Here ya go Genia!!

I have been missing for a bit, but it was because Jake was on vacation and I didn't want to be the cause of his google reader for burning up so I paced myself......yeah.....that's why I've been missing.....yup, I swear, that's the reason. ;)

I have been rather busy lately, both by design and by accident. For anyone who hasn't been in the store in the last three months, you won't even recognize the place, nothing is the same and the location of everything has changed, new paint, new layout, so much and I've been handling a lot of it myself. We moved the deli counter, finished the new deli, moved the loud compressor to the front of the store and built a room to enclose it, then we moved the counter and candy counters and redesigned a new space for them that makes the layout of the store make SO much more sense. I'm going to post a few pictures, a few more gallons of paint and I'll be ready to take the final before and after pictures based on the original photos I took in March of 2005, I can't believe how much I've transformed this space in the last three and a half years, I'm absolutely amazed. A few more small projects to go and I'm done remodeling.

There isn't much news on the sale of the store sadly. There were a couple people that have called the realtor and one couple that came and looked around and I showed them around because they are old friends of mine. So there has been some interest, but nothing serious yet, but I have a feeling deep in the pit of my stomach that something is happening somewhere that is going to bring good news. I have faith that God will take care of me until he's ready for me to move on.

Since the weather has broken we have been back at my aunt's house as well working on the pool cabana house I designed and my brother built last fall. It's not much of a building, but it's a storage room, a full bath and a patio that runs the length of the pool, it's a really neat setup and she's excited to get it opened up. It's a ways a way yet, but it's getting closer every day. My brother and father have been working on the plumbing and exterior finishes lately, they should have the toilet and sink up and running and the outside completed by next week sometime, I have to get pictures of it sided and such yet. I don't help out too much unless there is a design issue or there is a lack of help there like the other night when I had to go and help run the gas line for the pool heater, what a pain in the a##, a pool is great but the equipment is a pain, that's for sure.

The other project we just recently started was my brother's new house. He's bitten off more than he can chew in this situation because he has no idea of how long things take and how little time he actually has. He has two and a half weeks to gut and rebuild three rooms of his house before he moves in on the 1rst of June. I've been doing everything I can over there and taken over as project manager because he's not used to this. I figured he's given me three years of his time so I can give him a few weeks of what time I have. lol. Sunday he went out to mow and I wanted to start gutting the old living room that we're converting into the master bedroom, he had no intentions of starting it until he saw me get out of my truck with a hammer. lol. I had some frustrations to work out and over the last two days I have managed to knock all of the plaster off the walls in the three rooms we're working on. I feel better and the plaster is gone, so all is well right?

It feels good to be active again, although my body is so sore!! I'm really having fun because I just love homes so much. The new layout is my design and it rocks by the way. ;) We're converting an old small bedroom into a hallway, a walk-in closet and a laundry room. It solves a lot of floorplan issues the house had and will function for my brother very well. He's so excited to be moving out to the country and I can't blame him, it's so quiet and peacefull out there. I have to work the next two nights so I won't be going out there, but on Thursday we should be removing the lathe board and start the new wiring, by next week we will be ready for insulation and drywall and the new windows. Things are getting stressful because I'm out of town for memorial day weekend and my brother is going on a 5 day vacation right before moving day, so time is short. It will be easier once it's done and he's moved in, but until then it's a race against the clock.

My birthday was really great, it was a week or so ago. The day before my actual birthday Free and Charro took me to Kyoto Ka, it's a newer sushi restaurant in Toledo and it was fantastic! We just love our sushi! I had a really great time and laughed my a## off and really enjoyed myself. We went for ice cream and headed back to B.G. where I left my car and I headed out to see B at her parents house in town. I really sucked at the Wii, but had fun at it like usual and then we all converged into the hot tub and enjoyed ourselves imensly, after a little more Wii, I took the new sheets B got me for my birthday and headed home. My new sheets ROCK by the way. ;)

My actual birthday was much calmer than all that, I started the day with dinner with the parents and then got to mow my yard for the first time this year. It felt good. I then headed out to my buddies house to help prepare the pond for the summer, got to spend good time out in the country with some friends and had a good relaxing time. For supper my parents had me over for a good home cooked meal and then we had cake and then I was home in time to sit on the couch and watch my Sunday night shows. It doesn't sound very exciting but it was a good day non the less.

This past weekend I partied it up with S and a few other of our friends at a nice bon fire which led to beer pong somehow. It was a long night that ended in some interesting conversations that require much processing, but a lot of things were said and I think it was good, it didn't all sound good at that time but it's all good. Somehow in the night I ended up on some superior pedestal passing judgement on two of the people in the room, and while I meant well and it was said out of love, I realize I have NO room to talk about anything and I was feeling rather bad so I had to talk to the parties involved and appologize, and things are better now. lol.

I'm getting excited for memorial day because I'm finally taking a small vacation. I'm going camping with a few old friends up in Marble head and will be off Saturday, Sunday AND Monday I tried and tried to find someone to work the store on Saturday but have had no luck so I'm closing the place down on that Saturday. Saturday sales are slipping anyway so no one will miss me anyway and I have never closed to go on vacation and it's about time. I'm so excited to go camping again, I have to dig out my tent and make sure I can put it together still. I also might need a new air matress, I'm not sure my other one made the last move, but I could be wrong, I haven't been in the attic in quite some time.

This has gone on pretty long so I think I'm going to go and grab my camera from the cash counter and try to post some pictures of what I've been up to in the store. ;) BRB.
This is a view of the cash counter area circa 2005

This was the new counter I purchased last year and put in the same place as the old one.

This picture was just taken last week with the counter in the new location. The counter used to start where the freezer is right in front.

This gives a better view of the new candy counter location and a better view of the store.

Comments

  1. The store looks awesome Pete! I missed your posts, and I miss you :)
    But I don't believe your excuse for not blogging, not even a little...

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  2. The store looks way cool, and so much more ... uh... what's the word I'm looking for? Logical. I can't wait to see it.

    I wanna help remodel a house. I'd love to come over and join you and brother with a hammer. That just has to feel good. I have some anger and frustration I'd like to work out. :-)

    I'm still praying for a buyer. It'll happen.

    Love ya,
    G

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