A ray of happy.

by the Artist

Last night the Carpenter and I stopped for a bite to eat after the Snack Manager's chiropractic appointment. The Carpenter wanted a "pot pie" which he had enjoyed during a previous visit. I am a reluctant restaurant person. I've had more bad food then not. I am a restaurant elitist. My motto.. why would I pay for food I could make better at home? But as reluctant as usual I followed the Carpenter in his pursuit of the great pot pie with a very sad face.

We entered the quiet restaurant (to me a sure sign of bad food). I wanted to turn and head back out the door! We were seated in a very quiet area with messy next door neighbors. I just wanted to be home where I could enjoy my own homemade chili waiting for me. My face got sadder.

We were greeted by a very busy waiter. He smiled and said… "oh I'm sorry but we are all out of pot pies! You need to come earlier during weather like this." The Carpenter was crushed but got over it as the waiter beamed at us. He was very happy.

During the course of our meal I watched him race from table to table, smiling and giggling (yes he had a cute giggle and it wasn't weird). He just exuded energy. I could see how the other diners were connecting with him. When he was asked for a take home box… he ran to get the box! 

What a work ethic he had! What happiness he spread. The room had many televisions hung on the walls… the news was all Paris. So much sadness. Yet in the midst of a sad week, in a chain.. not hip restaurant… there was this "ray of happy." This guy was doing his job. Not a fancy or corporate job, or a sales job or a job where he made a ton of money or would get awards or accolade. He was doing the best job he could do with the best attitude. I wanted to hire him on the spot! What a rare gem. He was the picture of a servant. He truly seemed to enjoy serving those around him. We could all learn from that one happy guy. 

His name was "Emmanuel." I'm not kidding.

When we went to pay… the Carpenter spoke to the Manager who was at the register… he complimented him about Emmanuel. The Manager said… "yes he gets great reports all the time about him." The Carpenter said.. "well he's a keeper."

So I am saying this for myself as well as anyone who is reading this post… be the best you can be wherever you work, wherever you are. It matters. People see. Give a smile, say a kind word, don't complain or slack off. Be your best. Every.single.day.

I walked out of that restaurant a different person. I felt happy. Thank you Emmanuel. And oh btw… I had a really good meal! 

Rain rain go away...

by the Artist

come again another day. I mean that. And you too "Mr White". Stay away at least until Christmas Eve. Then you are welcome here for one month. That's it. 

We've had sodden skies and mud all week. We've managed to keep busy between rain drops, finishing up a small bath remodel– doing a knockdown ceiling, building the vanity, finishing tile work.

I'm not sure where the crew is currently. They did head back to our Bridge Street exterior reno early this AM when the sun made a very brief appearance, but the rain has picked up again. Harder to work in rain then snow with power tools, let alone the misery factor. Our guys are tough though… used to working in all kinds of weather.

Tonight we head to the doggie chiropractor. Our "Snack Manager"s crazy habit of jumping off stairs and more recently falling down stairs has finally caught up with her. She now suffers with a bad back and has added to her misery by tearing her ACL. It is hard to see. She's been on a ton of meds and in an attempt to cut down on those… we are hoping the adjustments and massages will help. She is 12 years old. Our goal is quality of life for her as long as possible.

Last weekend the Carpenter continued his firewood project. Hauled two oak trees off a customer's property they no longer wanted. We also had a huge Box Elder tree (a trashy marsh tree) removed from behind our garage. It was massive. I ended up joining him where we cleared and hauled and swept mountains of saw dust and debris. I thought.. what a way to spend a Saturday night! Comes with the territory some days. I hate to see the Carpenter beat himself up with such physical work. I wish I were stronger to help carry his loads. I do what I can. 

The other night the Carpenter told me about a conversation he had with one of the White Bear Lake building inspectors. That inspector told him that if he could, he and the other inspectors would recommend Applewood to the homeowners in the community. The Carpenter has always maintained great relationships with inspectors and is well respected because of how he handles himself on the job. And … he has never failed an inspection either in 30+ years. He would not tell you this.. but I will! 

This post has ended up being a little of this and that. Well that's the kind of week it has been. Hope your week has been a good one!

Wishing upon a star...

by the Artist

Such busy days. I know.. I write about this a lot. But it's true. For both of us. The Carpenter continues to put in 12 hour days- 60 hour weeks. I'm being conservative with those numbers. Owning a small construction company and needing and not finding additional excellent crew members for the past three years has taken it's toll. But there is a light at the end of this tunnel! We have a new crew member starting very soon. 

Hang on Mr Carpenter! Hang on.

Because the Carpenter has had to continue to do on-site project management, order/pick up supplies, put out fires, and have his "bags on", he spends most evenings catching up on paperwork, meeting with prospective homeowners, setting up meetings, and in the case of one evening this week… build a bath vanity for one of our current projects. 

I came home at 9 PM and he was out in the shop building with music blaring (thank goodness our neighbors aren't close!), building the vanity from scratch. He could do this in his sleep I know. He worked till 1 AM, came in to catch some sleep till 6 AM. Headed back out to the shop to prepare for an 8 AM delivery. 

I know I've written about this before… but for those who haven't read that post.. back in the mid 1990's we rented a large commercial space in North St Paul Minnesota. It had a showroom (which showed our custom furniture and cabinet work) and a huge work space as well as office. The Carpenter spent many late nights there alone working. I'd wake up at 2 or 3 AM and he would still not be home. We lived in Woodbury at the time which was a good 30 minute drive to the shop. I am glad he is just outside our back door now. I can at least look out the window and see the shop light on...

I look forward to when he can project manage, build custom cabinets (during daylight), and not have to pick up a hammer on site.. (unless he wants to.) I myself enjoyed a job where I didn't do the design.. I directed the peeps who created the design. I wish this for the Carpenter. I'm going to wish upon a star tonight. And say a prayer!

Wax on!

by the Artist

We've had a beautiful fall for working outside. Upper 60's, no wind and mostly full of sun. Perfect for one of our current projects- an exterior renovation. Would be so great if this weather held till Christmas! Fingers crossed.

We've had a busy summer and fall and believe it will continue well into the snowy months. I'm hoping we get a nice inside project for the crew to stay out of the bitter. Hasn't happened much in recent years. 

I've been busy painting my little accumulated pile of furniture out in the shop. There's been a bit of a learning curve for me. Seems like it should be easy to paint furniture. But I'm using "chalk paint" which in application is different then latex. Because the paint is "chalky" when applied.. it needs to be sealed. With a "little brush." It hasn't been easy. Surprise!

I returned to the only "Annie Sloan stockist" store http://www.mamashappy.com in this end of the cities to buy more clear wax and brushes. I viewed a video on the merits of using a very very expensive wax brush (the professional painter in this house was aghast) as opposed to a clean cotton tee shirt. I bought two. One for the dark wax too. (someone is threatening to take the unopened brush back)

The next day I started waxing with the special brush. It didn't go well. I couldn't get a good rhythm going. Too thin, too thick. With little bits of wax here and there. So here I go again.. two steps back!! 

Thinking maybe the wax was too cold- we keep the shop pretty cool unless working in there- I placed the can in front of our wood stove to heat it up. The fire went out.. and I never got back out to the shop to face my waxy foe.

I've since cleaned the brush. With dish soap. Today I will try again. One of those pricey brushes might be heading back to the store. But sssshhhh don't tell the Carpenter that!

Now for the news for those that have been following this blog… I have decided to postpone "The Painted Apple" sale till spring. I don't want to wait that long and the Carpenter certainly doesn't. BUT… I don't want to rush the process. I want a nice variety and good price points, I'm honing my painting skills and ability to visualize a piece before I start.. the best color, hardware. I want each piece to be a story. That takes time.

So I look forward to painting as the snow falls lightly outside the shop window. I will play some good music and count my blessings for the opportunity to take this on. That's what dreams are made of right?.

So stay tuned if you care. I will update my progress get the word out in time for the sale.

Battery heated coat?

by the Carpenter

Another dry spell from the blog….. These months just keep flying by.

Help, we need a carpenter! That’s the main reason I have not written much, there is just too much to do.

We have been in a stretch of many months now looking for help. We have been interviewing a few; none have had what we are looking for. Sometimes I think I may be too fussy, I don’t know, maybe.

It is funny how the job search works these days. We put out an ad that asks for a carpenter with at least 5 years experience in residential remodeling. We get responses from 40 to 50 year olds looking for a career change with no carpentry experience at all, to guys with a lot of experience looking for $70,000 salaries plus a new truck. Where is that middle guy?

Needless to say we have not found the right fit yet. In the meantime we manage with our subs, and with being in tune with the jobs as we possibly can be. I’m sure the guys are tired of hearing me say….”we need to be productive today”.

As if we can be unproductive any day, hahaha.

Summer is over. The turn in the weather is just a breath away. I think this is the 36th winter I will be entering since this carpentry gig started.

I have to laugh. More years then not it seems, I am looking at a winter of outside work, coming off a summer and fall of more inside then outside work. This winter may not be different. I have been looking at a battery-heated jacket the last few years, may have to quit looking and start buying. No wait, I’m hiring a carpenter for that! 

PS from the Artist… I had to find out if a "battery heated" coat exists! Well it does. Check out this link. http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=battery+heated+jacket&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=33825823795&hvpos=1s4&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=15963518070457027836&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_2jll98li1h_b 

I think I know what I'm getting the Carpenter for Christmas…. 

Photo doldrums.

by the Artist

We're in the photo doldrums here at Applewood. Currently we are on a small bath (we don't usually show small bath remodels. Their spaces are just too small to get good photos), and an extensive exterior remodel (some very unphotogenic work going on there right now- rot found under the old siding in places). We are waiting for one last cabinet to finish up the Deerhills Avenue kitchen remodel, so I can shoot final photos of that project. We finished the Arbor Drive deck a couple of weeks ago. I need to get over there. We have completed a beautiful custom entry built-in bench that needs a camera visit. 

I've been too busy to head out to the jobs lately… which means the Carpenter is responsible for photos. Hmmm. With anticipation I inserted a camera memory card into my computer today. It held exactly six photos– two of them are out of focus and the rest showed lovely house rot. So here I am writing a blog post instead. I know no one really cares that I don't have some great photos to display right now. But I do. 

I need to pick up my little camera. pronto.

Some dairy for me!

by the Artist

We are just back from our annual fall camping weekend. It always takes effort to get there. The Carpenter has to make sure our current projects are in order before he can take off. I always wonder if we will really get to go. Just about anything can come up. I breathe a sigh of relief when we shut the camper door and head off down the road.

Only recently have we been able to get cell phone signals from the camp. We used to have to drive to the bridge or take the boat out on the lake to find a weak signal. A few more towers must have been built because that is no longer the case. Darn. Now the Carpenter can keep in contact with our crew and customers. He does try and keep it to a minimum though which I'm grateful for. 

We camped in the best spot in the campground. We had a grand view of the lake. We enjoyed many fires, good food, a trip out to the "Robin's Nest" for breakfast and a couple of trips into the town of Hayward.

The highlight for me was visiting West's Dairy (ice cream/coffee shop) while visiting Hayward. I'm reading a book called "Scoop" http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0873519434?keywords=scoop%2C%20notes%20from%20a%20small%20ice%20cream%20shop&qid=1444682987&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1 about two guys from London who bought the dairy and revamped the business. It was so fun to "see" what I am reading about. We met the new owner (not the author of the book. Sad to say he sold the dairy in May) and we also met Vivian who has worked at the Dairy for a number of years. She was a blast to talk to and gave us some behind the scene stories. 

I'm not normally the type to introduce myself nor seek this sort of adventure out. I'm really quite shy. As we entered the door the Carpenter who is not shy asked if the guy behind the counter was the owner. That broke the ice for me. I'm glad that the Carpenter is a "people" person. He is just very friendly and interested in hearing people's stories. (he takes after his Dad that way)

We enjoyed some really good made on the premises ice cream- me Maple Nut and Mint Chocolate Chip for the Carpenter. 

Back at the lake on our last day a couple drove up to our site. They have camped on the site for the past 27 years. Always the second week in June. They are Wisconsin Dairy farmers. Do I see a theme here? They wanted to see the site in full fall color. They weren't disappointed. They are very sentimental about their time at Lake Chip. Probably more sentimental then us and that is saying a lot.

We headed home under glorious skies yesterday. I'm ready to tuck the camper in for it's long winter's nap. I'm surprised about this. Usually I get choked up just crossing the bridge over the lake. I think I'm ready and anticipating a busy prosperous fall. I hope you are too!

Just pick up that brush!

by the Artist

I started. I didn't want to write about this till I knew it would stick. I'm painting that mountain of furniture in the cabinet shop. I picked a sale date and I'm now painting every chance I get. But.. I do not think the date is realistic for how much work there is to do. I feel rather desparate.

For those of you who do not know… two years ago or so I decided to start a tiny division of Applewood which I named "A Painted Apple". My plan… sell selected pieces of furniture through this website to boost traffic (just being honest here), and scratch a creative itch.

I had no idea what I was getting into. No. Idea. Notta. Nope. I don't know myself very well. I don't like to paint (walls and old furniture mostly). Really. I don't like old furniture. I grew up in a house full of antiques. They smelled. They were ugly (to my youngness) and they were everywhere. I slept in a four poster bird's eye maple rope bed which sagged terribly. I had a "school masters" desk, I had (and this was the worst… a "chamber pot" that featured soaring bluebirds sitting right by my bed and it smelled faintly of ammonia.) It was hideous to me. I have no idea why I didn't remove it from my room. We had "indoor plumbing". I wanted all matching white brand new bedroom furniture. I did not care that my dresser featured hand painted beautiful flowers on the front of the drawers. 

It has taken me two years to decide to move forward. And I have to admit.. the Carpenter's threats to put the furniture out on the curb spurred me on, along with the unexpected demise of my car (I need the funds). And.. I don't quit anything that I start. You can ask the Carpenter about that.

My main issue with painting the furniture was I did not have a vision for it. I could not see it finished. I didn't want to copy anyone else. I was paralyzed with possibility. Three things helped me over this huge creative block. I ran across a blog called The Weathered Door. http://www.theweathereddoor.com/before-and-after I just loved the colors. They resonated with me. I thought.. I can do this. And second. This past weekend after trial and error with subpar wax.. I drove to "Mama's Happy" http://www.mamashappy.com and bought good wax and "studied" the chalk painted (a painting technique very popular right now) furniture that was for sale. I was making it harder then it needed to be. And three… support.  Some good friends and family are picking up a brush to help in the trenches. I can do this.  

Yesterday I had made real progress for the first time. I got paint on five pieces. First coat. I filled my brush with a color called "Gambol Gold" which I had researched. It has been one of Sherwin Williams most popular golds. I can see why. It made me sing. Inside. Not out loud. 

I want to finish this post and get out to the shop to paint! This is a miracle. Is it enough of a miracle to make the sale date? Not sure. Right now it's a secret sale. In my heart. If I pull this off you will be the first to know. Pinky swear.

Blue memories.

by the Artist

I received an unexpected gift last week. I invited the Carpenter's cousin over for dinner. We are creative sisters who like to hang out from time to time. She had wanted to paint something for me for awhile but just never got around to it. Unexpected gifts are so fun. And a gift that is hand crafted is that much more special isn't it? When someone takes time out of their busy life to think of you. 

As soon as I saw the painting I was overwhelmed and flooded with memories. It is a painting of the laundry room window at the last spec home we built. I loved that window. It happily lit up the interior of the laundry room. I bugged the Carpenter to add an extra detail- the window box. Now adding a window box to a spec home is frivolous really. It doesn't add to the value and only adds to the cost in both time and materials. 

Well I got my wish. And just in time for spring.. I filled it with the most cheerful magenta cascading petunias. It made me happy just looking at it. Well that window box certainly did not speed up the sale of the house. It had gone on the market at the cusp of the national housing market crisis.

A year before when the Carpenter brought me to see the sad little cottage, that sat where the Blue House now sits, I walked in and looked out a tiny window. There was the lake sparkling at the end of the street. I was hooked. Beyond hooked. I swallowed the hook. It would take surgery to remove it. Well figuratively speaking.

We moved forward with our plans. The Carpenter built the house to sell. I built it to live in. My blue dream. I picked out every single detail from the roof to the floor. We designed the floor plan together. It was exhilarating. Secretly I continued to plan to move in. I was enamored with the small town lifestyle. I could step out my front door and walk anywhere to many interesting destinations very safely. I could walk to the post office, or to the lake or crash the weddings at the gazebo at the park (which the Snack Manager and I did quite regularly) or sit enjoying conversation with neighbors. It would be like living in a warm hug.

Eventually we moved into the what we call "The Blue House" so I could stage it. I convinced the Carpenter that sitting empty and unloved was not helping matters. So we packed up many of our belongings and moved in. I was in heaven. Blue heaven. The Carpenter… well not so much. He knew the clock was ticking. And tick on it did!

The first and only Christmas we lived there I looked out my window one day at dusk.. there was a family walking down the middle of the street pulling a tiny sled with a small Christmas tree.. snow was falling lightly. I thought I had died and landed in a Norman Rockwell painting!

The plusses of the house not selling were very few but significant to me. I gained lifelong friends, I got to enjoy the fruit of our labor- a fine designed incredible home, I got to live the small town lifestyle if even for a very short while, and I did learn a lot from the entire experience both good and bad.

Well the house did sell and we packed up and moved back to our "real" home. It took awhile to recover from "surgery". I felt like my heart and soul was ripped out when we had to leave that house. I could barely look at it. One day I was across the street at a friends house and I could see through the living room windows the late afternoon sun streaming in the front door… the soft golden light. I wasn't there.. but I was there. It was a huge ache that has taken me years to get over.

But I'm healed. I appreciate my "real" home and have left my blue dream behind. I know now that my home is where the Snack Manager and the Carpenter live. That is where my heart lives.

by the Carpenter

The good, the bad, and the ugly. Ok, Ok, I know you have missed me! Have not been around again for over two months. The Artist has once again threatened things if I don’t write. Its not that I don’t want to write, it’s just been a good, bad and ugly stretch of time.

The good has been like this:
In April, work started coming in and it has not stopped. If you read this blog, you remember the oak tree project. That was in between regular work. In between regular work was all the meetings and bidding. Well it has not stopped since.

The good:  
Fun jobs, interesting customers, lots of referrals.

The good:
Unexpected jobs coming in between the expected jobs.

The good:
Had our usual week at the lake.

The good:
It won't be long before we will be scheduled up to Christmas.

The good:
We sold our boat.

And we have some bad (well maybe just not so good):
Still looking for help. We are in need of at least one experienced remodeler, maybe two.

The bad (not so good):
Not many guys out there looking for work, good for them, bad for those who need them.

The Bad (not so good):
The snack manager blew out her ACL the second day of vacation. She spent a cool week in the air-conditioned camper. Me, I spent the week lifting that 60 pound load up and down the camper steps.

The bad (not so good):
We sold our boat (it was a sad day, but good now).

The bad (not so good):
Schedules are getting harder and harder to keep. Had a sub get injured, and another not able to give the time in September we were hoping for.

And the ugly:
As you know, again if you have been reading here. The business over the years has taken a toll on a certain carpenter. The shoulders have been getting progressively worse and I think this coming winter will be the time we make the change for me to transition from carpenter to full time manager. I shouldn’t say it’s the ugly. It should be a good thing if it gives me the time to heal and turn over responsibilities to others on the crew. Its only ugly when it hurts.

I can say the good really out weighs the bad and the ugly. It’s always worth it to see the glass as always half full, not half empty. We always find a way to figure things out. Customers for the most part understand the scheduling challenges we can run into and employees and subs know when its time to kick things in high gear, and go the extra mile or two to get the job done.

So, forget about the bad and the ugly, its all good!