Terrific, (insert sarcasm.)

After a terrifically busy first six days of the month, I had a terrifically crappy next 6 days of the month (literally dropped in half in sales), for a terrifically average 12 day total. Still on track for my 'middle' case scenario, but can't help but be a little disappointed.

Blaming weather is lame -- weather always happens. Still, the last few days have been pretty barren once the storms started. Looking at the forecast, seems these storms are still a'comin'.

Oh, well. I've become reconciled to summer business not really starting until the second half of June. They keep the kids in school until pretty late, followed by what I think of as a transition week, where schedules change, camps get started, activities are begun, kids are traded amongst the families.

So, with any luck, the weather will turn more summery just as the new routines are established.

Meanwhile, I've apologized to my UPS guy for the huge loads of products that will be coming in. Told him he might want to take his vacation. I'll be busy for the next few weeks just trying to make room for everything. It's lots of fun -- kind of like a birthday party -- opening up the boxes and seeing what I got.

Then I'll be into July. Like I aways say about Christmas, they haven't yet canceled it. Nor have they ever canceled summer. There will be an increase in business, even if it's down from last year.

I can't help my optimistic streak. I always think the worst is over, that we're going to turn the corner, we're on our way. But reality and logic tell me different. I'm sticking to my prediction that -- even when the rest of the country starts to recover -- Bend is going to be stuck for a couple more years.