Mad, angry, frustrated, happy, and excited. Emotions are so danged confusing. For two years now I've shown that I can manage on my own. That I can keep a budget, grades up, and a job. Yet the family court judge decided I still wasn't allowed to be fully emancipated. What does he want me to do, turn water into wine and raise the dead?! It's not all bad though. I mean yes he blocked my desire to save up my money and build a gym, but he did give me permission to become a co-owner of the grocery store where I work. He said it would help me learn the skills needed for running a business. He stressed that while my desired goal of opening a gym was a good one, that I needed to focus on my home first. He also cut down how frequently I needed to report in, so now I only have to check in once or twice a year. What did I do? What was I thinking yesterday! I'd been so hot and tired after the all afternoon work out that instead of just a quick wash I'd chopped off my hair. Is this what the judge was thinking about when he said that sometimes we as teens sometimes do things rashly without thinking through the consequences. At least my hair isn't to bad, and it will grow out. My poor tutor, she's always hungry, she's pretty tired too these days. She's got one boy, he played in the children's room, and another on the way. Maybe I should stop coming, I mean I don't really need her help with my school work, but the socialization is nice. With work done, and homework done I can finally start practicing what I've been reading. I could have sooner, I just wanted to read more before applying what I'd been reading. I made a couple of small toys and sold them online. Decidedly not a good way to earn income unless you were willing to mass produce. I'm not interested in mass producing. The fall air is just right, cool and crisp, but not so cold that I need my winter wear yet. I had an excellent day scavenging, despite the fact that finds become scarce with the cold weather. I don't understand why rocks become harder to find with the colder weather. My geology teacher suggested that during fall and winter there is less rain to expose the buried minerals. She then gave me an assignment on erosion while the rest of the class did an easier assignment. I called Colm and asked him if he wanted to hang out. He said yes really fast which tells me he wanted out of the house. I had to stifle a giggle when I saw Colm. It seems Paul Jr is going through a phase, and to keep him from screaming constantly the whole family has been dressing up as book characters. A guy sniggered as he walked past us into the diner Colm said he'd like to change before we grabbed a bite to eat. Smiling I told him I'd meet him inside. After lunch we met up with his mom, who wasn't looking well, and Tara for a movie. The colder weather has arrived full force. I have the heat on but it stills takes me a little bit to adjust to the temperature change. It's so cold but I really want to find as much scrap to work with as possible. My hair finally touches my collar again, but the air is still cold on my neck. Yes I earn enough money from work to buy scrap, but I don't consider it a profitable option. Especially when some of the toys barely sell for anything. I found some plans for a miner, as well as plans for a bot of some kind. I want to make those but I need to improve my skills first. I could read more, but it feels like reading isn't going to help anymore. I made over the main bathroom. I used more of the same converted light fixtures as in my bedroom, and with some hard work on the plumbing added a tub with a shower. The couple from the historical society sniffed, and said it would "do". Sorry! But I like a shower once in a while. I'm trying to keep things historically accurate so the house will stay on the register, and therefore protected from redevelopment in the future. I just refuse to go full dark gothic like one of the committee wants everyone to do. The fact that great grandmother and great grandfather had used a light blend, that didn't include any gothic elements has been my saving grace. Mostly they used regency and victorian. Snowflake day is tomorrow. I've treated myself to a bucket car. I haven't decided if I'm keeping the car or selling it once it's restored. I think some of that will depend on if the family court judge approves my drivers license application. I took the basic drivers ed at school, but I don't have an adult to help me with the road skill practice. Snowflake day was a hit, everyone who had came had a great time and I've learned that Melissa doesn't really get me even though we're good friends. I also learned why Fern, Mrs. Stone, hasn't been looking very well. She and Sark, Mr. Stone, are trying for another baby. They have four kids already, yet they still want more. Spring has finally returned, but you wouldn't know it by the light dusting of snow everywhere. I found another fancy egg during the egg hunt, but it was just like the one I already had, so I sold it. I suppose I could have donated it to the museum, after all I earn almost two thousand a week between my wages and my portion of the profits. I have a greater appreciation for what goes into running a business. I could have gotten away with slacking off at work, yet instead I found myself working twice as hard to make sure that "my" store was a nice place for customers to shop. My hard work earned me two promotions, and now in addition to my regular duties I get the bonus of picking the music for my shifts. The only complaints I hear are about the burglaries that have been increasing around the island. Well I was sleeping, and now I'm not. The alarm system is really loud. After listening to customers talk about their homes being burgled I had reset the sensitivity level on my alarms. I was happy to see the officer taking the would be thief off in cuffs. I thought I was tired. Paul Jr has outgrown the costume phase, but now Fern is expecting a baby girl and this time her pregnancy isn't going very well so Tara and Colm spend almost all of their free time watching Paul Jr. Again! Yet another break in attempt. What keeps drawing the burglars, is it the fancy floral boxes. It's not just me upset, it's everyone on the island. We've been trying to get a police station, but as an unincorporated community mainland says we have to settle for the patrols they send over. Everyone's talking about whether we should incorporate. I messaged my case worker, with a request to be given voting rights even though I'm not 18. It's a long shot, since emancipation doesn't usually doesn't extend to voting rights. I try to talk to Tara and Colm at school, but they're stressed out. Their mom went into labor early and the clinic doctors are thinking of sending her and baby Felisha to a main land hosptal that specializes in pregnancy complications. Their mom's early labor was triggered by something called preeclampsia, and there wasn't enough amniotic fluid around baby Felisha. Listening to Colm, I realize that I don't know what he wants in his future partner. Does he want a small family or big? Then again what do I want? I grew up as an only, so sometimes I think a large number of kids would be nice, but I don't want to be tied to be "so-n-so's" parent, that's just not who I am. In the girls locker room I found Tara hiding in a stall crying. She showed me her phone. Dad - Paul's at the People's house. Mom and Felisha are being air lifted to River View Memorial Hospital. I'll call tonight. "That's good isn't it?" I asked Tara. "No" Tara shook her head, and between gulping sobs explained "They only airlift if the patient might die." I don't know why my throat suddenly felt tight, but it did. I hugged Tara close, her tears soaking through my blouse. Eventually a teacher showed up, they had already been informed on the situation. Tara and Colm were being excused for the rest of the week. I tried to focus on my school work, but it's hard when your best friends are struggling through a crisis. Summer, I'm feeling pensive, yet I should be happy. While I wasn't allowed to vote those that were voted to incorporate. So now not only do we have a police station, we also have a fire department, a city hall, and reserves station. All of the new city buildings have wind and solar installations so they aren't dependent on the grid. There's a semi fun skill course on the back side of the joint police and military block that they use to assess potential recruits. City hall was planned out nicely. The fire department building is okay, I'm mixed on the barn like structure. Someplace like Riverview it probably works great, to me it stands out like a sore thumb, but maybe I think that because it's right across from my house. As to why I'm pensive, I don't see much of my friends anymore. With their dad going back and forth between here and the mainland, they have switched to an independent study program that lets them study from home while they take care of their younger siblings. Leisure day, and I have a tiny pool to show off. I wanted bigger, but the construction firm was adamant that I couldn't have bigger and inside. So small it is, just big enough for short laps. It still makes a nice hang out space. Only Fern Stone doesn't show up for the party. She's still in hospital with Felisha. The worst is passed, but there's questions of when if ever they'll be coming back to the island. Tara is 17 1/2, which is almost an adult. Sark helped her move into a new house to test out living on her own. She sometimes talks about asking Dusty to move in. Sark makes funny grimaces when she brings it up. I wasn't surprised when Sark bee lined for the piano. While we eat berry pie Colm mentions there's another school dance coming up. Which gives me an idea. I ask him if he wants to see my work area in the basement where I made the miner and keep my notes on the car restoration. Oh that did not go well! I'm mortified. I managed to salvage the situation, but Oh! After I showed Colm my notes on the car, I decided to be bold and asked him to the dance. Colm said it would be nice to go as a couple, and well I guess I misunderstood him because he rejected my attempt at a first kiss. He accepted my apology and offered one of his own as he hugged me. He's still really tense because of all the stuff at home with his mom and his baby sister. He gives me another quick hug before changing to leave. My party and the houses makeover are the talk of the town, and thankfully Melissa didn't witness the rejected kiss or I'd be the talk of the town. With the exception of furnishings, which includes light fixtures; and the grounds I've finished the primary renovations of the house. I wanted to remove the door that partitions off the nursery and nanny's room, but the historical society was very firm regarding that change being a no-no, since in Victorian times children weren't fully incorporated into the family at a young age like they are now. They gave me some literature on the topic, admittedly I only scanned it, but now I understand a little better why I was kept in the back nursery instead of being allowed in the room opposite great grandmother when I was little.
For me everything feels on track and awesome. My 16th birthday is a week away, and then I'll be two years from my 18th birthday. In some ways I'm not in a rush to see what the future brings, but at the same time I'm excited for the future and to be completely free of the added legal oversight that has me in emancipation limbo.
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