Hybrid Clothes Dryer

My sweet husband indulges me in many ways. One of the things that I most appreciate is that he doesn't make fun of my feeble attempts to green our lifestyle. He puts the crap he skims from the goldfish pond into the compost bin. He puts the newspapers in the recycle basket, and asks about plastic and cardboard before he puts it in the trash.

He hasn't raised an eyebrow about my shower timer. And although I haven't noticed him using it, he does give me props when I use it. Four minutes for a shower.



I gotta be honest. I try, but ding dang, y'all. Four minutes is a SHORT shower. I sometimes...forget...to notice when the timer is empty.

And, for my birthday this year, you know what he did? He installed a hybrid clothes dryer for me!! Yep, a combination solar- and wind-powered clothes dryer that will help us reduce our carbon footprint and eliminate the need for those petroleum-based dryer sheets! He is so sweet to do that for me. Thank you, Sweetheart. It was a VERY happy birthday!

The Days of the Free Lunch

Back in early 1991, when Randy and I were doing everything we knew to do to get our Grandy's to actually become a viable, money-making business, we sent a certificate for a FREE MEAL to every member of the Lamar County Chamber of Commerce.

Every. Single. Member.

A free meal. No other purchase required. Just come in to our restaurant, let us give you your choice of one of four different dinners with a beverage of your choice, and we will so amaze you with the quality of our food, and blow you away with the fabulous-ness of our service, that you will eagerly come back again and again and again....to purchase more of the same.

It worked. Seriously worked. That year, we turned the corner on a business that had been on the verge of closing up and going away, and made it so successful that it led to building new Grandy's and buying others in several other cities around east Texas and Louisiana.

There were a couple of hiccups involved. We actually had one guy just go off on us, because he had his one certificate, brought his wife in to eat lunch, and expected that we would give him not the one, but TWO free meals. Really. I was at the register, I took their orders, he handed me the certificate, which I deducted from the total, then asked him for the...oh, I dunno...five bucks for the second meal and drink, and he said,

"It's supposed to be free."

Yes, sir, I said, I took the price of your higher-priced meal off, and the cost for the second meal and drink is $x.xx. And he said, quite a bit louder this time:

"IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE FREE."

At first, I kinda thought he was just kind of joking with me, but as it became more apparent that he wasn't, I looked to Randy for help.

You know, generally speaking, we've always tried to take the advantage:guest attitude, but this guy was so jerky about not getting enough free food that we dug in our heels and they actually left the restaurant without eating anything. I hope they enjoyed whatever it was they ended up having to eat that day. Bet not, though. Some folks, you can just tell.

But I digress.

The point I'm trying to make here is that we chose to take the BIG chance of giving away food, when we were supposed to be in the business of selling food, in order to try to make a difference farther down the road. And it paid off. A risky move, to be sure, and we sweated over it, let me tell you. But drastic times called for drastic measures.

This past Monday, Quiznos announced a Million Subs Giveaway. All you had to do was to go to the website, register, and you'd get a coupon for a free small sub. Take it to your local Quiznos, and we will so amaze you with the quality of our food, and blow you away with the fabulous-ness of our service, that you will eagerly come back again and again and again....to purchase more of the same. Sound familiar?!?

In Lubbock, it worked like a charm. Certainly being a college town helped - because the college kids put the word out on Facebook and Twitter, by text message and phone call - so that by 5 p.m. on the first day we had taken about 50 of the coupons between the four restaurants. And that total has increased as the week has gone on. Our own kids ate well in Tuscaloosa, and I heard that Rachel enjoyed her sub in San Angelo also ;-). Overall, it's been a great event for us.

Unfortunately, not all of our fellow franchisees embraced the idea. All week long, I've gotten Google Alerts to different blogs and message boards, where people are complaining that they have tried at their local outlets and either been refused altogether, or required to make another purchase in order to receive their "free" sub.

And so now, in many folks' minds, we have ALL been painted with the same broad brush: "Worst...promotion...ever," read one. "Fake, fake, fake," said another. "What a scam," from another. "I will NEVER go to another Quiznos" from still another.

And it goes on and on - given the ease and speed with which unhappy customers can make their voices heard, we ALL now have a stigma attached to us. No matter that, in our stores, we have happily redeemed the coupons and done our best to exceed our guests' expectations...to some people, all Quiznos everywhere are now suspect.

And, not to sound like a child or anything, but: THAT'S NOT FAIR.

LOOK. I know it's a risk. I know it's hard to imagine that giving away food can be a good thing. But, I'm here to testify that it can be a good thing. And in dire circumstances - like determining whether your business will thrive or fold - a very good thing. In these uncertain, and very frightening economic times, we're all looking for something to count on, something to be sure of.

Here's one thing I'm absolutely sure of: in Lubbock, in Hot Springs, Bossier City, San Angelo, Tuscaloosa, and in hundreds of other communities across the country - most of us franchisees of Quiznos Sub EXPECT to succeed. Not succeeding? Not an option.

And that's the thing that those other franchisees don't get at all. And it's why, long after those other folks have closed or sold or been kicked out of their businesses, we'll still be here...amazing you with our food, and blowing you away with our service.

Kids and Dogs

If you are even a casual reader of this blog, you have surely discerned by now that I'm a sucker for dogs. Mostly my own, but generally anyone else's dogs.

I've never been a huge Tiger Woods fan - not much of a golf fan in the first place, but I always thought Tiger was kind of a...cold person. Then I saw this picture:



I've always felt that you can tell a lot about a man by how he is with his kids and his dogs. So now? Consider me firmly in Tiger's corner.

Trophy Sofa

At the beginning of the living room/dining room remodel, we donated the old "Cinnamon Sofa" to the Salvation Army. We always called it that because that's the sofa that Cinnamon used to sleep on, and as a result nobody ever wanted to sit on it because of all the dog hair. We never spent much time in the living room anyway, so it really didn't matter. As the guys were taking it out to the truck, I had the Shop Vac going and I was still vacuuming dog hair out of the bottom as they moved it. It was awful.

So we needed a sofa to go in the living room now that we've finished the new floor. We were looking for something small, inexpensive and simple. Straight, contemporary lines. Absolutely no poofy arms. We went to every furniture store in Paris (okay, so that's not very many, but still.) and couldn't find one we liked. Well, there was something at Reep's that would have worked, but the days of Walt selling us furniture at his cost are over, now that he's our Financial Advisor and not our furniture store-owner friend.

Every sofa for sale in the city of Paris has poofy arms. And if you're a lover of poofy-armed-sofas (as opposed to a sofa lover with poofy arms), no offense. But that's not what we want.

So we saw a picture in the paper of a sofa at Rooms to Go in Plano that we thought we might like, and I drove down to take a look.

Liked it.

Wanted to buy it.

Trouble ensued.

And...long story short (for a change): after three, 180 mile round trips within a week, a long, unhappy email to Rooms to Go Customer Service, a couple of phone calls between the RTG manager and me, and many, many Facebook profile updates...

I BOUGHT MY SOFA!!

I feel kind of silly to go to so much hassle for this one piece of furniture. It's a $400 sofa, for crying out loud, not a vintage Eames chair or anything. But it's ours, and it's coming home to Paris in 10 days. Here's a picture so you can see what all the fuss is about (I plan to lose the pillows):

A Hairy Situation

Sammie sleeps on the bed with us. That's really not something I'm crazy about, but that horse left the barn the first night she spent with us. We've reached most of an understanding about how she needs to behave, and only occasionally do either of us kick her off during the night for poor behavior.

The BIG problem, though, is the hair she leaves behind. Now, we had a Golden Retriever, so I know from shedding dogs. It never occurred to me that a short haired Lab would ever shed so much. BOY was I wrong. So every morning for the last 14 months, I have spent way too much time de-hairing the bed. I have gone through countless lint rollers. I even got a blister on my thumb from using the rollers so much. I've bought every little mitt, "miracle" brush - even a "Pet Hair Removal System," all with varying degrees of success.

And at last: I think I've found The Answer.

The Pledge Fabric Sweeper. This is a nifty little roller/container that works like a charm. It sweeps the hair into a little closed container - no muss, no fuss - and when it's full you toss it and get another one.

Love it, love it, love it! And if Pledge (a part of SC Johnson - A Family Company) were to send me a case, I'd share it with all of my pet-loving friends.

I'm just sayin'.

Sammie Down Under

Amid the horror of the Australian wildfires, this has got to be one of the sweetest pictures I have ever seen:


And after they rescued her, they named her...."Sam."

High Apple-Pie in the Sky Hopes

Four and a half-ish years ago - July 27, 2004 - I made Amanda and James sit down with me to watch television. They're kind of wary when I tell them they're going to do something with me, cause they never know what might be on the horizon. But I told them they were going to watch a political speech, and when it was done, I'd tell them why.

So we listened together to the keynote address of the 2004 Democratic National Convention. The speech came to be known as "The Audacity of Hope." It ended with these words: "Hope -- Hope in the face of difficulty. Hope in the face of uncertainty. The audacity of hope! In the end, that is God’s greatest gift to us, the bedrock of this nation. A belief in things not seen. A belief that there are better days ahead. "

The speaker was a young man who, four months later, would be elected to his first term in the US Senate from Illinois.

His name? You know who it was. It was Barack Obama.

I told the kids when he was finished that I wanted them to watch that speech because I believed that this man, sometime in my lifetime, would be President of the United States. I wanted them to know his name early, so that they could be on the lookout for him in the years to come. Never dreamed that only four years and six months later, they would not only be able to say that the first vote they cast in any election would be for him, but also that they would be able to watch his inauguration as our 44th President. But here we are.

And in his inauguration speech, this is what he said:

"We have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.

But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions - that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America. For everywhere we look, there is work to be done.

Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions - who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.

What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.

This is the price and the promise of citizenship.

This is the source of our confidence - the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.

This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed - why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.

America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations."

So now, at this point in our history, what have we learned? That it is no longer...audacious...to hope.

I choose - we choose - hope over fear.

God bless you and keep you safe, Mr. President. And God bless the United States of America.

Time Passages

So here we are at the end of another year. Good thing I never got used to writing 2008.

I suppose I could get all deep and philosophical about wisdom earned or squandered, and the passing of time, but instead? This is what I've got:

I've been noticing that people are holding doors for me more now than they did this time last year. Younger people, I mean. Doing their good deed for the day.

And sometimes now, I'll look at somebody I don't know and think oh they're probably about my age, only to find that they're actually somewhere in their thirties. And the ones I look at and think they're somewhat...elderly...are actually about my age.

There's your time passages, right there.

Ah, well. Age is only a number, right? Happy New Year anyway!

That You May Know the Warmth of Love

Having always been a much better writer than speaker, I've found many times in my life that there are things I'd like to be able to SAY, but have to write instead. When I talk about things that are emotional, well, I just get ugly. My face screws up, my voice goes away, I get all soupy and snotty and sappy, and...trust me. It's just not a good thing. So this year, you get to watch John Denver sing a song that expresses my Christmas hopes and prayers much better than I ever could.

For my children, who light up my life and take my breath away; for Randy, whom I love more than anything; for the family of my heart - Paula and Ben, Denise and all of hers; for my brother, my sisters-in-law, my nieces, nephews, and the awesome husbands and wives they have brought into our family; for the children whom I am blessed to have in my life: Jackson; Jack & Lola; Sam, Colin & Cody; Grace & Luke; Will & Pierson; Parker, Angie & Emily: here are the words of John Denver that are also my Christmas wish for each of you:

A Saviour-King was born that day,
A baby, just like you.
And as the Magi came with gifts,
I come with my wish, too.

That peace on earth fills up your time.
That brotherhood surrounds you.
That you may know the warmth of love,
And wrap it all around you.

Merry Christmas. I love you all.



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Hall of Fame!

Randy and I just got back from snowy Denver, where Randy was inducted into the Quiznos Hall of Fame as the 2008 Franchisee of the Year! I'm SO proud of him.



With us in the picture is Casey Lindsey, our Operating Partner in Lubbock.

Just a Dog

In my neighborhood, there is a backyard where a dog lives. This dog is chained to a tree seemingly at all hours of the day and night. I can only think of a time or two since these people moved to this house when I haven't seen the dog in the yard. When the tropical storm that had been Hurricane Ike passed through town? Even then, this dog was in that yard.

This yard is on the normal path that Sammie and I take every morning. Sweet Doggie (as I have come to call her) doesn't bark much, but she keeps a close eye on us as we walk by every morning, and it gets ever harder for me to just keep on going. My neighbor, Judy, used to take Sweet Doggie a treat every morning as she walked her two dogs. She bought a new collar and put it on S.D. once when she felt like her collar was too tight. The next morning, the old collar was back on, and the new one, cut into pieces, was on the curb when Judy walked by.

Judy has called Animal Control about this dog. I have called Animal Control. I believe other people have called also. Did you know that in the state of Texas, the only ordinance regarding dogs being tethered is this:

821.077. UNLAWFUL RESTRAINT OF DOG. (a) An owner may
not leave a dog outside and unattended by use of a restraint that
unreasonably limits the dog's movement:
(1) between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.;
(2) within 500 feet of the premises of a school; or
(3) in the case of extreme weather conditions,
including conditions in which:
(A) the actual or effective outdoor temperature
is below 32 degrees Fahrenheit;
(B) a heat advisory has been issued by a local or
state authority or jurisdiction; or
(C) a hurricane, tropical storm, or tornado
warning has been issued for the jurisdiction by the National
Weather Service.

But unless a member of law enforcement actually sees a dog being restrained in violation of any of these conditions, nothing can be done to enforce it. Nothing. So, what do we do? Call Animal Control every morning? It was 25 degrees here this morning.

A month or so ago, I saw a city truck at the house, and the next morning there was a large "NO TRESPASSING" sign posted on a tree next to the street. It might as well have said Screw you for caring.

Judy doesn't walk her pups down that street anymore. Sammie and I don't go that way much anymore, either.

I look at all the ways our pets have contributed to and enhanced our lives, and I cannot imagine life without them. It's been more than a year, and still, I can hardly stand to talk about Cinnamon.

Honestly? I never thought I could love another dog the way I loved Cinnamon. We are approaching the first anniversary of Sammie coming into our family, and now it seems as if she's been with us forever. She has wiggled her goofy little way into my heart, and the thought of not having her with us is inconceivable. Sammie is NOT just a dog. She is a member of our family.

Now, I know that my family is perhaps more sappy about our pets than many people, but jeez louise...why have a dog if all you're going to do is chain it to a tree and forget about it?? Sweet Doggie - and every dog - ought to have a chance to become as much a part of some family as Sammie - our very own Pound Puppy - has become.

Now It's South Beach or Bust, Baby!!

I wish I could link to Amanda's Rammer Jammer Facebook video from the Iron Bowl on Saturday. She and Randy had just a terrific time at the game!!

But, instead,here's a YouTube video. Try to ignore all the comments left by idiots. Yes, it's rather...ummm...crude, perhaps? But ding-dang, y'all! They earned the right to sing it. Six times!

Oh, Bama - this makes up for 1972. I didn't hardly ever get over that. Until now. All is forgiven.

Red and Rover

Red and Rover is one of my favorite comic strips.

Unfortunately, The Dallas Morning News decided to stop carrying it.

Fortunately, I have found a gadget for my iGoogle page that shows the current Red and Rover for me every morning!

I thought the comic today was SO cute - it's a play on all those strips that have the mom bundling up the kids to go out and play in the snow, only to have one of them say "I gotta go-o-o-o! as soon as the last snap is snapped and zipper zipped. Only this time it's Rover, all wrapped up in his Halloween costume.

Homecoming.

Our community has been rocked in the last week by the deaths of two of our teenagers. Both high school seniors, one at P-High, the other at NLHS, and both victims of single-car accidents. By all accounts, both of these kids, Hannah and Charles, were top-notch, quality young people with the brightest of bright futures ahead of them.

It's when things like this happen that I only imagine that their parents want to shout STOP!! REWIND!! Let's take this last 24 hours again, only this time I'll say, "why don't you stay home tonight?" or "hey - how about if I drive you there?" or "wait - let me have one more hug before you go..."

And it breaks my heart to think of parents, looking at the door, at the phone, wondering when the door will open, or when the phone will ring...and it never will.

From the time our babies are born, we teach them to do things for themselves. Eat. Talk. Walk. Read. We plan our lives around it: "I cannot WAIT until they can fill-in-the-blank, so I'll have a little bit of time to myself." But that's only as it should be. That's what we're supposed to do. That's what they're supposed to do.

They go off to their first day of school, and we cry. They come home at the end of the first day - just thrilled with their new independence, and our hearts are eased.

They drive off for the first time, and we don't take a complete breath until we know they've made it safely to their destination. They come home after their first trip - just thrilled with their newest independence, and our hearts stop pounding.

They go off to college, and we wonder if anything will ever be the same. They call home for the first time, bubbling over with stories of triumph and sorrow, and our hearts hope that they will always want to come home.

Live your life. Do what God intends. Go places. Have fun. Learn stuff. Do good things.

Just, please. Come home.

Superstitious, Much?!?

"If you want to walk the heavenly streets of gold, you gotta know the password: "Roll Tide Roll!"
--Bear Bryant

I witnessed this exchange in the ladies' room at the Alabama watch party in Grapevine last Saturday. Bama was ahead 31 - 0 at halftime against Georgia. The mom had just bought a new Tide in Texas t-shirt for her daughter, who looked to be probably 12 -14 years old.

Daughter, looking in the mirror & holding up the shirt: This is cute! Hang on a sec and I'll change into it.

Mom, horrified: No way! You can't change what you're wearing! You'll jinx us!

Daughter, rolling eyes: What? You're kidding, right??

Mom, looking more and more panicked: No! Seriously! You can NOT change clothes at halftime when we're ahead!

I'm just standing there, washing my hands.Mom, hoping for help, looks at me. Daughter, shaking head in disbelief, looks at me.

Me, wearing my lucky Bama shirt, as I do on every game day: She's absolutely right, sweetie. If we're winning, then what EVER you were wearing at kickoff, you HAVE to keep wearing. I think it's a law or something.

Mom, relieved: If it's not, it should be.

Whaddaya say, Alabama?? Go Bama!! Roll Tide!!

Look to the Right!

You'll see a widget for a CD called "Throwing Punches in the Dark" by Matthew Perryman Jones. Aside from the fact that it's a wonderful collection of songs by a wonderful artist, Matthew is also my cousin. My Daddy and his Granddaddy were brothers, so I THINK that makes us first cousins once removed. I think.

Anyway, Matthew and his wife, Meghan, and their gorgeous baby daughter Canaan live in Nashville. His music is increasingly being featured on current TV shows, like One Tree Hill and Eli Stone.

Clicking on the widget will let you hear samples of his music, and also take you to a website where you can download the songs directly. Or you can go to iTunes and buy this CD, and also his latest one "Swallow the Sea."

Enjoy!!

Encore! Encore!

We ripped out all of our landscaping in the front yard this year, and planted lots of Encore Azaleas. The neat thing about these is that they bloom several times during the year - not just in the spring. They are blooming now, and they are just gorgeous!

Startle Reflex

As Sammie and I were walking this morning, she got all caught up in a scent trail, which led her a good way up into a neighbor's yard. She wasn't paying much attention to where she was going, and she bumped pretty hard into one of the political yard signs that are quite prevalent in the neighborhood now. It startled her, the sign did, and she jumped away and got a little bit bowed up - the hair along the ridge of her spine stands up at varying degrees, based on how startled/scared/angry she is.

I understand how she feels - they ALL scare me, too, these days.

...and will you also be sending along a key to the building so I can get in and make my own?!?

Okay, I know what I said yesterday, but this was just too good to not pass along.

The response I received from Starbucks Customer Care:

I was very sorry to hear about your recent experience at the Lamar & Loop 286 Starbucks store. I appreciate you taking the time to bring this matter to our attention. I will share your comments with the management team responsible for the store in order to address the issue properly.

In order to invite you back into this store, I have arranged for a couple of beverage coupons to be sent to you. You should receive them soon.

If you have any further questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact us at...

Randy and I have learned a large portion of what we know about managing our business by watching other companies mismanage theirs.