HEY... It's Erin. Gigglemom and I are in sort of a pickle at the moment. Yes. This is going to be a bit of a sob story... it's a bit embarrassing. GMom's house is about to be foreclosed on.

HOW DID THIS HAPPEN??? HERE'S THE BLURB ON THE BACK OF CLIFF NOTES VERSION:
Well, it's not from not paying the mortgage. I've been paying her mortgage and am up-to-date with that. That's $1066.38 per month (yeah. I am being upfront about it all.)

See, GM had to stop working back in 2006 because of the ridiculous amount of health problems (COPD, CHF, Ileostomy, Wheelchair-Bound, Oxygen dependant). So, that left me holding the bag so to speak. Being self-employed - whilst fun to say and I have lovely clients - kinda bites because it's not a set paycheck. But I've been trying to deal with everything and keep the house in order while, at the same time, trying to keep Gigglemom alive with her prescriptions and health insurance ($226.50 for her health insurance per month and before I signed her up for PAAD last month - finally - I was having to pay between $45 and $365 per month for the prescriptions. Not for nothing, but, there've been times when the pharmacy said "That will be $867.00" and I had to turn away and say to myself "well, it looks like Gigglemom might bite the dust this month." -- she didn't.)

Between that, electric (to keep GMom's oxygen on 24/7/365), gas, food, etc - I had all of the bills prioritized. Except the monthly condominium fees. They are $161.00/month.

I've tried to pay them when I can. I feel totally alone with all of this (since I use GMom's $995/month from Social Security to help pay the bills) and I figured that the condo maintenance fees were lower on the totem pole.

THEN CAME THE JUDGMENT -- AND THE DEALING WITH THE CONDO LAWYER
So... all of a sudden in August we start receiving solicitations from companies about going bankrupt and foreclosure information and I'm all like "What. The. Eff?!"

Then the letter from Wells Fargo (GM's mortgage holder) comes in and was like "um, the condo association is putting a lien on your home, so, foreclosure is kinda gonna happen" -- they worded it with bigger, more frightening vocabulary though.

So, I've been speaking with the WFargo woman who is AWESOME --- but, also having to deal with the #!@*$^# lawyer that was hired by the Condo Association. She's a treat.

THE TOTAL DUE FOR TO REMOVE THE LIEN IS $4544.00
But... then the lawyer has tacked on legal fees and now the frigging total is $10,686.75... and apparently she keeps threatening me when I email her that she's going to charge me per email now as well. (Okay, Erin, you're digressing, get back on track... *breathe*)

I don't get it. She's been totally nasty to me (not for nothing, but, this ISN'T even MY debt. yeah, I'm feeling slightly resentful at the moment. **nodding towards GMom** but, what can I do? It's not like I can leave my mom out high and dry. *breathe* and I don't want to feel resentful.)

So I tried making a payment arrangement, stating that I don't have a lump sum of money and I've tried to ask all of my resources to see if they can help - I know it's ridiculously tight out there. So I don't have the lump sum. But I proposed that I could pay $100 per month ON TOP of the $161.00 - which apparently they are raising to $200/month in January and then raise my payment to $366.00 on top of the $200 in February of 2012 in order to get the balance down. I also said that when I have any extra monies that I would send that along to them as well.

She scoffed at it and sent me a snide email stating that "at that rate it would take you 8 years to pay it off" and that they want $3500 lump sum and $250 per month on top of the normal fee.

Um... I don't know if she read everything that I sent her but, I certainly made it clear that I didn't have $3500 lump sum.

SO ON SEPTEMBER 24th, 2011 - THE SHERIFF CAME TO THE DOOR & SERVED PAPERS.That was oh such a delight to have that happen. GMom was passed out in a Carbon Dioxide stupor at that point and I didn't have a bra on when the fella came to the door. Not fun.

I looked at these things (the papers) and, again, scary verbiage basically telling my 72 year old mother that the house that she's lived in for 19 years is going to be foreclosed on.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO... OTHER THAN ASK FOR HELP.
So, I am asking for help. If you have a buck or two (or ten-thousand) and can spare it, I would be forever grateful.

If you have a lump sum of $$ that you can help me out with I will set up a payment plan to pay YOU back!!!!! My email is gigglechick@gmail.com or you can call me at 732.458.5027

I've set up a PayPal account (up there on the top right) or checks can be sent to me:

Erin P. Bennett
906 Sandra Place
Brick, NJ 08724

YES THIS IS A DESPERATE MOVE --- IT'S A DESPERATE TIME.

The thing is, part of me wants to say "screw it." and then not pay the mortgage that I've been diligently paying. Save the monthly mortgage money and start packing. See how long New Jersey takes to boot Gigglemom out of the house and then try to rent somewhere.

(A few folks have said that would be a good idea. Gigglemom is not exactly sold on the idea.)

I DON'T KNOW. I'M AT MY WIT'S END.

As long as I have my $10/month for my Zoloft (& praying my heart out), I think all will work itself out. I hope.

Yes. This was the "short" Cliff Notes version of my plea. Thanks for reading.

If you could send this along to others, I would be grateful.

Best-

Erin