Struggling To Make Ends Meet

I'm beginning to wonder when we'll start seeing blue skies again since the smoke from those Canadian fires seem to be an on-going thing. Well, they changed the weather forecast again, so it appears we'll be getting some much needed rain during the nighttime hours. Thank goodness it wasn't so terribly hot today.

I was up and out early this morning, and only because I needed to stop out to Menard's and get some supplies purchased, and glad I got there when I did because this morning was the first time I didn't see shoppers walking around, and looking as if they're only in the store, just to kill time. For whatever reason, those workers today looked as if they were shipped in from a looney colony. My goodness! I'd like to know where all our young workers have gone, because nearly all those employees appeared as if they're in retirement and only there to pick up some extra spending money.

The main reason for my stop this morning, was to pick up another supply of stripping materials which I've been rapidly depleting, and when I looked at the final amount needed at the cash register, I had to remind myself that just about everything's gone up except most of our blue collar workers' wages. Oh well, the cost of those stripping materials, are being far out-weighed by my 'free' labor.

After I left, I made a stop at Hy-Vee Drug to get some insect repellant, and then over to Fareway where they had big bags of Bounty paper towels on sale, and since I use a great deal of it when I'm stripping, I figured it would be a lasting supply. I did happen to run into a close friend of one of my clients, so I stopped and visited with her for a few minutes, along with my asking that she give my regards to her friend. She did pass along some disturbing news about one of her friend's relatives who's now undergoing radiation treatments for a cancer that had come out of remission.

When back at office, I changed into my work clothes and headed over to my little/big project, and there I stayed until it was nearing the hour of five. Believe it or not, on and off, it took me eight hours to get two more of those tall five-paneled doors stripped. I dare say that was a work-out because on a good day, I can possibly get one fully stripped, but today I was on a burn. On a positive note, I'm now exactly half-way finished with my door-stripping project.

As disgusted I was about that stinky and messy job, I had to remind myself that I either had to strip them, or paint them all, and even though painting would've been more economical all the way around, I just couldn't bring myself to painting them, and only because I really don't care for painted doors unless they're in a modern style that fits with the age and design of a home. Of course many of the newer ranch homes that've been up-graded, have had their blonde woodwork and doors painted, just to make them appear more modern which most of our younger crowd seem to find attractive.

I did finally get myself fully protected against those gnats, and what I discovered early this morning, was about a half dozen of those devils having worked their way under that netting band that goes around my panama hat, which prompted me to give my hat a good spraying, along with the back and front of the long-sleeved shirt I had on. Well, that did the trick because I wasn't bothered by them after that, so I learned something new today. I did mention again to my friend how horrible it must be for outside workers when having to deal with them buzzing and dive-bombing their hair and faces all day. The few times I've been bitten by them, lasting welts would appear. They're worse than mosquito bites, but not as bad as fleas.

On another positive note, I did manage to get some long-overdue deep thinking done while I was working away, and most of those thoughts had to do with the direction our real estate market is heading, the changes in our public's mentality, and the direction our City as a whole is heading, and in all three areas, I see storm clouds on the horizon.

Over these many years, I've worked with the high-end buyers and sellers, the middle class, and those who're struggling, and without a doubt, I can definitely see the erosion in numbers of those who could safely say they're middle class. Unfortunately, they not stepping up, but rather getting pulled down into the the lower rungs of our working population. Because it's been a slow and methodical process, most of them don't even know they can no longer consider themselves the backbone of America.

A young gentleman who happened to lose his better paying job due to corporate cut-backs, had been bouncing from one job to the next since last year, until he finally found a job that pays $25 per hour, but unfortunately, he has to work 12 hour night shifts with weak benefits. It wasn't just the words he was using, but the deep to-the-core bitterness I could sense, which was what really hit me. I couldn't help agree with him 100% because the cost of raising three children, childcare costs, food, rent, gas, insurance, and all those other necessary expenditures, has got him and his wife struggling to make ends meet every month. I believe his wife works at a convenience store, so the combined income for the both of them, definitely would have them struggling.

The most sad thing he said was, "I just can't see us getting ahead, so it looks like we're gonna be carrying a ball and chain around until our kids are grown and out of the house." It's been a while since I've had someone spill their guts about their finances, but I know for a fact, it's happening to many more millions across our Nation. It's sounding more like what one of my old teachers would say, which was, "The rich get richer, but the poor will always be with us." I truly empathize for all those who're caught in such financial traps.

Tonight's One-liner is: The hallmark of successful people, is that they're always stretching themselves to learn new things.

original post ... https://niowarealty.net/life/2023/06/17/struggling-to-make-ends-meet/