It's been a while...
My last post was over a year ago. I started this blog as a way to help myself sort through things by writing what came to mind, and I always said I'd stop one day because I wouldn't need it anymore. I honestly haven't really thought about this thing in that year. Before that, posts slowed, and I guess September of 2025 was the final. But then things blew up.
In November 2025, the house had the sewer line break. That's a bad enough disaster for the average homeowner. Living with a hoarder makes it a life-changing event. The company that was to do all the work, naturally had to clear the area they were going to be working in. They had to move the hoard into one of those temporary storage boxes that sat in our driveway for several months. Then when everything was brought in, it was just... packed. Floor-to-ceiling, front-to-back in every room in the basement.
In December, I was awakened at 5:30 in the morning by a crash and my mom saying "Oww." She'd got tangled in her sheets, so when she tried to get out of bed, she kind of fell out. Turned out that her had had been broken. I'll spare you the gross details. She was taken to the ER, where I went to join her. She was finally taken into surgery 13-ish hours later, and spent the next 2 days in the hospital recovering. I was able to stay with her in a relatively comfortable chair... bed... thing. Thankfully, the on-call surgeon couldn't have been anyone better! Awesome dude!
Fast forward to March 21st... I'm at a market, selling the earrings I'd made over the last few months, and I get a call from my mom that my brother-in-law passed away in his sleep. Devastated. Gut-punched. Stunned. Take your pick of words that you use when there's no other way to describe how you feel.
Then the fun really began...
With my "sister" not working, she couldn't stay in her apartment, so it became MY job to clean out the HOARDER'S mess so that SHE could move in and live more comfortably than I do! (An amazing neighbor/family friend helped beyond measure, and made the process less sucky.) When the she-narc moved in, she did nothing but complain about everything. Mind you, she got 2 big rooms, brand new carpet, and a brand new bathroom. But nothing has ever been good enough for her. Oh! And don't even ask the freeloading succubus to help out in lieu of paying rent. She learned really quickly that when she's asked to do something, if she waits long enough, someone else will do it for her. That is, if she doesn't assume I'll do it... along with literally everything else. She's 42 years old and thinks everyone is there to serve her.
The absolute worst of this was July 21st. Well, the 22nd, technically. On the 21st, one of my two coworkers just didn't show up. No call, no text, nothing. (I'm having a very hard time writing this part. Barely holding it together.) On the morning of the 22nd, I get a text from my boss to call him when I had a chance. (Crying now.) He told me, "I'm going to tell you something very upsetting." I already knew what he was going to say. When he said it, my legs gave out. (Taking a break to cry harder...) I couldn't believe it. She was there on the 20th, just as Marie as ever. Smiling, watering her beloved plants... Then she wasn't. It's been over three months, and I still have a hard time walking past her office. I avoid it if at all possible. (You'll notice I can't even bring myself to type in direct terms what happened.) I don't know what or how. I don't think I even want to know.
There have definitely been good parts during this year, don't get me wrong. But the stress and heartache have been by far the largest part. I feel so... lost. I want to cry every day at work because I miss my friend. I get mad at my brother-in-law (for what probably looks like selfish reasons) because his wife, who has abused me relentlessly, is back under the same roof, just as narcissistic as ever.
I hurt. I'm angry. I'm sad.
I just want this to stop.
