My life has changed drastically since moving to the Shenandoah Valley area, we moved here 8 years ago, I was at that time working as an Office Manager for a Body Shop making $35,000 annually and look at me now, working at the local mall at a popular shoe store a few nights a week, for just a bit more than minimum wage.

Hubby’s health has made it where he requires constant care and I can’t be away from the house for too long, so working part-time is my only option at the moment.  I have worked at several stores at the mall and know a lot of people there, it really is like a mini community, people come and go so fast that the turnover is outrageous and the stores are always looking for help. 

When we first moved here and I needed a job desperately I even rang the bell for the Salvation Army, outside of the mall, until I could land something else.  That is a job that I will never ever consider doing again.  Standing outside during the winter, for 6 hours at a time ringing that stupid bell was extremely tedious.  One day after a cold, long shift, I was standing in line at the grocery store when I found myself still shaking my hand, simulating the bell ringing, and had to laugh at myself for not being able to stop shaking my hand well after my shift was over.  I never knew that there was so many ways to ring a bell.