Rebuilding my Castle...

[LoisB]

Problem is...when I figure out what I can afford, along with the debt owed to the attorney and my dad, I can't much better than a fixer upper.

I don't know...I had a two-hour discussion with a pastor today who moved to this area about a year ago. Now my brain is all a muddle.

He's already leaving. He is a very logical, practical man with a background in business consulting and ministry. Interesting combo! He's lived about 4 different states, working in various churches. He said this is the most poverty-stricken area he's ever lived. He's leaving because, as he nears retirement, he isn't interested in living somewhere that needs this degree of help. He said the people have this combo of New England-ish "don't help me--I can do it myself" along with the isolation of living in a climate where 200 inches of snow per years keeps everyone shut off, literally, for lengthy periods. People are very stuck in their ways and keep to themselves. Add this transient population from Fort Drum, outrageous rents, few to none jobs to support people in a healthy way...well, it's sorta depressing. In a story I wrote this week, one major mover and shaker in the village told me how it's criminal how the rents have been pushed so high that all people have to choose from are dumps...when you pay say $1250 (what we pay) to $1500 and you have to pay for a lot of filth. Kids are going to school hungry because families can't afford rent and groceries. One kid came to school last week and told a teacher that all the food the school sent home to help for the weekend was gone because another family moved into their home. He went hungry for the weekend.

Both of these men are from outside, like me, and have a pretty healthy perspective of what's outside this area. And the contrast between what we see and what we know is outside this area is sobering. So many families live and pay rent to reside in trailers/dilapidated apartments.

I can't tell you how nice it was to talk to someone with an outsider's perspective and have them "get" where we were coming from. I told him how we chose to live about 40 minutes away because the area was so much more cheerful and the people seemed more hospitable. We live in a town with the Kraft factory and things aren't nearly as impoverished.

The pastor and I started discussing a story the I did this week on poverty in this area and it was pretty illuminating for me. As we talked, we both got to talking about things we both were struggling with...He's looking for somewhere to retire and I told him how D12 and I were looking for a place to settle into for the long haul.

The poverty in this area is staggering. The area that I cover has 50-65 percent of the county-wide student population eligible for free and reduced lunches based on incomes. There's a growing trend of families doubling up on the other and living together in spaces because the rents are so high.

We may be a here a bit...My lease is up in October anyway. I will just have to figure out how to earn more income and keep driving and get D12 closer to some kids...feeling a bit overwhelmed again.

I did have this one lady at an organization reach out to me to give me some resources to help with D12. The counselor suggested I had many Asperger traits and gave me homework to see what help is available for D12 and Me in terms of help with budgeting, paying down the debt, dealing with day-to-day...

Sadly, many of the resources are in Vermont/NH/Mass...But, I am persevering. Can't help but feel the solution to a lot of this is right around the corner...I'm just not sure which corner to take. Maybe I will take all four until the I find the one that works.