In my case I knew I might have to fall back on sleeping in my car when I came across the country to visit my grand kids, but I hoped to work out a service-for-a-room arrangement or land a home health care job. But those things didn't work out so well and after the first year, my lower legs were all swollen and the doctor said I was damaging my heart because I wasn't getting horizontal sleep in my car.
So now I sleep horizontally for at least some of every night--either in a shelter or on the ground or on a table top or on the folding table of a coin-op laundry that stays unlocked all day and all night.
It's always somewhat of an adventure where I'll sleep, but at least I do have choices and I do get horizontal sleep and no one bothers me at night.
I came here to Palo Alto, CA to see my grandchildren. I still haven't gotten to spend much time with them so I'm not going back (to New Jersey) yet. Plus, I don't have the money to drive East. Gas has almost doubled since I drove out here in July of 2009. The people of Palo Alto are very generous and there's a meal at a church every day of the week. And there are programs to help you earn money and get housing. I hope to be housed one of these days.
In the meantime, stay tuned to this blog for more about the unsheltered life.
