GRUMBLE, GRUMBLE, GRUMBLE

I walked into my office yesterday morning to find one of the girls in tears. She had been on the phone with a representative of our greedy government, trying her best to help a client who is in dire straits, and the agent was not only patronizing, but also quite insulting. Someone else would just shrug it off. It isn’t our company after all, but we take our clients’ problems to heart. It seems that our heads of state are labouring diligently for their bonuses, which means they have to empty the pockets of the small businesses and ordinary citizens. They are very adept at using scare tactics and wasting enormous amounts of time by sending form after form to be completed and returned within 30 days…or else…they go into your bank account! Even more frustrating is that much of the information they demand is already in one of their departments…but not the same one… and we have no choice but to comply, over and over again. The client is billed for the hours required to respond to the government’s BS, of course, and most accounting firms rejoice; it’s more money in their pockets too. Our office employees have not yet learned to be mercenaries.

I contacted a consultant about the problem, and guess what? His advice boiled down to screwing the government, legally…or at least in a way that you may have to put up with being hassled, but would not have to give up any money. It seems many of the huge companies have the method down to an art – but they also have the funds to bribe officials or to pay sharp lawyers to fight back if ever they are caught. There is nothing new in the idea; it has been going on for years. Now, however, because of the economic crunch, it hits home harder. When you have 2 dollars, and have to give up one of them, it can be endured. But when you only have one, and still have to give it up, you take notice. Complaints do no good. Action is needed, but how does one start?

I went to sleep last night with the problem and frustration milling in my mind, and woke this morning to find it still there. Ugh! I don’t want to spend the weekend thinking about it, so will attempt to change the subject.

When my mind is too busy, physical activity helps to clear it, which means that my house should be spick and span by the end of the day; my Christmas trees should be decorated; my baking done; my car washed; wood to last the week carried up; and all the books invading my home office dusted and stacked alphabetically…then I’ll write a thank you note to the government for having given me the initiative. Right. It’s not going to happen.

Back to changing the subject.

If the Weather Network is to be believed, my Dunany Demons are going to be busy for the next few days. It isn’t falling yet, but we are to get snow until Tuesday night. Skiers and snowboarders will be ecstatic, the plough guys will be grumbling, and yours truly will spend some time today making sure the generator is in good shape, and that there is enough gas to use it. Storms in this area usually lead to the power going off; it is wise to be prepared.

You know what? Talking about the weather isn’t working either, so it’s time to put on some loud music and dance around with the dust mop and the doggies. Just that thought is making me SMILE, and I hope making you SMILE too. Have a good day, folks!

Luv from the Bush in Quebec