MORIAH — The gloomy economy in New York state and the rest of the nation is no surprise to Cathy and Tim Sprague of Moriah.

"I feel Essex County has been in a recession, and the rest of the world is catching up," Mrs. Sprague said.

"I don't worry. I do it one day at a time."

She's self-employed and her husband is retired from the International Paper Woodlands Division in Ticonderoga.

Her kitchen counter is covered with advertising inserts saved from the Press-Republican.

"We clip more coupons," she said. "I don't go to the market without a pile of coupons."

'ABJECT POOR'
The new state budget proposed by Gov. David Paterson just shifts many of the costs of state government to local taxpayers, Mr. Sprague said.

"There's more and more coming out of our pockets. We're Gov. Cuomo's 'abject poor.'"

When Mario Cuomo was governor of New York, during a state budget address, he referred to the "abject poor of Essex County."

Mrs. Sprague, who entertains at events and children's parties as "Penelope the Clown," said she's used that statement to get performing grants.

"I filled out a grant application, and I wrote that I lived in Essex County, where Gov. Cuomo said we are 'the abject poor.' I got the grant."

RISING COSTS
She said the economy may be bad, but her work as a clown hasn't dropped off.

"People haven't cut back on entertainment. But I haven't raised my prices, either. And I have to travel farther and go to other states."

One problem she's had with her business is that even though she hasn't raised her prices, the cost of clown materials has gone way up.

"The supplies have doubled in price. Helium (for balloons) has skyrocketed."

She said if she has to go far away for a clown gig, she'll stay over, looking for another job the same day or the next day.

"That's what I'm doing differently with clowning. I try to double up on appearances. It's more cost-effective."

GARDENING
She and her husband have started their own vegetable garden, which not only supplies their needs but enables them to have a small produce stand out by the road.

"If it wasn't for the garden and canning, I don't know what we'd do," Mrs. Sprague said. "We put up a lot of jars. We live off the land."

PENSION HELPS
Mr. Sprague said he's not worried about his pension from International Paper because the federal government protects corporate pension funds, at least to some degree.

But he has started a part-time business, Old Patriot Realty, and is selling real estate to bring in some extra income.

"People are still buying real estate. I think it's a fallacy that they aren't. But I sell mostly high-end properties, vacant land."

He also goes deer hunting to try to bring in some venison for their freezer.

The living room at the Sprague home is filled with trophies of stags he's brought down in the past, and he can describe where each one was taken.

"I didn't get a deer this season, so we may have to buy cheap beef," he joked. "Actually, we have venison left from last time."

NO RETIREMENT
Mrs. Sprague isn't thinking of retiring anytime soon.

"I couldn't retire now. We need the income."

They'll probably have to keep their part-time jobs for the foreseeable future, Mr. Sprague said.

"Eventually, she may need a candy-striped cane to get along on at her clown work.

"I think things will get worse before they get better."

E-mail Lohr McKinstry at: lmckinstry@pressrepublican.com