An Unwelcome Knock At The Door

Friday, March 4, there came a knock on my door. Just the sound of the knock was ominous: bang, bang, bang! I wasn't expecting anyone to call that day, so I was suspicious. I went to the door to see the sheriff standing there with important-looking papers in his hands. I thought this cannot be good news. It wasn't.

The sheriff stated my name in a question and I answered yes. Then he proceeded to hand me court papers regarding the sale date of my house in the foreclosure proceedings that had been filed in February, 2010. He told me that the house would be sold in 45 days from the day he served notice, which was April 19, 2011.

He was just doing his job in a routine fashion although I sensed he was looking to see my reaction- which was quiet shock. I believe I actually thanked him before shutting the door.

Then I went into a full-on panic. Wow- the news hit me like a brick wall in a car going 60 miles an hour. Reality check- this was it. I had to move with my three teenage sons - to where? I had not a clue. Two years of frantically searching for alternate housing had led nowhere fast. Catholic Charities had offered a two bedroom efficiency apartment for 1 adult and 3 near adults at nearly the same amount  of money as the full sized house payment. This was clearly not an option. My teens are not getting smaller- quite the contrary.

Because of the foreclosure I was not eligible to purchase another house in the conventional manners, ie: a loan. Also because I only receive disability, I cannot afford to purchase another home. And of course, if Brad Ex would pay child support ( which he doesn't ), I would be able to afford a 3 bedroom home...
Of course if  Brad Ex followed the court-ordered divorce decree (which he doesn't ), my children and I would not be facing foreclosure and homelessness...

I am desperately trying to work out my family's living arrangements after the 45 days pass. The fact remains that the largest task in front of me remains to pack or not to pack...It is very frustrating to not know. It is even more sad to realize that there are literally millions of people going through the same thing or have already gone through losing their home. It is a terrible situation which is not easily solved. It is devastating for all involved in the process- especially the children. Probably not very traumatic for the banks, however.

This house is a shit hole full of bad memories from Brad Ex. Thousands of dollars could not make it livable or even rentible- let alone a nice home. Yet I have found myself in a position of having to fight for this horrible shit hole that has been the place of so much misery and hurt so my family can have mere shelter. I have to remind myself that it is just a structure of wood and plaster and try not to have too many nasty emotional detachments to the house we have lived in for 16+ years. But that is a difficult job for this family to do.

That's right- I have paid for this shit hole 16 years out of  a 30 year loan. I should have more legal options and rights to keep this house than fleeing from the sheriff's sale or making a deal with the devil.

Don't get me started but it seems to me to be a feudal land grab straight from the Medieval 16th century that is going on in America right now. It will end with the banks and the rich having all the power because they have all the land and all the money. The rest of us will be begging for the crumbs that fall off their bread. It is not the USA I knew and grew up in.