An Ending, and a Fresh Outlook.......

   The Diner is closing.  It's official.  The old girl is getting a makeover.  The owners are closing us down today, after lunch, for a MAJOR remodel, and for the first time since 1908, when she was established, there will be no Rogers Diner here in Madison.  Kinda makes you sad, but let's hope that whatever they decide to reopen (it will be a restaurant, probably mid-scale Italian, with a limited lunch menu that still has some burgers, and so on) is competetive enough stay alive in this economy.  Lord knows how I've tried over the years to keep Rogers afloat.  Tourists love us, and we have many wonderful regular customers, but the twice removed previous owners had run the reputation (quality, service, cleanliness... all three had suffered horribly!) into the ground to the point that we never fully recovered.  We tried, and doubled business, but it was just not enough.
  That being said, I'm scared shitless to be on the job market at age 48 again, and in a very small city. (Pop: 13000ish)  I'm trying to maintain a positive attitude about this.
   Instead of using the insurance money "leftovers" that I will have by doing some of the work on the house myself, after the major part of the rebuild is done, to put a down payment on a (newish) car, I will use it for bills.  Unemployment pays very poorly in Indiana, although I think that it's gone up a bit since I last drew almost a decade ago.
   On the brighter side, I will have more time to work on the house, to do it right, and to save, perhaps, even a few more dollars.  We'll see, but I think that it will all balance out.  It depends on whether or not they bring me back after the 60+ day layoff.  I've heard rumors that they won't, that they have another cook in mind, who is friends/family with one of the owners.  Just have to wait and see.  At least, by then, the weather should be close to breaking for the year, and the heating bills should drop!
    Sorry I've not been in contact with many of you, my friends and family, in a while.  I've had a LOT of things going on, and a lot of things on my mind.  I think of you all every day, and hope to have some free time soon!