Thank you John,
Things aren't "that bad" over here, they could be a lot worse than what they are.
I hope things are all right on your side of the world.
I must remember though, as an apprentice electrician, there was no money for things like gloves that stopped you from taking skin off your fingers, knuckles, wrists.
I was on such a terrible amount of money as an apprentice, anything you earned went into having a place to live, power in it and firewood to keep you warm over the winter and obviously food to eat.
I managed to buy a pair of cow-hide gloves and my God did I get verbally-abused for having them, spare comments like " Ohhh, he doesn't like getting his hands dirty!" and the like.
Now I hold the purse strings, it's a totally different kettle of fish.
