Mom’s dear friend wrote a long email to me and my sister on July 10th, 2010. In it she detailed how she had helped mom move into a new apartment at The Park and what her new surroundings were like:

 

Sent: July 10, 2010 @ 07:19 AM PDT
Subject: Kathy

David & Jennifer,

Week 1 post move complete. Your mom is two thirds unpacked and settled. Yesterday evening we walked to Wal-Mart for a few food items. It was a nice walk. The Park is very centrally located. Today we are going to the farmer’s market and the T-Mobile store to do research into plans, the status of her account and see what deals can be had on veggies.

David, I am trying to organize her finalize her budget and financial plans. Please email me the bank routing number and account number of the Bank of America account tied to her UCF debit card. With that info we can get funds transferred into that account and I can get her electric bill and rent paid as an ACH draft.

When I go into Daytona this weekend I will email you all your mom’s budget which is saved on my office computer. By my calculation she will need about a $5,000 disbursement from her retirement to cover her basic living expenses thru November for rent, electric, food, phone and medications.

I went over the printed budget with her last night which she understands she is on a tight, austere budget but one that covers the basic necessities of life. She knows she will have to find some type of employment to afford car and it’s upkeep or cable.

Today we are going to ride the bus together, so that she knows how to get to her counselor and back to her apartment. She tells me she hasn’t ever ridden the bus as an adult. So I am going to teach her how. He counselor is two miles straight down the same street she lives on, Dunlawton Avenue.

City Center, including the library, YMCA and City Hall are accross the street from the Park. Wal-Mart is a block and half down on the same side of the street. Home Depot is accross the street from Wal-Mart. That is the Clyde Morris Boulevard and Dunlawton Avenue intersection. On the corner even closer to the Park, Nova Road and Dunlawton, is Bank of America, Publix, Kmart and a host of other stores between two regional shopping centers. On Dunlawton on either side of the Park are restaurants all around.

David, at your earliest opportunity, transfer the last $20 into Kathy’s debit card account.

I am trying to get your mom to think and live more positively. Almost everyday I remind her how blessed she is but I suspect she is not on the right anti-depressant. What I plan to do is research what health services and benefits she can have once she is 62 from Florida Health Care Plans or from Humana Gold.

I will keep you posted. I am organizing a scrabble party, hopefully poolside or at the clubhouse, so that she can have friends over and have that experience.

I will let you know how that goes.

 

Mom hated when people spelled her name with a Y instead of an IE.