Mon Ami, Bon jour,
It is Sunday afternoon and I am not ready to begin again tomorrow. Who do I try to kid??? It never ends in the first place. This is where, I pick up where we left off...
We are having a half price paint sale and out of somewhere in society come the very unusual. Ring, Ring, Thank you for calling bla, bla, bla,,,,,,"I want to know how much you charge for replacing two fenders, repairing a bumper and...I am very sorry sir, I cannot estimate repair over the phone, you need to bring your vehicle in and... "CLICK". You are probably tired of hearing that story, ME TOO!
I am reading a book about character and the people who have in their real lives, exhibited extraordinary character and it's attributes. I am humbled. If I may, "Character is Destiny" by John McCain. Not that I am political mind you, I am just so bull headed about proper behavior in society, especially in leaders.
My compressor friend, Mr. Durango was in this week, to repair the next most important machinery in the shop, the air compressors. Long, wavy blond hair in a low ponytail. Tight Wranglers with a slow, lazy gait. It is amazing how the dust parts when he walks through the shop. It is pure Reverence, man!
Another local shop owner called me this week regarding the local baseball team who thought we should spend a few grand each for advertising in the program and get 8 tickets in the cheap seats for it. We said, Naw, don't think so. But thank You anyway.
I was wiping a car in the back and look up and see two salesmen talking to my body man, Angel. My philosophy is to scare them the first time they come in and they will be brief each time they come back. Having never seen these men before, I go into my stern mode...Excuse me.....who are you? Well, no one comes in my shop without my permission and you have one minute. As they are shaking and leave quickly, there is several minutes of awkward silence. I am feeling a little bit bad that I was so sharp, and Loudly, Angel says, "Well, you chased them the hell out". Loud laughter erupted everywhere and broke the tension. All had a good laugh. The one guy who has been with me since day one came up to me and said, "I have not heard you laugh in a long time." Wow, I need to find myself, my old self again. He was right, I had not laughed since my son left.
I called a gal last week, who has left her totaled vehicle in my lot for 3 months now, promising me she is sending a tow to pick it up. Now, bear in mind, I have been polite for 3 months and this last call I got firm. Well, she told me I had an attitude problem. WHAT! Then she does what some women are so good at and went off on me and I could not get a word in, so I hung up. Is it any wonder that I am not the nicest flower garden in the neighborhood anymore??
Dear Readers, it is a tough time to own a business. That comes as no surprise, I am sure. I had to referee an argument between a customer and my employee over what the customer said our price should be!!! Would she go into Kroger and argue over the price of a can of peas? I have to laugh or I would not be sane. I sent her to my competitor. Let her argue with him.
Remember my employees who tried the workers comp scamming things??? Well, they both have lost, but since it is bureaucratic, we go back and back for appeals. I now have to attend a hearing on whether the one gal who scammed and lost has to pay back the money the state gave her. DO YOU BELIEVE IT?! They gave her the TEN GRAND. Now, I am sure she has spent it and why should I be involved in getting it back??? If I give a con artist money, and it is gone, who gives it back to me??? I know the state somehow thinks it is up to me to cover the money they gave her when I am begging them not to do so. NOW, they want it back. Hells Bells, Are they going to make a stone bleed, it is spent and gone people! The public sector are morons.
I turn 61 next week and completely alone. I am sure that is why I am crabby. A customer handed me a note this week with his phone number and an invite for dinner, another handsome gentle man told me I look liked the kind of lady who is and should be spoiled....I hesitated and he smiled and said that was a complement and just say thank you. I guess it is good to not look my age, but my brain still hates the clock.
We had over 45 cars last week and I am sure we will get as many this week. Like I said, it does not end, we just keep on painting.
Thanks Devon (the painter)You rock. God Bless, Shangri La, just getting a little older.
We are having a half price paint sale and out of somewhere in society come the very unusual. Ring, Ring, Thank you for calling bla, bla, bla,,,,,,"I want to know how much you charge for replacing two fenders, repairing a bumper and...I am very sorry sir, I cannot estimate repair over the phone, you need to bring your vehicle in and... "CLICK". You are probably tired of hearing that story, ME TOO!
I am reading a book about character and the people who have in their real lives, exhibited extraordinary character and it's attributes. I am humbled. If I may, "Character is Destiny" by John McCain. Not that I am political mind you, I am just so bull headed about proper behavior in society, especially in leaders.
My compressor friend, Mr. Durango was in this week, to repair the next most important machinery in the shop, the air compressors. Long, wavy blond hair in a low ponytail. Tight Wranglers with a slow, lazy gait. It is amazing how the dust parts when he walks through the shop. It is pure Reverence, man!
Another local shop owner called me this week regarding the local baseball team who thought we should spend a few grand each for advertising in the program and get 8 tickets in the cheap seats for it. We said, Naw, don't think so. But thank You anyway.
I was wiping a car in the back and look up and see two salesmen talking to my body man, Angel. My philosophy is to scare them the first time they come in and they will be brief each time they come back. Having never seen these men before, I go into my stern mode...Excuse me.....who are you? Well, no one comes in my shop without my permission and you have one minute. As they are shaking and leave quickly, there is several minutes of awkward silence. I am feeling a little bit bad that I was so sharp, and Loudly, Angel says, "Well, you chased them the hell out". Loud laughter erupted everywhere and broke the tension. All had a good laugh. The one guy who has been with me since day one came up to me and said, "I have not heard you laugh in a long time." Wow, I need to find myself, my old self again. He was right, I had not laughed since my son left.
I called a gal last week, who has left her totaled vehicle in my lot for 3 months now, promising me she is sending a tow to pick it up. Now, bear in mind, I have been polite for 3 months and this last call I got firm. Well, she told me I had an attitude problem. WHAT! Then she does what some women are so good at and went off on me and I could not get a word in, so I hung up. Is it any wonder that I am not the nicest flower garden in the neighborhood anymore??
Dear Readers, it is a tough time to own a business. That comes as no surprise, I am sure. I had to referee an argument between a customer and my employee over what the customer said our price should be!!! Would she go into Kroger and argue over the price of a can of peas? I have to laugh or I would not be sane. I sent her to my competitor. Let her argue with him.
Remember my employees who tried the workers comp scamming things??? Well, they both have lost, but since it is bureaucratic, we go back and back for appeals. I now have to attend a hearing on whether the one gal who scammed and lost has to pay back the money the state gave her. DO YOU BELIEVE IT?! They gave her the TEN GRAND. Now, I am sure she has spent it and why should I be involved in getting it back??? If I give a con artist money, and it is gone, who gives it back to me??? I know the state somehow thinks it is up to me to cover the money they gave her when I am begging them not to do so. NOW, they want it back. Hells Bells, Are they going to make a stone bleed, it is spent and gone people! The public sector are morons.
I turn 61 next week and completely alone. I am sure that is why I am crabby. A customer handed me a note this week with his phone number and an invite for dinner, another handsome gentle man told me I look liked the kind of lady who is and should be spoiled....I hesitated and he smiled and said that was a complement and just say thank you. I guess it is good to not look my age, but my brain still hates the clock.
We had over 45 cars last week and I am sure we will get as many this week. Like I said, it does not end, we just keep on painting.
Thanks Devon (the painter)You rock. God Bless, Shangri La, just getting a little older.
