My number two son called about a month ago to inform me that he had just gotten laid off. As he works in the lumber business in Oregon, this was expected. That phone call didn’t bother me that much, but the one a few weeks later gave me pause.

He was on his way home from grocery shopping and when I answered the phone he said (and I quote), "Mother, do you know what two tomatoes cost?" I said, "No," because I had no idea. He said, "$2.49."

I said, "Wow! Did you buy them?" He said that he hadn’t, and was going to plant tomatoes plants in his yard this spring.

"Good idea," I said, but I thought, we’ll see.

Frank and I have a guardian angel who gives us tomato and pepper plants every year, and we use some of last year’s potatoes in planting. I never realized how much money we saved by planting our small garden. I wouldn’t pay $2.49 for two tomatoes either.

I started thinking how much I actually save by reusing bread bags for storing, freezing or wrapping, or by using plastic containers for such things. I wash and rinse my foil and plastic bags. Have you seen the price of foil lately? Geez.

I’m saving money doing this. REALLY saving money.

Has your economy changed? Mine hasn’t. Ever since the media blitz about the failing economy, I’ve been shaking my head. My economy has been the same for as long as I can remember. Actually, I didn’t know that we lived below the poverty level until I read it in the paper. What a shock! I thought we were doing pretty well.

The house is paid for, the bills are always paid, we have food and two older (but paid for) vehicles. What more do you need? We have so much to spend, and we spend it wisely.

So, my economy is just fine, thank you very much. May these people complaining should work on their own economy, walk in my shoes for a month, or move to West Virginia to see how normal every day people handle everything, including the economy.