Mailing List

I got my first "please remove me from your mailing list" email. Uggh. So soon?! I've only sent out three or four emails in total! Geesh! And now, the first born who doesn't like to let people down, is gonna go pout about that for three or eight days. I should probably go eat some worms too. Geesh! Remove me from your mailing list. Whatever did I do to elicit that?! Uggh. And really, why can't "we" please everyone? I dunno, but seem to think I should just keep tryin'!

I hope they make worms chocolate covered...............

Funerals :o)

OK...just thought I would add a little drama for affect. I had yet another (two actually) of my wonderful friends come to the bakery today for the first time. It touches my heart so much that all of these people that love me come out of their way to support my endeavor like this -- and the list is LONG! I am so blessed.

I told my husband today that I think this is like practice for my funeral - you know, to see who would all be there. He said he would prefer to think of it as being like a class reunion.

He's so smart. :o)

My Head May Not Fit!

Through the front door that is! I received two of the nicest compliments today. And what a blessing they were! The first was from a couple that came into my bakery for the exclusive purpose of telling me that the Pecan Pie I made for their Thanksgiving was (wait for it.....) "THE best they have ever had".

Is it wrong that it made me tear up? It did. How nice was that compliment and how (even nicer) was it that they came to the bakery specifically to tell me that? I'm still welling up just thinking about it!

The second was from a new customer that I just adore. She and her son came in this morning before going shopping and she posted such a lovely comment on my Facebook page (Sally's page that is).

To go out of their way to pass along such kind words. What a day of blessings I've had!

Most Thankful

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving -- literally, Thanks to be Given. And I am. Sooo thankful. I have all these new people in my life who come into my little bakery and raise it up, support it, tell others about it. I am so thankful for them. For without them, I would have to answer differently to the (no less than) 1/2 dozen or so people who walk into my bakery with their head cocked to the side slightly (after all, we are in a recession and what was I thinking putting a new business in this tiny little town of like 46 people) and say "so how's it going?". And in my honest and truly authentic deflection, I answer, "Fantastically". (huh...they did not see that coming!) :o)

Fantastically. And I'm thankful.

On Facebook tonight, my post was not what my special breads are going to be. I said a simple prayer to God thanking him for all the wonderful customers that come in day after day and raise up my sweet little bakery with their great energy....those are the folks that don't ask "how it's going"...cuz they know. They unequivocally know. Fantastically. This little bakery is fully surrounded by great people who love being sassy with us, who love being authentic with us, who know when I screw up and who congratulate me when I don't and who, day after day, choose to indulge a little.

So, on this, our first holiday baking season, I am thankful. I am thankful for the four pumpkin pies, four pecan pies, two french silk pies, four apple pies, eight pumpkin tortes, and nearly 50 dozen rolls (each made by and rolled by hand)...and I'm also thankful for the six dozen rolls that didn't work so too pretty good (we'll just call those bread crumbs for Christmas stuffings!) and I'm thankful for two really, really long days that are over and our first very successful day of the official start of baking season.

Funny...feels like baking season started, oh, about three months ago...but what do I know, really?

Adoration

I have this couple that comes in every week...sometimes 3 times per week -- no really! I'm in love with this couple. Deeply in love! I can not wait to see them every week. I can't wait to make a fresh pot of coffee when they walk in. I can't wait to bask in their love.

They are simply the most beautiful couple I have ever seen and I only first learned their names just this week (though they've been regulars since the beginning)! They are simply love. Dave and CeeCee (sp?) have been married for 37 years (just ask her, but not Dave!). And I would have guessed seven. Not 37...just 7. They seem to be literally basking in adoration for each other and she seems to be the most gentle creature God ever created and he is simply joy filled and cherishes his CeeCee.

They come in about a half hour before she needs to leave for work. Dave usually orders first and usually they each get two things and a cup of coffee. They don't ask me how many calories are in it or if it is loaded with fat, they just order what they want and usually they want a couple of things. And they sit at our tables and yell over to me (so I can hear over the oven), while I'm baking, about how good what they are having is and ask me all sorts of fun questions about it (like what's in it, how long does it take to make, etc.). But never, not ever, do they ask me anything about the calories or fat in it. They simply enjoy it. And they enjoy each other while they are enjoying their breakfast and coffee. Usually Dave and CeeCee get another cup of coffee to savor for the balance of their visit. A few more compliments (and moans from Dave) :o) are paid to me and sometimes we even talk about "life" together -- them at "their" table and me at my baking table.

And the entire time they are in my bakery, they are smiling. Soft, gentle, simple, real smiles. For their love for each other, for their love of all things tasty, for the sun flooding the window they sit in front of, but mostly because they, themselves, are love.

I've decided that I want to "be" Dave and CeeCee as I age gracefully with my husband. I want to enjoy moments of life without making up stories about how bad it is for me or will kill me earlier. I want to appreciate the joy of a sun filled room simply because I am there and in good and kind company. And I want to be simple. And I want to be love.

Stuffed Croissants

OK -- They're finally here! I am finally able to offer a stuffed croissant at the bakery! I know they are over the top bad for you, so I say, don't have them everyday!

Our top seller at the bakery has definitely been our baked donuts, which in contrast, are relatively "light". But there is something totally and completely indulgent about allowing oneself to rip open, ever so lightly, a croissant filled with all things decadent. Simply scrumptious! And I'm starting out with a bang for our introduction -- Dark Chocolate filled and Apple Cinnamon filled. Oh my -- I may even be tempted tomorrow to "test" one!

I baked a ton today. I made an Apple Walnut Caramel Pie, 2 Turtle Pies, Cheesecake cupcakes in chocolate and pumpkin, Caramel Apple Pecan Bars, Palmiers and more! My goodness! I soooo love good days at the bakery!! And I took a bunch of orders for Thanksgiving. How fun is my job?! :o)

OK...you win! :o)

Well you win. Fine. From now on, Sally's will be open at 8:00 am on weekends. Hope you're happy! :o)

Actually, I've been opening at 8:00 for the last month and it's been working out just fine! So, our weekend hours will officially be from 8-noon on Saturdays and Sundays. I hope you're ready to say "Good Morning Sunshine" just a little earlier! I know I am!!

On a side bar note...our mailing list customers have officially been given first dibs at ordering Christmas cookies. Are you on our mailing list?

Follow up to the "bad" weekend

Wanted to tell you all that I received one of the nicest thank you cards I've ever received from the bride of the wedding cake I made during the infamous "bad" weekend. She wrote to thank me and to tell me it was the most "amazing, delicious, beautiful cake that she had ever seen/eaten"!

Huh...gonna need to pull out that card if I ever have one of "those" weekends again! :o)

I'll Take Everything...

"I'll take everything you have on this counter, from here to here."

What?

I said, I'll take everything you have on this counter, from this point to this point.

Really?

Yes. No, really? Yes.
OK, you're not just doing one of those "I'll take one of everything" comments?

No, I'm really not. No, he's serious (says his wife).

Well, ok, then, let me get a bigger box.
And they wonder why this "predict what you're gonna sell in the bakery today" gig is so difficult.

I don't wonder. True story. :o)

New Beginnings

It's a new week and I am letting last weekend go. Yesterday, a typically slower than molasses day in the bakery (which I don't mind because I get a chance to actually BAKE stuff), blew me out of the water! It was the third busiest day ever and I couldn't keep up no matter what I did. And, I should have known better cuz the voters vote in the Town Hall just across the street were out to send a message and apparently to buy bread and sweet rolls and anything else I could make fast enough! Holy Ma'an!


Then today, I got an email from the bride of the wedding cake from this past weekend. She said, "the cake was perfect...beautiful, delicious, amazing." I wish I could kiss her right now! Actually, I wish I could hug her. Made my night...heck, made my week! I don't do many wedding cakes anymore, but to make one that the bride thought was perfect? What more is there?


And simple things made my day too. I made, and I know you are going to laugh, the BEST BEST BEST Rice Krispie Treats (today) that I have ever, ever, ever had. Frankly, I think the original recipe stinks, so I tweaked it...a lot...and I gotta say -- they are absolutely worth you revisiting. Simple, I know, but we all like them for a reason and I always like to have a gluten free option for customers. Gluten free or not, they are Fab!


I'm also going to be introducing a Cookies & Cream torte this week. I made one for my church cake walk last weekend and did a little more experimenting and I think it is sooo fun and fantastic! It's like an Oreo all gourmet'd up and soft and moist and super duper creamy!


Hmmmm...suddenly, I'm hungry for dessert!

What you fear, you attract -- YUCK!

My biggest fear, as many of you already know, is fish. But besides that, it is the fear of disappointing people. So overwhelming is this "fear", that it has ruled much of my life (but let's not get into first marriages here!) :o)

Well, "it" strikes again. In my fear of disappointing people, I took on way too much for my little bakery so soon on it's development. The worst part is that I KNEW that I couldn't handle anything more and wasn't even sure how I was gonna get all of "this" done. I knew, but didn't want to say "no".

What you fear you attract.

I made a lot of mistakes this weekend in my attempt to please everyone. And in doing so, I did exactly what I fear -- I let people down. Darn it all.

Stuff and fluff.
Rats.
Poo.

Dear God, thank you for the lessons that mistakes teach us.

We pray in our family. Each night, we pray in thanksgiving to God for what we are thankful for that day. Sunday night, I was thankful that the weekend was over (did I just say that out loud?), I was thankful for incredible growth, I was thankful for all my talents given to me, and I was thankful for mistakes.

For, as I say to my daughter Gracey...in life there are no mistakes, only lessons.

I can't wait for school to be over! :o)