Takin' Care of Business...

WHEW! What a DAY!

First, I went to Flower Acres Baptist Church today to get much needed produce they were giving away. The Harvest Food Bank ships produce to various places around the area to be picked up by those who could use it. When Farmers have produce they can't sell commercially for whatever reason (too thick, too thin, too big, too small) rather than waste it, they let the food banks have it for the needy. Some of it may be day old apples (still good, just didn't sell) etc. I got a whole box of them today...(as well as cabbage, white onions, LOTS of potatoes and a box of plums and 2 small watermelons and about a 50 lb bag of carrots.

I went to three different houses to distribute my over-abundance to people who I knew needed it badly. I still ended up with a WHOLE lot to store back.

Then, I went to make a delivery of Avon. On the way, I took a $30 order from a previous customer who called me. Then, I made my delivery. I collected the money and gave the customer some of the carrots and apples I still had a lot of.

Then, I came home, unloaded my car, then took off to make another big delivery.

After collecting the money, I decided to splurge and buy a $5.00 Roast for the crock pot. We haven't had real meat for a few days and I am ready for some protein in my body. With the carrots, onions and potatoes, I'm going to feast!

Also, I hadn't even had a glass of tea today, so I was suffering. LOL.

When I finally sat down with my glass of tea, after running all day, I received another order for Avon, bringing my order total to over $200 so far for this campaign!

I haven't even started making call-backs yet! And, I didn't do some of what I wanted to get accomplished today because I didn't have time. There is always tomorrow...

My day has been blessed!

Avon at the Produce Line

Hello, World!

While I am trying to get my Avon Business to build up, I am taking advantage of any opportunity to save money on food and supplies.

Flower Acres Baptist Church gives away free produce to the public on every 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month. The line of cars is long and I usually go prepared to sit and wait in my car about 2 to 3 hours as we slowly make our way up the line for them to fill our trunks with produce.

We never know what we are going to get, but you can bet that whatever we get will be a lot!

Today, I received 4 bags of onions, 2 cartons of strawberries 5 packages of celery, 6 heads of iceberg lettuce, 3 heads of Romaine Lettuce, a bag of Apples, 2 coconuts and 8 bags of grapes.

While I sat in the hot car waiting for the line to move up, I took advantage of the time I had to label all the Avon books I had with me in the car. I had to get out of my car a couple of times to move books from the back seat to the front, then back again as they were labeled.

A lady across the street saw me. She came over to my car and asked, "Are you selling Avon?"

I said, "Yes, Ma'am!"

"Can I have a book?"

"Well of course you can!"

She took her book back across the road and started looking through it. Shortly, a lady got out of the car in front of me and came to my window.

"Was that an Avon book you just gave her?" she asked.

"Yes, Ma'am. Would you like one!"

"I sure would!"

I thought it was neat how I could just sit there in my car and customers gravitated to me. LOL

It is why I decided to sell Avon. The product sells itself. All it needs is an Avon label. It is so easy to gain Avon customers.

And, then, God showed up.

When I left the house today from New Boston, my gas tank was nearly on empty. I had $3.00 in my purse (and a check I hadn't cashed yet because it was post-dated...) So I was worried about what I was going to do to get home. While I sat there labeling my books, I contemplated trying to sell some of the perfumes I had in my back seat for some cash.

As I pulled out of the produce line, I called my mom who lives in Redwater and told her that I had some stuff for her. I always share my produce. I figured if I could make it there, I could borrow a few dollars for gas.

Then, my phone rang. It was a customer who lived near where I was who was ready for her delivery.

THANK YOU, JESUS!

I made the delivery, and left her with her Avon and a bag of onions and a head of lettuce. She gave me her money and told me to keep the change. I was happy (and so was she!)

Then, I went to a friend's house who was struggling, and I left her some onions, lettuce, cabbage and celery and grapes. She was happy.

Then, I got to thinking. My Avon order should be home by now. I got gas with the money my customer paid me and went home to unload my car and grab my mom's order.

I took her a coconut, some celery, lettuce, onions and grapes. She paid me for her Avon and was happy. She went on and on about how much she liked the Rare Pearls perfume she bought.

Then, as I drove back home, I remembered I promised a lady to stop by and show her my men's cologne collection that she was wanting to buy for her son. So when I got back to New Boston, I stopped by her home. She chose three items and set up an appointment for me to deliver it tomorrow, when she had the money.

I got home and put all my Avon in bags to get ready for delivery.

Tomorrow, I'll start making deliveries and call-backs for the next order to go in.

Whew! What a blessed day!

I hope yours is!

Produce and Productivity

This morning I woke up, bathed and dressed and headed out the door by 8:15 AM.

I set my table up at my Uncle John's and Aunt Stella's and labeled all my books as I waited.

There was shade under the tree where I was sitting, so it wasn't too hot. But, I didn't think the line was EVER going to form down the road. Finally, about 11:15 the line began to back up down Flower Acres Road.

As the cars waited, I began distributing my flyers and brochures to all the cars. I got a few sales, then, when the line disappeared, I had my Uncle John come watch my table while I hopped in my car to go get my produce at the church (the reason for all the cars).

I received a gigantic watermelon, about eight grocery bags full of packs of shell-less sunflower seeds, 8-5lb bags of potatoes. 2 sour cream in plastic containers, 1 bag of peaches, and a bushel of gigantic bananas.

I went back and packed up my table and then took my dad some produce, then took my mom some and visited with her for awhile.

Then, HOT and TIRED, I came home, got comfortable, fixed me a GIANT glass of Tea and sat in front of the computer with Fred, who is listening to his classic rock.

I am looking forward to resting the rest of the day.

I have decided not to set up any more tables until the weather cools down a bit.

Here's to the Farmer!

Hello, World!

Thursday was a big day for me. It is the day that I go to Texarkana and get free produce from Flower Acres Baptist Church. They get produce every two weeks to give out to the public. No income verification is needed. Harvest Texarkana provides the produce from farmers who have an abundance and if it is not given away, it rots. So, we are blessed.

When I get there, I have to get in line, in my car as each car goes through the line. Each car should have it's trunk open as it goes through the produce line, slowly, so the volunteers can pack it with what is portioned out to them. When the last volunteer places his produce in the trunk, he shuts the trunk and tells you to have a blessed day, and you drive off.

I never know what I get until I get home, but it is always worth it.

This time, I got 2 grocery bags full of pears, 2 grocery bags of oranges, a bag of potatoes, two grocery bags full of seranno peppers, two bags of carrots, a pint of milk, a plastic serving of butternut squash noodles, and two bundles of bananas and two gigantic cabbage heads.

I gave half to my mom and sister.

The other half, I am using to can orange marmalade, pear preserves, saurkraut, carrots (every way I can do it) and we ate the bananas.

I have cabbage in bags in my freezer, and carrots, too. I am also going to make some pepper jelly. I'm cutting the rest of the peppers up to put in quart bags and store in my freezer for cooking with later.

Last night, I did a big boo boo. I cut some peppers and bagged them and wiped the seeds off the cutting board and forgot about it. Then, I cut up a pear to munch on.

Don't ever do that. Wash the board. Trust me. I couldn't taste the pear, my mouth was burning so bad! It was an hour before it finally died down completely. LOL

Today I made the saurkraut.

Tomorrow I have to make a trip to a memorial for my Uncle Bobby who died in 1994. He was the only man in the history of my little town of New Boston, Texas who got elected to office after he died. The city is going to put a memorial for him in the city museum.

Then, I'm going to come home and make some pear preserves and cut up some carrots for storage.

Well, it's late. I've updated my website and played around with PTCs and Traffic Exchanges while watching TV long enough.

Have a blessed day! (Mine is!)