OK. Who used to be Middle Class?

[grasswire]

11. everything is relative

We live in a small apartment in a beautiful big old house that is river front. The big picture window has a million dollar view of lawn and river. I am rich in books and music, am a very experienced cook so we can eat nutritiously. I have rich memories of being upper middle class; shopping at Nordstrom, entertaining well, social status, etc. Those things fall away, as every one of us knows in the 99%. We had a comfortable life, and I worked and also volunteered for many civic causes. We had a 14-room Victorian house. It was sweet.

I solely support an intellectually handicapped adult family member and have been the caregiver for 42 years now. That is my main struggle; as I need to provide more for this person than I do for myself. Providing shoes, rain gear, and a life that is not so bare and spare as to be depressing for this dependent. I have not kept a car for about ten years now because we are able to walk and use public transportation. But now I kinda regret not hanging on to a car. The family member I care for has an old ankle injury, and it is now arthritic and is sometimes a problem.

We feel extremely blessed to live in a beautiful, beautiful location, with our shabby chic furniture and our cats and border collie. We have a big family. They are all doing better than we are, because I am not able to work away from home.

Our life has been enriched by thrift shop and estate sale shopping. It's possible to feel that burst of shopping happiness by finding a stash of old cookbooks or vintage tablecloths, for me. I highly recommend it as a pastime.

But yeah, I'd still like to win the lottery. Guess I ought to buy a ticket now and then.