Enough

The birthday money people gave me this month really helped. Not only is the outstanding phone bill paid, but I could buy extra food.

I just cleaned and skinned a canteloupe. It's perfectly ripe and so satisfying. After I finish eating it, I can get into my cheap watermelon.

Last night, I found a restaurant-sized can of pinto beans. People here set things out for the vagrants who pass through this neighborhood, on the way to and from the package liquor on Central Ave. and the park, by my house, where they score weed.

Since I have some left over pork roast in the freezer, the pintos will make many meals, with the sour cream, cilantro and onion I bought last week. Tacos, refries, bean soup.....

There are still two chunks of brisket in the freezer from last month, about 4 lbs. When it's 69 cents/lb, I buy two, whole briskets: about 15 lbs.

I made my pizza, out of marked down, stale French bread, an 8-cent can of tomato sauce, left over mozerella and "dog food."

The discount grocer marks down hamburger when it starts to turn grey, calls it "dog food," and charges 59 cents/lb for it. I buy 3 or 4 packages a month. I thaw one, scoop inside for the pink meat for me.

The grey meat I boil in water & powdered milk, mix with flour and egg, and bake on cookie sheets for animal kibble. The cats and dog love it!

So, it's five days 'til my disability check. But, except for the last roll of toilet paper that I'm rationing carefully, I have everything I need.

It's a week after that before I get my food stamps, but I have enough food 'til then.

I grew up with full cupboards and refrigerator. I always had plenty to eat and lots of variety.

Especially since moving over here, that's definately not true anymore. I don't live close to a food pantry that doesn't thump Bibles and play Lady Bountiful anymore. I won't take food from people who treat us like losers.

I won't take food unless I can earn it. I used to work at a food pantry, for two years. I'd LIKE to volunteer at Food Not Bombs, cooking in exchange for food here, but it's a very long walk on a Sunday, when buses don't run.

So, I've really been scrambling for food, especially at the end of the month. In a total emergency, there are two restaurants on Central near here. I can dumpster dive, if necessary. But I'm prone to disease, so I avoid that option.

My diet's been really bad this summer. This was the first year for this garden. No tomatoes; got curly virus. I see chilis forming. It was too hot and dry for the corn, and the squash bugs killed my melon and pumpkin vines. The cilantro and parsley bolted and went to seed. Not enough rain...not hardly any.

Been collecting 2 liter bottles. Going to fill with potting soil, place on window sills, plant with individual lettuce, cabbage and herbs. Should b able to grow fresh produce all winter in here, especially since I've been rescuing florescent fixtures to bolt to ceilings for years!

Gotta eat more fresh stuff! I swear, the potatoes, melon, cabbage and tomatoes I've been eating this past week have made me feel MUCH better!

I rely too much on meat-flavored starches. I've got to change that!

I have enough!