Now that my shop is closed for the winter, I have decided to take a winter job.  Hopefully some of the big department stores around here will need help over Christmas and I can get a job with them.  I don’t usually do that but this year, my savings from the summer are way down because there weren’t as many people coming to the beach as usual because of the high gas prices.

Bonita moving in will help a lot but still I think I need to get a part time job at least IF I can find one.  A lot of people around here are saying that the bigger department stores aren’t hiring all the extra help they usually do because they’re expecting this to be a poor holiday season because of the economy.  I guess I’ll find out soon enough.

It just doesn’t seem fair to sent a Marine back into combat the day after Veterans Day but that’s is exactly what has happened.  I didn’ t know he was home on leave because his uncle had died.  He didn’t have much time home but at least he did get to come home for the funeral.

He wouldn’t talk about much from Iraq.  His face would light up when he spoke of the children there.  They seemed to love the Marines because they gave them candy.  He said there was nothing like seeing them smile and laugh since they had so little to laugh about.  Marines are known for being the baddest and the strongest, but they are also some of the most caring soldiers there are.

I hope he comes back home safe.  I gave him my address and he gave me his.  I’ll have to bake some cookies to send to him.  That would be nice for him to share with the children.  You know, I could fall for this one.

Bonita got a job Tuesday and starts Monday at a local realtor as a receptionist.  She is also looking into starting college the next semester.  She has decided she wants to be a nurse.  It is hard to get into that curriculum because so many want to be nurses so she will take classes in things that will help her with nursing until she can get in nursing school.

She is so very proud of herself and we as a family are all so very proud of her too.  She has a job and is still reaching for something better.  In this world, you must have a career if you are going to succeed.  I’m even thinking of going back to school.  I have a degree in business management and do own my own establishment but it is seasonal.  With the times being as hard as they are, I can’t count on my business thriving in such an uncertain economy.

I’m thinking of going to school to be an X-ray technician.  The medical field is one field that will always be in demand.  I’ll keep you posted on all of this.

Well it was a busy weekend moving Bonita in but we got everything where she wants it and now she’s at home here with me.  I have lined up 3 interviews for her on Monday and Tuesday and hopefully she’ll have a job pretty quick.  She needs to feel that she’s pulling her weight and accomplishing things on her own.  That’s what I told her, I only got her the interviews, not the job.  That’s up to her to impress them enough to ‘earn’ the job.  She’ll do fine.

Antonio is coming over for dinner tonight and will get to meet Bonita for the first time.  I have already told her about him and she’s looking forward to meeting him too.  I’m making Arroz con Pollo and salad.  I’m sorry, that’s Chicken and rice if you don’t know.  I try very hard not to speak Spanish to people that don’t understand it.  I think it’s rude and besides, I’m an American and Cuban second so English is my primary language and Spanish is my secondary.

It really angers me to hear spanish people talking spanish around Americans.  IF you live in this country, you should speak the language or go back to where you came from.  That’s just my opinion.  That’s the way my parents taught me and it’s the right thing to do.

My sister Bonita is moving in with me.  Mama called me last night and asked me if she could move down here with me since she is now 19 and needs to get out on her own but it is so expensive in Virginia that she can’t afford a place of her own.  I know the truth though.  Mama wants her here with me so I can keep an eye on her.  That’s okay because Bonita and I have always been very close.  Besides, she can help me out with the expenses this winter when she gets a job.  It will be good for both of us because we will be helping each other.

I have lots of friends around here that would give her a job so it won’t be hard for her to find work.  She could work at one of the restaurants here or even maybe get a job answering the phone for one of my real estate friends with their company.  I’ll have to do some calling tomorrow to see if I can get her some interviews when she gets here this weekend.