The Princess Diaries......con't

                 It must be another Monday!

            I had to leave early for a wholesale show....which meant I had to Bottle Feed the babies and water the big 'uns.
                                       IN THE DARK!
        After I fed the babies I had to go out back the barn about 25 feet to the water with my bucket. On the way back I tripped over a frozen bump and DOWN I went! Back the hydrant I go...... 
      Then I went over to the big corrals....OMG! Talk about a deep, deep, COWY mudpit!    On my way to the water tank I actually lost a boot in the muck! YUK!!!!
        I had to try to retieve it AND get it back on balancing on ONE FOOT in the DARK!!!!!   NEVER AGAIN>
                I say sell the cows and move to town......
              

HI! Some of these posts were moves my other blog....

    A few of these new posts were moves from http://www.prairieaire.areavoices.com/  to this site. The areavoices site focuses on North Dakota and Business primarily.  This site leans towards humor, business, common sense and country life.
   Thanks!
katy

SCORE a big hit!!!

NEED HELP????? Call your local SCORE chapter! SCORE stands for Service Corps of Retired Executives. This should be a must see site for anyone just starting a business. They offer everything from FREE business classes to templates you just fill out for business plans etc.
    FREE!!FREE!!FREE!! Free is good when you are a new business...SCORE is an all volunteer organization. It's made up of both working and retires businessmen, executives, CEOs and the like.  SCORE is a branch of the SBA. (Small Business Administration)
I can not stress enough what a great program SCORE is! It sure helped me out! When we bought our first restaruant in Cope, Colorado- I had no idea of what kinds of records to keep, what forms I needed to get my tax ID numbers, and no idea where to go once I did get the information. With just a phone call, the SCORE chapter in Denver became my one-stop-shop! I also even had  a mentor!

Katy & Vernon Keel

  Washington County is in the middle of the sand hills. A lot like Regan, ND! The WCED contacted SCORE and brought in a 'Mentor' to talk to the business community. We were shown how to have productive brainstorming, taught networking skills, (waaaaaaayyy back then, social media didn't even exist!), basic business planning, co-branding and other valuable information. I have used all I learned from SCORE repeatedly.

   Once I became at least somewhat computer literate, I was able to use the internet to take FREE business classes from both the SCORE and SBA sites. One of the best ones was record-keeping.

The Bismarck-Mandan SCORE # is 701-328-5861   The address is 700 E Main, Bismarck  

Minot SCORE # 701-852-6883
Rapid City, SD SCORE # 605-394-1707
    http://www.score.org/  offers FREE  online classes in Marketing your business, How to motivate employees, Financial planning for your new business, Social media how-to's and more.
   The SCORE site also has FREE templates for you to print off for Business plans, Financial planning, Start-up costs, Balance sheets, Bank loan requests, Sales projections, Cash flow, Profit & loss and many others that you may need along the way.

   SCORE has all sorts of information on grants (http://www.grants.gov/ is one), venture capital, small business loans etc. Please note-the SBA and SCORE do NOT give grants, they help you FIND them!

  One of the great things about SCORE is that with just a single phone call you can arrange to meet with a mentor personally for help. You can also have a mentor out to speak to your group...as a community round-table- Boy or Girl Scouts-Schools-business leaders- Whatever your needs...they will come. It's a really great feature!

  Bismarck-Mandan SCORE   http://www.bisman.scorechapter.org/

     http://www.sba.gov/ is another great site. The SBA has links for FREE online small business training, starting a business, financing your venture, business law and more. http://www.sba.gov/ also has a link to great site that focuses on small business resources from the IRS. Don't let the word IRS scare you off...it's just good information!

    Another good site for FREE  business classes is http://www.u.about.com/On this site you can learn at your own pace with classes in Powerpoint, writing computer programs, simple desktop publishing, basic business skills and much, much more.

   I hope this information helps somebody else! Good luck!

Katy

Think BEFORE You Speak!

             Think before you speak!!!! How many times have you heard that? Thankfully my recent social Faux Paux turned out ok.
      I attended a banquet with my husband given by one of his customers. The group was primarily men- all in the heavy-haul and big equipment industries. There were only a couple other women present and I'm pretty sure they were serving!
    Hubby says "I'll be right back-just going to go talk to that guy over there...." and leaves me there at the table alone with some man I haven't even been introduced to! After saying 'hello' and staring at each other and around the room for a few minutes, we both lapsed into an awkward silence.
    I don't know what came over me- after about 10 minutes, I elbowed the man and said "Check this out! Wanna see me pull my thumb off????" (I had noticed right off when he first sat down he was missing a thumb) That man about fell apart howling with laughter. Of course, everbody else wanted to know what was so dang funny.
    It just blurted out. And I just happened to luck out. I know how very badly that could have turned out. This gentleman said In all the years he knew any of these people, nobody had ever made any reference to it.
     Just the the same    THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK!!!!!
Katy

Sometimes you just have to leap!

                                                 And to hell with what anybody else says!

                     "You have nothing to fear but fear itself"  There has never been a truer saying.
     These are trying times. Fuel is skyrocketing, the cost of business is escalating and great chocolate is hard to come by in my neck of the woods!

    Really though- this is the PERFECT time to take a leap of faith and be your own boss. Because things in general are higher, more and more people are trying to shop closer to home. In the country this is especially true.

     Case in point;  The Country Corner ....home of Connie's Cowboy Cookies is going to officially take the plunge and open a storefront in Washburn this summer.  What started as a dream and allowed to grow with help from an employer (me) who encouraged Connie to develop & trademark several of her original cookies and bars, has morphed into a Olde-Tyme Country Store Concept.
      There is much nay-saying about all the reasons why it can't possibly work. It's in Washburn, cost of start-up, lack of available employees, and so on. Minor Inconveniences! I for one believe in the power of dreams. ( Along with a good dose of old fashioned perseverance) Connie has been promoting her goods at trade shows, by mail and word of mouth and has created quite a loyal following.

      Connie is a fabulous baker. And with more and more people returning to entertaining at home, the time is ripe! You will be able to go The Country Corner order your cakes, cookies & upscale deli trays for your parties. Along with being able to find just the right gift for the hard-to-shop-for. Everthing from Pride of Dakota Products to Custom Painted Flamingos. Cards, some antiques, interesting stemware and local wines, gift boxes and more. Stuff for the under-stuffed! Quilts, Biker accessories, Primitives, Flower Arrangements.....Mostly created by very talented locals. Don't want to eat your goodies at home? The Country Corner will have several eating areas within the store for you to enjoy coffee and treats!
     The Country Corner is a great concept who's time is NOW! Connie has finally come to a point of "if not now, when?"  Our area desprately needs a unique gift shop. It's getting harder and harder to obtain things locally.
     The Country Corner is a Pride of Dakota Member!
     Now is the time! Just leap! Believe in your self!
Katy

Don't Thumb Your Nose At The Waitress!!!!

                                          Do you dine out? I bet you do!

Most people aren't aware that wait staff and bartenders only make $4.86 an hour in North Dakota.  In Colorado that number is $2.19 an hour!

     Dealing with the public on a regular basis isn't the easiest way to earn a living.  And for four bucks an hour, it takes a special breed of person! So, Don't thumb your nose at the waitress!

   With the economy the way it is, your server feels it most of all. When you are pinched for cash you still eat/drink out. But the general population TIPS LESS than before. It seems that you still want the same service, same perky

friendly waitress you always get. But you are leaving less at the table!

       Then you actually wonder why the next time you are at that cafe, your waitress is not as friendly.

     

                Your server/waitress/bartender is just as stressed as you are about money. Probably more so. They are busting their rumps to make less. Sometimes, depending on where you work, tips and wages together are barely minimum wage. Try keeping a roof over your head on that!. Add that to the fact that 75% of restruants DO NOT offer health care, sick days or any other perks.

    These days, a great number of places are letting busboys, hostesses and cashiers go.  Add those chores to your regular duties. An employer is getting a heck of a lot of work out of a server for HALF PRICE!
         I am more than aware that some waitressess just suck. That aside, Most are working very hard to please you, and anticipate your wants and needs.
       You may have only had the buffet, but your server still brought and refilled your drinks, found you condiments, extra this and that, took your money, gave you directions to that store you can't find, bussed your table and more. Having the buffet doesn't mean you shouldn't tip at all.
     A waitress/bartender is many things. Some of their responsibilities include; accounts recievable & payable, marketing, quality control, janatorial , public relations and sales-along with what you 'see'. Your server is the front line of defense for the restruant. She/he is the first and last person you will generally have contact with.
       Please! Please! Please! Be considerate of your server! She makes LESS THAN YOU! And depends on tips to pay for the same things you do; a house payment, car, day-care, school etc.
      If you want to eat out that's great. But if you can't afford to leave something, DON'T EAT OUT! Maybe skip the pop at the table and leave your guy or gal a buck instead.
Katy

Only in North Dakota....

        I was at work today and we were talking amongst ourselves about current events in the UK. Thinking to 'test' one of the youngsters ...I sagely asked her "What does the UK stand for?" And she promptly said THE UKRAINE!....Only in North Dakota would that be an acceptable answer!
       Which brings us to my own son....We had quizzed him at the dinner table
                  Us:  Where do Germans live?
                  Him: Germany
                  Us: Where do the French live?
                  Him: France
                                                   and so on.......until.....
                 Us: Where do the polish live?
                               And bless his little heart- with all the disgust only a pre-teen can muster- he looked at me like I was born a mayonnaise farm and said-
                 Him: DDDDUUUUUHHHHH, the North Pole!
Katy

I can see DIRT!

      Finally!!!! I can see dirt!
A month or so ago I waded through hip high snow to my garden shed, chipped the door open, grabbed some pots & seeds and headed back to the house. FACE PLANT!  That totally sucked.
   But....I now have some very nice radishes ready to eat!
Every morning now when I go out to feed my little princesses, the sun is just peeking over the horizon and the geese are calling from the lake. It's very rewarding.
   When it's spring time on the farm, I truly can't imagine ever being anywhere else. But, boy...this winter...I was thinking about becoming a snowbird! Everyday!
    Today I will play tag with the princesses Sammi & Freddi, Brush my horse out and pick her feet, find a spot for the chicks and maybe ride my quad. That's about all I can do since I can't in the garden or work on my potting shed because of the snow on the ground. Maybe I'll quilt for awhile....
  Mama must go play.....

The Princess Diaries

    I am a colossal sucker!  Our neighboring farm also has cattle.....in the middle of the night they call over here and ask if we (meaning 'me') want a bottle baby. So, I said yes. And 'BULL-SHAVICH' came to live with us.
   Any one who really knows me, knows that nothing dies on my watch if it can be helped. This little calf really didn't stand a chance from the get-go, but  I babied, and cajoled this little calf anyway. But alas, to no avail.
   A couple days later the same farm calls again, would I like two more? Yes... Now we have the Princesses Sammy and Freddy. I am happy to report they are doing well. And they are SPOILED! They get 'mama' to talk to them, rub 'em and play with them like dogs. They follow me everywhere! It's like being the Pied-Piper....They even like to be read to. Mostly trashy romance and early American history......
   We keep a couple dozen cows here in the yard. Most of them are pets to me. Yes, I am aware we eat them. And I know they have to go to market if we're to make any money on them... We took some yearling to market in January. They all would come if you called them by name, and were very tame. After we had them at the livestock market, my husband unloaded them into a pen. I was in the cab of the truck and could hear my 'babies' crying and wondering 'what's happening????' I thought hubby was going to just die of embarrassment when I jumped out, and started talking to my babies and telling them it would all be OK and they were going to a new home with lot's of new friends and to be good Girlz and follow the nice man.
   They calmed right down and did what they were told. The yard man at the market was falling all over himself laughing, my hubby was bellowing for me to get in the truck.... I'm sure who was more traumatized, me or the Girlz!
      To be continued.......

Deer hunting with Elmer Fudd....

     If you're my age, you know who Elmer Fudd is and it doesn't need it's own explanation when you use the the name in a story....
     I was at a banquet the other night and the subject at our table turned to hunting stories. I told mine, at the end the youngest person at our table said "who's an Elmer Fudd?"   The rest of us really cracked up.
     Last year on Opening Day ( which is a school holiday in our area-no kidding!) of deer season, my husband thought it would be a swell idea to take me along. I don't hunt, but he seemed to think I cold be useful anyway.
     I dragged out my bibs and boots and proceeded to get myself ready. By the time I got my pants, extra socks, extra shirt, bibs, boots, huge buffalo coat and my babushka on, I had to go pee. Really bad! So...off it all comes, On it it all goes again.
   Looking back- I am actually surprised that by this point he hadn't already decided this was a bad idea.

    Off we go...We get to the section line and hop out of the truck. The snow is already three wires deep on the fence. My husband just steps right over the fence. (he's 6'4") I had to wiggle through it. (I'm 5'2 and a little on the fluffy side) The snow was really deep! Up to my thighs almost.

   Hubby was striding through the snow like no big deal. I was trying to use his foot prints to find my way. I was high stepping it with big exaggerated movements just like Elmer Fudd- He got up ahead of me about 20 yards, I lost may balance and went Whomp! in the snow face first! I had put my hands out to break my fall- bad move- the snow was really powdery and I went all the way down.

   So there I am wallowing around trying to get my feet back under me. I can't seem to get going because I have so many layers on. My husband turns around and glares at me...puts his finger to his lips and goes "SHHHHHHHH!"  Like I wanted to be face-planted in the snow????

    I managed to get up- then he looks and me and signals that I should walk around the other side of the field to scare the deer his way.
   There was definitely some signaling going on. I believe mine was more universal! I went back to the truck and waited for him..... Didn't take him long at that point to realize this was a bad idea.

Waitressing my way to the White House!

     I am seriously considering WAITRESSING my way to the White House. 

    

       For those of you who know me, you know this isn't just idle talk.That’s right, the big house on the hill. My goal is to prove you can get a job where ever you go. No matter what.

         I tend to get a little pissy (OK, maybe a lot pissy) when ever President Obama gets on the television and says WE the people need to find a way to provide more jobs for the unemployed.  I don’t really think it’s a matter of creating jobs, but more a matter of being willing to work at whatever job is at hand. As a small business owner my self, I resent that attitude that it’s only Tech or high paying industries that anybody wants.  Mr. Obama had a woman on TV once that said she couldn't find a job. It was implied that we need to find a way to creat a job for her. (and others like her that are out of work) My beef is; she could get a job if she really wanted one. It probably wouldn’t pay what she normally is used to, and might not be what she feels she is good at, but none the less–there are jobs out there. I personally feel it’s matter of survival of the fittest.
     Greed will keep you from getting what you want when you think you need it. A simple willingness to do whatever it takes, makes it possible to take the next step to getting back on track.
   I was taught that ‘any job was a good job, so long as it's a job well done and keeps a roof over your head’. My grandpa told me that. And it's as relevent today as it was in the 30's. What ever happened to pride in a job well done? Are we such a self-entitled people that we would rather lose our homes, than do a job that we might consider beneath us? I tell ‘ya what, I have taken some jobs that I maybe didn’t like or were way outside my comfort zone, but my kids were fed, warm and happy! And that was all that mattered at the time. Plenty of time while I slept to figure a way back out and to the top!
    Listening to the people around me, my own peers included, the general attitude seems to be ‘Why should I go be a clerk when I am a computer whiz?’  or ‘Why get off un-employment when I’m making more than a different job?’
How about PRIDE? Or SELF-RESPECT? Or how about setting a great example for your children to follow? We have plenty of friends who have been laid-off, and won’t even consider a different type of employment, that have the nerve to get pissy when their own kids refuse to get a job because it’s ‘not what they want’. Well, we all started somewhere! Our grand-parents and great-grandparents would be ASHAMED of us. They built this country into what it is with just their dreams and plain old hard work. How many of us have Grand-parents that walked (gasp!) miles just to be a day laborer during the depression???
     Let’s use the Hospitality industry as an example…..I am well aware that the first thing people think of when you mention restaurant work is a) fast food or b) bus-boy. That’s not the way it is. True story- I know a lady in Kansas that is upper-management at a KFC. After bonuses, matching 401k, salary and insurance benefits she makes over 100,000 A YEAR!  Managing and motivating people is the same whether you're in an office or in the trenches! It’s the perceived social stigma that goes with the food industry that makes some people too good to give it a whirl. I my self have waitressed off and on for years and have owned my own restaurants to boot.  Just working part-time at a truck stop you can easily top the 40,000+ mark a year. I know a lady in Longmont, CO that makes almost 200 bucks A DAY! in 6-8 hour shifts. That’s way more than most people I know make regularly. Not to mention the personal freedom that comes with work in hospitality. It’s an industry that favors the worker. Yea, sometimes it’s cruddy work- but where else can you take time off with a moments notice? In hospitality it’s very easy to trade a shift with someone, or pick up extra ones if you need it. You can’t do that in an office job! Who would the accounting etc  if you just took the day off?
     Hospitality is more than what you see in the cafes. It’s a huge multi-billion dollar industry that encompasses everything from hotels to cafes to airlines & tourism. It’s all the unseen people that make your experience a pleasant one when you go on a trip, out to dinner, to a museum or state park and so on. Think about it. 
     I am thinking that if I waitressed my way to the White House, it would prove a point and make a statement at the same time. I had the opportunity to travel all the states when I was  younger and there was never a town I came to that I didn’t get a job when I tried.
     Once again I would be willing to go town to town on the way from North Dakota to Washington DC. I am willing to just stop at random, find a job, work until I have enough money to go a little further down the line, and do it again. There IS work to be had. And I for one, am NOT afraid to get my hands dirty.
   I went back to work at a place that I freely admit I am not thrilled about. I like the people I work with, I like my customers, just not the place in general. No particular reason for it. Just not thrilled. IT'S A JOB!! And I am fourtunate to work in an indusrty I have always genuinely enjoyed. But the fact is, with fuel so high and health insurance premiums skyrocketing,  we needed to off set some expense on the farm and the money also helps support my endevor to spread the word about small towns and opportunities in them! I drive a lot!
I know that I could get me there and back, cover my expenses and probably send some money home to boot. How’s that?!

In the end, "NO" is just a word! There is always a way if you believe in yourself.

Katy

I did it!

   For those of you who know me- this was a time consuming feat! I am not the most computer literate, but I understand it's intristic value.
  I actually have a blog http://www.prairieaire.blogspot.com/ that I will be moving over to this site.
I think it was the lure of being able to have ads, that made me change. While I can write about all the things and places I go, there is a sincere desire to be able to post ads, especially from my local towns!
  So....This is where I re-create some earlier posts....
Katy