Karen's Who Think They Can Fix Things That Aren't Broken

 So, today I found another post by another karen who thinks poor people live below her standards and SHE is the fixer of all fixers.

What she needs is an education about how those below the poverty level are forced to survive.

I am one of those who live FAR below the poverty level. I get SSI, which in California, is a little over $1,100 per month. I get $115 in Food Stamps.

Rent in California, for a studio in a slum section of town is about $1000 per month with SOME utilities included, but not all. Renting a room is at least $600 per month, but usually higher depending on where you rent. Those situations typically do NOT work out well and end in always moving around, which then costs more due to moving costs etc.

 

When you live under the poverty level it is usually IMPOSSIBLE to get ahead in life, to better the circumstances or provide most basic needs. Keep in mind what the electric bills have looked like lately, eve for people who have solar on their homes. My IHSS worker recently had a bill over $900 for one month. How is someone on SSI supposed to afford that? That is before a phone, before cable, before home internet..... It is impossible.

Actually owning your own place while living under the poverty level is typically impossible. So those under the poverty level end up homeless, moving from place to place because of rent increases, or stuck in living conditions that are not only unhealthy but also unsafe. 

I got lucky when I found this piece of land and was able to pay it off in 2 years. That got me OUT of the vicious cycle of moving around so much because of rent increases, etc. I came to this property in a 2 room cabin tent and was bless with a free 5 th wheel camper. Yes, it needed work! But it is built solid.

Most people would call it ugly, but to me it is the FIRST home I have ever owned. EVER! It has always been a dream of mine to build my own home with my own hands. I fell in love with tiny homes a long time ago. The 5th wheel IS a tiny home it just needs a makeover. 

I began with 1 - 100 watt solar panel and a 35 amp hour battery. I now have 300 watts of panels set up with 4 batteries and 4 more 100 watt panels sitting here waiting to be installed. I still require the generator to run the air conditioner, and occasionally recharge the solar when I goof and pull too much from it. But hey I have never lived 100% on solar before so this is a learning process! My set up is a temp set up until I am ready to do the perm one in the 5th wheel. I still have to function and live while I do the work!

So while the fix it all karens enjoy paying others to do the work for them,I enjoy learning these things and at the end of the day I can say "I did that". For those under the poverty level we do not have the LUXURY of affording others to do the work for us so we do what our bodies permit each day and push on slowly. I find it rewarding to do it myself. Lately though the winter, the winds and now the heat have hindered progress, but progress has been made.I am still researching to figure out why some things in this motorhome do not work, wiring code for the 5th wheel - the full solar stuff, watching how to videos on YouTube when I can't be up doing something.

So, I began gathering materials. I invested in tools and then someone convinced me I should rent out spots to help financially. After 3 years of doing that and finally getting rid of the potheads, tweakers thieves and pill heads - NOW I have to play clean up as well as juggling the renovation of the 5th wheel. Not to mention replace a bunch of tools that went AWOL.

Then the drama over the motorhome I am in NOW. It was brought here by Sandy Rakip, who claimed she had permission. When she refused to clean up her mess I placed a lien on this motorhome and got in contact with the actual owner who had ZERO idea of what Sandy had been up to with his belongings. He too failed to realize storage, clean up, repairs, etc cost money. Like Sandy he thought everything should be free so I finalized the lien and the motorhome is legally mine now. 

I found it difficult to try to renovate the 5th wheel while living it and after chasing a kitchen roof leak since I got it, I came up with a plan to find that leak! But I have to rip the kitchen ceiling out AGAIN I cannot do that while I live in it, so the motorhome is the temp home while I have fun doing something I have dreamed of. 

It's all Grizzly Adams fault though. As a child I watched that show and dreamed of living off grid like him. I wanted the log cabin with the dirt floor and the old way of life. I am on my way. I have the land, have campers that I will renovate one by one. I have one that is gonna be specifically for the kitties. It is a hot mess right now though. My step son didn't bother to clean it up before he left.

It will take time to finish the 5th wheel, but I do have many of the materials here now. I had to wait until I had some storage to put it in, but much of it is sitting here waiting for installation. 

That is no easy task on my income either! Yes, pix will be put in the Off Grid Progress album on Facebook! I always post it there. But the idea that the karen who visited took pix without context - then shared them also without context upset me at first. Then I realized she shared them with other karens who had nothing better to do but talk about it without investigating, without speaking to the person they were talking about. Sort of reminded me of junior high!

Do I have piles of junk wood around. YUP. Why? Because I have a brand new wood burning stove to install in the 5th wheel and it will all be cut up into firewood. So, it is messy piles right now..... I haven't installed the wood stove yet so no need to begin cutting it up. That is like putting the cart before the horse. When the stove is installed it will all be cut into nice, neat firewood and stacked properly. 

Do I have junk tires around YUP. I want to line my driveway with them, eventually paint them, make some yard planters with them, outdoor cathouses with them...... I have several projects I am working on so yes there are tires scattered here and there. I move some when I can, put them where the project will be or where they are needed. 

I recently got the chickens and what is wrong with being able to have my own eggs. I mean seriously have you seen the price of eggs lately? I have large coops that will be expanded on and they also provide MEAT when needed. Living below the poverty level means that meat is a LUXURY unless you raise it yourself.

Yes I have MANY piles of materials that need sorted and organized. Most were gathered right before my foot injury. Hauled in and unloaded from the truck then not able to get out and sort once the foot injury happened. 

Then I trusted the wrong people to help me while I was down with the injury and two surgeries. Instead of helping they made more messes than I have been able to keep up with. Which is why I consulted a junk hauler this week for an estimate. After providing the estimate, promising to bring the trailer and drop it off FRIDAY (today) he had a family emergency and will follow up with me Monday.

So, trashy people trash my place and I will be paying out of pocket to clean up THEIR messes it puts my plans on hold until I am able to finish purchasing the last few things needed to renovate the 5th wheel.

The motorhome I am in now is an 88 model and only half the shit in here works. I have been out here since 2019 without a fridge. I have used coolers and spent a fortune on ice to keep my food. At least the fridge works in this motorhome! It has issues though and my plans are to only be in it until I finish the 5th wheel. The motorhome will likely stay where it sits and become a lounge area for the cats.

I will be building a catio between it and the 5th wheel to allow them access to both, as well as have a closed in yard for the 2 medical kitties that only go out on the leash or in the stroller. 

 

But this fix it all karen has all the answers and HER way is the only right way. Too bad she cannot see how selfish, self righteous and inconsiderate that is. Too bad she cannot see her her rush to judgement with all the facts could affect someone else.  She has no time to consider the ramifications of her actions, nope. She always has to be RIGHT.

I guess it never occurred to her that not everyone has the resources available to do what SHE thinks should be done and done her way. Not everyone walks the same path, not everyone lives a cookie cutter life. People should respect the differences in others...... Until then we will pray for them.