When You KNOW your WHY… then what?

Then, you need to know your how.

Where do you begin?  When does it really start?  What’s the first actual business step you should take?

I once met a very young mother, single and barely getting by.  She invested her last $25 for the month in a direct marketing company with the hope of being able to give her 3 year old child a fine birthday party.  She needed money for a cake, decorations and gift… she imagined $100 would more than cover the cost. Her ‘why’, well it was simple – and by many standards, minute.  I tried to help her understand that she could have a yard sale to earn the money she wanted, or maybe baby sit for others.

THIS, was a business… for her future. Surely, she had a larger goal… a “real” reason for giving up her last $25 for the month.  Maybe, she could plan to pay the electric bill each month with her business profits, how about growing a big enough customer base to make a car payment, even save for an educational goal.   That size business goal would surely allow her to give the child’s birthday party each year and not just meet her immediate need.

So, what I’m trying to say is … your next steps are up to you and your ultimate goal (or your ‘why’).  As the “goal” goes, so does the “success”.

In all cases, the next step is about you… not what someone tells you to do. There are normal steps in normal companies… but you are building YOUR personal business and it has to be about you.  So, how do you grow yourself?

Maybe you’ll spend time investing in yourself… spending time learning about the company, the products and services you choose to represent, the top producers in the company and the possibilities and probabilities.  If there’s time, it could be beneficial to learn the top earners routines, success stories and regular work habits.  Which of these can you adapt into your own life?  Did I say “life”?

Depending on your destination in business, you’ll need to invest time, money, other resources, your imagination and business skills. How will your business be defined?

Photo by Estée Janssens on Unsplash

How will it differ from the other thousands of entrepreneurs? Can you see yourself with a calendar ALWAYS at your fingertips?  What about carrying business cards and maybe samples in the car.  Is it your desire to get up everyday, dress up and look smashing? Will you love being “on” all the time?  That’s what we sign up for when it’s a real business to grow.

How will you decide to run this business?  Will it be in person, in an organized area, online only or a combination of available options? Will you learn or use your skills in social media or special events along the fair routes?  I even know one woman who purchased an air-stream trailer and outfitted it to sell her wares in a pop-up store of sorts.

How will you operate?  What do you look like in your business?  What are you wearing, driving, listening to?  Just close your eyes and make that mental picture. Is THAT you?

Now that you know your WHY… what’s next?  What do you need? What resources are required of you? I decided to experiment.

Now, full disclosure. I’ve spent 8 years in direct marketing. The first three, I worked full time and represented a company part time. My sales grew over three years to roughly  $14,000.  I enjoyed some profit, but mostly, I gave the stuff away at cost- just trying to help my friends get a break. The real profit wasn’t a big deal… it was a fun side hack and I had lots of contacts and access to people who could stop by and pick up a catalog (at work) and those contacts were all employed full time.   I loved it… more than my regular full time job, because of the leadership.

So, when a local position with the company became available, I jumped at it… and was hired to help others learn to build their business. I received more than a year of coaching, direction and special training and incentives to learn how to help them build to profit making.  One year, I added the sales of my area representatives and sales were totaling more than 100,000 per month! We did so well, I earned really cool rewards, including a couple nice trips and sweet bonuses.  Best of all… the relationships with the team and peers was unbelievable.

So when the company downsized and many of us found ourselves without work, I decided to use my time and severance to build my own home based business. It will be fun, I reminiseced.

Famous.Last.Words.

In my business, I invested in a direct marketing company. Not just the $25, but $750.00 in event fees within 100 miles of my home,  $200.00 in event equipment (tables, signs, etc), and $2,000 in event inventory.  Within 90 days, the investment was returned, plus an average of 30% on the inventory, by following the companies suggested steps and using a few of my own techniques.

So the next months and thereafter, the earnings were around 40% and I continued to try to keep my reinvest totals at 20%.  Unless you are psychic or you only sell what is paid in advance, you’ll have inventory.   Do I have inventory on my shelves?  The company says it’s not required, but they don’t tell you it’s a good thing to do.  Your judgement will tell you when that very good customer calls you up really needing something NOW.

I know which customers will always order their favorites, so I purchase ahead for them to receive the best price or incentive.  That’s the only inventory on my shelves.  I invest more heavily in samples.   I did a test once, I invested $5.00 in samples and the orders from those samples totaled $32.80 (at 40%, I earned about $13, the first time and I’ve lost count of the reorders of those products, to those customers.  Samples are a good thing.  The numbers and profits will grow, if you can invest in samples and don’t waste them.

So, how will I answer the original question?

When you know your WHY, then what?

Then, visualize yourself being successful. Where are you, how are you working, what do you look like? What car are you driving? Are you alone or with others?  Do you sit at a desk, in a booth or walk on the street? Do you work everyday or once in a while? Will you stay with it til you reach the goal or will you give it a set time to work for you?  Do that by writing it down, studying the winners, list the pros and cons, and survey your support system for their opinions. Do the work, if it’s a long term plan.

If you just need a birthday party, I’ve got lots of fundraising ideas for you.

If you want a real business, and need an assistant, send me a note.  How can I help you?

I’m anxious to hear about your answers to the question. Feel free to comment below!

BREAK TIME

Somedays you need a break.  Somedays you just need to look away from the normal and lock your gaze on something new and different.

You live better, when you do.  A new perspective, a new background, a new short term focus helps the blood pressure decrease, the muscles relax, the future look brighter.

Times change and with that, responsibilities often become different. New responsibilities can be stressful – confining and confusing at times.  These are the moments when distraction becomes important.

There are days I need multiple distractions… how about you?  So leaving home or always having to purchase something for my personal “entertainment” is not always in my best interest.

When looking for distractions, there are a few things we can do quickly, without leaving home:

a. Find a box of photos that need sorting – photos bring good memories to mind, organizing anything from photos to cans in the pantry will provide a bit of distraction and a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction.

b. Survey the pantry and freezer for meals that can be prepared and frozen for the future. You’ll be glad for the distraction and happy when you are too frenzied to cook.

c. Choose one window and clean it thoroughly. Add a drop of your favorite essential oil to the water… like lavender and lemon.

d. Lock yourself in a quiet room with a facial mask and quiet music. Wrap yourself in a warm robe and just close your eyes for 20 minutes… you’ll be fresh and feel energized for the next phase of the day.

e. Match socks.  Shell pecans.  Shred Cheese for tomorrow. Shine shoes.  Mindless activities can provide a welcome distraction from a busy world.

f. Find time to read. Even one chapter will offer a distraction. Sometimes I need to read the same chapter 3 times, to actually understand it (concentration required), but for a short break… holding a book, looking at the words and illustrations can be a welcome break, when you can’t really leave the room.

These are just a few ideas, there are so many more that don’t require leaving home, spending money or gathering tons of supplies. The point is, when life gets too busy and you find your muscles tightening and your heart racing with frustration, find a distraction for a minute or twenty.

It’s all about living better… everyday.

Down to Size

It’s About Living Better is where I started trying to deal with no work, or different work, or a different lifestyle, or how do I explain it?

It was a regular thing to hear a few years ago… and maybe now.  “Our company is down-sizing and you are now out of work”.  Or a few sentences similar.  Everyone I knew professionally, was in the process of regrouping.  Either they were looking for a new position, or adjusting to a new position that allowed them to continue working, or making a decision to improve their odds of remaining with the current company.

I tried a few things, researched many more and made a few starts.

Finally, I’m here.  Working. “Semi Retired” is my description to my friends.

I am among the fortunate.  I live in a small rural area where connections are still made at lunch or walking down the street. No interview required, just an agreement and bam!

I absolutely love working now.  Probably better than I have for years.   My work is tailored to the company’s needs, and my schedule at home.  I give them my all. They receive way more than the agreement pays for because I care about them-and they, about me.

I work for someone who cares more about the people than any workplace I’ve ever been in.  Because of that, the workers are loyal, the work is well-done and most everyone is engaged.   It’s not perfect for everyone.  But a consistent, caring company giving consistent, caring service, as a means for earning, is the goal.

There will always be those who take advantage of this atmosphere.  Supervising the young workers hired into this workplace requires much patience and a steady head.  However, the loafers will eventually weed themselves out. This is the company that you join when you know you are good at what you do, enjoy working with others and want to earn your own way. OR, you’ve never had a job and need to learn how to work for someone other than mom and dad.

I should send my former company a thank-you.  Without that down-sizing, I may never have found this peaceful, caring and engaged company.

I wish this for you.

I may never have found my side gig, either.  It just happened. After spending years in Direct Sales, I have ideas and techniques useful to newbies and I’m enjoying helping them!  If you need some ideas, just email me!

How can a Virtual Assistant help your business?

What is it that keeps you from reaching your end- of-day goal?

One more phone call? Answer that all important email or tag someone on a lovely picture of success? Text a reply, encourage the team?

Virtual Assistants perform a variety of time saving functions, helping you end your day on an up note.

Updating reports? Updating your social media? Tracking your email responses? Any task that will free you up to finish your day and grow your business. Sometimes, it pays to outsource time consuming tasks in order to complete the bigger picture.

Before you contact a virtual assistant, think about the tasks that might stop you from feeling overwhelmed or just overdone.  Are you willing / able to share documents for editing or layout? Would the sharing of your calendar to someone who can take part of the days’ work, help complete tasks faster or more efficiently? 

As a VA, I’ve had the joy and the surprise of sharing calendars. Joey’s wife had a birthday while he was in Europe. While he did the shopping and left a card on the breakfast bar for her to find, I had the privilege of making her day even brighter by posting his love note on social media, reminding the teens by text to be nice to mom, and have cookies delivered to her office at the precise time that her break started-all while he signed a multi million dollar deal across the way. They will all benefit from his previous attention to detail on this special day.

Reminders of upcoming anniversary, shopping assignments, arranging social media posts to post at the correct time and place are all very important tasks that tend to slow down the day to day processes of business… but are actually more important than most care about knowing. It’s the little things that make the work day bright!

A VA may be your trusted right hand that confirms appointments, gather quotes, schedule interviews, completes pre-interviews or someone that is available for your call when you need a voice of reason or someone to ask questions so you can come to your best conclusion, read your blog and post a comment or edit that email you wrote in a hurry. A VA can add your content to your own profile pages. The list is endless and the time saved will add needed hours back to your otherwise loaded schedule.

Most virtual assistants work for a company with prescribed services and fees. An independent VA is able to help you create your own right hand, providing needed services, for just the right agreed-upon price.

What’s possible? 

Try scheduling a Monday morning virtual meeting and discussing the week’s requirements. Or, share an online location where your VA can pick up and deliver work assignments, text, have a private text group, Facetime or Skype to communicate.  Assign your virtual assistant with projects that move quickly, but help your week go smoother. Agree on the service fee, pay half to get your week going and complete the payment online when the service is done satisfactorily.  It’s a win-win.

What’s stopping you from giving it a try?   Drop us a line! michelle@lillmi.com

Time for a New Project

We are officially remodeling.

Last summer, we worked diligently on the yard. I hired my girlfriends to come “help”.

For me, that meant I get to take baby steps into this new world.

1. I don’t have to dig.

2. I don’t have to plant.

3. I will water.

4. I will shop for plants and other fun stuff.

5. I will still be organizing the world around me. (control freak).

6. I will pay money to NOT dig and plant.

Ha! I enjoy sitting outdoors looking at “our” hard work. When I drive up the driveway, I am pleased and proud that “we” did all that hot work!

 

Fast forward 4 months. Here we are in January, starting a new project. No girlfriends. Just us.  You can pray for us, if you are so inclined.

So step one was to get Ronnie to commit to the project.

Wow! I can’t tell you how many objections I had to overcome.  I know that objections are just requests for more information, so I tried to use my best marketing techniques to answer his questions and sell him on the idea.

It must have worked, because three months after I began the campaign, he showed up for the appointment with our new friend Gail at Lowe’s.   She’s a magician, let me tell you!  We know we are over our head when you talk about construction.

The new project:

The front bathroom. The one our visitors see.  Our home is around 30 years old, and it needed to be redone.  We didn’t want to spend a lot, just enough to update it for selling purposes, in case we decide to downsize.

We decided to use a GC (General Contractor) to install a simple walk in shower and hardware and replace the vanity and countertop.  We were pleased that Gail came by first to take a peek and take some general measurements. Then, she brought the GC by and took even more measurements.

We spent a lot of time talking about what I thought it should look like when it’s done, the colors, textures and any changes we might consider.  I really felt like they listened well, and didn’t try to sell us on anything extravagant. The budget was always at the top of mind.

I’ve always loved the furniture vanities popular in some custom homes, so it was decided that I would be in charge of acquiring that piece of furniture and finishing it to match.

Gail found the most beautiful granite top, called Chaldonea, so the race is on!

I searched all the online garage sales and used a couple of apps to locate the perfect piece.  A beautiful maple Bassett Buffet.  

Today, I find we are starting in 6 days!  I ran to my favorite “paint” store and quickly got directions from Melanie at Sisters Restored, in our cute little downtown .  Picked up a few supplies and off we go!

Step one:   WASH the buffet.  Really, that’s what she said.  With Dawn.    That was too easy.

Step two:  Ronnie will repair the one drawer that has a loose groove.   GLUE.

Step three:  Let it dry.   I got this!

Step four : Paint.  We are using Annie Sloan Graphite… recommended by Melanie.

 

Here we go.  The buffet was a bit more narrow than the previous cabinet, so we have a little work to do.  A panel for each side, painted to match, will take care of the fit.  All in all, we are happy with the look.  Now to find cute little ways to disquise the makeup, lol.   I do enjoy cosmetics, so we need a place to keep them organized.  Stay tuned!

 

Beautiful Hankies

When I was a girl, I remember seeing Grandma with an apron in the kitchen and a small hankie in the pocket of that apron.  In the hankie was a small round box of snuff. Close by was her coffee can (we won’t talk about that).  She had a quilting frame hanging from the ceiling and a sewing basket was always nearby.  She sat in “her chair”, sometimes with her feet propped up, always with a hankie in her pocket or sitting in her lap.

It was white, most of the time. Sometimes it had lace, or ruffles, sometimes it was thin and transparent. Sometimes it appeared to be more of a face cloth.  But, ALWAYS a hankie on her person.

On the other side of town, Great Granny (other side of the family) rocked in her chair on the braided rug. She died when I was about 9, so my memories of her are not as complete.  She cooked, sewed (in fact she smocked our dresses), and could tell good stories when she wanted us to take a rest on her big bed with the chenille bedspread and tufted pillows. She always wore an apron (hankie inside the pocket).

Mom gave me Great Granny’s apron when I started my Hope Chest, at 16.  It was the first item to go in! It hangs proudly in my laundry room on a faux clothesline.  The pocket has clothes pins in it, a safety pin through it and a hankie peeking out, of course.

Her hankies were printed, I know because I gave her some for Christmas. It was a box of three! I wanted to buy them because I saw her using Grandpa’s handkerchief once and it seemed so big in her tiny hands.  I was so proud to give her that gift. Mom let me deliver the Avon brochures to earn the $.75 it cost to purchase that box with the cellophane lid.

Her daughter in law, my Granny, used elegant hankies. Her’s were more costly, I supposed,  and fancy, as she was the first woman in our family to become a business woman. She was very fashionable, could design clothing and then sew them for the public.  She mixed face powder downtown in her regular job and later took up bowling tournaments to win a little on the side. She finally landed in Real Estate, joining the Million Dollar Circle when I was 14.  She pinned her hankie to her dress with a sweet brooch in the 30’s, kept one in her bowling bag at all times and I found one folded neatly inside her Bible when I was a child sitting in church. She used her beautiful hankie to wipe my mouth clean of the Ruby Shock red lipstick from mom’s Avon box when she came for a visit. And in her 90’s, she kept one in her hand or pocket to wipe her eyes as age related Macular Degeneration slowly and viciously stole the vision from her soft blue eyes.

My mother used hankies many times through the years. She tied my lunch money in them (until it became fashionable to use socks) and pinned it to my dress. She embroidered initials and sweet little flowers on the corners of some for gifts to give. She made dolls from them and we used them once for Halloween ghosts. She pinned one across the v-neck of my sweater for modesty when I was 12. And once, she lost a lot of weight during an illness and her wedding ring fell off. I watched as she tied her treasured black-hills gold band to a hankie and then tied it to her bra inside her work uniform.

When I was 18, mom really didn’t want me to marry.  But sadly, she participated with a smile and a hankie. Her mother, my Grandma, had given her a beautiful blue hankie with small pink flowers on the corner and a white edge. Grandma didn’t get dressed up to go anywhere anymore and this was a fancy, sheer hankie – made for a special occasion. Mom tied it to my bouquet so I would have all the generations of love with me. I kept it in my wedding journal with the pictures neatly pressed with the dried boutonniere  worn by my dad. Later, I tied that same hankie to my daughters bouquet in order to send generations of love down the aisle with her.  I made a baby cap with some purchased hankies for my granddaughter and my friends daughter and made hankies for work peers as gifts, back when I could sew. For a long time, I kept a hankie in my Bible, like Granny.  It came in handy with small children, emotional moments and emergency spills.

My friend, Rita, slipped a hankie in a card when my mother died. I was surprised to find it there and appreciated it at that moment.  I used it for months as her absence became more and more real.  What a lovely gesture of thoughtfulness. That one measure of kindness has added comfort to my life so many times. The same hankie comforted me as I bid farewell to my sister and a few good friends since then.  I used it when I was nervous, when I was sad, and when I was afraid. It’s like the tears in that hankie brought strength when I needed it most.

Yesterday, while cleaning a buffet drawer, I came across a stack of hankies. The fabrics are all different, some are printed and not, lacy and plain.  They are everyday hankies that were owned by some great women. I started collecting them as the powerful and loving women in my life left the earth. Today, I washed them fresh and pressed them (yes, with an iron) and made them ready to give someone else comfort. I hope the new owners will feel comforted by the generations of love carried within the tear-filled and lipstick- stained threads of the women who came before me- full of love, faith and determination.  My heritage.

I think it’s time these treasured hankies get back to work, don’t you agree?

It’s Been Awhile

I’ve never taken a month off in my life!  This was a first.

No writing, no recruiting for my direct sales endeavors, no creating posts or following up. No phone calls for orders (I just took what came in and felt grateful), no suggesting new products or looking for new affiliates. No cooking or dishes, no yard work.

I didn’t even enter my office.

The laptop was more of a dust-top!

So, how did I spend that valuable time?  We took a little 10 day road trip, then a smaller 3 day road trip and then…  we did whatever the day brought.  

Studies have long suggested that vacationing was good for productivity, creativity, employee morale and our overall health.  Many workers still don’t take vacation due to work constraints or finances.

In our case, Honey was physically worn out and needed to just lay around and let his muscles recoup. After years of physically carrying his day to day load, walking more than 7 miles with it and the time pressures of completing his daily rounds successfully, he was tired, sore and finally required hip surgery. These days, those same workers drive that 7+ miles and work in clusters. I guess it took the old guys time to get to the decision influencing level to save those following in their footsteps.

Later, workload didn’t keep me from going on vacation, it kept me from taking time to plan a vacation. We would choose the date in January and then, months later, the appointed day would appear and nothing would be in place to make it a good, quality release. So short “vacays” or combining vacation days with other events became the norm.  I’m here to tell you that those are just not the same as the last month we took off and were spontaneous most of the month.

We are not big travelers. Airlines have their share of issues these days and the airports are so crowded. There are just too many people around for us.  We don’t live off the grid, but my children would tell you we are in the middle of nowhere.  We like our peaceful surroundings, trees, no traffic (about 6 cars a day)… so traveling to big cities, in airports, train stations, etc. have no appeal.  Been there. Done that. It was fun.

We like to drive.  We like to be close enough to see the mountains, the trees, the animals, the local restaurants, the artisans and walk around small town streets.  I like visiting local museums, playing with grandchildren, cooking with my daughters and swimming alone.  He likes sleeping late, hotel waffles and looking at old stuff.  If we could figure out how to travel with both dogs, we would be in heaven.  Leaving them overnight, much less 10 nights, takes planning! And not worrying about them while we are gone uses up half the time of the “no stress” theme. They are so spoiled, boarding just won’t work. Besides, they always stink when they get home.

The dogs are big and what I call, yard-dogs.  They are mixed up breeds, sweet, affectionate and loud.  We didn’t train them to walk on a leash or socialize them (because that wasn’t a thing in our rural home), and they really like running in and outside all day. We won’t be traveling with them anytime soon.  They think the only time you get in the car is to go to the vet for shots and pedi’s.  Walks down the oil top road are familiar routes and don’t require leashes that keep control.

We planned half this vacation. I put my direct sales business,  Avon  on auto and we hired our friend to come each morning to feed the dogs, give them access to the yard and play with them for a bit. Then, our daughter stopped by each day to rub on them and hand out the treats. Our friend returned again and locked them up for the night because in the pasture and woods there are coyotes and now, a lingering bobcat.  See what I mean, it takes planning.

For my direct sales businesses, (retired doesn’t mean dead) I used Hootsuite.com to schedule all the posts on the pages and groups, packed note pads and copies of brochures to have at my fingertips.  I notified everyone that we would be on vacation, left them the website addresses and promised them a treat if they placed orders on the website during my absence. These businesses, can run automatically because they can use technology to get service and I’ll still earn a bit. I just need to work ahead.  Knowing that everyone is taken care of makes leaving for a few days, quite easy.  The few messages I received on my phone were forwarded to my lovely daughter for handling.  She was able to fill some emergency orders (gifts) from my very limited inventory and enter a few orders for non-techy customers in the Avon app, so I could complete it when I arrived home.

A couple things came up (with the dogs) during our half-planning that made us delay our trip by a week. But, when you are driving and retired, a week is nada!

Finally! The day has arrived.  Did we get up all energetic and ready to go?  No… we slept late, ran some errands, had lunch with friends and left at 5:30 pm on a half planned 3,000 mile road trip! No reservations, just the gps app and an end goal.  First stop… Ft. Worth (3 hours), to drop off my favorite living plant. Daughters-in-love are grand, especially when they have a green thumb!

No stress, no mess, ready to drive. Looking for mountains and grandchildren out west.

 

 

 

Student Fundraising Ideas

Student projects require money!  Teaching those community service lessons and conducting awe-inspiring projects that leave students feeling gifted, talented, worthy, empathy for others, excitement at their accomplishments, joyful about their successful teamwork and so much more… requires both funds and commitment!

---

Here’s a list of ideas for your fundraising:

Daddy-Daughter Dances (students sell tickets, decorate, entertain, serve)

Banquets (students sell tickets, decorate, cook, serve, entertain)

Car Washes (always fun!  In some areas, water resources must be considered)

Product Selling (try to sell products people need, not overpriced, unhealthy items)

Facebook Art Show (local artists contribute work to be featured on an event page, buyers can choose and donate to purchase the virtual work)

Helping Others While Earning  (students do the work for the community project and earn while completing the project. Funds can be used for the next project or to more fully support the project)

Candy Sales (um, yeah… we all buy it, but don’t you really hate spending money on that yummy stuff)

Booth Sales (stage a booth to sell donated items from businesses, or sell tickets to draw for those prizes at a local fair or event. )

Cookbook Sales (collect the recipes, publish and sell… host a dinner to sell the books!)

Dress Up Days (encourage businesses to allow employees to wear school colors on Friday in exchange for a donation to your cause)

Cookie Sale – bake cookies and sell outside local businesses. (Be sure to give the owner a special batch all their own) Consider including a copy of the recipe with the cookie so the buyer knows exactly which ingredients are included.  This is best if there are only 2 or 3 recipes and everyone bakes from those with no changes.

Penny Line… invite students, teachers, friends, community to add a penny to the line on a specific day.  Start your line with gathered pennies at the 50 yard line on the football field and snake it through the yard lines for max effect.  Consider “flagging” at the $100.00 marker.

Change Jars – Ask local business owners to allow your organization to place decorated jars near the checkout and collect the customers coin change for your project.

Rent-a-kid –  Have participants sign up to perform “jobs” for donations.  (Of course, this must be well supervised and it works best when the students are matched with their “job” of choice)  Consider working in pairs.

Walk-a-thon’s –  Have students acquire pledges of donations-per-mile. Keep accurate records and don’t forget the thank you notes!

---

Whichever choice you make for your fundraising project, keep good records! It’s important to have contact information at the close of the event, for next year.  Jot down a few notes to remind the team of the willing volunteers, the names and numbers of those who seemed to be extra supportive (may want to join your team), any problems that need solving before next time and the total amounts raised, spent and donated. Ask those involved to suggest changes for the next event.

Photo Credit ashley-van-dyke-59332-unsplash

Take lots of pictures.  Parents, school boards, regional chapters, teachers, school news, local news and the students will want to remember the day they learned how it can be fun and fulfilling to give back to the community.  You may even want to use those pictures when planning the next event.

Use Social Media!  If you are in a small town or a large city,  the communication can sometimes be a little late in coming or get lost in a busy world. Social media is instant… but remember… never put anything on social media you are not willing to share with your grandmother!  ANYTHING you put on social media is there forever!  Be articulate,  planned and thoughtful.  Review each meme and each paragraph for appropriate wording.  Remind students not to be too casual. Think about the photos you are posting… get permission! Never post someone’s picture without their permission (it’s polite, thoughtful and some say a legal preventative).

ENLIST the assistance of those in your community who are fundraisers. You know who they are.  Everyone has a talent and fundraisers are special people who are very organized, well composed under pressure, and knowledgeable about the community needs and resources.   If they buy into your cause, they will likely open doors for you or send you down the correct path, saving lots of time and increasing your success!

Finally, choose your method of raising money wisely.  Be considerate of your “customers” when choosing to sell products.  Some supporters would prefer to make a donation rather than purchase over priced, unneeded items, just to be apart of your project.  Your customers would love saving money, purchasing products they can use for their family and home. Choose with your customers needs in mind.  Choosing to sell products that are too heavy for students to deliver will cause issues at delivery time.  Choose with students in mind.  Products that must stay frozen will cause issues with mom and dad.  Choose with the parents in mind. Finally, selling too many different items will cause everyone lots of stress. Keep it simple. And fun! And profitable – for your community and students!

Cucumber Smile

I love things that are impromptu and special, don’t you?

Like an unintended event that caused two friends to have time together – unplanned and totally unique?

I had a day like that recently and it turned out to be a fun day filled with surprises.

The original plan for the day was to clean out two drawers (it’s a process), cook a new recipe, try to sit and write something personal, bathe the dog and trade my rental car for another.

Instead, I found myself getting dressed quickly, lunch at a new restaurant with my friend, a walk about town (complete with a tad of networking) and a new discovery.  I didn’t get the car returned, but I did make the phone call.  There’s always tomorrow, right?

So, about the discovery.

Beautiful produce from the Farmer’s Wife in Mt Pleasant, TX.  An impromptu smile!

I have a wonderful reputation for NOT cooking much. When I have, over the last 10 or 25 years, there hasn’t been much to brag about. Instead, I’ve entertained quite a few with my screw ups.  We’ve laughed over ingredient subs (because we lived 8 miles from town) that didn’t work, ingredients left out, burning biscuits, gray dressing and I could just go on and on.

So much so, that when the covered dish dinners were planned, everyone told the hubs what to bring and suggested I might bring the ice, tea, paper goods, plastic ware, etc.  It worked for me!

Now, things are different.  It’s part of my adjustment to not working … some call it retirement, some call it unemployed.  I call it a new season.  So lately, I’ve focused my energies on cooking healthy meals, eating at home, trying new things and resurrecting the meals I used to cook “before”.   I still choose to stay away from the Oatmeal Cookies… so humiliating.

So back to my day.

While walking around town, we ventured into a few little shops. Adorable. My favorite was the Farmer’s Wife. An indoor, air conditioned (thank you) sweet little produce market complete with a selection of wines, beers and healthy treats.  Veggies everywhere, a just-right mix and amount for a cute little market.

Alexia and her trainee were so welcoming and knowledgeable… making the shopping experience very personal and pleasant.

The owner is so knowledgeable about her family-farm produce that I just couldn’t keep up with it all. My mental notes were not clicking. I was too relaxed and enjoying my friend.  I zeroed in on this beautiful pale green, velvety cucumber… as long as my arm!  Honestly, it was smiling at me. It was beautiful and I was amazed at how heavy it was. She told me all about it, and I forgot it’s name. Her description was perfect  and I felt an urge to give into the tempation. I couldn’t imagine what I’d do with a cucumber that large.  But I had to have one.  I grabbed two of the cleanest yellow squash I’ve ever bought and knew this was going to be an interesting evening.

So, first let me say… next time, I’ll buy this one on the way to the car… not on the way to shopping! It’s big enough to make a difference. Like I said, it was an impromptu day.

Once I got home with my cuke, I had to decide what to do with it. It wouldn’t fit in the refrigerator. Had I forgotten there are only two of us now and neither of us eats too many cucumbers?  I immediately photographed it and text the pictures to my very best foodie friends.  I guess I’ve had my head in the sand, because they knew exactly what it was.  I’m even more excited now.

I cut the tip off and it’s more solid in the middle. The seeds are so tiny around the outside of the slices.  I cut about 10 slices and proceeded to gather some ingredients I remember mama using on her cucumbers.  Olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, parsley, cherry tomatoes, purple onion slices and how beautiful it looked.  I added a little kale and spinach under it, tossed it all together and there ya go!  Not the new recipe I had planned for tonight, but a new recipe I remembered from my childhood.  I don’t know if I ever really made it myself, but I can just picture her doing it now. Her hands were just like mine are now.  I remember the way she sliced the cucumbers (she sliced two at a time).  I remember her washing the onion after she peeled it. I remember how she covered the vinegar bottle opening with her thumb to let the proper amount drizzle out all over every single slice. Mama loved cucumbers.  Into the frig for about 20 minutes and I just couldn’t wait any longer.

Yummy cucumber, cherry tomatoes, purple onion slices mixed with olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Check out the huge cuke leftovers! I need a bigger family!

Well, the texture was a little different.  The slices were crisp and the fresh fragrance was “melony”.  I think I added a little too much vinegar but I can adjust that next time, after all I have plenty.  After cutting 10 slices, it still looks whole.

So, any covered dish dinners coming up? I’ll donate a cucumber salad for your event. Ha!  I’m off to grab my computer and research some cucumber recipes. I have lots to use and it’s so tasty, I don’t want to miss it.

Sometimes our plans are just that… our plans.  I love it the way God makes us see that ours are not necessarily His.  Beginning with the ‘unintentional’ and ending with a beautiful day of friendship and the gift of sharing a new discovery with my family and willing friends, the day was way more successful than I could have ever hoped.  Remember, it’s about living better!

Feel free to share your impromptu moments below. I’d love to read them.

As for tomorrow?  Bring on the impromptu!