Margarita, she sets the standard.

So...I have this friend Hilary who well OVER A YEAR AGO, went on the "austerity plan" I put that in quotes...to give Hil her props...she really deserves it. She cut back, scaled back, sacrificed, and she and her husband forged the road of (as w/ so many of my friends) of small business owner.

Ron and I have been on the Hilary "austerity plan" ourselves now for a good 3 months. It's hard! We spent the first 10 years of our marriage on the same plan but...it was unknown to us (read: we had NO FREAKING EXTRA CASH). Then - solely due to the Lord Jesus Christ, our business flourished and we were able to actually enjoy a good 3 to 4 year period of truly not worrying about "cash". Now, understand, we live in a nice home...but it's not a mansion. We have good cars. But, they are reasonable. We traveled a bit... but never beyond the Pacific. More significantly, we were able to just enjoy not stressing for a few years, after (as all newlyweds do) really stressing!

I (as a true Scottish Duncan) have been able to re-acclimate to the "austerity plan" with an odd ease that honestly freaks Ron out a bit. Groceries are stock piled, lights are turned off, pool pump timers are shortened, etc.... Then...as a couple we - cut the pool man (pool was green a good 4-5 weeks but is now a lovely shade of blue thank-you), reduced the gardener to every other week, gave up the "spa" pedicures, now have the hair done every 10 weeks instead of 8. Really... not huge sacrifices...actually not sacrifices at all.

But, as things grow even tighter we think...how else can we cut back. Then... (going back to the tile of this blog) Margarita steps in. Margarita is the incredible lady who has maintained our home for almost 7 years now. When I was pregnant w/ Mason and honestly didn't see the lower level of my home for over two months due to being on bed rest, ...Margarita kept it going. She kept Ronnies work clothes not just clean, but "kept". Shirts were hung along w/ 501 jeans. He works in construction, not corporate. But she knew...it still mattered, it's not Armani - but still it needs to be wrinkle free and clean.

But, in this new truly economic slow down, We contemplated cutting Margarita to every other week. But today...after we (Ron and I) both left our home, and didn't return till almost 5pm and showed up to it not just being clean...but all of his work jeans, being found and dug out of our hampers, washed and perfectly ready for the contractors week. Our dishwasher with sippy cups and wine glasses loaded, ran and then put away. My beloved Williams Sonoma table cloth washed pressed and back on my table. All of these things done ON TOP OF THE NORMAL CLEANING OF THE CHAOS WE LEAVE FOR MARGARITA, and we (Ron and I) got it! She (Margarita) gets it. We are running like one armed paper hangers to keep our business going. So, she, her own business owner steps it up as well. She give 110% and makes our coming home, just all that much easier and truly nicer.

Margarita sets the standard so very high, as she always has. I am so appreciative to have her help and support. But, I do also hope I can embrace her business saviness. I hope to emulate her business model and not just do what I've been asked to do....but a bit more...to make my customers think...Not to give me a reduction in contracts, but find a way to give me more!

Because, that's what Ron and I did tonight. If I can work just 1 or 2 hours more a week, then not only can we continue the luxury of Margarita in our lives, we can continue to have the time to grow our business.

The austerity plan continues, not so much sushi, not so much Starbucks...at this point really just "not so much". But, from Margarita,.... it's really a whole lot! Thanks Margarita, and tomorrow... a few more cold calls and some more austerity.

I'm out, and I'm tired. ;-) Julie