July 2010, Nashville, Tennessee~

G'day, folks!  T'is me, your mate, Charles Quigley, writing.  Sorry for not writing; still lookin' for work.  People, they just are not hiring.  I am doing some part time work (lawn care), but I'd rather be workin' in a factory:  it's more my speed.  Oh, well, t'is better'n nothin', I guess, but at the end of the month, I have more month than paycheck after I pay me bills!  It's horrible, that!

And when it rains, we can't work, so there you go.  We  had some horrible rains back in May; floods that killed over a dozen people, and flooding many homes/businesses out, including the Grand Ole Opry, first time in 35 years, they said.  (The Opry last flooded back in 1974 or thereabouts.)  I ended up stayin' with some mates from my job I'd had at the factory 'til me house could get repaired.  Just moved back in several weeks ago and am still takin' stuff out of boxes or storage.

It's a never-ending job.

Meegin, me sis, is doing great:  she be apples.  She's back to her old self prior to gettin' sick last December; she had a burst appendix and had to have emergent surgery.  She came through just fine, but the first week was hard, as she was very, very sick and in the Intensive Care ward.  She wishes I could move back home to Darwin, but right now, it just doesn't look possible, especially since I am only working part time ... and that is when the weather is nice.

We recently had the Fourth of July, which is the birthday of America: parades, picnics, music, contests, and fireworks were the norm.  Meself, I went to Nashville's annual "Red, White, and BOOM!" Festival; had me a most lovely time.  They had all sorts of activities afoot:  air shows, continuous live music (all kinds!), rides for the kiddies, contests for all ages, a singing contest, a fiddling contest, a special patriotic show in the evening prior to the pyrotechnics, and so much food, more food than you could possibly shake a stick at! 

It was wonderful!  I just wish that me sis could have joined me; it would have made the day that much more special!

Since I lost me factory job, I don't go out nearly as much as I used to.  Instead, I eat at home, and maybe once a month, if I have any extra money, I eat out ... and then it's usually at Jack-in-the-Box, which is pretty cheap, as far as fast-food places go.  Or I eat at Burger King:  I love their Whopper Deluxes!  Other than that, I eat in, at me house.

I don't get out nearly as much except maybe to go to my job with the lawn care company, where we weed, mow, trim people's lawns so they end up in tip-top condition.  That's when the weather is good.  If it is raining, we stay home and lose that day's wages, which is a giant pain in me arse!

I work five days a week ... and that's when the weather is good ..., less if the weather is the schitz, which makes for a smaller paycheck come payday (Fridays).  Thank God I get paid every week, but if it's inclimate weather out, we just don't make nearly as much.

And the work is seasonal: from May until November, or until the weather gets colder or the first snows start.  December until April, I'm basically without employment, which means I'm hangin' on by the skin of me toothies unless I get an unexpected financial surprise from friends or family.  Then I'm sittin' pretty until I run out of moolah!  LOL

Well, the dadburned doorbell is chimin'; bet it's another damned sales call!  I hate those; I wish I could tell those hoons what I really think of them!  I will write in here again soon; until later, this is Charles Quigley saying so long! 

~Charles.  :)