Sunday, May 31, 2009

It Has Been Almost a Year


We are rapidly coming up on the 1 year anniversary of our little excitement last summer. As we enter June all of our thoughts go back to that terrible week when we watched our store engulfed by the Cedar River. Remember this picture (above) from last year? That is what we found in the main showroom on first floor when we could finally got back to our store.

Well we have been working hard this past year. If you follow this blog at all you will know that we reopened in just 6 weeks. The first floor was empty but the upper floors were okay.

Well look at what is in this showroom now.


That is the same elevator and stairway to the upper floor that you see in the first picture. Yes, the elevator works. That is the old cable elevator. The switches had to be rebuilt but it works just fine. Interesting that the newer hydraulic elevator, in another part of the building, will need to be totally replaced. We may never be able to do that.

It has been a rough year but we are doing okay. Business has been pretty good actually and our systems are back on line. I'm sure this will be an emotional month for us as we go through the anniversary memories. But we can be proud. I am very proud of my crew. We didn't lose a single person on my team and we have been able to grow this past year. We now have a viable Design Studio - something we didn't have a year ago.

Stay dry -
and as always, may your world bring you . . .

PEACE

Sunday, May 03, 2009

Church Basement Ladies

I don't get out anywhere near often enough so when my daughter invited me to join her for the evening I agreed. She said she wanted to take me to Rock Island, IL to a dinner theater. On the way I was told we would be seeing a play called "Church Basement Ladies" at Circa 21.

What a riot. The play is by no means high theater but it was a romp. I haven't laughed so hard in years. It is a story of four ladies who run the church kitchen in a little Lutheran church in rural Minnesota. It is sort of a cross between Nunsense and Prairie Home Companion. A wonderful blend of church humor mixed with Minnesota Norski jabs.

"Do you know if this is called a casserole, a covered dish, or a hotdish?" I may be a Minnesota Swede but even I know the answer to that question is hotdish. I swear I know those ladies - one of them could even be my mother.

I really enjoyed the time with my daughter as well. She is grown and "out the house" now so I don't get to see her as much anymore.

So folks, I guess I have two lessons from this weekend. First, when your daughter wants to treat you to an evening out - take her up on it. Second, if you get the chance to see Church Basement Ladies - go for it.

Peace.