Good Citizen

Keep your promises. Your reputation depends on it.

Kristie Wells

This philosophy was embedded into my head early on in childhood.

My parents built a successful machine shop/parts business with the proverbial blood, sweat and tears, but most importantly, by dealing with their customers openly, honestly and they always – without fail – kept their word.

My parents work ethic is insane, and part of me is glad that gene lives within me (of course, the other part curses it as I want to blow everything off and lounge by the pool). If my dad promised a motor would be built by a certain date, it was, even if it meant working nights and/or weekends to get it done on time. If they quoted a project and it somehow came in more expensive, my mom made good on the original quote.

Dale-Melody

My parents knew their customers depended on having accurate, trustworthy information and they built a reputation on keeping their promises, and their customers responded positively. My parents owned their business for 30+ years, and were one of the busiest, and dare I say, one of the most profitable machine shops in the area.

They showed me the importance of earning the trust of your customers and building a reputation you can be proud of.

I could not have had better mentors.

I love you mom and dad.

Farm Fresh, Not So Much

Kristie Wells

Gah, another short lived moment. Heuer and I were so excited to sign up for the Farm Fresh box delivery service, but after three shipments – we have decided to cancel it.

The first shipment was good. We used almost everything. It all looked fresh and tasty.

The nectarines in shipment number two started to turn the day the arrived. By day three…they were inedible. We also realized the ‘regular’ box we ordered included a lot of fruit. We are a vegetable based household, so it meant most of the fruit that was still good, was being given away to friends and coworkers (wasted money to us).

Farm Fresh To You: Not

The last straw was shipment number three where two of the three large tomatoes were smashed, and both the carrots and the basil were wilted and gnarly looking.

Sadly, I made the call to cancel. Bummed, but this just did not seem like a good fit for us.

We will continue to support local businesses, but will pick up our fresh goods from the local farmers market – in amounts we can consume easily, ensuring quality of food and the types we prefer to ingest.

Farm Fresh to *ME*

Kristie Wells

Heuer and I have been discussing the need to support local vendors where we can, so we took the first step this weekend when we signed up for the Farm Fresh to You delivery service while visiting our local farmers market. The first box arrived today stuffed with Bing cherries, yellow nectarines, black plums, summer squash, broccoli, green beans, white corn, cucumber, romaine lettuce, basil, and Nantes carrots.

Yum.

Farm Fresh To You

I am looking forward to watching the contents change with the seasons, and hoping it will force us out of the monotony of asparagus, cauliflower and squash – my three go to veggies in the grocery store. We also need to get back in the habit of eating fruit, as this box highlights the fact we do not consume anything outside of bananas and blueberries, on the few times we do remember to include this food group in our diet.

When costing the service out, we will end up paying a little bit more for our fruits and vegetables (we receive the ‘regular’ box that is $30 and comes every other week), but I love the fact that we are supporting local businesses and will continue to find other ways to do so.

New rule: sickies stay home

Kristie Wells

It should come as no surprise that I am a social girl.

I run in a very social circle.

There are events and parties going on almost every single day of the week here in the Bay Area. This atmosphere absolutely feeds our need to have face:face contact with our peers and loved ones. This atmosphere also creates an environment where people will go out, even when sick, as there is a sense that we don’t wish to miss *anything*.

Heuer has written about this several times, and as I sit here on my couch, wrapped up in a sweatshirt and sucking down Zicam every three hours, I wish to bring it up…again.

365me

Please folks…if you are not feeling well…do your friends, your family members and your co-workers a favor. Stay home. Get healthy. THEN come out.

I know it is hard, but it is your duty as a good citizen to make these sacrifices.

I joked about some of the folks battling colds right now that I came into contact with at our party on Friday night, but in all seriousness…please keep your community in mind and do what is right when you are sick. Stay home.

And now, because someone did not stay home – I have snot oozing out of my head, heaviness in my chest and have had to bag off two industry events and a meeting this week, and look to be missing two parties, one of them a birthday, in two days unless I get this through my system.

I know it sucks missing out on things, but it is not fair that you come out when there is a possibility you are contagious.

I am always glad to see you, spend time with you, share with you. Just keep your germs to yourself. Please.