A Thyme for Everything

Ok, I have the day off today!  Aleasa, my granddaughter is coming over to hang out while her mom heads to the dentist this morning.  So that takes care of the morning, but what about my afternoon?  Clean the house?  Work in my garden?  Go out to lunch with a friend?  Shop?  Nap?  There are just too many choices! 

For those of you that have been into the “new” shop, you know how hard we’ve worked to get it moved over and set up for you.  We still have a few things to finish up, but for the most part it is done.  The colors are beautiful.  The tin ceiling is urban and fun.  The kitchen is beautiful with its great new cooktop and built-in oven.  It truly is a wonderful space.  I hope you can stop by soon and see it.  Or better yet, sign up for a class and experience the kitchen first hand!

Now to decide how to spend my day…..

Well, now that the dust is settling and the keys for the old place have been turned in, it is now time to start thinking about my new neighbors.  The Living Stone, owned by Sherri Shackles has been one of my favorite places to shop since I discovered Downtown Lee’s Summit.  Over the years, Sherri and I have become friends, and now, I’m so happy to announce (to those of you that haven’t heard) that she is to be my new neighbor!  She is moving into my old space.  This new space will give The Living Stone more room to expand!  I’m excited to welcome her to SE Main Street.

WOW!  What’s in a move?  Let me tell you…sweat, aching muscles, organization and cleansing.  The weather has been nice in the fact that it hasn’t really rained during our move, but the heat?  Oh my goodness!  The heat has been unbearable at times!  Aching muscles?  I hurt in places I didn’t even know could hurt!  Moving is hard work and heavy lifting!  Organization.  Where to put it all?  Why, oh why, do I have so much junk?  I really am not a hoarder.  I don’t like clutter either.  So, how did I end up with so much junk?  The items as they’ve been brought over to the “new” shop, have been organized and put away.  Cleansing.  Kind of like a renewing of sorts.  Cleaning out the junk, making room for the “treasures”!  Tomorrow is our Downtown Lee’s Summit, Bargain on the Bricks, sidewalk sale.  I am letting go of lots of old “treasures” to make room for my new “treasures”.  I have less storage space available in the new shop.  Almost all of the space is retail or kitchen.  So, I don’t have the room to store anything that isn’t really needed.  My house will now be the home of my two Christmas trees and some displays that I just can’t seem to part with!  So if you are in the need of a few new “treasures”, come on down tomorrow 10:oo a.m. to 5:00 p.m and purchase some for yourself or a friend.

Ok, out of town for the weekend at a wonderful B & B in Monument, Colorado when I get THE phone call.  “Hey Jet, the computer won’t work.”  Oh my freakin goodness sakes!!!  There is nothing you can do from the distance!  So, I just say do it all manually. 

Now back home and in the shop.  And yes she was correct – the computer is all jacked up!  Ugh!  I have a love/hate relationship with the computer.  I love being able to keep up with all the latest and greatest in technology, but oh my, if it isn’t working, it is a freakin mess!

But I’ve determined that my computer won’t get the best of me!

Today I was off work so we could attend a wedding.  My daughters good friend Beth and Micah got married in a simple, but wonderful ceremony.  Ahhh….young love! 

It made me start thinking about all the wonderful things in the shop that a newly married couple needs.  Do you know we have a wedding registry?  We offer complimentary gift wrap, and we can ship for you if you need.  And the best gift of all, I think, would be a gift certificate, for either a class or products.  That’s what I gave Beth and Micah.  I know they’ve gotten lots of gifts already, and this way they can just come in and pick out what they didn’t receive. 

If we can help you, please just give us a call (816)554-3755.

Just in time for Mother’s Day!  Order mom a wonderful necklace or bracelet from Stella & Dot!  My friend Samantha will be at the shop from 11 – 2 on Saturday, May 8 to share with you her beautiful new line, Stella & Dot.  It is fun, whimsical and timeless!  For every purchase of Stella & Dot you make, you will receive a $5.00 off your purchase of $25 at the shop!  It is a win-win for you!  Also, we will be having tastings of a lot of our products!  Stop by this Saturday between 11 and 3.  See you then!

Banging & Hammering are music to my ears right now!  That is the sound of progress being made on my new space!  I stopped in a bit ago and the studs are going up for the walls and the corragated metal for the ceiling has arrived.  Still no word on who will be in my old space or the new space next to me.  I will let everyone know when I do!  Stop by and take a peek!

Ok, so I’ve taken a little license with the song.  It gets pretty boring on rainy days here, but it gives me an opportunity to get caught up on paperwork.  Yes, the dreaded paperwork!  Bill paying, order placing, order tracking, etc.  I shouldn’t complain, but I’m really a people person and would rather visit with customers than do paperwork.  LOL

The landlord will be back over to the new space next week.  It is coming along nicely.  Still don’t know who my neighbor will be, though I’m really hoping for _______________________ to come in!  That is all I will say about it.  I’ve placed it in God’s hands.  He is much more capable than I at deciding who would be the best fit anyway!

Stop by and see me!  The rain won’t melt you! 

My husband Don and I had to do some shopping this afternoon at Lowe’s.  While he was picking up some stuff, I headed over to the appliance area.  I asked the first sales guy if they ever had any scratch and dent gas cooktops.  He said he thought they had some models for sale, but didn’t know if they were gas or not.  So we headed over to the last aisle, only to see that the stock boys had been really busy loading up the aisle.  You couldn’t get down it!  We went under some shelves (head height) and he found them.  There were 2 and they were both gas!  I was so excited!  But we still couldn’t get to them.  Another associate came up and asked if we needed some help.  Monique to the rescue!!  She was actually there on her day off, but didn’t have any qualms with climbing over the shelves, etc.  Monique single-handedly pulled both the cooktops out for us to see.  I saw that one was a 36″ Fisher Paykel.  I knew I probably couldn’t afford it and would have to get the 30″ Frigidare, but I asked what the price was anyway.  The sales guy said that I would need to talk to a sales manager and if he was in a good mood, maybe I could get it for a good price.  I was getting pretty excited at this point and jokingly said how about $200?  He said that it was an expensive model (over $1000) and that probably wouldn’t happen.  Well, after a few minutes, we got the manager on the phone, he said make him an offer, I said again (jokingly) $200.  The sales guy says, how about $250?  My jaw dropped!!  SOLD!!!! 

Now we just have to get the kitchen in………

This morning Brenda Nolte, a new chef for our shop, came and taught a class about Weeknight Dinners and what we can do to “pizzaz” them up.  It was a fabulous feast!  Lot’s of great ideas, too.  One of the dishes she made was the Chocolate Custard Bread Pudding.  Check out this recipe.  Pass it on to your friends and tell them to become a “Fan” of A Thyme For Everything, too.

Chocolate Custard Bread Pudding

4 c. or 8 slices of day old bread, cubed (can use white or wheat)

2 c. milk (can use any type)

1/2 c. sugar

3 eggs yolks

2 T. butter, melted

1 t. vanilla

1 c. chocolate chips

Place cubed bread in a 9″ square dish (can use 9″ pie dish), sprayed with non-stick spray.  Combine milk, sugar, egg yolks, melted butter and vanilla.  Pour over bread.  Sprinkle chips on top.  Cover and bake in a 350 degree oven for 25 minutes or until knife inserted comes out clean.