Lean Times

The news of the day is so discouraging of late that I find myself avoiding the press and the media just so I won't have to hear about how many people have found themselves suddenly jobless in an economy that seems to be sliding further and further into a black hole. Although I feel fortunate that my husband and I both have jobs, my part time restaurant gig has been far from lucrative lately and my bed and breakfast is as slow as I've ever seen it. My husband just started his current job in December after a six month stint of unemployment that we didn't really have a chance to catch up from. His job pays about two thirds of what the last one did, but it's much less stressful and he enjoys the environment and his co-workers, so in the end, the transition has been quite positive. If he's happy, I'm happy!!

So we're getting by, and I have hope that the situation will improve for us as Spring approaches, but what about everyone else?? The recession and the pervasive unemployment and the home foreclosures and the sense of hopelessness have to take a toll on any individual who
feels tuned in to the universe and spiritually connected to the world. We can't isolate ourselves from it, even if we are surviving the crisis relatively unscathed.

Yesterday I read that one of the higher ups at the Target Corporation cried as she delivered the news of massive layoffs to a roomful of anxious staff members.

Yet we have people like Tom Petters and his cohorts, jailed for swidling millions and still getting caught trying to hide assets from the court.

Greed and corruption are alive and thriving in this society while honest people just try to continue living and loving and keeping their families together in spite of the lean times.

So my prayer is that we all manage to maintain our perspective and our peace and our good hearts, because no matter what trials befall us, it's comforting to know, without a doubt, that we will always be one of the good guys.

Happy Thursday!!

Pamela

Wool Sweaters

These are very cold days here in the state of many lakes; frigid, frosty, sub-zero days that drive even the heartiest among us into hibernation mode. For our own good, essentially. Hypothermia and frozen extremeties are not appealing prospects.

Appropriate attire, of course, makes life much more comfortable. For me the key to surviving the winter is one, or preferable two, good wool sweaters. Although it's sometimes hellish to extract myself from bed on winter mornings, an immediate transfer from down comforter to awaiting wool sweater makes the transition almost bearable. I only wish there were more things in life that could instantly alleviate my problems like a wool sweater on a cold morning.

It's Sunday and I have the day off which is rather sad because a busy B&B owner is rarely idle on Sundays. Typically I would be serving breakfast to a full house then sitting around chatting with my guests until we all eventually realize that the "official" check out time has come and gone. After everyone packs up and leaves I spend the rest of the day returning the inn to a state of pristine cleanliness and order, ready to accomodate the next group of travelers.

January is always slow but with the recent descent in economic conditions, I'm suffering more than usual this year from the winter slump. The extreme cold and abundant snowfall probably hasn't helped much either. So I'm hanging on, hoping that Valentine's Day will save me in February, and resting assured that Spring will bring it's usual flow of college touring kids with their parents in tow, and local couples reveling in the romantic effects of spring fever. Tax refunds also typically boost my business, but I fear that this year many might be applying the funds to other necessities or just saving the money for future use. Impossible to predict, but no sense in worrying about it. We will, no doubt, survive this temporary turmoil.

Having a second job has helped. Although I once thought my days of waiting tables were behind me, a part time lunch gig seemed the most practical and lucrative option to fill my 10am-2pm availability (the gap in between serving breakfast and checking in guests). Of course, I have less free time these days, but the need to allocate and budget my off hours tends to make me more productive. In theory, at least. I haven't been working out as regularly and our meals lately have tended to be of the hastily assembled variety. Oh well. So the Super Pam trophy will not be mine this year. I can live with that.

This blogging thing could prove to be another free time consumer but I'm going to make an effort to keep it going. Of course, one could spend hours just perusing the blogs of others. I was amazed to see how many people out there also have a need to write and share and interface with the world of web dwellers. Pretty cool just to see how many of us display an interest in the same authors, movies, musicians and demonstrate a desire to express ourselves in words and images. We are all creative beings to be celebrated and appreciated.

A wonderful Sunday to all of you!! Blessings,

Pamela