.
We took the 22 to the 57 to the 10 all the way out there. The 22 was fine, the 57 was horrible, and the 10 was completely clear. We were shocked that the 10 was clear. We totally thought we would be stuck for hours. I was going 80+ most of the time.
We got to Surprise, AZ at about 11pm AZ time, 10pm CA time.
His Grandma, and sister were up waiting for us with whiskey and wine. LOL.
On Christmas, we saw Erik's Grandparents, mom, sisters, neice and friends. Christmas was really nice surprisingly. I was sad because I was away from home. But at least I was with some family.
Erik and I got his Grandparents nice watches for Christmas. His Gma cried when she opened hers. Apparently no one gets her nice gifts. It was so sweet, even I cried. They got us Walmart gift cards, which we have already spent. lol. The rest of the day was really relaxing. Had a big ham dinner and then chilled out.
The next day we headed out to his dad and step moms new house in Indio. We checked out their new house, exchanged gifts, hung out, had dinner and then got on the road. Got home around 930pm. Exhausted!!!!
Luckily Erik has today and tomorrow off so we can relax and just do nothing.
Cant wait to get New Years over with so the holidays will be over.

Its Christmas Eve!

Its officially one hour and sixteen minutes into Christmas Eve and I should definitely be sleeping.
I have been talking to my dad over yahoo messenger cause hes in China. Its so sad that hes not able to be here for Xmas.

This Christmas is going to to be super hard. It will be my first Xmas without my family. The first Xmas without my Gramps, and the first Xmas without my Dad being here. I will be in Phoenix for Xmas with Erik's Grandparents. We have decided to switch off every year. Its the only fair way to do it, or else we wouldnt be spending Xmas together at all.
Today, at about 2pm, I will be driving us to Phoenix. Oh Lord help with the traffic please!

The past few days I have listed a bunch of my Gpa's belongings on craigslist. Tools, furniture, antique, vehicles, art, you name it, they are listed. If you want to check them out, search the keyword dlg.

Ughhhh I should be sleeping, but I am so not tired!

I gotta try to sleep. Good night world. Merry Christmas. For my Jew friends, Happy Hanakuh. For my Muslim friends, Happy Winter Solstice.
I dont believe in saying Happy Holidays, so there!

Decisions & Excitements

So, we did end up getting that apartment in Anaheim. It was a great deal, but we have decided not to move for now. I would like to live as close to my family as possible before they probably move out of state. Also, Erik is probably going to end up being hired on from his seasonal position which is literally a ten minute walk from here. Theres also a lot thats going to be done in the next few months dealing with my Grandpa's estate. I dont want to be too far away because of that.

Last night my girlfriends and I had our xmas dinner and gift exchange. I am so excited, one of my besties got me a 1 hr massage gift certificate. Oh, cant wait to use that one!!
Then today, Erik got me an early xmas gift of a gift certificate to Mood Fabric store. This is the store that the Project Runway show contestants go to on the show to buy their fabric. I have been wanting to go there for awhile! So excited for that too!
That is all for now. Good Night.

Gramps. as written by Danielle Wilkerson

My sister Danielle wrote this after my Gramps died. Minus talking about her daughter, this is exactly how I felt about him. I want everyone to know what a wonderful man he was.

My Grandfather [Gramps] Richard Ennis Brough had been a father figure to me and my Brothers and Sister for over the last 10 years of my life. He sadly was battling prostate cancer and heart problems for the last couple years of that time and we lost him when he went into cardiac arrest at the hospital on 11/14/09. He was 72 years old. I will never understand why such a wonderful man who only lived to help others died in such a tragic way at such a young age. He was in so much pain in the end and nothing was working to take it away. I know now that he is no longer in pain and is resting in peace, but I just don't get why this happened. He was such an amazing guy. He always made sure that everyone had what they needed when they needed it. I am going to miss so many things that I feel like life will never be the same without him. I'll miss the way he called us all "kid" or "dingbat" or "orphansnorfer" and all the other funny things he used to say. I'm going to miss him coming through the door with a joke ready to make us all hysterically laugh, or something to say about his lady friends up at the card club he played at all the time. *tears* He was always there for me and the rest of the family. I have him to thank for so many major things in my life such as my career, my health, my daughters well-being, and so many others. He put me through school and took care of anything I needed. He bought me my first car and paid my insurance for a long time. Everything I am is because of him. I feel like half my heart is missing. He was one of my daughters favorite people [if not her fave] and when we go over to the house she still tries to go in his room and it kills me everytime. I know she will never remember him. I have a picture of him and her on the refridgerator and she kisses it almost everyday. I am so glad I was able to give him a Great Granddaughter. She put the biggest smile on his face everytime he saw her and I'm going to miss that so much too. I will never forget all the things he did for me and all the things he taught me. He truly has had the greatest influence on my life over anyone else. I am so blessed to have had him in my life for my 23 years. I know my Gramps is in Heaven with my Great Grandma Helen [his Mom] looking down and hoping we can all pull things together and make him proud. I am proud to be his Granddaughter and I hope I can make him proud. R.I.P Gramps. 07/17/37 - 11/14/09 Your spirit will live on in my heart forever.

If that doesnt make a person tear up, then you have no heart.

We are all still very sad and dealing with his passing.

Tis The Season

Tomorrow morning I am going to go check out an apt for a great deal in anaheim. It has dual walk in closets!!! I am so excited. Its close to where I used to live in Buena Park.
Wish us luck!

For Christmas Erik and I will be going to Phoenix to visit Erik's Grandparents.

This year everyone is broke. Everyone is unemployed. Everyone is hurting somehow in one way or another. It is the time to reach out to your friends and family and help, share, and commiserate.
I have come upon these wonderful things with some of my friends this year. From buying me a Christmas tree when I wouldn't otherwise get one, to referring me for a job, to helping me find an apartment, I am super thankful for the out pour of help. This year has been hard on everyone. I can promise one thing: When things are going better for us, I promise to reach out and spread the wealth like my wonderful friends have.

Things are going a little better. But things are going to get much worse for my family before it gets much better.

Some good news amongst it all

So, yesterday I received my first unemployment check! Turns out i was approved for it. I will be getting about eight hundred dollars every two weeks. woot! It couldnt have come at a better time. Erik and I are going to make it through now, Thank God!
We are still going to be moving, only because I am not making nearly as much as I was, and to save some money too. We are shooting for moving around February or so. Probably towards fullerton or something. We found some nice places online, but they have no vacancies right now.
I had a great day the other day with my friend Kat. We both had our sleep schedules all screwed up, so we decided to stay up all night and try to turn them around. We had one helluva crazy night and day. Thank God for all night Wal-Marts! Spent hours shopping and running around. We got her xmas tree set up and then she bought Erik and I a tree and we set that one up. Went to many different places. Went to the swapmeet and walked the whole thing. My feet still hurt. LOL. I couldnt tell you how much I appreciate Kat and how generous and just a great human being she is. We were at Wal-Mart and saw this great learning toy. I couldnt afford it and she thought it was the best thing ever and decided to buy it for my neice cause she had to have it. Why arent there more selfless people in the world? She reminds me of my Grandpa so much.
Onto other matters. My Gpas memorial is tentatively scheduled for January 10th, if anyone would like to join in putting that wonderful man to rest, please let me know.

That is all for now. Gonna go wrap my neices presents. I kind of went ape shit on her gifts this year since my family and I have all decided just to buy for my little brother and my niece because of the economy.

Interviews

So this morning I had an interview with another Foreclosure attorneys office. It went rather well. I was told I should receive a call sometime today and I will probably have the job.
I ran into my old supervisor while I was there. Turns out she works there now. We did not get along well.
I did not receive a call from that job. I have a feeling that she talked some shit and cost me a job. Stupid Bitch. If I somehow find out it was because of her, I will definitely have some words for her. I know where she lives! LOL.
I went and saw my Mom today after the interview. We finally got my Gramps death certificates so now we can get his honorable discharge papers and start planning his veterans funeral.
he died on the 14th of november and we are just now able to actually do something about putting him to rest. Its so sad, but funny at the same time, if you knew him at all.
He was cremated and currently sits in a box, in his room in a white bag. That bag is wearing his glasses and has a book open in front of it. He was an avid reader and I think he is looking down right now laughing his ass of cause thats the kind of humor he had. He was always laughing. Even in the ICU, he was cracking jokes.
I finally had my telephone interview with unemployment to determine my eligibility for benefits because I was fired. There's a chance I wont be getting it at all. Then, we will be in a huge pile of broke dung.
Lord Help Me! If ever I have needed it, now is the time. I need strength and hope to get through this. Winning the lottery would be nice, except I dont really play much. LOL.

Thoughts

My first shot at this type of blog thing. I guess its about time I keep track of things. If anything, so my dad can keep up with my life while he is in China. (He's there building a bio-deisel plant)

So recently, I lost my job. My Gramps passed away while Erik and I were on a cruise. and, Unemployment is dicking me around so I am super broke. That being said, I am looking for a job, while freaking out about money, and trying to mourn my family's loss all at the same time. If I dont snap soon, theres something even bigger wrong with me.

I have an interview tomorrow morning, well I guess this morning. Wish me luck! I am not sure I am ready to go back to work with knowing how much work is going to need to be done to help my mom in the near future. We gotta clean out my Grandpa's house and put it on the market, before it gets foreclosed on. Thats going to be crazy.

My sleep schedule has been turned around big time. I should be sleeping. I even tried to go to sleep last night at 930 and i woke up at 130am and couldnt fall back asleep., i went back to bed at 615 this morning. I really gotta turn this around somehow. I just took a couple of sleeping pills so hopefully they kick in soon.
gonna try to sleep now.

rip Gramps, the greatest man I have ever known