Author: Allegra

Born when atmospheric carbon was 316 PPM. Settled on MST country since 1997. Parent, grandparent.

Today

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Good morning composing  via phone. As a consequence, there May B some inconsistencies in how  text this s.  Katie is returned from her trip 2 Capital m mission . Today we finalize our submission 2 Fraser health I 40 . I said awesome for a key. I said austerity. I said a sorority. I said assorti no that’s not it I said Authority. Thank you.

wow

HIV news.

 

Aprons bought at dollar store (we found decent ones); light for over the employee bathroom sink is in train to go into the store, as is the new dishwashing graphic, our framed foodsafe certificates and the user guide for the pizza oven (which will become a biscotti oven once I tame it).  ALL PRAISE CUSTOMER SERVICE FOR GARLAND/MANITOWOC.  They answered my general enquiry email in less than 15 minutes and gave me what I wanted in one try.  Still no word on if there’s a dishwasher technician who can deal with the Lawrence undercounter commercial dishwasher we have in the back of the store.  If we can install it with FHA blessing in the kitchen our dishwashing problems may be over, but first we have to determine that it’s working and worth refurbishing if it isn’t which it likely will be as a new one is like the price of two used cars, ffs. Found out why we can’t fill both sinks with hot water.  Washing and sanitizing takes 45 degree C water, and requires 140 litres of said same; the fucking hot water heater looks like the Gimli version AND according to Paul (on whom blessings) it was set TOO LOW to actually sanitize anything.  He boosted the heat setting but that is a temporary measure.  We need a long term solution (current solution is WAITING AN HOUR for the tank to refill -to Katie’s pouting despair – and we’ll talk to the FHA folks about what would be best.  Jeff is currently wrestling with the mobile app for the security cameras in the store, with a somewhat furrowed brow, but he DID determine that the cash register for the store is a toy, and we need a real cash register.  399$ plus tax later, I’m sure we can have one, which will at least print out our name on the effing receipt (the toy did not have letter printing capability).  So that’s another trip to Donovans and I have to get the other cash register onto craigslist and sell it for the $50 that it is worth.  It really is a toy.  Emailed the gal who said she wanted to intern with us; alas, no response as yet.  I may nudge her mother into asking her to check and respond to her email. Visited the accountant and he was happy to tell me that I should probably increase my liability coverage on the cafe, and that I was only missing a couple of things from an accounting standpoint, and he rather self-righteously pointed out that we probably lost some negotiating room on the cost of purchase, which to my tiny mind is more than made up for the fact that the previous owner has been AMAZING to work with and extremely helpful.  You can’t buy the cooperation of someone you’ve paid out, they have to want to give it to you, and she has.  I wish her a life of delight and success in anything she does in future, and hope she signs the GST44 form with me the next time I see her.  Tile grout for the loose tiles purchased; hours open sign purchased (we couldn’t rehab the previous sign), extension cord for front of store purchased, Katie is getting a handle on the coffee maker and the turkey ball soup was UNBELIEVABLY tasty.  I had a happy from stem to gudgeon upon ingesting it.  Also, we took half a dozen fresh from the oven muffins over to the guys at Gord-Ron .  They are THRILLED we are moving in and I regret that they may have loved the coffee but they weren’t otherwise impressed by the menu at the old place.  When they heard we were doing soup sandwiches muffins biscotti and coffee, they evinced great enthusiasm.

 

That was yesterday.  Holy shit, eh?

List

Yesterday was a day to set appointments, get a phone into the shop, get the cash register here so Jeff can look at it, cook turkey ball soup (Jessica and Katie did that, and the smell was divine), learn how to run the espresso maker (Katie did that) and call Russell to get a copy of the invoice from the day before because somehow we lost it and it was a big invoice.  Also got quotes on the lid and liner for the soup warmer, which strangely did not come with the unit.

I see the accountant today.

My to do list is growing rather than shrinking, but I’d rather be me than anyone else alive right now, and that is in itself a really wonderful thing, especially when a girlfriend mentioned rather casually that suicide recently crossed her mind in the face of the rather immense financial problem that is staring her in the face right now.  She is reasonably okay but my god contemplating an 800000$ mortgage with no income would be enough to send me into conniptions, let alone the occasional thought of ending it all.  I am so happy my friends and family rallied round me when I called for help.  I feel stronger in my mind and spirit than I have in quite a while.   And Chipper’s mOm has been removed from her mold intoxicated house and placed in eldercare, and thank god for that; she had recently fallen and she has bedsores and is so crippled from arthritis she cannot do even the simplest selfcare.  She wept when her mold encrusted purse was taken away from her but other than that she dealt with the indignity of being yoinked from her home with vigorous complaints rather than cowed silence. Of course none of the other three siblings are answering Chipper’s emails or phone calls, but it’s been like that for 30 years, the entire time I’ve known her they’ve treated her like a bag of dirt.  I told her “Give up.  Grieve. They are never going to treat you properly and it’s time you faced it.”  Jeff made a face and told me to tell Chipper to get a lawyer, but I don’t think it will come to that.  Chipper has no expectation of an inheritance.  I said, “Fuck your siblings, go visit your mom as time and your circumstances allow.”

Katie’s former mom in common law and a friend came by the shop yesterday when Katie was trying to work and WOULDN’T LEAVE.  I told her next time don’t let them in.  If they come in to chat, they can after we open and buy something while they are at it.  I keep reminding Katie she’s gonna have a spa day for the first Saturday after we open, and I think I’ll book myself in while I’m at it.

 

Today was another incredible day

We bought supplies for the store, including coffee and a coffee machine (go figure) and big tough garbage bags, soap, raisins, that kind of thing.  The coffee machine was advertised as costing THIS much but all of a sudden when the salesman got to be in Katie’s presence for two seconds the price dropped 25%.  Talk about using your powers for good. We did a lot of running around today, and don’t forget there was a 1.5 hour dental appointment and the purchase of Izzy’s dinner in there too.

I got the sign info to the sign guy.  Shoon.

 

So tired!  But so excited.

Today I get a hole in my head filled while somebody drills a hole in my pocket

Dentist at 12:30, phone calls to the sign company and printing business cards today.  Sign company is walking distance from the house.  I really like East Burnaby.  There are a fascinating array of useful businesses here.  In the afternoon, buy butter and bake biscotti in the store for the first time.  Scary stuff!  ExCITing stuff.

I didn’t mention, but Planet Clean, where we bought the sanitorial supplies (yes, apparently it’s a word of art in the janitorial supplies business) has a box for recycled household batteries at the front of the shop.  I’ve been carrying around a plastic bag of spent household batteries in my trunk for two months, and so I was ever so pleased to get rid of them.  Good on Planet Clean for doing that!

Signage and biz card design is complete

The manual for the cash register is printed, the cleaning supplies have been purchased, and now I have to pull my head out of biz mode and think church.  This will be my second last appearance as secretary treasurer of the Board.  I wish I had time to feel nostalgic.  Katie’s busy at home right now – she thought if she went into the shop she’d freeze (there’s no heat, the ovens are supposed to keep the place warm… ha ha) so she’s working on the sanitation plan at home.  She’ll be moving in with us towards the end of this month.

Margot has finally quit shedding.

Just cooked Jeff Tex Mex Chicken and Onions.

Crap, I still have to clean my living room.  GRRRR.  Meeting is here.  Can I do it ALL and bake cinnamon buns?  We SHALL SEE.

Keith is expected imminently.

The mongolian style kid’s hat I picked up at the going out of business sale of the costume store has been given to the Bean.  Yay.

 

First ever blog post from inside the store

As busy as I’ve been lately Katie is busier… she is currently cleaning and sanitizing the service table at the front of the cafe, which has been allowed to quietly moulder.  Once Katie is done with it, it will be CLEAN.

Paul is still agitating for us to get rid of the orange, because the store is really orange.  It would cost a young fortune to get this orange taken care of because it might take two coats of primer just to cover it, and it’s the entire wall down the length of the cafe. I am joining, not fighting, and finding orange things like four lovely bright orange place mats for the front counter.  Gotta admit orange is not my favourite colour, but I’ll be in the back most days anyway and Katie will have her back to it a good chunk of the time.  And it will remind me of Yarina, the previous owner.

Saw the bookkeeper last night for churchy stuff so I’m up to date with the bank recs and financials.  Phew.

Yarina left us a brilliant vase or two filled with flowers including freesias. I love that woman, she has been so kind and helpful, she’s made of awesome.

We’re waiting for the POS guy.  Nobody likes their POS contract, but at least we won’t get dinged on transaction charges for deposits going with TD.

We had a look in the storage locker at the back of the store.  We have lots of stuff up there including light bulbs for the fixtures and shippiles of bowls and racks and other things of that nature.  And a warm hold serving table which may migrate in the fullness of time to church.

 

Now to fool around with the Sonos system.  See if we can get some Frank Sinatra happening.  It’s been Kid Rock and Lady Miss Kier so far.

 

It’s all in the timing

I have to send loves and hugs and gratitudes out to Laura Redmond for the so far FABULOUS job she’s done on the design of the logo for the business.

Don’t you think it’s funny that we took possession on March Forth! and open the cafe APRIL FOOLS!?  Katie and I have giggled about this.

Cheesy basil scones in the oven right now.

Yesterday was so busy, what with insurance, Fraser Health, transferring the business license, having to take Ziva in to the krankenhaus (tie rod ends and a laundry list of stuff that has been peeving me ickishly), more Fraser Health (opening inspection March 22, things are GOING TO HAPPEN!!), trip to the bank to get a new password since I’m such a duffer, checking the balance on the account and yes the first rent check and Yarina’s payment went through so this is it, it’s REALLY HAPPENING.  Jeff loaned me his car and that was nice for a change.  Also, beer.  Also proper receipt containers as Katie and I are lousy about stuff like that unless we have a system to step into.  Katie is working like a mad thing on the recipes.

My tax money came in.  ///even if I mentioned it earlier, like, who cares.  I took Jeff out to the Keg on Willingdon and when the server heard about the restaurant comped us a dessert.  I CAN’T BELIEVE HOW PLEASANT everyone is being, it’s like … even the inspector we’re dealing with is a complete sweetheart.

HAVE ALREADY fielded my first request from a potential commercial tenant.  We’ll see if the hoops we’re asking her to jump through (follow schedule, prepay rent, have Foodsafe, licence, FHA authorization) prove too much.

 

Today, the sign, the phone, and Jeff’s first site visit as our official sponsor (he’s the one who sent me the original Craigslist ad) and IT guru.  Wait until you see the business cards, they are adorable.  Laura has such an eye.

I think the technical term is shitshow.

Dear Rob,

Wow.  (I deleted the wow, as it was a trifle twee.  But that was my first response).

I told you I had another call coming in – which I did, from my insurance company – and that I wasn’t interested. I am sorry that you interpreted me having to take another call, and me saying that I wasn’t interested, as unprofessionally hanging up on you, but I commend your gumption in continuing to try to make the sale.
This email will confirm that I am not interested in working with your firm and that I am requesting that your firm delete my phone and contact info.  I undertake to delete the previously forwarded draft contract.
Your email today I will treasure always as a shining example of what never to say to a potential customer.  Because, dear sir, if this is the aggrieved and self-righteous tone you exhibit to customers you haven’t landed, I shudder to think how you treat the ones tied to your firm with a five year contract.  (editors note, the contract was badly scanned and kinda illegible in parts.  guh).
Allegra

On Tue, Mar 5, 2013 at 9:19 AM, Rob of a certain POS provider, which I am redacting because I bet these dudes would take not nice action.

 

Dear ALLEGRA,  (the all caps is a nice touch, doncha think?)

 

As one business professional to another, I do not appreciate being hung up on. I would show you the respect you deserve and I only ask for the same in return.  

 

You had brought up a lot of points which could have easily been addressed. 

 

1) The online reviews were written by companies and banks like the one you have decided to proceed with. That is how they win clients. They write slander online to have as a reference point for clients such as yourself. 

2) We CAN offer the rates that you were quoted. No hidden fees. 

3) We ARE a Canadian company. 

4) We have over 15,000 clients from coast to coast. We do not have the convenience of clients walking into our branch for a business bank account and signing them up for processing as well. We have earned our clients by treating them well and they in turn provide word of mouth advertising. If you like, I can provide you with a number of references and referrals. 

 

I hope you can see past the unprofessional sales tactics used by your branch and allow us the opportunity to speak again. If not, I wish you nothing but the best of luck in your business ventures. 

 

Kind regards,

 

 

Robert 

satisfactory day

well, parts of it were.  Tom and Peggy fed us beef stroganoff… mmm, and we provided maple bacon loaf. Tom hoovered through it like the gravy sucking ogreman he is.

Katie and Keith are off on their first trek via Paul’s car to Victoria to see the grands.  Yes I phoned to make sure they arrived safely, for whatever reason. Katie will be looking forward to tHE SleEP which she gets there in quantity.

The rain has died back and it actually got sunny this afternoon, which was good, since friends of mine are posting on facebook that they have five inches of water in their crawlspaces, always hideous tidings.

Jerome called me, bless that boy.  Lucas is 8 months old now, can you credit it, marine crawling and trying to stand like the good little boy he is.

My adventure in costumeland yielded two AMAZING hats, one outfit (vest and culottes) for a person weighing four hundred pounds, and a bunch of size xxl peasant attire, with one fire engine red lab coat in the mix for fun.  I can’t actually do up the buttons on one of the vests but it fits me perfectly anyway.  One of the peasant outfits is from SGA according to the label on the inside.  I will be donating them to Interfilk for auctioning enjoyment, since finding costumes for more lavishly upholstered individuals can be trying and it would be good for SCA or conwear.  Sorry fOlks, there were no props, just costumes and bizarre lighting.