Last week was a bit interesting. Why? Well, let’s start with attempting to recertify for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), or as I know it, food stamps. I go through the application as I have before. I sped through it as I have before, since the website was known for crashing from time to time. I made sure to double-check things like phone numbers and addresses. I got the confirmation page saved as a PDF, as I had done before. Then I waited for their call or at least a notice of completing the application. This was done before the 2/15/2026 due date. We thought it was good to go until the notice of an interview.
Now the interview is something that happens from time to time, so it was expected. However, what was not expected was to get a notice instead of a call as before. What made it even more problematic was the date on the notice being for 2/18/2026, and it stated the interview had to be done before 2/25/2026. The only problem with that is we didn’t get the notice until 3/2/2026. So, since it was my mother's case, she attempted to call that day. By the time she navigated through the Oklahoma Human Services phone system, it told her it would be four hours to even talk to someone live. It being 3 PM and the Oklahoma Human Services office closes at 5 PM, that left the Oklahoma Human Services office two hours before they close. So it was not a successful day. My mother made another attempt on 3/4/2026 but got the same results. Then on 3/5/2026, we got a Notice of Missed Interview, and it was suggested was scheduled when in fact it was not. Along with the notice itself being dated 2/26/2026.
Now, on 3/6/2026, we got a notice taped to our storm door that the power would be turned off for non-payment. Mind you, we were not even a month behind. That’s not even including AT&T doing an unauthorized Payment of $532.60 on 2/26/2026, which put us in a $510.60 hole. So I guess it was more of the last couple of weeks being kinda painful. Anyway, we were already having a lovely start to the month before it started. Now, back to the problem with SNAP and the notices. I start emailing Oklahoma Human Services questions and requests. It was not until 3/10/2026 that the Oklahoma Human Services finely call us and we got the Interview done that day.
Now let’s go back to AT&T doing an unauthorized Payment of $532.60 on 2/26/2026. Yes, you read it right, they made an unauthorized Payment. Why do I say it was an unauthorized Payment? Well, that is because they forced a Payment like the vultures they are. As I said, it put us in the hole $510.60, which is $10.60 over what the Bank allows us to go into the hole for. Hell, we got even deeper in the hole when the Bank added their $32.95 Overdraft Fee. It took me sending a report to the FCC and FTC about it before they would even do anything. Now, mind you, I’m not disputing the fact that we owe AT&T money, but I am disputing how they were able to charge my mother's bank card without consent or authorization. We got to this point because AT&T would not let us cancel service every time my mother called them, so we decided to just not pay them anymore. We thought we would get the usual calls about the bill being past due, the notices about paying so much, and the account would be settled. Well, that’s not what happened. What happened was they waited two months, then forced a $510.60 charge for about four months of service for being two months behind.
That just leaves the problem of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and this pre-inspection. Well, it normally wouldn’t be seen as a problem, but now it’s just seen as the means of HUD to find a way to force people on the streets. It’s to the point now that my mother and I really don’t care if we get evicted due to the actions of the public housing authority we are in. Again, it used to be a nice place, but that was before the leak in the kitchen happened. Now it just seems that the PHA just wants to get rid of us, like we are the plague that must be dealt with. That includes renting to questionable people that seen to cause the Wetumka Police Department to send officers to the street we live on more than usual. It’s to the point where I don’t feel it’s safe for my mother to be here when I’m out doing my Caregiver Duties. There’s not much I can do other than just do what I have always done, which is make do with what I have.
In the end, it is what it is, and the Oklahoma Standard just keeps showing us it only cares if you are dead or dying.