2010!

Its January 4 already! I haven't had a moment to ponder! Business still stinks, or actually, is stinkier than my last report. We are hearing of more and more 3rd and 4th generation lumber families who are calling it quits across the country while all the while, big bankers and car manufacturers carry on regardless of the quality of their business methods. Our fellow small business friends are about as strapped as they can be and January is not expected to bring relief. Over something like 65% of our nation's income is generated by small business, and it would appear that those of us who put in hours north of 24/7 are not the priority in Washington. So we nip and trim and then trim some more. We spend our evenings sitting close together and do our best to occupy our minds with something other than the reality of the business day. The lemonade is that our love and admiration grows exponentially for each other and our children. We have discovered we are not alone in this crowd, which is soothing in a twisted sort of way. We're drinking NA beer and watching a lot of TV...sporting events, Dirty Jobs, Myth Busters and Sponge Bob, mostly. We work to keep our thoughts productive, living in each day and looking forward, not back, except for the bits of wisdom to be gleaned. Don't misunderstand me as being depressing. I am peaceful and happy inside. I have baffled David by telling him that, in a way, I am excited by these times because of the changes that are sure to be on the horizon. Change is scary but exciting. The possibilities are limitless for us and it is all up to us. The worry is eating him up, raising his blood pressure and turning him gray but I think I temper him with my spin on things. I have always loved Scarlett's last line in Gone with the Wind after Rhett leaves her for the last time and she is left standing alone in Terra, which is in ruins because the war. I think this is paraphrasing, but what she conveyed was something like, "Oh well. I'll worry about it tomorrow." But, I don't think she worried at all. I think she went to the kitchen and had a meal, then took her bath, slept well that night and got up the next day and began again. You've gotta do what you've gotta do. I'll let you know if it comes to this...