This is such a touchy situation for me. After praying and pondering over everything, I decided the best thing to do was to call my brother and lay all the cards on the table. Tell him everything and let him make a decision about his own life. After all was said, he said he would be fine, just fine, if we let him be. He expects the heat tape on his water lines to thaw the freeze out of his pipes, any day now, and he is not concerned at all about carrying water home by hand for bare essentials. The only thing he needs, he says, is a shower, which his friend may allow when he goes for a visit today.
As far as his financial situation goes, it is a lifestyle choice that he made years ago, and nobody, but nobody, can do anything about that. His expenses for booze and cigarettes far exceed his ability to pay, so he is the only one who can do anything about it. He smokes 3 packs a day, so there's $15.00 right there every day. If he wants to change his lifestyle, that's up to him.
But outside here, it's a winter wonderland, just beautiful, with snow clinging to the branches, piling up in fluffy white drifts, and it's not too cold out now. It was almost 70 degrees in the house when I woke up this morning. I made cinnamon rolls again, using frozen white bread bought at the store. I got the recipe out of the newspaper...
Cinnamon Rolls
Take out one loaf of frozen bread dough and thaw it under plastic wrap. Roll dough to a rectangle, about 18x6 inches. Brush with 2 tblspns. of melted butter. Combine 2/3 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, 1 tsp. ground cinnamon in a small bowl, spoon over dough, pressing in a bit. Starting at long edge, roll dough up, jelly roll fashion, pinch edges to seal. Cut roll into 1" slices, lay down into 2 buttered round pans and let rise for 1-1/2 hours, until doubled. Pour 1/3 cup heavy cream (I used milk) over the rolls and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Combine 1 cup of confectioner's sugar, 1/2 tsp. vanilla, and 1-1/2 tblspns. milk in a cup, stirring until smooth and the right consistency (add more confectioners sugar, or milk, if necessary). Drizzle over rolls while still warm. Makes 15-20 rolls.