- Clarke Cyber Talk: October 2006

Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Trick or Treat Day

I just got home from trick or treating with my daughter who is 10 years old and loves to dress up. The neighborhood was filled with kids and parents everywhere. The homes were decorated inside and out with spooky decor. My son is 15 and he comes just to be with us and dress up in "The Matrix" costume, long coat and glasses without rims. The glasses hang on his nose. I bought it at costume store. He's had it for the last 2 Halloweens. My daughter this year decided to be a Princess with a crown and long dress. She looked fabulous. I am very tired now and I am going to make this short for now. Happy Halloween everyone, until tomorrow. CC

Monday, October 30, 2006

Wife of a Felon (4)

After those men left our home that morning, Jonathon and I decided we should get a Lawyer to represent him and his dealing with Rick Thembel. We knew it wasn't going to be easy. Although Jonathon spoke with those men freely at the time, I felt he should have had a lawyer present him while they were at our house. But because Jonathon was a lawyer at the time he felt he could represent himself and he did not need a lawyer. (He was wrong. If we could turn back the clocks. He probably wouldn't be where he is today and we would all still be a family.) Months went by with court appearances and Jonathon decided later on he needed a lawyer. Which meant money we did not have to spend. We were a working two income family, money would sometimes be tight and at other times we would have a cushion, until we had to use it. We sold our house in 2003 and decided to rent until the real estate market changed, but of course as we all know it did not change and now the market's barely moving. We had a 4bedroom house with 2 full baths on a hill we were renting for $2,700.00 per month. Now to some people that's a lot of money. But by the grace of God, 2 cars, rent, 2 kids, food, bills, vacation 2 times a year, 1 with kids and 1 without and no savings, somehow we made it work for us. CC

Sunday, October 29, 2006

Wife of a Felon (Part 3)

After 6 months had passed, all seemed well. After 9 months there was a knock at the door and this time it was the Tax people and FBI carrying papers and a large brief case. I opened the door and they asked for Jonathon, I said come on in, he'll be right down. I escorted them to the dinning room table. I thought "they're going to be here for a while", We had just taken the kids to school. They seem to show up in the a.m., between 8:30 and 9:00 a.m. When they arrived with papers and brief cases I said to myself " Oh my God, what has my husband gotten us into?" We both called our jobs to inform them we would be late. I did not want to leave Jonathon alone with those people in the house. My husband came downstairs to talk with them and I went upstairs to prepare for work. I tried to hear what they were talking about but I did not catch on or I did know the people they were talking about. I didn't have a clue. I did know they were mostly Rick's clients. After two hours of talking at the dinning room table, they left. I heard the door close downstairs and I ran to ask Jonathon, what now? He said to me with a serious look on his face, honey I may have to spend time in prison dealing with that dam Rick. I was afraid for my children and our future. CC

Thursday, October 26, 2006

Working Mom Blues

I just got home from work. Now I have to cook dinner for the kids and help with homework. How do full-time working mothers do it? I seem to not have enough time for me. Hats off to all the single working mothers! I now know what it's like to be a single working mom. I don't have enough time to clean the house, the way I like it. I do (no matter what) get in laundry on Wednesdays and Saturdays, regardless of what I have going on. By 10 p.m. at night, I'm folding clothes from the dryer and I have to be up by 6 a.m. to get breakfast ready for the 3 of us. Any advice? Please let me know. CC

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

Single Mom and Staying Alive


I had the day off from both of my jobs today. I finally put in time for me. I cleaned my house, cooked for the kids, drove to blockbuster for video games for my 15 year old and a childrens movie for my 11 year old, picked up lunch while we were out. It's very hard when you don't have two incomes coming in. My paycheck just goes out the door. I put money aside for the kids to have lunch money every week. My second job is just extra cash for food and gas. I'm feeling much better now that the price of gas has come down. My SUV was sucking me dry every week. Anyway, if you're out there, thanks for listening. CC

Tuesday, October 24, 2006

Wife of a Felon Part (2)

(Sorry I took so long to continue, I have two jobs now and the kids keep me busy. As I was saying,)

Jonathon told me to let them in and to tell them he will be right up. Jonathon was getting ready to go to work that morning. We had just taken out daughter to school and stopped at Starbucks for coffee and tea and they (FBI) must have been waiting outside on the street. When we drove up I didn't notice a car that was different from the norm or people sitting in a car. I guess they saw us get out of the car (SUV) and go into the house. We didn't park in the garage that morning. We had parked on the street.

I went to the door to let them in and I told them Jonathon would be up in a minute. He was downstairs getting ready. They were very polite and said thank you. I walked them to the living room to have a seat. One of the men said, we're finally having some nice sunny weather today after all that rain? Huh? I told him yes, I think we can do without rain for a while. Five minutes later, Johnathon enters the room and they both stood up and introduced themselves to him. I decided to leave the room but stay close so I could hear what was going on and why they wanted to see my husband. I could hear them talk about the years 2001, 2002 and a client my husband was representing at the time. As soon as I heard Johnathon's past client Rick Thembel, I knew and felt in my heart things were going to go bad. Have you every had a feeling about something not being right? That sick feeling you get in your stomach like you want to throw up. Well that's how I felt at the time when I heard his name. They continued to talk with my husband for another thirty minutes. I couldn't get all the words they were saying and half of the conversation I did not know what they were discussing. As I stood there I thought to myself, why aren't they asking me any questions? So I waited in the kitchen until they left so my husband could tell me the reason they wanted to talk with him. After another thirty minutes it was finally time for them to leave. I could hear them saying, we'll be in touch. Jonathon said to them, anything I can do to help. Onced Jonathon closed the front door, I immediately ran over to him to find out why did they come here and how did they find you? I didn't have to ask, Johnathon, looked at me and said, they advised me to get a lawyer. I said, why? Jonathon said, they are going after everyone involved with Richard from the year 2001 to 2003. Their going after Richard for taking money from his clients. (more tomorrow, CC)

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Wife of a Felon

I feel the need to talk with someone about my life and how it has changed sinced my huband was convicted last year. He was dealing with a bad client. He is now serving time in prison and we have another year to go. My future is not clear but I keep on praying that things will get better for me and my kids. We have two kids together. A boy and girl and they are not aware that their father is serving his time in prision.

It all started a year ago, my husband had a full time job, I was working as a realtor part-time so I could be with my kids until they got older and I would return to work full-time. My husband was dealing with a guy that was evil. I told him to stop working with this man because he wasn't paying him on time or not at all. I just had a feeling about him. When clients don't pay and give you the run around, you begin to suspect something is wrong and it usually is. All of this took place back in 2001. My husband didn't listen to me. Sometimes instead of paying my husband for his work he would give him gifts. Paintings, wine, etc. and he even gave him his Mercedes Benz (2 seater, I'm not sure of the make) for a weekend. I knew he did this just to keep my husband satisfied until he could make his payment. Payments would come every now and then and sometimes every month. I would tell my husband, you should let him go. You don't need him. Why do you keep working with him? My husband would say, I'm going to let him go soon. and I would just look at him. In October 2004, the Federal Bureau of Investigations came to our home and asked to see my husband. Honestly, I was so shocked that they were at my house I said, who? Who are you? Now at this time my husband or myself did not know what was happening or why they were there, or even asking for him? (I thought to myself before is responded to them, what do they want with Jonathon?) So I said to the FBI men, just a moment and closed the door and I went and got my husband. I said, Jonathon there's 2 FBI men at the front door asking for you. He said to me, are you sure? I told him yes. They showed me a badge. ( I will continue tomorrow, I have to go to work). CC