I got this picture from their blog.

Yesterday, I went to another home care agency in Orange, California. I figured it would be a good idea to sign up with at least 2 agencies to make sure I get steady work. To be honest, I didn't "click" with this one. It was a group interview and those of us chosen to go on to the next round will be called back on Monday. I am amazed that these type of agencies pay so low! They expect a lot from their employees but are only willing to pay the minimum. Don't they understand the idea "you get what you pay for"? Here is an example... the pay is $110 for a 24 hour shift, because the employee will be sleeping there. But anyone who has cared for a sick and/or elderly person knows that they don't sleep and neither will you! I calculated that the hourly pay is less than $5 an hour, before taxes to work the 24 hour shift. The pay is more for regular hourly shifts. I am not available for 24 hour shifts... because of the low pay (I am worth a lot more than that) and I will not stay away from my family for that long. Being away from them for 3 months straight last year was enough for me! Never again! I know the people who own these agencies are charging the clients double of what the employees are making. I understand they have bills to pay... but! it is my belief that everyone should be paid a living wage and anyone living in California, especially Southern California needs to earn at the very least $10 an hour! Now that I have got that off my chest...

I went to Old Town Orange afterwards. They have a mix of small independent restaurants and antique malls and shops. Public parking is free and who can beat that price? So, I got my "looking at junk" fix and found Country Roads Antique Gardens. Another blogger whom I look at has a booth there but I forgot who it is. The booths are numbered so I don't know the names of them or the owners. It would be nice if each one put up a sign that told us who they were. I am sure they have names. I did when I had my booth in Paradise... "Junkstylediva" and had biz cards available in my booth. Anyways, the mall was HUGE! I spent 2 hours looking around and ended up buying 2 chippy bunnies and a small chippy urn for Easter. All 3 items cost me $15 which I normally would not have spent but I decided that in order for me to receive money from the Universe I had to let some go. You know - what goes around comes around. Giving money to another small biz person seems like the right thing and they look cute sitting by my fireplace.

If your in Orange county, you must go to the city of Orange and stop into Country Roads... you won't leave empty handed!

http://www.countryroadsantiquesandgarden.com/

Hope your day is fun and don't forget to laugh out loud!

xoxo Inge

Junque Art Tre Magnifique!

I absolutely love to collect junk and turn it into something fabulous or keep it in it's original form and love it just the way it is. I used to to think I was maybe a bit strange... no different... stopping at junk piles alongside the road and sifting through someone's throw aways or stopping at a dumpster sitting in front of a house under going a remodel to maybe find that perfect something.

Thanks to this wonderful world of the internet I am introduced to so many kindred spirits... people who are not afraid to be labled "dumpster divers"... in fact they wear the title as a badge of honor! I found another kindred spirit who has an online shop at

scarletfields.etsy.com / ... she takes junk and makes fabulous works of art with it. In fact Scarlet was influenced by some pretty creative women when she was a girl, her grandmother taught her to sew, taught her not to waste and that there were many treasures to be found at a Goodwill Store. Her third grade teacher, Mrs. Rush, taught her that a bar of soap could really be a turtle, and her aunt taught her the joy of a "craft closet". "I love finding and putting found objects togather to create an art piece with a story to tell. My art is whimsical, playful and most always funny in a tongue in cheek sort of way. I strive to make art that is affordable and will almost always be a conversation piece."

Her blog is full of quirky pictures and musings http://www.scarletfields.blogspot.com/

Cheers!

and don't forget to laugh out loud today!

Inge