Here we go...

During the winter, I work with some friends, where we create spirit wear for sports clubs and the local schools. It's fun. I create designs with the program Corel Draw. Learning that was kinda challenging, but now that I have it down, I am amazed at the possibilities.  We are cranking out the Little League uniforms, now and I am feeling under the gun.
Why?
Because the summer job people are calling.
In the spring/summer, I am an account manager/sales rep for a nursery. It is my job to go around to the stores that sell our plants and make sure the store's employees are merchandising them correctly and maintaining them. Our plants are sold on a consignment basis. It's called Pay Per Scan. This means the store is merely housing and caring for the plants until they are purchased and at that point, they are the store's.

My territory is large and I only get to my stores once a week. I am in Iowa, Wisconsin, and Illinois.
I have met so many folks and many of them are good friends that I speak with, year round.
Many of them are hardworking, underpaid retail workers that have pride in their work and I try to reward them with small gifts when I visit their stores.
But they are not all like that. Some do not care for the plants. Some are lazy and unmotivated. They make my job miserable.
The nursery I work for pays me to keep my stores immaculate. "Shop worn" or dry or damaged plants are to be thrown in the store's dumpster. Suffice it to say, I do not supply the big box stores. We try to educate our stores, we send them quality plants and we work hard to make our gardeners happy!

           

 

Today is a big day around the house. Not because of Valentine's Day. But because today, Chicago Cubs pitchers and catchers must report to spring training!

Tonite, the Westminster Dog Show is on!! These are my favorites for Best in Show!! Schatz and Gracie. The camera has captured Gracie in mid-stride, though it looks like she's laying down, she's running to catch up to Schatz!