Yesterday, Monday, March 16^th, the OS guys put out an open call for “pinched.”  How are we all dealing with the economic crap that’s going on?  HMMMMM?

I’ve been laid off in the past.  But I’ve been working really hard to establish my own little niche in this world and making a little, here and there.  Just enough to, almost, make ends meet.  Maybe people will buy a few pieces of my garden art this spring? 

But we’re not pinched.  Maybe a little pushed…but nothing to write home about.

“EW” (darling hubby) has a job he loves, with benefits, so he’s ok.

And the lawyer said last week, we will probably be able to pay the mounting, medical bills from EW’s wreck, 2 weeks ago. The case is pending. And the car is sitting in front of our house, un-drive-able. Can't believe I thought dropping that collision insurance was a good way to save money. Thank goodness, I work at home. He can take my car until….

So, we’re not pinched. Maybe a little pushed…but nothing to write home about.

I’ve made a tiny bit of progress paying those medical bills from my broken foot, last year. I’m not too far (only 7 or 8 years) from Medicare. Someday, I’ll have insurance again. We couldn’t really afford to put me on EW’s insurance because it would have cost us, an arm and a leg, and I’m not ready to sacrifice limbs just yet.

But we’re not pinched. Maybe a little pushed…but nothing to write home about.

We got a tad behind, on our house payments, this past winter.  Some creative refinancing got us back on our feet, this spring. WHOA! I better sell some art before next winter….

But we’re not pinched. Maybe a little pushed…but nothing to write home about.

The roof needs to be fixed but Arkansas’ springs are notorious for storms. Maybe, a hailstorm will “total” our roof. Our insurance premiums have been paid so …..

But, we’re not pinched. Maybe a little pushed…but nothing to write home about.

We were going to build a studio for me, in our backyard, last year, but saw the writing on the wall. Who am I kidding? We can’t even put a wall up.

Vacation? Forget that! Good thing we live in Arkansas.

Arkansas is going to have a lottery within the next year and ya just never know…. Our chances are as good as anyone else’s. Aren’t they? (I'm stockpiling 1 dollar bills for those scratch-offs, right now.)

But we’re not pinched. Maybe a little pushed… but nothing to write home about.

And we’re ok. I read the paper and watch TV and know it could be so much worse. I truly feel for the folks loosing their jobs, their homes, and their savings. We lost almost half of our retirement last year. Can we say 401K? Imagine that?

But we’re not pinched. Maybe a little pushed…. but nothing to write home about.

EW works for a non-profit, arts establishment that has always been able to raise adequate funding to support itself. For 30-plus years.

Today, he came home at lunch and said “Sit down.”

“Oh no, now what?”

“The entire staff will get a day off, every pay period……… without pay.”

“Well, at least no one was laid off.”

“…..yet.”

So we’re not pinched. Maybe a little pushed…but nothing to write home about.

Ah, hell, that hurt!  That’s a serious pay-cut.

That pinched  the hell out of me..... right in the side…HARD!!!

So I write.