thinking about work

The town I live in is very busy with tourists and fishermen in the summer and the months on either side of summer. In the winter, thing screech to a halt. Lots of people who work in the tourism/fishing industry go on EI in the winter (Employment Insurance benefits, for those not in the know). In order to qualify for these benefits, however, you have to have accumulated something like 910 hours in the last 12 months.

That is not my case. In my best week with the fish job, I think I claimed something like 28 hours. And that was working six days. My next paycheque will have five hours on it. (Now granted I took time off to work at the yarn shop, and there was a funeral, but still.)

The fishermen keep saying fishing has been terrible. It seems like (or I keep hearing) that the hook & line fishery is winding down for the season. There are a few boats heading out now that the storm has passed. But winter has begun here. The storm season has begun. That means less fishing. That means less work.

Now I can't go to my landlord and just say "if there is fish work for me, I can pay my rent". No. That wouldn't go over well at all. I need to know about an income. If we are staying here through the winter, we need to find jobs.

I mentioned in a previous post about work I wouldn't have considered in another location but here it is different. I applied for a number of positions at a resort today. It's withing walking distance of my house and hopefully one of them will have flexible enough hours that wouldn't get in the way of my knitting work. My knitting work is my priority.

I know it's a weird thing to be able to say that, a unique thing, and that's why I am embracing it. But it's true: I committed to the yarn shop long before I moved here, long before the shop was even open. Long before I knew I would be depending on my work for our household income.

When it comes down to it though, circumstances have thrown us into a position we were not prepared for but must deal with nonetheless. We are managing for now but what will happen next month? These are uncertain times for us (more waiting...) and luckily I have lots of knitting to keep me busy. Knitting and my Internet connection, these are my lifelines.