Upside Down

Through my many years of work, I have come to discover what normal is when it comes to availability of jobs. After some of the bills from Christmas are paid off and the excitement of New Year's parties has waned, my clients start to think about decorating once again. By spring, the wheels are turning and the phone is constantly ringing with people wanting to book our services. When summer comes, and the kids are out of school, holidays are on every one's minds and my work gets slow. Slow, but not halted. Then, in September, the kids go back to school and the homeowners start gearing up for the Fall makeover and making the home spiffy for Christmas. A week before Christmas, it dries up and there is little activity until the winter doldrums are once again over in late Jan. to early Feb.

This year was an aberration. Spring was the slowest, and beyond that, we were down 50% over the previous year. But now, we have jobs that will commit us to work right to Christmas Eve, between Christmas and New Year's, and well into January. I never complain about too much or too little work. If you do hear me complain about work, it will be about the timing. It is so out of our control, unless, of course, I turn down my loyal customers. I will do that when I deal with retirement.