Part 2

We lived in Fresno from 1981 till 1989. We moved from that 1st one bedroom into a 2 bedroom apartment and then into a 2 bedroom bungalow. The manager and her family became friends. Jessica's first "official" baby-sitter was our next door neighbor. She lasted for a couple years. Jessica would (at the tender age of 4 1/2) get up and go next door to Dorothy's. We quit Dorothy when she dated another neighbor and left Jessica with her schizophrenic friend who often failed to take her meds. By now the friendship with Eva and Steve and their kids was firm. Our 2 BR apartment's back door was right next to Eve's kitchen door. The whole get up and go to the neighbor's thing continued. It is no wonder she is so self confident, she had to be.

We actually had a report against us with CPS about the time we changed sitters. Dorothy's BF reported us. The school was shocked, Jessica is so well adjusted, Her mom is great! Eva also pitched in....it was "illegal" to leave your kid "alone" before the age of 12.

We had great fun there. My sister yelled at her kids for shaking the table on one visit, her first earthquake. We had a frightening crash sound in the front during our 2 br stay. The apartments were set up in a U around the pool. Some guy had driven his car through the fence and was in the pool. We had him in our place with towels and the phone. We also had a major car accident there....however I do have to re-count my own 30th birthday in order to get further.

Eva and I would go clubbing, some other friends too. So for my 30th we went out. Jessica was spending the night at their house with the kids. That was when I picked up My Bad BF. He would stay in our lives for nearly 6 years. As Jessica now realizes, a person is not always capable of making good decisions when it comes to those sort of relationships. If I had not dated Mobin then we might not have moved to SD and she might not have met Greg, so it is all in the journey.

Jessica has always been such a trooper. Our accident was Mobin driving and not paying attention. He rear ended an older Camaro. Totalled my car. That was before regular wear of the seat belt so our gaurdian angel was working overtime. I hit the windshield and had a headache for weeks, broke the windshield. Jessica thankfully did not go through the windshield but I think she might have broken her jaw......poor kid! Fonder memories include the kids dancing, sleepovers, and that 4 poster/canopy bed. Telling everyone she met our phone number....Jess, just if you get lost. Finally asking that "color" question....why is his hand (palm) so white? When she was young Jessica loved my medical books.

Our last year there we moved into another complex, not as much fun, though we had ducks and ponds, the property was nice....Jessica did get the big bedroom! I am sure that there are many more memories from Fresno. Times were lean, we ate Spam and Mac and Cheese. We got free fruits from friends, neighbors. Furniture and even a Christmas Tree were given to us. I try to return the favor now that I can, it feels good.

I grew up with Jessica in Fresno. I learned to kill my own spiders, pay my bills and deal with the daily challenges of, not only life in general, but life as a single parent and student. Does the child reflect the parent or does the parent changes and adapt to the child. I think it is a bit of both.

1989 will see us on the road to SD for the final trip (used to go down often on the weekend after Mobin moved back there to be with family).