What is a monkeybox?

When I was a little girl, we had a pet monkey named Amanda. My Dad worked in the produce business, so each night he brought home that days culls in a big box - spotty cucumbers, pithy apples, limp celery, moldy oranges and the like. We called it a monkeybox. It was really just trash, but my Mom would take each piece of fruit and trim it, pare it and cut it up to make a beautiful fruit platter for Amanda. Even though it was deemed trash by one, it still had life left in it and was good for the purpose we needed it. That's how I live my life - thrifting, yard saling, looking for another's trash to be my treasure.

Friday, November 16, 2012

No More Breadman

I'm sure everyone knows by know that Interstate Bands/Hostess ceased business today.  The Breadman received a call at 8:00 am telling him to drop all the bread he had, bring the truck in and go home.  That's it.

All day on the news they have been showing Twinkies.  Laughing about "no more Twinkies?  How will we exist?"  I woke up this morning to Good Morning America passing around Twinkies laughing it up about their last Twinkie ever.  It's about so, so much more than Twinkies.  I could just puke thinking it.

Needless to say, things might be quiet around here for awhile while we figure out what to do.  I'm sure I will have to re-enter the work force for the first time in 18 years.  But, I still have to Homeschool and educate my kid and get him ready for life.  He's 17, but he's a unique quirky kid.  A kid that is taking all of this very, very hard.  He worries about us so much.  He really takes a lot of the worry for us, and that is not a kid's job.  I don't care if he is nearly a man.  He's MY kid.  He has always been my top priority, and he will always be - but we have to pay the electric bill and the mortgage.

Monday we will look into unemployment, Mortgage Modification (to reduce payments while you are unemployed so you don't get behind) and a withdrawl from his Retirement account.  I know that last one is a bad idea, but, what can you do, right?  At least he has a retirement account since he wasn't employed directly through Hostess.

I appreciate all the comments and you don't even have to comment on this post.  I feel the love.  I really do.  I know everyone means well on here, on Facebook and in real life - "Things will get better, etc"  Well, they might someday, but for today, it sucks.  It really, really sucks.

Until I'm back - thanks for all your support. The Breadman Curtis and I really appreciate it.

30 comments:

  1. I'm not even sure how I found your blog--but I've been reading for awhile and wanted to tell you Ive thought about your family since last nights post. I used to be a wonder bread thrift store manager and I remember how hard our drivers worked. My heart aches for your family. I wish I had magic words to make it better but I dont. Just know a stranger is thinking of you and pulling for things to get better.

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  2. God bless you Shara, and the Breadman too. Tiimes are tough for so many! Hang in there!

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  3. So sorry about your troubles, Shara. I can't believe Hostess is gone. Not good. I can't say things will get better soon. But I can say there are people who care and love you and your family. Be well and stay strong, Mama, for the family YOU love.

    Sending a warm hug,
    Sandie

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  4. I don't even know what words to say. Life does suck sometimes. Hang in there...

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  5. All my love to you guys. Let me know if there is anything I can do. You can email me at scwk0511 at yahoo dot com if you want to talk.

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  6. Been a reader for a while but haven't commented before. Just know that while the news media may be yucking it up about the Twinkies, real people know that other real people's lives are being changed. My heart is breaking for all who are now trying to figure out how they will make ends meet. You are creative and you guys will find a way to make this work. I've personally been there and it may be hard and uncomfortable for a while, but you've got a lot of people pulling for you.

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  7. I'm so sorry :-(

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  8. I too was aggravated by the jokey way the media has handled this. It's like they missed what it means to thousands of families when a large company goes bankrupt. I know what you are going through because I lost my job as a State employee two years ago and had to listen to everyone talk about what a great thing that was for the taxpayers! I will be keeping you guys in my thoughts, with hopes for a better future for everyone.

    Bonnie

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  9. Oh Shara, your husband will always be the Breadman to me no matter what he ends up doing! I'm thinking of you and your family, hang in there.

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  10. Shara - I am SO sorry. What a terrible blow, and at the worst time of year. I am sending you hugs through the blogosphere - hope you get them!

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  11. That does stink-- making jokes about Twinkies. Sometimes people have no thought to "that could happen to me." Best of luck to you. You never know-- maybe some good will come of it.

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  12. Sending love and prayers to you and your family. God is good and He will provide. You are strong and creative and you will perservere.

    Debra

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  13. Thats terrible, I really hope something turns up quickly for your chap, <<>>

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  14. I'm so sorry! Hugs and thoughts to you all.

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  15. Keep the faith and count your blessings. keeping you in my prayers.
    Cathy

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  16. Wow, that really does suck. We are rooting for you guys.

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  17. I am so sorry. A business shutting down is never a joking matter. I can't even imagine all the thousands upon thousands of people this effects. I hope The Bean adjusts to the new normal quickly.

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  18. You are right...it sucks! Know I'm thinking of you all!

    hugs, Linda

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  19. I'm sorry you and your family are going through this. I'm thinking about you and praying for you guys.

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  20. My husband is an engineer, four years ago he went in to work and was terminated in a few quick minutes, after 25 years plus of service. It was devastating, professionally and personally, but he did rebound and found another job, as will your Breadman! I feel for you... Take care...

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  21. I am so sorry you are having to go through this. Hang in there. It's easy to say that it will get better and probably hard for you to hear that. But we are thinking about you and your family. I hope that things turn around fast for you. I wish I had the power to fix this.

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  22. So sorry Shara!! I'll be praying for you guys!! Hang in there!!!

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  23. Shara, although I haven't been commenting much lately I read your blog religiously and think about you often. I posted about your situation today on FB and my frustration with the media. Goodness, my friends were so fired up! Quite a few have been in situations similar to this and they ALL had the same message for you and your family. It is that you will be in their prayers through out these hard times and they hope for the very best for you! Please take care!
    Le Anne

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  24. You're right, it really sucks. I'm glad you feel the love, though, because it's out there from lots of us.

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  25. Anonymous3:39 PM

    I have thought about you and your family all weekend Shara. I will keep you in my prayers. Things will get better. Your Wee Bean is a great kid and someday he will make some woman a great husband and a great father to his children all because of how you raised him. I was so aggravated at the TV. I kept telling people that my friend's husband lost his job and it is not amusing in the least. Then I remembered we had never met and I am stalker-LOL! Keep your head up and stay strong, my friend.
    Big hugs,
    Amy J

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  26. I am so sorry about your husband's job loss. It almost feels like a death and yes it is terrible and you have every right to feel that way. Will be putting you and your family on my prayer list.

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  27. So sorry for you!

    I heard about the "yahoos" yucking it up on the tv news shows! Really bad taste. 18,000 people out of a job and they think it's funny.

    Really sad!

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  28. Shara - I am so far behind in blog reading that I'm just reading your news. I am so sorry ... just so sorry. I know to worry about my blog friends when bad weather strikes in other parts of the country, but it never occurred to me the Hostess shutdown would affect you. I will be thinking about you and hoping for the best. Barbara

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