Observing the amount of vehicles on the road, it’s difficult to believe that people are having a hard time buying gas. Maybe all those drivers have their own pipeline to the oil fields.

Last week, a friend and I went to Bridgton and the number of cars, trucks and recreational vehicles on Route 302, on a Wednesday was horrific. These weren’t commuters, for it was way past time for going to work traffic. And they weren’t tourists – few out of state plates were seen.

Here we were, two retired, but still working part time, women, pooling our resources to afford a few hours respite – watching all these drivers who obviously weren’t affected by high gas prices. What do they know that we don’t?

No wonder the public transportation folks don’t take us seriously out here in the hinterlands. Fortunately, my 20 hour a week job can be done from home, but if I was one of those who have to drive to and from Portland (or some other miles away place) I would be looking for someone else who had the same routine. I certainly couldn’t afford to commute and expect to eat, too.

A few weeks back, I wrote about the down-sizing of food packages. Well, it’s a national news story now and this is one of those things that will not revert to the former way, if this economic downturn (isn’t that the politically correct phrase?) ever changes.

A quart of mayonnaise will now weigh 30 ounces. Smaller packages, a slight increase in cost. Factor in the cost of manufacturing the new sized containers, labels and advertising and you’ll get the whole picture of what’s happening on the grocery shelves.

But all is not gloom and doom. There are still many things that are free. Wild blueberries are ripening. Instead of paying big bucks for a box of large imported pellets, we can drive just a short way in our own hometown of Windham, to the Claman Preserve, for example, and pick sweet little blueberries for free. It does take a little energy but the end result is oh, so satisfying. The mucky terrain will give you a little exercise, too.

Save on vitamins by going outdoors for 15 minutes a day in the sunshine. No need to buy Vitamin D when the sunshine vitamin is free.

Why spend $1 or more for a bottle of water – just turn on the faucet. Oh, it doesn’t come in those handy to carry, name brand bottles, but save a few empties and fill from the faucet. You’ll have the best water and save bundles of money.

Recycling is all the rage; at least most of us give it lip service. But get serious about it. When you clean out a closet and have a pile of clothes you wouldn’t be able to give away in a yard sale, take them to the Windham Clothes Closet where some people will be able to use them. Unfortunately, in our wonderful town, there are many who can’t afford bottled water or a new wardrobe.

While you’re cleaning out those closets, and planning school wardrobes for your children, save any spare backpacks that are in good condition and give them to the Clothes Closet. Folks who need the resources of the town food pantry may not be able to buy backpacks this fall and the volunteers who run the food pantry are planning to offer backpacks to these families. In addition, they plan to provide school supplies to get kids started this fall.

Some of us were raised with the admonition, use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without, and this old Maine way is the key to surviving what, for many, is a devastating economy.

Surely when I was thoughtfully planning retirement 10 or so years ago, I never dreamed I’d be reaching so far back in my life for survival skills in these so-called golden years. That’s one of the reasons I was so shocked when I saw all the traffic last week, in the middle of the day, in the middle of the week.

I just wondered if I had missed something. Maybe the high cost of gasoline didn’t affect everyone. Maybe they all got those stimulus checks at the same time.

Maybe reality hasn’t set in yet.

See you next week.