The month of December has seen me attending a program for old workers. As result I am not home during the day. That means we have only two fires in the masonry heater (fireplace) each day. Nights have been cold, below -15C, for quite a while now. We need a third fire during the day, from time to time, to keep the house reasonably comfortable. This has not been happening.
I am working from home today. It is 17C near the masonry heater, the temperature falls as you move toward the perimeter of the house. It was when the ink refused to flow from the pen that the cold became an issue. One pen after another refused to give up its ink. The pens must be warmed by the fireplace before they will work.
There is a silver lining to this chilly cloud; sleep conditions are optimized. The eiderdown makes for cozy, deep slumber in the cold bedroom.
The old workers program did not find any work placement for the two old women who participated. Even temporary subsidized positions are non-existent in this area, at least for the two old women in the program. This does not feel good. The bright side is that resumes are polished and interview skills are honed, so that if any positions materialize, one might apply for them. However, nepotism is probably the main (perhaps the only) method of attaining positions capable of sustaining life. All in all, the program “giveth and taketh” away. It gave me better resumes and interview skills, it took away almost any hope I had of using the interview skills or gaining any kind of regular employment. I am still sending out applications.
I feel downhearted about the results of the old workers program; only because I allowed myself to buy into their enthusiasm and premise that having a great resume and doing well in interviews might solve the non-employment problem. More employment opportunities would solve the non-employment problem. Unemployment in Canada only means recently without work and still receiving a steady government insurance income. Attila and I have both been there and appreciated the income when we were both out of work in 2005. Non-employment means that one has no income at all when the government income runs its course and ceases. I would not be surprised if the non-employed outnumber the unemployed significantly. The Canadian government ignores people who are non-employed, interested only in the unemployed when it comes to keeping statistics to use in drafting economic policy.
Well, enough about that! My time was not wasted and I survived financially for one more month. Small mercies.
It is snowing again today and, since I don’t have to commute, I am enjoying the beauty of slowly drifting snowflakes. I like working at home, beautiful scenery, familiar tools, nearby food and washroom, no interruptions and I can burn that third midday fire to make the house cosier.
Southwestern Ontario was hit by serious snow storms this past week, closed highways, military rescue units removing people from closed roads, icy, slushy, zero visibility conditions on most highways and roads… we feel lucky by comparison.
Worldly Distractions
Weather
-10 °C
Condition: Snow
Pressure: 101.2 kPa
Visibility: 16 km
Temperature: -10.0°C
Dewpoint: -10.8°C
Humidity: 94 %
Wind: SSE 5 km/h
Wind Chill: -13
Quote
“We are able to laugh when we achieve detachment, if only for a moment.”
May Sarton