The behinder I get, the more impossible it is to catch up. Last year was a year of dread and hope. Dread of lay-off; hope it happens soon. So I will have time. Time to relax. Time to reclaim my greenhouse. Time to garden. Time to groom horses. Time to walk dogs. Time to eat right (maybe even cook?) Time to take care of my house. Time to take care of my husband. Time to go to the dentist. Time to paint fabric skies. Time to update my web diary. You get the picture. Well, the dreaded hoped-for day didn't come. Not last year, not so far this year. (scroll down for more diary)

But the axe did fall at Louden Nelson and the Beach Flats Community Centers this month, in the form of a 20 percent overall budget reduction. Dedicated, long-term staff were put on notice that they lose a quarter of their income mid-March. With the help of my talented, obsessive, incredibly generous and increasingly geeky husband, we are analyzing revenue and use patterns to make the most of what is left at the Nelson Center. And in Beach Flats, where we were already short on staff, we have even less to work with just as we move into our brand new facility. It's been rough going. I try to maintain perspective and not stress too much, but on a regular basis, my eyes pop open at 1:30 am and my mind is off to the races. I love the Centers. I love the people who work in them. It was hell to make these recommendations, hell to tell the staff. But I am sleeping better now that the cuts are public. The morning light is growing. Tom and Judy had a beautiful baby boy. And my "baby" chickens have started to lay eggs. It's getting easier to believe that really … everything's alright. last • next