Sporadic is better than nothing….

What a ride the last few weeks have been. We’ve moved – finally got out of our apartment in Northgate at the very end of April (geez…don’t EVEN get me started!). Janene went out of town to California for her annual World at Work Conference. I remodeled the store (with the help of a contractor), so we’re now twice the size – and it looks really freakin’ cool. We’ve added tons of product (and there’s so much more on the way!), and people seem really happy.

The Country Village Merchants Association (CVMA) is up and running – the board (of which I am a part) meets once a week, and we’re really starting to get things rolling, even if it IS a little tough to gain momentum. We’ve got ALL kinds of projects on our plate that are just gonna be insane – but insanely cool, too.

Our house is starting to come together – this weekend we’ve done a bunch of unpacking and organizing, as a start. There’s still a whole bunch left to do, and then the fun starts as we actually get to make it a home and decorate and such.

We’ve moved Jon and Alia to their new place up north (by Mill Creek), and attended Jon’s Grand Opening at Jewelry Resource Supply – his store down in Fremont.

We’ve hired Holly Moe to do our books for the store, so that I don’t have to try to keep up with that. I’m SO excited – I HATE bookwork, and I never have time to keep up with it (or, if I did that, I’d never have time to do anything else…)

The next big projects that are coming up are also really big. We’re fencing in the back patio and putting tons of plants out there, as well as a seating area for the guys. We’re rebuilding the counter and rearranging the upper level of the store, and adding several pieces to the counter area. I will be finishing up the website and getting the ecommerce side of things working, as well as getting a photo gallery and perhaps a forum up. I need to finish Jon’s site, and get his import utility figured out so that he can import products directly from his existing Point of Sale software. I am working on a website for Country Pleasures Magazine, and need to finish that immediately (it’s coming, guys – I promise!). I need to get some pieces working for Janene as she starts prepping her site to sell her art and supplies.

There’s more, but oh well.

This coming Wednesday, the 31st, we’re going to see Les Miserables at the 5th Avenue Theater – I’m very excited, and I THINK Janene’s excited…. It’ll be a REAL LIVE date night, one where we’re not sitting here at home doing whatever – although that’s usually nice, too.

Ok. We’re off to meet my parent’s for breakfast at The Hub here in Snohomish, and then we’ve got massive things to do today. But that’s ok – that’s how it goes! 🙂 Soon we’ll be moved in and unpacked, there will be places for people to sit and relax and eat, and life will be good.

Almost There….

But not quite. We’re finally, as of like 8pm last night, out of our apartment in Northgate. One things off the overfilled plate, but now we actually have to find a place for all that crap – get it organized, garage sale a bunch of it, get it moved in and put away… That’s gonna be a huge project.I know it’s been a long time since I updated – particularly since I want to do it regularly – but holy crap, there’s been so much going on. Bob, I’ll try not to slack so much any more. 🙂

Got a newly formed Merchant’s Assocation at Country Village, which is a lot of work but I think will be a really great thing, once we get it rolling and gain some momentum. I’ve been elected to serve on the first board, which is fun; lots of responsibility and all, but fun too. We’re looking forward to making a lot of good, positive changes.

The house is still awesome – in fact, it’s REALLY awesome. Except for the drunk sing-alongs down at the FOE building and the bar that seem to go all night friday nights. Those kinda suck. But, on the plus side, they ARE funny!

Janene leaves town on Sunday morning for her trip to Cali for her World at Work Conference, which means I’ll be working STUPID insane hours at the store trying to get the expansion going. We’ve got SO many cool new things, and it’s gonna kick some serious donkey once we’re done – but getting there is gonna hurt.

In other VERY exciting news, Bob and Grahame are pregnant again! Fiona is going to be an older sister! We just got the news late last night, but it’s very exciting – congratulations you guys!!!!!! 🙂

Ok. Back to paying bills, so that they’re at least caught up!