After Time…

Hey, it’s me again. I’m at least going a month at a time now. I’m still with my roommate or as we say, life partner. We’re not together, as far as a sexual relationship. I find myself, at times, forgetting that part, lol. He’s true and true. 

We have been working on a new business. We’re trying to advertise his creations by imprinted on buttons, stickers or shirts. We are planning to pitch this very soon. I feel we will be able to get a start up loan. Just starting to apply, so I’ll get back to you on that.

Thanksgiving and Christmas were just another day. We decorated our little room the best we could. It was a pleasant reminder of the holidays. Still, Miss E never called, never text and didn’t send a thing. I don’t know why I would expect her to do anything else. Should I? My mom sent a few things haphazardly. But it’s the thought and I believe her heart was in the right place, I hope it was. I do have gifts for all of them. I’m  mailing them this week, late. But last year I sent nothing.

I made it through the holidays and then came January 15th. You probably think what so special about that day Cica. Well, it’s my William’s birthday. He died at 49. He never experienced his 50’s.  We never had the big 50th Birthday parties. We had planned everything down to the tee. This year was his 53rd birthday. I made a live presentation on FB to honor him. He would be very proud of me.  I now actually ride all public transportation that’s offered, including  Lyft and Uber or I just walk.

Walking is what I try to xdo. Ms K and I walked to dinner one night and I passed out standing up, twice by the table. Then on a trolley trip with my LP-lol, I took a dive off the two steps in the trolley. All air until I hit the floor. I slid, bouncing my head twice on the metal floor. It maked me weak, body aching, couldn’t walk home. I wasn’t even a third of the way there. By then, I realized I should probably go to the ER. I didn’t make it there though. I felt fine otherwise. But now  I’m going to be going to physical therapy. It’s been a couple of months since my swan dive-three ER trips and one Drs appointment. Tomorrow will be the assessment appointment. I’ll keep you posted.

 I’m finally ready to file my insurance claims on the 2 break-ins on the storage building, while I was incarcerated. Things that can’t be replaced is what I’m so upset about, but the way my life has been traveling since I moved to CA, I put nothing to chance. I’m learning patience, to be humble, watch my tone and especially my expressions. All of this is relevant to my life now. Everything happens After Time…

REALLY Living Without Him…

It’s been quite sometime since I’ve been here. It’s been a hell of ride and not all good. I’ve had most of my belongings, including William’s and mine wedding rings. All the photographs, baby books, teeth and hair from E growing up. Even her graduation pictures I had framed. I’ve even been arrested and I spent 49 DAYS in jail. I’m talking from murderers to gang members from the Cripps and Bloods .

I lost a lot of respect for my family. At least my dad made sure my mom sent money for coffee and things. E still hasn’t talked or gotten in touch with me. It’s been almost two years. There is nothing I can do about it though, she’s 21 now and a grown woman. While I was in jail, my mom told me they had already done enough for me in my lifetime and they didn’t want me coming back home. At least not now. I was devastated. I couldn’t believe it, but I had to accept it and now I’m trying to forgive them.

No one calls me or checks on me except my friend Steph. She also wrote a letter to the judge, on my behalf, for my final sentence. I believe it made a huge difference in my sentence. I was charged with two felonies and one misdemeanor.  The judge reduced my sentence to a misdemeanor and the low end of probation. I was blessed that day. This has been an experience that I would have never thought would happen to me. I had gotten caught up in a bad relationship and let this person manipulate me.

The afternoon, after court, I was released. I put the same clothes on and they gave me flip-flops to wear because I came in with no shoes on my feet. I had kicked one-off when they arrested me and they said with my attitude I could go without. I learned that you don’t fuck around with authorities, especially when incarcerated. They let you know real quick that you are nobody and remind you are in jail. Like you forgot. WTF…WE were under lockdown sometimes 24 hours, maybe more. My one salvation was we had an enclosed patio and we were allowed to walk to lunch and dinner. Some units weren’t allowed. Of course all our privileges were under the discretion of the Deputies.

As I walked out of my place of residence, I had never felt so free. The air even smelled different. I walked over 2 miles to the trolley station, with my brown grocery bags. I went into CVS and bought makeup, sunglasses and a backpack. With the jail being in this town, everyone knew what I was and where I had been. A criminal. They had given me an all day pass for Trolley. As the Trolley pulled away I finally could breathe. I had been freed.

Events after this have changed me forever. The guy I went to jailook with had been stringing me along and basically used me.  He led me to believe we were going to finally have a long-term relationship. Even had me looking for places to live. Needless to say we are not a COUPLE anymore. That wasn’t the kicker, all my belongings in storage had been stolen while I was away. Nobody gave a shit. I was told, YOU HAD TOO MUCH ANYWAY.

I’ve since been in and out of hotels, one was my regular place. I call it The Crazy 8, lol. On my 3rd SRO now. That’s Single Room Occupancy. They charge if you have an overnight guest. They tell you when visitors have to leave at night and some say only one visitor allowed at a time. It’s a lot different from anywhere I’ve been before.It seems to be working out for now.

I have a male roommate and he is tall, dark and handsome. Even better for my self-esteem, he’s 12 years younger  than him. Some days it’s as if we are 100 miles apart, but then I’ll catch him looking at me, like a look I used to see. Of course I’m snapped back in reality. We both agree that we are not in a relationship and either/or can do what they want when they want it. This man is gifted. Off the charts brilliant. Music, drawings, graphics  and the list could go on. He will find a younger, not so wrinkled woman, lol. He tells me I’m just a “mature” woman. I say he’s sweet, even charming and chivalry has not died, just as he said to me the night we met. This is REALLY Living Without Him…

In Three Days…

It will be three days until the morning of William’s suicide. Suicide has been a hard thing for me to grasp for the past two years. I’ve made so many stories up in my head I really don’t know what I believe anymore. 

I’ve found a gentleman who makes me feel like a woman and friend. He’s very straight forward and harsh at moments, but I think that I’ve known him before. You know, when I made the decision to come back to right my wrongs. It’s a struggle at moments, but I like him a lot. Maybe it’s love. It’s not the same. I can’t change this man to be what I had. 

We’re trying to get a place together and tonight we’re in Carlsbad, CA, on the way back from Oceanside. We had the most wonderful dinner. We were walking towards town and these lights caught my eyes. It was a winery Restuarant, PAEO. It was the first really nice dinner we’ve had since we met. 

The boat will be my new home. Live aboard status, as they say. I’ll have a HOME, again. It’s taken 2 years to be able to let myself try to love again. It’s very hard for me to think he’s really gone. These next days are going to be a blur. My family, Miss E have no memory of what’s gone through my mind. They thought they knew me, but I don’t even know myself. In the next three days…

This Time…

I find myself alone again, maybe the first time since I moved to California. This month is very emotional for me. This is August. The 12th was Miss E’s bday, the 16th my daddy’s. Then the dreaded 26th. That day all over again. My new beau seems to understand at moments. I believe he just gives up. He’s a person of words. The hit to the bone, but that’s not really him. He’s been through things that are so unbelievable that they have to be true. I just feel as if I’m paying for it sometimes. I “see” him. Not who he thinks he has to be.  Sometimes I can’t even look a certain way, it’s like he’s trying to run me off.

He was supposed to be going fishing tonight, but idk something happened and it’s going to be tomorrow night. I’m sorta glad he didn’t go,it meant he would hopefully come back to me. I’m selfish that way I guess. I also wish he had gone. He needed to be away from me as much as I needed to be alone. I haven’t written in so long. It’s my therapy, so why do I not take care of myself?

I’m so upset with Miss E, I could send her to the moon. She didn’t answer my text or my phone calls for her bday. I finally called and sang “Happy Birthday” and left it on her voicemail. Still, no answer. Not even FUCK YOU! I guess I really am the selfish, cold-hearted, bitch that everyone thinks I am. I really don’t care anymore. I just want to be ME. Whoever that is now. Some moments I feel as though I know who I am and what I want out of life. Other times I feel that no one understands me and I’m at the end of my rope.

The closer it gets to the “two” year anniversary mark I get more emotional. I guess in a way I feel that I’m not being faithful. In other ways, I forget, then there are days I want to crawl under a rock and hide from everyone and forget what’s happened. It works sometimes, even if just for a moment. But then the dreaded truth comes back to my head and I remember the last moments of “our” life together. The waking up with my remarkable husband, holding me and making love to me. Me, rolling over to ask what he wanted for breakfast and then off to make the coffee. I can’t remember if he even drank a sip. The last time I saw his living being, before it all ended and I lost my world. I found out how the world really is and what people think of me and who is also there for me, in a time that I need them. I’ve found that’s not too many people.

People forget. People don’t want to hear what you NEED to talk about. They use all your insecurities against you and hate you because they believe you to be a victim. I have been a victim, but I’m not using it as an excuse to like or hate me. I am who I am. I don’t try to be anything I’m not. I’ve had people tell me, “just be yourself”. The problem with that is I’m always myself. Maybe to afraid sometimes to say what I’m really thinking, but always me. This time…

The Sixth Move…

Well, this will be the sixth move since William died in our house, in our bed, where I found him. Now I’m a nomad, searching for answers that I may or may not find. Yeah, Bob and I got into it, again. He’d been drinking. I tried to get out of the conversation, but it didn’t work to good.

Then later around 9 I go to bed, even turn the tv off. I hear him very loudly, calling my name. I thought I was dreaming. He was bent out of shape because the neighbor was playing opera too loud. LMAO. I wanted to choke him, but I didn’t think I had the strength and I’d left my gun back in NC because he’s a convicted felon. I know you got a hundred questions now, but it had to do with kids and it was in the 80’s and blah, blah…anyway this has nothing to do with that. But I’m tired of his smart ass remarks about William and putting me down and changing what he thinks my duties and such for my discounted rent, which he says he pays me for. I’ve never seen the green. 

Then he says I can’t watch his dog while he’s gone out of town because he thinks I’ll kill her. Comes back last night and ask if I was going to keep her. I told him NO. 

He thinks I live in the past, well if what’s happened since William died is any indication of the future, I’ll continue to stay exactly where I am. At least I know William loved and adored me, faults and all. So, off we’ll go on the sixth move…

Reminders…

I have a reminder app. I looked at it yesterday it already had a reminder…My last name is Bryant

It was already reminding me of my last name. Makes you wonder what that could mean. It could mean so many things. I speculate that it would mean that I’m strong, resourceful, intelligent, classy and down and dirty when I need to be. These are all the qualities that I admired in William. 

So, I just need to keep remembering

My last name is Bryant

Gloomy Weather…

It’s been windy and cloudy, some sun. Not enough to put your suit on and layout on the beach, at least not this chick. I guess I’m just going to come straight out and tell you guys I’ve been on a date. It was ok. I didn’t die. Neither did they, lol. I’m ready to move again. I’m terrible. The next couple of months are called the gloomy months. Great! But I had rainy seasons in Asia, so there we go, lol.

Going to write in my book today, first time since I got here. I’m just now half way figuring out which way I need to go. It takes time. Southerns aren’t necessarily welcome. But it’s all good. Just gloomy weather…