Hand pain (t)

I've always been a painter who once a can is open and brush is in hand, I paint anything that isn't standing still. Yesterday, I finished painting the eleven metal lawn chairs. Jerry took pity when he came home and helped me finish plus paint the old pump and a utility chair I always slap some paint on when doing this. Jerry swears it weighs another ten lbs. in paint.

I'm about finished with the outside painting. All the house doors painted, garage door, shed door, frame & steps. All the caulked windows I could reach and sills. New basement framing. White on the porches and well seat. And on and on. I can see why people use plastic!

It's been perfect weather for outside work although it was 42 degrees at 7 a.m. this morning. The walnut trees are about bare of leaves. Saw a little squirrel hanging by it's back feet from branches, biting off the walnuts so they would fall to the ground. He would then go down the tree and take them away. Pretty logical way to shop for winter food.

I've this little squirrel, born this year, visiting the feeder. He is tiny and the butt of so much beating up by the larger squirrels. Talk about bullies. They attack him whenever they see him. I've started letting him stay on the feeder because I feel sorry for him but I don't hold high expectations he will live through the winter.

Spent an entire day this week trying to drum up cash for tickets and sponsors for the Freedom House benefit. Giving is really down in this area and this may be the first benefit we not only don't make money, we may go in the hole. That and State funding cuts and it could cause more decreases in our services. Difficult times financially for services like ours and at a time when domestic abuse is on the rise (always in bad economic times).

I was trying Kewanee (our largest contributor in the five county area for clients of domestic abuse) businesses and it's just sad to see how tacky and poor the city has become. When I first moved to Kewanee, it had many large factories, the corporate headquarters for Boss Glove and Sandies ie Hardees, plus many local prospering businesses. Most have closed or moved. It is pretty much Goods Furniture (who refuses to be involved in charities) and lots of services that cater to the poor (used clothing, payday cash loans, etc.) Many houses run down or for sale. People out and about look as if they are all unemployed, no self pride and crabby at the world. The infrastructure is falling apart - roads and facilities are not being repaired. When you consider the largest employer outside of healthcare is Pines Trailer (a business that is routinely fined for workers with no green cards and for OSHA violations) that pretty much says it all.

Galva on the other hand seems to be prospering - who knew! The new $172M ethanol plant has certainly been a boost and the town shows upkeep that signals pride of ownership and ability to pay for those things.

Another beautiful day predicted - more opportunity for work.