Voicelessness and Emotional Survival > Voicelessness and Emotional Survival Message Board
Farm Doin's - 2020
Hopalong:
--- Quote ---:rolling eyes so far I'm looking out my rear end:
--- End quote ---
Amen and amen! And you're absolutely right, it's an inefficient, underfunded system that reflects America's terrible drift toward profits over people, over and over again. It bugs me most in education but B's story is an outrageous example of getting caught in the maw of all that.
I am SO glad you're going to help him step aside. If anybody could be an ally and supporter to someone going through this kind of battle, it's Amber the Amazon.
B is a lucky man, and I hope he'll get to the mountain soon.
hugs
Hops
sKePTiKal:
Thanks Hops - I know he's workin' on it. 3 days post-op and he's back on light duty. Picking up meds, misc errands, moving around so he doesn't sit & get stiff - or have nothing to do but pay attention to the minute shades (and not so minute) of pain.
I am still sorting/organizing in the kitchen & dining room. Visually, it's just too busy for me to look at. So I'm making another pass at the "ticky tacky" stuff; stuff I rarely use (do I really need a butane torch for creme brulee?? hmmmm. I guess that depends on if I'm going to keep trying to make it, huh?) My canisters are breeding; I have 3 kinds of rice, bulgur, couscous, flour- sugar- etc ad excessium.
Once upon a time - B.H. (before Hol) - I had things pretty well organized and ready for kitchen business. She had other ideas - and since she was cooking and baking too - I "gave way". And I wasn't even at the point then, where I was asking myself: why on earth did I keep that?! Ingredients got stashed where ever there was room, instead of refilling vacumn canisters... so the cupboards are so full, I can't quickly take inventory on what to shop for. And I do believe there is at least one cabinet I want to change - it's too deep for canned goods and things get lost in the back of the shelf.... et voila... idea of a better solution popped into my head - door needs to be on the long dimension.
I have all the crazy colors of beach-vibe old linens that I brought with me, and was changing color schemes of things gradually... and so it's all a mish-mosh, looks cluttered & "busy"... and it bothers my OCD. I could/should be doing other more "important" things... but THIS is what I want to do and what I'm doing.
So there. :P
lighter:
You GO, Amber.
Immerse yourself fully in what you're doing.
You'll get to the other stuff soon enough.
Lighter
sKePTiKal:
Well, I had to take a break and dive into number crunching for the business. It's a pretty scary scenario - and I gave into panic & anxiety a bit. I find if I allow that to run free, and exhaust itself (usually less than 24 hrs) then my head clears and I'm able to make the decisions - or at least recommendations for a group decision - that need made.
For more than 5 years, we've been hoping that X event passing would lead things to improve. Beginning in March of this year - thank you virus - every month, we've watched sales slide as any large projects that would involve our tools has been shelved because of the insanely high level of anxiety & uncertainty everyone everywhere is feeling. Especially in business - no one is taking any risks whatsoever. Can't say I blame 'em -- but it hurts our sales.
There is absolutely no indication that the 30% contraction in our sales market is temporary at this point. Which means it very well could be permanent -- setting us back to net income levels more consistent with 2009, when brother & I took over the company. Which means all of us are going to have to tighten our belts & budgets. Thankfully, most of the Hut expenses are done. And I worry most for the shop employees as they're getting older, and price inflation has shot up this year, especially in groceries. So I have to find a way to get them involved in the decision making process, letting them choose what suits them the best... to reduce our expenses. (Personnel & benefits are our biggest expense true; - more this year will shift to medicare as their primary health insurance but I also don't want to lose their knowledge/skills either, but perhaps making them just look elsewhere. Then, there's the need to bring in younger people and get them acclimated and trained.)
I've gotten Hol involved to brainstorm ideas, so far. This moves to the Board of Directors (myself, brother & guy in charge) soon. Borrowing money is the absolute LAST thing on the options list; and I will continue to avoid that any way I possibly can. Fortunately, the guys welding in their home shops or garages have increased to be about a third of our sales - they're taking on side jobs many of them and helping keep tractors, farm equipment and heavy equipment operational.
I am convinced that no matter the election results - there isn't going to be an end to this risk averseness in the business community. I don't KNOW, but would love to think that this is as low as things will go - but I ain't betting the farm on that. So, we'll see what happens. How we might be able to adapt/reorganize to live with lower sales.
Meanwhile, Stinkerbell I noticed, is growing tomcat equipment. It's all as tiny and dainty as he is right now. LOL. But perhaps that's why Freddy has taken on training the little stinker. He'll be tired tonight; Hol took all the kittens in for shots and to get Mama fixed. Gracie has had 3 litters just this year. It's a kindness to the cat, even if she is a good mama.
Hopalong:
Oh Jeez, Amber. Good thing you have strong arms to carry that heavy plate...
Covid Not Enough?
Ailing lover not enough?
Now...the business?
YET. You are rational and calm and capable. I think if your employees knew how much you were thinking of them, in their life situations, right now, they'd be grateful. I'm very sorry.
I know you'll do the very best you can by them, and tighten your own belts without too much angst. It is a good thing you've gotten so much done on the mountain already. Anything more is icing on a cake.
If frugality and self-reliance have to kick in, I can't think of anyone better suited.
I hope things turn around enough to keep the ship afloat, or at least with enough sales coming in to keep the doors open.
hugs
Hops
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