Sunday, March 09, 2008

Long time no write

The same excuse applies as always, I've been busy.  So has everybody else, but it doesn't stop YOU from writing, does it.
 
The job is still lots of fun but it is beginning to look like I will have to go get a real job and make some real money soon.  Actually, people are leaving the auction in droves as it becomes increasingly clear that raises are not forthcoming, even to the people who have been there since Day 1, in December of 2006. 
  I've only been there 6 months, but am beginning to look around and fill out some applications elsewhere.  I can keep my COBRA insurance till the end of this year, so I COULD take another part-time job somewhere, but would do better to get a 32 hour job at one of the hospitals within driving distance so I can have benefits and make enough money to pay for those benefits and still pay my bills.  That is not happening at the auto auction.
  Sale day gets me $100 flat fee but the other days are a miserable, miserly $7.25 per hour.  I even put in an application at the auction where Bill used to work, as they at least get yearly raises.  I don't know how eager they will be to hire me, though.  Kellie says she has openings, but she is afraid to fill them.  With things slowing down so much, she doesn't want to have to lay off the people she last hired, but they do need people on their sale day.  I may end up working on sale day at 2 auctions, for a while anyway.
  Don't get me wrong, we are doing OK; I just want a bit more reward for my efforts.
  The weather is wonderful lately. We got enough rain early this year to green everything up, and we may even get wolfberries on the lyceum bushes this year, for the first time since 2003.  Its already getting hot, though still quite chilly at night. 
  My baby chicks are 3 weeks old today and we keep the heat lamp on at night for them.  They are healthy and happy, and the hens are all starting to increase the number of eggs they lay, so I have plenty of eggs to sell, even at $4 per dozen.  I tried to stop selling them to the gals in my dentist's office, but they wouldn't have it.  So I increased the price by $1 per dozen to make it worth my while to go up there, and we made some other arrangements for when I have to work late every time I come to town.
  Sam doesn't show any Valley Fever symptoms, and it is only one more month till we do a blood titer.  It would be wonderful if he could discontinue medication then, but we won't push it.  At least he gets treated by the local vet and the cost is reasonable.  Robin has had to go to the  canine ophthalmologist again, and sure enough, she has a staph infection in her eyes.  Poor baby also has corneal dystocia, which is calcium or cholesterol deposits on her eyes.  We have put them both on a grain-free diet, and they feel great with less poop, and Robin doesn't itch so much.  I am not giving her an antihistamine anymore, but that is because she is on prednisone for the eyes.  We'll see how it goes when she is off the pred.
  The darn assessor jacked up our Full Cash Value from $150k to over $400k for 2009.  This is in a period when 94% of people had their FCVs lowered.  I guess the assessor needed to make it up with us!!  Anyway, we have engaged a property tax professional to try and get it lowered.  We don't pay unless he succeeds, so all we can do now is wait and hope. We can't freeze the value for 3 more years, when Bill turns 65.
Love, AJ
 
"Wake Up & Smell The Rebate - Don't Buy It - www.SimpleLiving.net".

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