Team Names

     So I heard on the news this morning that there is going to be a large group of people protesting the Washington Redskins game this weekend.  You know, because of their controversial name.  Oh boy, I need to get on a soapbox just for a minute.  What if all of the bluejays in Toronto suddenly swarmed the stadium like something in Hitchcock movie?   Or how about those Chicago Bears?  That could get ugly!   Just be glad all of the Cowboys in Dallas aren't on a rampage!   Seriously,  what are we supposed to name our teams?      Come on people, the world has enough real problems to keep us busy.  Let's move on.


     I also heard on the news that Amazon is gearing up for Christmas a little early this year.  That is fine.  But please, let me encourage you to visit your locally owned businesses during this holiday season.  Save some time for us.  We have great merchandise, personalized service and we are part of your community.  I hope to see you soon!!! 

   Please allow me to introduce you to the newest member of our Vineyard's staff.    Mallory Allen.

       Isn't she cute?    Mallory is from Florence, Alabama and graduated from Union with a degree in Graphic Design.  She was destined to work at Vineyard's because she came in just to shop and left with a job lined up!    We found out a little about her background and then realized that she had childcare the exact two days we needed someone.  Ann Marie had just left for her teaching position so we needed someone else to print invitations.  Voila, Mallory!

     Mallory met her husband, Josh, when they were interning at Englewood Baptist.   He is from Memphis but also graduated from Union.  Josh still works at Englewood as the Senior High Youth Minister.   Mallory is here on Tuesdays and            e  Thursdays while young Jake is at Mother's Day Out.  She is great with the printing assignments and also (her misfortune ) has to help the more senior associates with the computer.   We are so happy to have her and hope to capitalize on her many talents even more in the future!

What a sweet family!!!     Mallory and Jake are playing peekaboo at The Pumpkin Patch ..... 

Debbie

   Meet Debbie.

    Debbie has worked here several years now and has the most glamorous position at Vineyard's.  She gets to unpack boxes and listen to my bad attitude and go to the dumpster.   If you need forty 'leven  Christmas ornaments unpacked, priced, tagged and then arranged back in the box ---  she is your man.  If you need someone to call a vendor and curse at their customer service rep just let Debbie know.  She can handle it!!!
If a customer's order just never seems to arrive and someone has to speak to them on the phone yet one more time let Debbie do it.  She doesn't mind.

                                                                          

     Truthfully, I have never heard an unkind word spoken by Debbie.  She is unfailingly cheerful, polite and helpful.   We are kind of old dogs down here trying to keep up with technology and she not only is a good sport about it she seems to enjoy the challenge.  I really appreciate all that she does to keep us running and I cannot imagine how I got along without her.  She has two very handsome sons, a lovely daughter in law, a precious new granddaughter and a sweet husband.   She works on Tuesdays and Thursdays so if you call the store on those days and hear a really sweet voice on the phone it is Debbie!  Watch out though, you can't believe a word she says!

     Debbie hard at work entering new merchandise into our inventory .   She is probably thinking, " Who ordered all this stuff anyway?"

     Precious new baby Virginia.  Let's hope she grows up to be just like her grandmother!





                                                     
                                                          THANK YOU, DEBBIE

Uncle Sam's Directions

     When my Uncle Sam gave you street directions he would throw his head back, close his eyes so he could better visualize the lay of the land, and then the conversation would go something like this:  "Well, let's see --- now, you need to go south on the highway until you come to the old Wilson farm, then you turn right on that low road that runs along beside it.   When you see the field on the left where the old Baptist church used to be you need to take that road that angles off to the right and go on until you come to the orchard --- that used to be part of the Hooligan farm but I believe their third boy sold it to the Harton family, anyway just past the orchard turn on the high road that runs off to your right and you will see the entrance.  Then you are there!!!

     You think I am kidding, but I am not.  Furthermore, I always enjoyed Uncle Sam's directions and   I love the charm of old road names.  They are descriptive and  inviting.  Who could resist a trip down Lickskillet Road?   I can entertain myself   for hours riding around reading old street names.  On a recent trip to the mountains I persuaded my husband to turn around and let me get pictures of some real doosies so I could share them with you.  Regrettably,  I did not get to photograph Bee Tree Road.  I would like to have been there the day that one was named!

                       
     When I got back from the trip I looked at some of my vendors' addresses for comparison.  Mary Rose Young, a British artist, has a charming address:  Oak House
                                                Arthur's Folly
                                                Parkend, Lyndney

Jars (a china line) has a nice address, also.   Theirs is 65 Pondfield Road and Blenko Glass Company is Fairgrounds Road.  Bernardaud China Company has particularly glamorous sounding address:  499 Park Avenue at 5th.   Ooh la la!!!  Lovely china, lovely address.

     Compare these to 5 Corporate Drive and many Post Office Box numbers.  But, the winner of the worst address of all is 32501 Collections Drive.  Yes, I really do send checks to that address.  I shall not name the company to avoid embarrassment                                                                     for them.

     My point is this :  in our dot com society I sincerely hope we do not throw out the baby with the bath water.  Yes, Vineyard's has a website now,  we have a blog, we are on Facebook and we are trying to get Instagram up to snuff but what I really hope is that people will come into our shop.  Smell our candles, pick up the merchandise, feel the texture and the weight of an item.  Chat with us and let us know how you are doing and if we can help you with a gift or  some stationery.   Escape for a while in Vineyard's.  Our address is 31-F Wiley Parker Road.  That does not sound particularly charming but I was pleased to learn that Wiley Parker was a real person.  I believe he owned a store!