So some updates since my last depressing blog...

Last week mom swallowed her pride and drove down to the welfare office, which is located in one of those parts of town where you're liable to get shot in the face just for looking crossways. After a grueling hour in a filthy waiting room and plenty of paperwork, we managed to qualify for food stamps. Fifty bucks a week. That's for food only, no toiletries or other amenities.

We're not out of the woods yet, but this is...