Update

Have not been able to blog for a while, my laptop that I bought one e-bay for $100.00 finally gave up. I can't complain though, it got me through 4 semesters of school, and between research, term papers and blogging had quite a workout for an old laptop. More than likely would have lasted a bit longer if one of the girls at the shelter, while trying to be helpful, had not dropped it. It still worked for a while, but the bezel was cracked and eventually the screen went black. I did check into getting it fixed but it was cost prohibitive for the age and configuration.

Lesson learned: carry everything myself, even if it takes multiple trips in the rain.

So I started the fall semester using the school's computers, however with the huge influx of new students (four thousand more than the previous semester) the computer commons was always overcrowded and usually people were waiting in line for computers between classes. It would not have been right to take up computer time with a personal blog even if the library monitors would have allowed it.
Because of the explosion in enrollment there was also a computer glitch with processing FAFSA applications and grants and as luck would have it my renewal was affected by the glitch and my application was among the several hundred that had to be started all over again. It was almost at the end of the semester before I finally received my grant check that normally would have come in August.
Of course we all know that when it rains, it pours! So on top of everything else my car broke down right when the insurance and renewal was due. I am sitting at the shelter with no school books, a broken down car with expired plates and insurance. I was afraid to ask what next!
A former shelter resident I had kept in touch with, offered to loan me money till my check arrived, which, as much as I hate to borrow money, I gratefully accepted. So I purchased the books I needed, many were outdated versions just to get by, found someone that would work on my car and wait to get paid, as long as I bought the parts. Again my friend stepped up to the plate and not only loaned me money for the parts but drove the mechanic to get them, while I was in class.
Boy, you sure find out who you can count on when you are in a jam, but then I already knew that. None of my former friends have even bothered to inquire how I am, once they found out that I had to sell the beach house to cover a portion of my husband's medical expenses, was loosing my home to foreclosure after my husband's death and deeply in debt with no place to live, they totally disassociated themselves. I truly think they were afraid I would ask them for help, which in my case was never even a consideration. I don't inflict my problems on other people, but it would have been nice if someone would have at least acknowledged the fact that I still exist. I hope that all my former so-called friends never have to find out what it's like to be in my situation, alone and dead broke and no one cares enough to invite you to dinner over the holidays. Maybe they were afraid that my "vintage" Volvo would bring down property values in their neighborhood.

Luckily just before Thanksgiving my check finally arrived and I was able and to pay off my debts and get a new laptop just in time for finals, but am still working on getting my license plates and insurance re-instated.