The Infinite Ramblings of April Compo

The Infinite Ramblings of April Compo

Saturday, December 25, 2021

12 Flavors

 Not to brag, but I received two gifts for Christmas. Both are drinkable. First, my dear cousin gave me a bottle of my favorite coconut water that I bought with SNAP benefits earlier in the week and he had hidden (and I was actually looking for yesterday, haha). Second was 12 different infused vodkas in sweet hand-labeled bottles from my amazing friend Brandy. Hazelnut, vanilla, lavender, cinnamon, coconut, lime, etc... really nice! I am going to her place tomorrow to make pear butter too. She's a great friend, probably the most loyal and generous person I've met. She rejects the thought of relying on someone else that doesn't sincerely want to help her. She makes it a point to be strong enough to go above and beyond.

I feel that. 

It's smart to be self-sufficient. It also feels good to help people when they're struggling, which is actually how I met her. The kids and I were in a homeless shelter with other mothers and children. It was what my then husband could afford for us, since I had just moved back from Florida after leaving him 6 months earlier and he had never been dependable enough to pay the bills for the length of a lease for as long as I'd known him. He reached out to strangers online to find a room to rent and found Brandy. Out of a complete mess came a life-long friend, so I have no regrets - especially as my life and choices continue to get better and better. Brandy and her then husband had a basement room with its own bathroom, and I've never had to go back to a shelter since. I've also never had to offend anyone with my beliefs. She is a wonderful Christian and doesn't fear open discussions about any topic under the sun. She split from her then husband and my then husband became a drunken, abusive psycho that we called the police on (again) so it was Brandy and I and our 4 kids for the summer. She got a job, and I watched the kids - we had our own little economy. Oddly, when she ended up selling the house as part of her divorce, I depended on my then husband again for a place to live. I suppose it was because I wanted him to provide for his children as I had been doing - even though he was still not taking care of his mental health. We stayed in another basement (far less comfortable, but still a great older woman that owned the home). Eventually I was able to find a job, then upgrade to a better job, then find a great deal on an apartment. Which is where I am now. The husband followed but couldn't hold it together for long and the police carted him off again for the last time. That was over two years ago now. All of the damage has not been undone, nor can it be, really. It is good to plainly see the damage though, to realize what I have control over. And so, so good to have my friend Brandy. And shout out to Cousin Matthew for keeping me from drinking the coconut water for a day:)

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