Red in the Morning....

As I was melting into my squishy purple couch sipping my strawberry raspberry smoothie this morning, I saw through the slit in the drapes the color of the sky. I opened the drapes wider to show Mr. L we were both amazed at the color. Similar to the sculpture above, so red and orange and purple. There is a storm rolling in, and it made for quite a show during sunrise. I am glad I did not miss it.

The news talks about the jobless rates in my state, the highest it has been in a very long time. It makes me think of all the people I know out of a job. How many jobs are laying across corporate chopping blocks. It frightens me. They say this is only the beginning. I wonder how far it will go, will I have to find work again? Would I even be able to find a job?

When I went to the local food bank they were so delighted I wanted to volunteer. Each day there are a few more families filling out the paperwork to be accepted into the food program. The demand is higher than it has been in a long time. That is what Lois told me when showing me where I would work. Two days a month, and on call because I live so close. The vast majority of the employees, volunteers, are retired folks. I will be considered young blood. That is always nice to feel when you are 35 almost 36. I also gave a check, not much because we are worried about Mr. L losing his job and have been squirreling away a few dollars here and there trying to build a savings account we have never had before. They say you should have three months salary in savings, at the rate I am at now, that will be accomplished in a year and a half. I just heard that food banks in my area are suffering. Two had to close down in Tacoma last week. Others have bare shelves and empty crates in giant freezers where turkeys are usually overflowing for Thanksgiving dinners. It makes me so sad. We are all tightening our belts.

I am already started in my daily chores, my dishes are running, and I have a load of clothes that need to get thrown in the dryer. I need to get started in the soap making process. I am running very close to deadline. It takes three weeks to cure. I need to start today to give myself a little time in the end to wrap and plan. I am also planning on giving boxes of home made cookies to each of my family members along with a bundle of soap. I like a homemade Christmas. Plus, all these gifts should make my home smell SO yummy. ;-) I am probably going to wrap some bars of soap in saran wrap and place them in the big box of free soap at the food bank. Everyone deserves some indulgence sometimes, and a thick rich homemade bar of soap may be a mood lifter for a stranger, my soap is really that good.

I am off to conquer more chores and make soap after lunch today.

Find your local food bank.
Keep a jar for donations in the office at work.
Buy a couple extra boxes of cereal when they are on sale,
find coupons for baby formula and animal food
Collect spare change from everyone you know
even the most humble of donations helps.

Most of all, be truly grateful for what you have.