Workaholics in Fawnskin

Fawnskin MarketFor some reason, people don’t think you work when you are a home based business. This year I’ll be more diligent about logging time in my calendar (for time management purposes) and will focus on taking time off.

You see, when you work at home there is a tendency to work seven days a week–it is one of the hazards of not leaving your work place. You’d be amazed at just how many home based businesses there are in Fawnskin and the entire Big Bear Valley.

Anyway, my current pattern is to work early in the am, break to enjoy the good weather and outdoors, and then finish up before HM drops by after work. I no longer work after he leaves–a new pattern for me but probably better in the long run–and part of my goal to lead a more balanced life.

Many of the businesses here in Fawnskin have the owners on site. The North Shore Trading Company has two alarms to alert Jim and Janet to the arrival of customers. Nikki and Bonnie are their two Australian shepards that sound the first alarm (if they are outside) and then they have another inanimate device that rings in their home.

I keep telling the dogs that it does no good to bark at the customers when they are across the street but they think it brings people over–and they may be right!

Carol and Ernie used to live behind their North Shore Antiques building but moved about a block away and expanded the store. So now they have a big commute to get to work–they usually cut through the back and amble over.

The Gold Pan clan lives above and behind the restaurant, the Moose Lodge 2085 administration and staff drive over from across town, while over at Amangela’s they commute over from Big Bear City.

Cynthia, our Post Master, drives to work but she now lives within walking distance, and finally, there is Captain John, who probably has the longest commute from Hamilton Estates way over in Erwin Lake.

Over at the Fawnskin Market, Mike (Ayman Nakoud) works seven days a week also. He was commuting to work from down the hill but then finally rented a cottage up the road. If you don’t know Mike very well, he is really funny.

I drop in periodically to check on things and pick up odds and ends. The store is clean and he always has just about everything I need–and if he doesn’t–he usually gets it within the week. Things have been slow down there recently and I suspect that being closed a year due to rennovations and red tape is part of the problem. The other one is that they lost the original phone number after thirty-some-odd years.

Anyway, since I know Mike is ALWAYS working, I laughed when HM asked me to call the Fawnskin Market to make sure it was open.

“Happy New Year, Mike”

“Happy New Year!”

“Just checking to see if you are open.”

Laughs, “Of course.”

“Gary is coming down for some whipping cream.”

“What do you need that for?”

HM thought that it was so small town to have the local grocer ask why you need something. He chuckled over the whole thing. Me, I know it is part of the small town banter and what makes life here so entertaining.

Believe it or not, I lived in a smaller town up in the Redwoods. We had 154 total residents and the big gathering place, and information hub, was the market and deli located off the main highway down the road. The nearest large grocery store was a thirty minute commute up the highway through the wilderness and if you needed anything–or to catch up with the neighbors–that is where you went.

Fawnskin is similar with several spots that attract locals. If you don’t catch up at the Post Office, you can meander over to the Moose Lodge, drop by the market, or one of the restaurants to catch up. Some how you will always get the scuttlebutt…even if you don’t ask for it!

Anyway, because it was New Year’s Day I made HM wait while I packed up a turkey dinner to send down to Mike. Today I’ll drop off a piece of the pumpkin pie I made–so that Mike can understand why HM wanted the whip cream.



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This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 2nd, 2008 and is filed under Business & Commerce, Mountain Lake Resort.

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