I’m happy to report that I’ve managed to lose two pounds in the last week!  It’s been quite hard, as I want to eat Bridge Mix, lemon meringue pie and glazed donuts.  Instead, I’m eating Red River cereal topped with 1 percent milk and Splenda.

More good news is that Luke left on Wednesday for the oil rigs.  He drove off at 7:00 AM and phoned at 7:00 PM saying he was at the rig, and at work!  As the rig is five hours out of Calgary, I don’t even know how that is possible.  However, he did it without killing himself, so that’s the main thing.

He then phoned me on Saturday to tell me that he earned $1600 in the three days he’d worked!  It’s pretty hard to justify staying in the low-pay capital of Canada when he can go to Alberta and make so much.  Of course he has to work all night, so that’s no picnic, but I just think of all the money.

And speaking of people with money, yesterday I asked Nicky if he and Taya were going to be here for dinner. He said, “No, we’re going out for dinner.”  Sigh.  I haven’t been out for dinner since I don’t know when, but as we all know I need to save my money for tuition and cars.  And not my tuition or cars, either.

There’s no point in griping, as I have some concrete plans for the business that will hopefully reap some benefits.  For one thing, I’ve already sold some fruitcakes due to my monthly newsletter.  All of the fruitcakes are on sale, as I want to get new labels, and want to be rid of everything I have on hand.

Next, I’m going to speak at all Rotary Clubs as I want to get the word out that I have a great product for corporate gifts.  Another goal I have for 2010 is to market to more gift stores.  My friend Phyllis said my product is ‘too good’ for grocery stores, and though very vain on my part, I have to agree.

Not because the product is so great (though it is) but I think a smaller store allows more customer contact.  Would you pick up a box of something unknown, especially fruitcake, and buy it without knowing more about it?  Yet this is what people have to do at Buy-Low Foods.

So, I’m going to take my product out of the Buy-Lows, and stick with the smaller specialty groceries like Quality Greens in the Okanagan, and Urban Fare in Vancouver.  Then I’ll expand my network of cozy small gift stores where the staff are knowledgeable about each product and help customers buy.

And in the meantime, I’ll eat nothing but those tasteless foods recommended by Dr. Oz.  After all, I don’t want the Rotarians or gift store owners wondering why a behemoth is bothering them about fruitcake.