The Kendra's Journal Podcast

This is not an April Fool's joke. This is, in fact, our final episode of the podcast. I'm not sure how many of you have caught my (Phill) attempt at using a song title for most of the last 100 or so episodes. I tried to use a current title that I thought Mom might have been listening to. She was deeply influenced by music so it would be no surprise if the popular songs of those days were influential. For this last episode, I am doing something different. Mom was a huge fan of Janis Joplin. I think that's one person she felt reflected her own worldview. Piece of My Heart very accurately describes how Mom loved. She gave everyone her all, no matter what. If she loved you, she LOVED you. This journey has been very cathartic for Mat and me. We very much appreciate all of you who have been listening. These episodes should be around for quite a while. We hope you've enjoyed our story. The End.

More moving then Mom stops writing for over a year. The "C" word is referenced and Mom tries to get Social Security Disability. She has another surgery and then there's another time jump and some big changes. Mat talks about his strange 35th birthday.

Mom's moving again then stops writing for a year or more. The "C" word is used. Mom was also looking into getting SSDI going. Then she has surgery to remove her bladder. There's another time jump and big changes. Mat talks about his strange 35th birthday.

We have birthdays in this one! Little Mat turns 10, Phill turns 33, Big Mat turns 32, and Cameo turns 9. Money is still rough but getting a little better. Mom feels lucky to have a great boss. More patent revisions are completed and Mom starts making "Curling Iron Cozies", a small, heat-proof sleeve to put hot curling irons into. Financial stress gets her to the point of temporary insanity. Then she's evicted, loses another cat (2 left), and gets fired.

Mom started a new job but was then fired. Vegas (the person) pissed her off. Then she had a very lucky day and we finished the final draft of the patent. Mom lost another job and isn't happy about getting and feeling older. She moves and gets another job, then another move. Mat tells us a story about OJ Simpson.

Sorry about the long intro. Mom might spend Christmas with a new guy, until... She questions her options on whether to be alone or with an idiot. It ends up being her worst Christmas. We also get an update on the patent. 2007 begins but there's still no money. Then she gets a job, and loses the job, and gets a job, and loses the job, and gets a job... Happy 31st Birthday Mat!! Getting unemployment money helps pay some bills and it's back to job hunting. Then there are drug test issues.

We have posted several pictures from our past, even showing Mom as a baby. Scroll through our feed and take a look. Back to the Journal, Mom hears some shocking news and has a lucky day. Financial issues have her trying to find ways to pay for everything and with her hours being cut at work Mom's focusing on job hunting. And when Mom's back goes out her “friends” are not willing to help her. Some unexpected money arrives in the mail and Mat starts faxing a bunch of resumes for Mom. She mentions a new guy and is sent a notice about her student loans.

If you need a podcatcher, check out Pocket Casts. We're not sponsored by them but Phill's employer owns them. Let us know if you like it. Mom has big money problems and continues to look for "real" work. Mat tells a story about his typing class in high school. A potential job at a law office falls through. Mom implies she will avoid the casinos because of her money issues. Phill turns 32 and Mom worries about her cats because of the neighbor's dog. Then Mom has troubles at work.

Mom's financial situation gets worse after 5 nights in Vegas but she's hoping for a bonus at work. We boys get a shock about something Mom wrote. She makes the decision to move back to Vegas and feels like she has a job lined up. Shoulder pain is limiting Mom's abilities. Another moving day, she's rented a "Casita" in Vegas. Then Mom suffers a huge loss and is left heartbroken. But, she starts a new job, so there's that.

Mom works on revisions to the patent and gets a little support when it comes to moving back to Las Vegas. She also spends another weekend there and has her 48th birthday. She has more pain and visits the doctor but has a hard time believing they can do anything for her pain. Big money problems come up and then get worse. She tells Mat that she might be moving back to Las Vegas then tries to contact Oprah about the patent. Yes, that Oprah.

Mom's thoughts are on the patent again. She briefly considers completing the Paralegal program. Of course, there is more Vegas drama and her Arizona social life pretty much ends. An incident at work prompts Mom to look for something new. After another trip to Las Vegas, she's exhausted but planning another one. She's hoping to win some money to get her bills paid. Then the frustrations in Arizona have her considering a move back to Las Vegas.

Due to work, Mom is missing an event. She's also in a slump of work, home, work, home. So she goes to Las Vegas. She continues planning to move to her employer's corporate offices. She then meets and dumps a guy in Arizona and takes another trip to Las Vegas to visit Vegas (the ex-boyfriend) and other friends. She's keeping him in the “friend zone”, sorta. Mom then deals with bad cats and a sad dog. She has more news on the patent and Phill goes to see a specialist in Portland.

It looks like Mom is headed south again. It's official, she got the job in Arizona and has a small window to move and get back to work. Packing time! She loans Phill her TENS unit for his Bells Palsey. Then he goes to see a specialist. He is told there's the possibility of a tumor. Then it's time to make the move and get back to work. She likes Arizona but feels she needs to do something to gain her freedom.

Drama on the phone and Mom continues to try for a job in Arizona. Recent contact has put Vegas on her mind. While waiting to hear back from the Arizona job a new opportunity in Portland comes up. Another MRI on the shoulder is needed too.

Mom rented a new apartment which means another moving day. Her new neighbors are driving her crazy and she briefly thinks about Seattle. Phill gets Bell's Palsy and Mom deals with more shoulder issues. And Vegas reaches out.

Mom got to take grandma to her first Blazers game! And they won! Mom also puts in more applications for transfers to Arizona and the Journal turns 31 :-) Vegas (the person) comes up to Oregon and a quick trip to Cabo relieves some of the stress of life. That is countered by a visit to the dentist, which is never fun. Also a quick trip to Bend is surprisingly fun. Mom gets her mind stuck on Vegas and questions of the future but it looks like she's on the move again!

Mom has something of a social life in Oregon and so does her neighbor. There's a weird work situation that leaves her wondering and she's moving into the new apartment that the job provides a discount on. Mom gets word from her attorney then a whirlwind trip to Las Vegas gives her time to think. She still has a bit to move but there's progress and Hoop goes to the vet. Mom also gets grandson Mathew a birthday gift and plans a night out with her mom.

Mom starts with a new temp job but is looking for something permanent. She also wants to make a video to win a custom bike. A new kitten! She starts working on prototypes of the patent and planning a trip to Mexico. The, A NEW JOB! There are some money troubles but Mat's on it. Mom wonders, will she be alone forever?

Mom deals with the fallout of leaving her job.

Mom got a job! So money is getting better but Valentine's Day gets her down. She's been keeping her distance from everyone south of her. She did get a special visitor that she hasn't seen in a very long time. Shoulder trouble leads to an ER visit, twice. Mom has a new apartment on the horizon so she needs to get some new furniture. Off to K-Mart! Things were going pretty well at work and Mom was approved for a new bike! But then…

Christmas shopping then a Christmas road trip to Hermiston. New Year puts Mom into a funk but she has high hopes for the patent in 2005, “Dreams are the Blueprints of Reality”. The doctor gets back to her with her test results. There might be a coffee date in the near future but she's getting weird vibes about Vegas showing up in Portland.

We're back! Sorry about the delay, traffic was backed up a bit… Mom made contact with a company regarding the patent and has dreams of it going to market in the next year or so. She's still struggling with the idea vs. the reality of her relationship with Vegas. The cat she left behind is on her mind too. She hopes the cat will forgive her when she gets her back. She also does more online dating, kind of. The eye doctor and food stamps kept her busy then she gets a job interview! She has a follow-up doctor's appointment but that means more tests. Some free furniture heads her way and as Christmas approaches Mom and Rachel get evacuated for a bomb threat while shopping. Enjoy!

We have posted an episode a week for a full year, 52 weeks straight! We will be taking August off though so take that time and catch up on older episodes if you haven't yet. In the Journal, Mom has more emotional confusion as “Vegas” tries and fails at being a player. It leaves her wondering if here “White Knight” will ever show up. She finally gets the check she was waiting for but “Vegas” had opened all of her mail before sending it to her in Oregon. A doctor's visit leaves Mom with some bad news. She did some investigation and doesn't like what she finds. The job search begins as well and Mom plots a Payback. Enjoy the show, see you in September!

Mom's in Portland and trying to get Vegas to send her mail and she's struggling to understand what's happening between them. More mind games from him have her feeling foolish. Voc rehab might help Mom get back on track and Phill turns 30.

Well, we're a bit late this week, but still getting one out this week. We're at 50 episodes in a row now! Back in 2004… There are money troubles and job hunting. We get an update on the settlement and Mom is looking into a paralegal program again. Another fight with Vegas leaves her sitting at a casino with nowhere to go. North to South, South to North, which way to go? And maybe some changes?

A trip to Sacramento gets interrupted and Mom calls out Vegas because he's still sneaking around. She gets explicit explaining the situation between her, Vegas, and another woman. We take a side trip to share a story about the “Umatilla Cowboy” we remember growing up and we go off book for a bit to talk about what Mom has going on. We cross the 30th anniversary of the Journal too! Back in 2004, Mom is in and out of the house (again). It doesn't help that there are more money problems and doctor visits to deal with. Then Mom gets an unexpected introduction…

We had a technical glitch so there are no reminders at the beginning of this week. Sorry, you don't get to hear us ramble for five minutes before we start reading ;-) Mom hears from Vegas in this one and later gets a reminder of why she left. Online dating is feeling like a bust, what she really wants is a bad boy with a heart of gold. She goes to Hermiston for her favorite grandson's birthday but he ends up in the hospital with bronchitis. Then she returns to Las Vegas and tries to improve her life, relationship, and physical/mental health. Money is still tight without the settlement then Vegas makes her question her decision to return. More talk about marriage?

We start with a long and stressful week. Between a death, more stress, and pills Mom's had enough. Another car accident? Really? Mom finally gets off the rollercoaster she's been on and puts some plans in motion. And as we always used to sing before a road trip as a family, “On the road again, just can't wait to get on the road again.” Thanks, Willie. Eby the cat finds a new life in California while Mom is headed to Oregon. Once there she gets some time to reflect. She also amends her Will to remove Vegas from it. There's also news on the settlement and Mom begins the process of “rebounding”.

Mom questions what Vegas plans to do on his trip. She also starts planning her own road trip. She also writes out her Last Will and Testament for us and to protect anything the patent might someday bring in. Mom feels relaxed with Vegas gone and has a Girls' Night while he's away. There are some money issues but with a bit of hustle, it isn't as much of a problem.

RIP Rick James. Mom gets to go deep-sea fishing! They caught some fish, cooked them, then… She gets another shot in the shoulder to help with pain and finally gets a full night's sleep. Vegas is playing mind games and fighting with Mom, she thinks she might be ready for a nervous breakdown. Also, Vegas hits the road for his long trip with his friends.

Vegas is not scoring any points with Mom, but marriage? She notes how the passion is gone and questions his fidelity. She voices some concern about the patent and reflects on close to 30 years of writing the Journal. And as always “money, money, money” the never-ending problem.

House work leads to arm pain and meds. Mom was worried about being locked out of the house again and the never-ending money problems. She's looking for BIG money from patent and dreams about what she'd do with that kind of money. Boredom sets in and she hopes of getting her settlement will allow her to have some fun. A surprisingly busy day leaves Mom questioning where her life is.

Mom's making moves to get a deposit on an RV and there's a lot of anticipation for her settlement money. The patent application is published plus Mom turns 46. Oddly enough that's the same age Phillip is now. Thunderstorms and rain come around along with Mat and Rachel who take a vacation to Las Vegas. Mom gets kicked out of her place so she ends up staying in their hotel room. Rachel introduces Mom to Hot Topic.

WARNING: Extra Explicit Episode! Mom's doctor asked if she did something to cause her shoulder pain. She didn't mention what was going on with Vegas. She starts taking measures to protect herself, or at least leave a mark if she can't. Another day and another fight leads to Mom considering her options again. Stress about money seems to be a daily thing. She's also considering going to church. An old friend pops up and Mom wonders if there's a hidden motive. She's also hurt because she was left out of some fun and a Lynyrd Skynyrd concert could lead to jail time.

With logs of post-surgery pain maybe Mom was pushing too hard. She's processing her recent split with Vegas and suspects she's being watched. She gets some disappointing news with regard to her settlement. Even more bad news has her spinning out of control and she contemplates life and death. With a lack of options, Mom moves back in with Vegas, but only “platonically”. It doesn't take long for the fighting to start up again. She plans to go to a shelter but ends up staying. More fighting leads to more abuse. She considers getting a bike, truck, and trailer then just living on the road with her settlement money.

Sorry about the intro, there was some kind of technical glitch. Mom sees a year since the accident but is still in pain and still waiting on the money. She's not with Vegas but still in contact with him so there's fallout to deal with. She reflects a lot on her relationship. Ever been stranded on the side of the highway in Nevada after running out of gas? Mom moves back in with Vegas and back out again, but changing her phone number this time. This tension leads to involving others to get her things from the house.

Pain pills lead to fights which leads to sleeping in cars. This gets Mom thinking of a move to Phoenix. With the pain from surgery and the stress from her relationship she feels the need to make some big changes in her life. She just needs money to do it. Make up, fight, more sleeping in cars, then back again. Phill has a possible deployment to Iraq so Mom takes a quick trip to Hermiston to see him. Getting back, Mom and Vegas have one more big fight.

She's feeling like she's in a war with this relationship. But her settlement money is getting closer and so are her dreams of getting a bike. Allergies and body aches have her down and she pays for having an active day. She hopes her upcoming surgery helps with that. The youngest grandkid turns five and Mom gets a job. Then some old friends come to town. The surgery happens, but did it help?

Mom and Vegas reunite, but problems continue. She's stressed about money troubles and she's hoping the patent will solve them. In the meantime, she's got Mat. The subject of getting onto Medicare pops up as an idea to help with the medical expenses. She feels old as she gets closer to her birthday and she's feeling a lot of emotional abuse. But that doesn't stop her from enjoying a fun weekend out of town on the bike.

More money and relationship issues in this one. Mom's BF Vegas goes east for a bit while Mom packs up her stuff. Don't ever make her the butt of a joke. EVER! Vegas wants to get back together but Mom was still pissed. She was just waiting for that patent to bring in her riches.

She got the apprenticeship!!! Then finds out she needs shoulder surgery, which ends up being derailed by a chicken. A bike trip to Arizona leads to a life-threatening incident and there's more legal stuff to deal with. Mom also opens up about some of the reasons her life has been so challenging in Vegas. Mom and her guy (we're calling him “Vegas”, sorry for any confusion) have it out again. We also took a break mid-way through recording this one and it shows.

Another big time jump (time travel, am I right?). Mom and her guy get arrested and there's LOTS of relationship stress. Christmas wasn't good due to the charges against her guy but she was looking forward to getting her settlement from that bike accident. And, of course, there's more dreaming about the Patent. Phill was snowed into Portland over New Year and Mat and Rachel head to NYC. Moms legal stresses just don't seem to end but she was testing with the carpenter's union for an apprenticeship.

There are some big time gaps in this one. The state job ends which pushes Mom to move forward on the Patent filing, which leads to talking about big dreams. She meets a new guy and Phill gets married. Then Mom pulls the trigger and makes her big move to Vegas. This leads to job interviews, work at a dive bar, a bad relationship and a motorcycle accident.

There were some big gaps between entries on this one. Mom was able to take that postponed trip to Mexico. Mat got a job in Portland and eventually he and Rachel move North. 9/11/2001. This caused a lot of stress for Phill because he was a security officer at a chemical weapons base but was still waiting for his Honorable Discharge or orders back to Active Duty from the Marines. There was also a new man in the picture and a relationship that was going good comes to an end. Mom was applying for new jobs and also looked into doing nails for some extra money. Phill makes a big announcement. Then Mathew and he have their 4th and 27th birthdays, respectively.

There was a new man to talk about. Mom also got some sad family news. Mom and Phill both have medical procedures, Phill uses that sick leave to take a small vacation with the kids. Another round of our favorite game of “Ha! What money?” was being played. Mat moved to Portland and tells the story of how that played out and how he eventually moved in with Mom.

Mom has court issues, a grandbaby's birthday, and Phill has some news after a business trip. He then goes on a trip to the hospital. Mom was looking at potential man trouble and finds that internet dating is full of weirdos and married men. She even questions if a man would even fit into her life at that point. But bike rides with friends, little road trips, and fun events (including seeing the Air Force Thunderbirds) kept her busy.

She was still dreaming of winning it big. Aren't we all? She made plans with a friend to visit the Oregon Country Fair over her birthday. There was a setback on her bankruptcy and money was tight but she was working on a budget. Phill was considering a job with the Border Patrol. She has a doctor visit then has to go back. The love life took a turn for the better when Mom meets a new guy. The family gets together to see Mat's latest play and Phill heads to Alaska for a business trip. Enjoy!

There's a new infatuation and is planning on looking for a new man to add to her life. Mat and Rachel visit and Phill and Mom scare each other. She also passes on the 8mm family films she had. Car troubles have her walking again. At least she's close to work now.

Mom has an unexpected meeting with a very old friend, like “pre-kids” old. She gets to see her grand-babies and hopes big Mat can show up too. He has a bike she wanted to take home. She gets done with that trip and is worn out from the wild grand-babies. Money was still tight but she continued to get settled into her new place. She still had the boyfriend blues but got to go for a weekend bike ride and a birthday party! Enjoy

Everyone was traveling! Mat went to Mom's. Mom went to the coast (and Moe's), then to Reno for a quick trip, and finally to the ER, boo. There's an update on the job search and her living situation might change. Phill's living situation did change, putting the final nail in the coffin his first marriage was in. Mom was planning to go see him. There were continuing budget issues too, but she kept her spirits up dreaming of a Harley. Oh, and technical difficulties with the end of this one. Enjoy!

Well, no more nail salon. Grandma comes to Boise for a visit. Mom and cats make the big move. The job hunt was still ongoing and Mom was worried. A nice Christmas came and went, as well as a New Year's Eve party. She was still dreaming about getting a Harley but was also doing pretty well in the practical stuff too. She nailed a test for a state job that led to a letter to set up an interview. Mat got a part in a movie (sort of) and had his 25th birthday. Phill tells Mom his wife is moving out and she starts to worry about the babies.