No Pictures, Just a Vision

Griff and I had an excellent holiday weekend
after a very stressful week at the bakery.
On Thanksgiving Eve we started our day at 1:00 a.m.
We had a lot of production to do, and once again in
spite of all our planning and training of employees
all summer long, it was just the two of us.

A big heart felt thank you to Leigh and Jenna for
holding up the front. Miss Jenna even busted suds
and we didn't have to ask. I suppose as Martha says
"The cream is rising to the top, we need thinkers,
do-ers and a strong A team", as she would say.
You just gotta love Martha and her words of wisdom.

It was all worth while because we put out products
that we were proud to display in our cases. This is
what we set out to do everyday. In spite of the hard
work, I still love what I do.

People all over Savannah enjoyed something that Griff
or I baked and I am truly thankful. It is disturbing
on so many levels how hard it is to find others who
share our dream and our drive to work in our growing
independent bakery. It is a fun and exciting place to
work, I learn something new everyday.

What is even more fascinating is that the same employees
that didn't even show up are the same ones always
telling me how I am working too hard, or what I should
do better organize my daily routine. Essentially what
they could do better than me.

Later that evening we had dinner at our favorite
restaurant Elizabeth on 37th and one of my favorite
Kelly's (the executive chef ) took some time out of
the kitchen to cheer me up with funny stories about how
people think working in a kitchen is glamorous and about
the new hire that asked if she could go move her car
and never came back. What on earth would make someone
leave such an incredible opportunity? What is it that
makes people not live up to responsibility?

What happened to self worth, value for hard work and
learning a craft inside and out?

My other favorite Kelli of Lovescool.com just came back
from Japan and took notice of how well employees treated
customers in shops over there. She stated that "It seems
to be the employee’s own pride or discipline that drives
them to take such good care of customers."
"The same generosity applies outside of a shop as well,
as we found whenever we asked directions and someone
would walk us to our destination, not just point in
the right direction." "I find myself pondering...What
happened to a strong work ethic? What do people care
about these days? What happened to pride and passion
for what you do? What direction do people have in life?

What would my Mother say?

although my Mother passed away over 20 years ago, I
wake up every morning and think of something she would
say..Something she taught me..And fond memories in
general. Right now I think she would tell me to be
thankful for all of the things that I have right at
this moment.

My Mother could always see the silver lining and point
it out to you if you were missing it. I am thankful to
have inherited her special gift of baking and positive
attitude about life.

Griff and I are ending our little rant and rave now
because we still have faith that there are people out
there like us and we are very passionate about our work.
We believe that we enrich peoples lives with simple
pleasures that our made by hand. So we will just pick
ourselves up and try another business strategy.
Afterall, we love a challenge and we can handle them
head on day after day..Otherwise we wouldn't be in
business in the first place.

We still have a vision and we are moving in the right
direction.