My Personal Journal

It's April already. Time to get you get you caught up on our progress. This past month has been a great month, as it not only brings us closer to early October, when Ron's probation will be over (yippee), but it also brings Ron closer to feeling 100%. I'm thinking that maybe that's why they make probation three years. Does it take everyone three years to feel whole again? It certainly is taking Ron that long. He said to me the other day that he feels so confident, so happy, so glad to be alive. It's tax time, and Ron has been busy working for Brian, in addition to the numerous new tax clients he has gotten on his own. It's so great to see him working again at something he's good at and loves. I am so proud of him!

One of the requirements of probation is to produce a report every month, that shows every financial transaction you have made. Income must be accounted for and all expenses must be itemized. It shows the probation department that you are living within your means. Although Ron was always a planner and a budgeter, this experience has heightened that ability. However, I do think he'll be happy to stop doing it come October.

I continue to do my mystery shopping and some travel agent work, and between the two of us, we are making it. Will Ron ever have the kind of business he had before? No, and he doesn't want it. The pressure of such a practice was horrible for him, for me and for our kids. He hopes to continue to increase his business to a comfortable level, where he can work without stress. That is the key. Right now life is good for us. We take trips to Los Angeles to see my mom and our children and grandchildren every month, and plan for the future to go see Phil and Deborah in Colorado. It's been a long time since we've traveled together, and a trip to Boulder will be one of the first things we do, when we can.