How's It Going?

Since opening Martic Store a little over two months ago, many have asked us, "how's it going?" I'm really not quite sure how to answer this question. Usually, I just go with the expected answer, "It's going well." But there is so much more to it. Here are some of my thoughts about this venture that we have embarked on.

First, I can't say enough good things about the employees that we are fortunate to have. Every one of them is so conscientious and hardworking. We could not have asked for a better crew to have working for us.

The community has embraced us also. I cannot think of one negative comment (except disappointment from a few that we don't carry tobacco) that we received. Time and again, customers expressed appreciation to us that the store is operating again and for the excellent job that we are doing.

We have had a few challenges as well. We quickly learned that ice is a high demand item. After running out a time or two, we finally got our outside ice freezer operating and stocked it full of ice. Hopefully that will last for a long time. We have also had some problems keeping bread on hand. We had a wonderful delivery man/supplier who unfortunately had an accident that will put him out for several months. He has not been able to find a replacement and the result has been that our bread shelves are bare. This has been disappointing but it isn't our fault and there is not a lot we can do about it.

Probably the biggest challenge that we face is changing the mindset of the community to view our store as a place to shop for discount groceries and not just for quick convenience items. I totally understand that concept because that is how I always used the store as well, when it was in operation before. I only stopped when I needed one or two items and it could save me a trip to the grocery store at the Buck. We are hoping for the store to bring in enough revenue that we will be able to use the profits to help fund the food pantry. I still think that this will happen and we just need to be patient and continue to get the word out about our discount groceries.

I could name some other minor inconveniences, like cranky freezer doors that don't want to open, and steep steps to climb up and down multiple times a day, but overall I would say that our opening months have been a success.  Considering that we are completely new to the retail business, I think we have done an okay job.

How will things continue with the store in the future? I have no idea. But I trust in God's master plan and it will be interesting to look back on this venture in a few years and see the way God has led us. In the meantime, I am going to enjoy the ride and try not to stress.J

Camping (Sort of)

The camper

Last Friday afternoon Steve and I drove out to Shippensburg to spend some time with Jay and Kristen and family. Jay owns a chicken farm there and was getting the chicken house ready for a new batch of birds that was coming on Saturday. They had taken their camper out on Wednesday and set it up on a grassy area near a small woods. When they extended an invite to us to join them for one night we gladly accepted. I had never seen the farm and was happy for the opportunity to finally get a chance to see it firsthand. The family that lives there and collects the eggs was on vacation so we had the place to ourselves.

When we arrived, Jay was working in the chicken house trying to get some stubborn feeders to work so Steve went to help him and give him moral support. This pretty much consumed their evening, but in the end they were successful so that was a blessing. It would not be good to have chickens arriving and feeders not operating.

After supper, the children happily showed me around the farm. Alexis and Lydia and I walked, and Mark rode his tricycle the whole way around the chicken house. I enjoyed the tour inside the house as well. Being in a chicken house always brings back good memories. When I told the children that I grew up on a chicken farm and collected many eggs in my day, they were surprised. It reminded me that I should talk more about my childhood to my grandchildren. Unless I tell them what my life was like, how will they ever know?

Kristen was helping some in the chicken house so she wondered if I and the children wanted to get a campfire going and roast marshmallows. I think she was amused by my panicked look. When it comes to fires, I have always left Steve make them and really have little if any experience at making one. Unlike my father, I do not enjoy fires. In fact, they make me very nervous. Kristen assured me that Alexis knew how to make one and she would help me. I was doubtful that a six year old would be very helpful but she surprised me. She set about laying the wood in a pile and then she instructed me to pick up small sticks and told me where to put them in the pile. We added paper and lit it. The most difficult thing was lighting the lighter. I am very challenged when it comes to using lighters but fortunately Kristen showed up to help me with that. The result was not too bad. We had a fire and were able to roast a few marshmallows although most of them were eaten without ever seeing a fire. Hannah kept stuffing them in her mouth and I tried to keep the bag away from her but she always managed to find it and add another one to her stomach.

Waiting to roast marshmallows

Hannah and the bag of marshmallows :)

We slept pretty well, considering it was in a camper. I will take a camper like they have any day over sleeping in a tent. There was plenty of space for all of us and with the air conditioning running it was very comfortable. 

The morning was busy as the trucks arrived with the chickens. We watched the activity for awhile but soon left the experienced crew to themselves to do their work. After breakfast, the children entertained Steve and I with their antics on the trampoline that was in the front yard. Steve even joined them.

Big, scary Lydia :)

Mark obligingly poses for the camera

Later in the morning, Kristen and I took the kids to a park. Playgrounds are always so much fun for kids and this one also had a sand pile with sand diggers which was big hit for all of them but especially for Mark. On the way back to the farm we picked up pizza and the men joined us for lunch.

Soon after lunch Steve and I headed home. It was a very short "camping" trip but one that we enjoyed very much. It is always great to spend time with family!

Goodbye 15 Troy Drive

A small crowd gathers before the auction begins.

On Friday, May 20, the family gathered one last time at 15 Troy Drive. This would be the last time that we would drive up to this house and walk through its doors. 

Doris had brought Mom down earlier in the afternoon and they had spent one last afternoon walking around the property, pulling a few weeds and looking through the empty rooms. By 6:00 the auctioneer had arrived and soon the rest of the children made their appearance as well. As the 7:00 hour approached, more people joined us in the front yard. Some grandchildren came as well, to bid farewell to the only place that they will ever remember as being home to Grandpa and Grandma. 

Mom and some of her children watch the bidding while Lydia photo bombs my picture :)

The auction started at 7:00 and although there were not many people there and the bidding was slow, in the end the house was bought by a young couple from Dad and Mom's church. It was a nice ending to a place that we all loved. Knowing that it would be lived in by a family that knew Mom and Dad somehow made it a little easier. They have young children and in my mind it seems fitting that the laughter of children will fill the rooms. Dad would have loved that and I know Mom does too.

Time never stands still and I suppose we really wouldn't want it to, but it is always hard to close such a big chapter in one's life. Mom is doing so well with moving on with her life and accepting each day as it comes. I am so proud of her. It is time for this house to make new memories with the people that will be living in it. Thankfully, we will always have in our hearts the memories of times shared with family in this beloved home.

Goodbye 15 Troy Drive. I will miss you.

The Real Purpose of Sliding Boards

On one of the cloudy cool Wednesdays in May, Awstin and I went to Muddy Run Park so he could enjoy the playground. We took his tricycle along because there is also a nice macadam area where I thought he might like to ride. We were the only ones there so he had the whole place to himself. After riding his tricycle a little and climbing on the playground equipment he went back over to the macadam and retrieved his tricycle. He began pushing it through the grass over to the playground. I asked him what he was doing but he ignored me and kept intently at his task. He succeeded in getting it through the grass and to the play area. He proceeded to push it over to the steps of the playground equipment. As I watched fascinated he grunted and heaved and somehow managed to get the tricycle up all the steps until he was perched with it at the top of the slide. At first I was afraid he was going to ride the tricycle down the slide and I was prepared to jump quickly to stop him, but as I watched, he carefully let go of the tricycle and laughed with glee as it whizzed down the slide and went crashing to the dirt at the bottom. He enjoyed it so much that he did it again and I took a video of him this time. By the time I got the video going he had already hauled the tricycle up one step to the first landing and was starting on the next two steps. Enjoy. Make sure to listen for his laugh at the end of the video. (Unfortunately you will hear mine as well.)

The inventive mind of a young child never ceases to amaze me. What in the world ever made him think of doing this? I know that is not what slides are intended for and obviously if other children had been there there, he could not have done this, but in this circumstance all I could do is laugh along with him.

Lydia Day

Selfie!

This year I decided that for each of the grandkid's (those that are old enough to appreciate it) birthdays, I would invite them to stay overnight and we would have a special day together. Lydia turned five last Thursday, so she came on Friday evening and stayed until Saturday evening. We had such a great time together and I think Lydia liked having Grandma and Grandpa all to herself.

We brought her home with us on Friday after the public auction for Steve's mom's house. We stopped for an ice cream cone at House of Pizza and were delighted to see my brother Les and his wife Marian there. We sat together at a picnic table, and caught up with each other while eating our cones.

On Saturday, we left Grandpa at home while we did a little adventuring. Our first stop was the Doll Outlet off of Route 30 in Ronks. This place has dolls and doll clothes and accessories all throughout the two story building. Upstairs there was even a nurse on duty and she let Lydia hold one of the "babies." The babies look pretty real and they are up for adoption. It was an amazing place and maybe even a little overwhelming for a 5 year old to choose just one outfit for her bitty baby. In the end, she made a cute choice of a little purple jumpsuit and then we also picked out a pretty dress for one of the American Girl dolls that she likes to play with at my house.

From there we headed to Ci-Ci's for a pizza lunch. Lydia had never seen a macaroni and cheese pizza and she looked at it doubtfully but did take a taste and even said she liked it! The next stop was the Choo-Choo barn in Strasburg. This is such a great place and we stayed there a long time just watching the miniature trains chug around the track. We admired all the other miniature people, animals, houses, etc. You can't begin to take in everything. Every time you look away and then look back you notice something that you hadn't seen before. Outside the building there was a kiddie ride with Thomas the Tank Engine. We took a picture and video of her riding it just to make her brother and cousin jealous!

After we left the Choo-Choo barn we drove around the Strasburg Railroad. We didn't get out of the car but just looked at all the big engines and railway cars. At one point we had to wait for the train to pass over the road in front of us, so we got to wave at the passengers and hear the train whistle as it whizzed by in front of us.

Back home we watched a video of Thomas the Tank engine that we had purchased at the Choo-Choo Barn and spent the rest of the afternoon playing dolls and games together. It was raining so we couldn't go outside but we didn't mind. It was nice and cozy inside.

Jay and Kristen and the rest of the family came for supper and Lydia shared with them the things we had done. As they were leaving to go home, Alexis informed me that in just three months it would be her turn! J

The "baby" the nurse gave Lydia to hold

At the Choo-Choo Barn

Lydia's cake (this was at her birthday party last Sunday)

Splish Spash

We are all a little tired of rain around here. It seems like in the last two weeks it has rained at least once a day. Sometimes we would catch glimpses of the sun, but always the rain would return. With so many days with so little sun, it can be difficult to stay positive. I've heard a lot of people remark that they are a little depressed and have no energy. Maybe we all should take lessons from Awstin. Instead of getting cranky because of the lack of sun, he just jumps into the puddles that the rain leaves behind and splashes around and has a great time. This may be a good lesson for life. When we hit bumps and discouragement on this journey through life, we should just find a way to make the best of what the situation gives us. Who knows, we may find that we even have fun with it!

Maybe the weather has affected me too, because I have had no desire to write anything on this blog. My mind can't think of one thing to write about. Thankfully it doesn't really matter because I am under so obligation to post anything. However, after spending the day with Awstin yesterday, I decided that a couple of videos of him enjoying the day might be fun to share. As I've said before, there is nothing like a little child to make you smile.

Even though it was cloudy all day, it was warm and we were able to be outside. We tramped down to our favorite place--the park. We started out with the playhouse...

Then we moved on to the hammock...

While Awstin was swinging in the hammock, I got a text from Steve wondering if I could bring sweet corn seed out to the shop as the guy was there to plant corn. I told Awstin that we needed to go up to the shop, but that I needed to go into the house first to get seed for Grandpa. He took off for the shop and after glancing around to make sure no big trucks were around, I figured he would be fine until I caught up to him. I went into the house to get the seed and when I came out I saw Awstin happily playing in this mud puddle.

He was having such a good time that I left him go for awhile. Why should I ruin a little boy's fun? Afterward, as we were walking into the house and his clothes were dripping with mud and his shoes were squishing he told me he needed to go to the "wash down." Clearly the boy watches too much of Thomas the Tank Engine! J

A Little Garden

Even though this blog is going to be about my little garden, I just had to start out with this picture. Isn't it beautiful? I am always sad to see the cherry blossoms come off the trees in the Spring, but I get to enjoy them a little longer when they fall and make a soft, pretty blanket on the ground and driveway.

I was home from work yesterday because the stomach bug that has been hitting everyone else finally found me. I woke up to nausea in the middle of the night and spent most of the day in bed. By late afternoon, I felt better and it cheered me up when I walked out to the mailbox and saw this lovely sight. Fortunately, this bug only appears to last for about twelve hours. Unfortunately, Steve said he is starting to not feel so good.

Last year I had no garden at all, and I really missed it. Megan got married right at the beginning of May and there was just so much stuff going on that the garden never materialized. Gardening was never my thing and I don't want much of one, but I do like to be able to go out and at least pick my own tomatoes off the vine.

We have an area at the back of the house, underneath the steps that is actually pretty messy. Years ago we had built up a little garden plot, piled dirt in it and put logs around it and planted things in it. As the years went by, it was often neglected. I usually put a few things out like tomatoes and eggplants but that was often the extent of it and most of the rest of the area was just grown up in weeds. Since it isn't really noticeable from the road, it is easy to just ignore this unsightly area. The other year Steve laid plastic over the entire plot and that has definitely helped with the weeds but not with how it looks. The black plastic doesn't make the area any more appealing.  

Last Saturday, we had Jay and Kristen's children for the day and decided to plant a few things in our garden. Steve and Mark went to a local greenhouse and picked up lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, lima beans and green beans. Steve cut out holes in the plastic and he and the children planted the vegetables. I know my garden doesn't look that great, but I am excited about it and that's what counts. I am looking forward to picking those tomatoes!

Alexis and Lydia watering the plants.

Mark  :)

Mark was Grandpa's helper, bringing him the plants.

This girl makes me smile :)  I love how this picture makes the cup look huge.