John and I decided to play hooky today and leave work at 3 p.m. to go to the movies. Went to see "District 9" at 3:30. My review, in two words..........don't bother.
I LOVE science fiction, in general, and this movie fit the genre to a "T". It was pretty entertaining for about the first 10 minutes, but went downhill from there. I'm a big believer in the concept that you need to care about the characters to have any interest in the story. And I just didn't care. Didn't matter to me what happened, how it turned out, etc. But the popcorn was great, and the pizza afterwards, even better.
Have you been to the pizza place inside Fun World in Hiawassee yet? A subsidiary of Enricos. They have the best pizza around (I think so, anyway). AND....if you present a movie ticket stub, you get $2 off. We can get a large pizza with just about everything on it, and two drinks, for under $20. Yum!
And the best part of all of this was that we left the store a couple of hours early, left Drew in charge, and he had a very successful two hours! Always fun to make money while you aren't evevn working!
Oh, one more plug for the movie theater at Fieldstone Cinemas........Starting this Thursday, every Thursday through the end of October has a "buy one get one" promotion. Buy one movie ticket, and get another free. Sounds like we will be playing hooky more often!
Hint of the day: BEWARE of the fancy "steam mops" you see on infomercials on TV. You know the ones, you fill them with water, they heat up, and squirts steam on your floor, which cleans it. It does work, but there are a couple of drawbacks. First of all, every one of these machines, without exception, that we have seen, are classified as "disposable". Meaning that parts are difficult or impossible to get, or they are so expensive as to make it not worth fixing if it breaks. So if you do buy one, consider the fact that, in general, if something goes wrong with the machine, you will be throwing it away instead of fixing it. The second problem is the steam itself. Think about it..........do you really want to force hot steam into the cracks and crevices of your wood floor? Or into the grout of your tile floor? Over time, this form of cleaning can be very destructive, stripping off finishes, swelling flooring materials, and eroding grout. Just keep this in mind before you get caught up in the latest infomercial.
Til next time........
Cathy
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Adventures in puppy bathing
Just picture this..........two 55 pound dogs who need baths before they go to the vet for annual shots. And me, procrastinating so long that I end up getting up at 6 a.m. to do this. ugh.
The last time I tried this, in the regular bathtub, it was a struggle. So I got the bright idea that if I used the laundry tub in the laundry room, I wouldn't have to get down on my knees, and wrangle slippery dogs. So, I assemble soap, towels, new collars, etc...........
But neglect to realize that I have to corral the dogs, wrestle them to the floor, and then pick each one of them up.........squirming all the way, of course, because they know what's coming and are NOT happy.
I put the baby gate across the steps so they can't get far. And start with Wendy, the alpha dog. Of course, Betsy knows I'm up to something, and is barking her head off, like I'm trying to kill her sister. I get Wendy into the tub, and she just stand there with her head down, looking at me like she's so disappointed that I would do this to her. Get her scrubbed, dried off, and loose again.........and Betsys's no where to be found. She's hiding behind a trash can in my sewing room, thinking that because she can't see me, I can't see her.......with her big body all over the floor.......lol. I drag her to the tub, her whining all the way.......and I swear Wendy was smiling!
So, I get 'em all cleaned up, and realize that I don't want to let them loose or on their tie-outs, because the first thing they will do is roll in the dirt. So back in their crates they go, and they are not happy.
Managed to get them to the vet and only one (Betsy) got car sick, which is an improvement. Glad I only have do take them there a couple of times a year!
Hint of the day: Vacuum bags. Watch what you are buying. Beware of bags at the dollar store, they tend to be just paper, and will let a lot of fine dust get out into your room. But, also beware of the super-expensive bags that feel like cloth, that's overkill. You can fine nice, micro-filter bags for usually less than $15 a year. And when they say they are "99.7% effective at keeping everything inside the bag....." that's good enough. It's honestly not worth paying twice the money for the extra 0.3% (and I'm not sure those claims are accurate, anyway).
Till next time..........
The last time I tried this, in the regular bathtub, it was a struggle. So I got the bright idea that if I used the laundry tub in the laundry room, I wouldn't have to get down on my knees, and wrangle slippery dogs. So, I assemble soap, towels, new collars, etc...........
But neglect to realize that I have to corral the dogs, wrestle them to the floor, and then pick each one of them up.........squirming all the way, of course, because they know what's coming and are NOT happy.
I put the baby gate across the steps so they can't get far. And start with Wendy, the alpha dog. Of course, Betsy knows I'm up to something, and is barking her head off, like I'm trying to kill her sister. I get Wendy into the tub, and she just stand there with her head down, looking at me like she's so disappointed that I would do this to her. Get her scrubbed, dried off, and loose again.........and Betsys's no where to be found. She's hiding behind a trash can in my sewing room, thinking that because she can't see me, I can't see her.......with her big body all over the floor.......lol. I drag her to the tub, her whining all the way.......and I swear Wendy was smiling!
So, I get 'em all cleaned up, and realize that I don't want to let them loose or on their tie-outs, because the first thing they will do is roll in the dirt. So back in their crates they go, and they are not happy.
Managed to get them to the vet and only one (Betsy) got car sick, which is an improvement. Glad I only have do take them there a couple of times a year!
Hint of the day: Vacuum bags. Watch what you are buying. Beware of bags at the dollar store, they tend to be just paper, and will let a lot of fine dust get out into your room. But, also beware of the super-expensive bags that feel like cloth, that's overkill. You can fine nice, micro-filter bags for usually less than $15 a year. And when they say they are "99.7% effective at keeping everything inside the bag....." that's good enough. It's honestly not worth paying twice the money for the extra 0.3% (and I'm not sure those claims are accurate, anyway).
Till next time..........
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Wal Mart
.....will open here on 8/19. I can't wait!
It seems like every day I have a customer or two come in my Store and make the comment that we must be sad that Wal-Mart is coming, as it will hurt us. On the contrary.....
We were here before Home Depot and Sears, and they both sell vacuums. HD does absolutely no service (you have to either return your defective machinery to the store, or mail it back to the company). Sears charges a $39.95 deposit for anything not working, and then that is applied to the cost of the repair, if it isn't warranty. In both cases, if you have to mail off your product, the turnaround time is about 3 weeks.
When each of these stores opened, we saw a 20% increase in revenue that year. The only vacuum cleaner that the three of us have in common for sale is the Dyson, and they are price-governed, so the price is the same at all of our stores. Otherwise, we choose to sell diferent products. So I don't directly compete with either of these stores, we offer different things. The same will happen when Wal-Mart is here. My vacuum sales will not change dramatically.
What will go up are are sales on supplies and parts. The way Wal-Mart works, is that they negotiate a ridiculously low price from a vacuum manufacturer on several million vacuums. At the same time, they also negotiate for bags, filters, and belts for these vacs. Once those vacs and parts are gone, they tend not to restock, unless they get another good deal. So, except for a few very common parts and supplies, Wal-Mart doesn't carry much. So, you might buy a Dirt Devil vacuum from WM this week, and go back in 3 months to get bags, but they are out and won't get more. We try to stock every bag, belt, and filter that we know is out there.......and if we don't have it, and they still make it, we can get it. So the more vacuums WM sells in Blairsville, the more potential customers for "after the sale" items there are out there for us.
Service is the other issue. John has been doing this for 26 years, so if it is fixable, he can do it. We actually make more doing a $7.50 belt change on a Bissell, than we would if we sold the vac in the first place!
In the newspaper this week, it was mentioned that WM expects between 20,000 and 40,000 shoppers the first week! Most of these people don't live here, so the traffic in the county will increase. It's good in one way, because all of us small businesses will get more exposure and potentially more customers. But, as the writer to the newspaper mentioned, intersections such as the one at Pat Colwell road and 129N, just aren't capable of handling the traffic (no light)......so I have a feeling that will be a mess.
Also, the fact that there are 300 employees at WM has to be a plus for this area. It's only 3 miles from my house......and John says that if he can't find me, he knows to look there.......lol.
Hint of the day: Filters on bagless vacs. Did you know that some bagless vacs that have replaceable filters, have washable ones? Even those like the Hoover, Bissell, Royal, etc., that come with those pleated HEPA ones that are not washable, may have replacement filters that are? Be sure and read the package carefully the next time you buy a filter for your bagless machine. You will be much better off buying a washable filter for a couple extra dollars, than buying the disposable kind every year!
Have a great day!
Cathy
It seems like every day I have a customer or two come in my Store and make the comment that we must be sad that Wal-Mart is coming, as it will hurt us. On the contrary.....
We were here before Home Depot and Sears, and they both sell vacuums. HD does absolutely no service (you have to either return your defective machinery to the store, or mail it back to the company). Sears charges a $39.95 deposit for anything not working, and then that is applied to the cost of the repair, if it isn't warranty. In both cases, if you have to mail off your product, the turnaround time is about 3 weeks.
When each of these stores opened, we saw a 20% increase in revenue that year. The only vacuum cleaner that the three of us have in common for sale is the Dyson, and they are price-governed, so the price is the same at all of our stores. Otherwise, we choose to sell diferent products. So I don't directly compete with either of these stores, we offer different things. The same will happen when Wal-Mart is here. My vacuum sales will not change dramatically.
What will go up are are sales on supplies and parts. The way Wal-Mart works, is that they negotiate a ridiculously low price from a vacuum manufacturer on several million vacuums. At the same time, they also negotiate for bags, filters, and belts for these vacs. Once those vacs and parts are gone, they tend not to restock, unless they get another good deal. So, except for a few very common parts and supplies, Wal-Mart doesn't carry much. So, you might buy a Dirt Devil vacuum from WM this week, and go back in 3 months to get bags, but they are out and won't get more. We try to stock every bag, belt, and filter that we know is out there.......and if we don't have it, and they still make it, we can get it. So the more vacuums WM sells in Blairsville, the more potential customers for "after the sale" items there are out there for us.
Service is the other issue. John has been doing this for 26 years, so if it is fixable, he can do it. We actually make more doing a $7.50 belt change on a Bissell, than we would if we sold the vac in the first place!
In the newspaper this week, it was mentioned that WM expects between 20,000 and 40,000 shoppers the first week! Most of these people don't live here, so the traffic in the county will increase. It's good in one way, because all of us small businesses will get more exposure and potentially more customers. But, as the writer to the newspaper mentioned, intersections such as the one at Pat Colwell road and 129N, just aren't capable of handling the traffic (no light)......so I have a feeling that will be a mess.
Also, the fact that there are 300 employees at WM has to be a plus for this area. It's only 3 miles from my house......and John says that if he can't find me, he knows to look there.......lol.
Hint of the day: Filters on bagless vacs. Did you know that some bagless vacs that have replaceable filters, have washable ones? Even those like the Hoover, Bissell, Royal, etc., that come with those pleated HEPA ones that are not washable, may have replacement filters that are? Be sure and read the package carefully the next time you buy a filter for your bagless machine. You will be much better off buying a washable filter for a couple extra dollars, than buying the disposable kind every year!
Have a great day!
Cathy
Monday, August 10, 2009
It's Monday
....and the start of another work week for many of us. Ever get the Monday blues? Seems like the weekends just aren't long enough. Oh well, we just have to dig in and go to work anyway.
Hint of the day: Ever feel that your vacuum cleaner just isn't sucking up stuff the way you think it should? Did you know, that it might be something as simple as a stretched-out belt? Most people totally ignore their belt on their vacuum cleaner, until it finally breakds. But most manufacturers recommend that you change your belt once or twice a year. Why? Because they stretch, and without the tight tension, your roller brush won't spin as fast. Stuff you pick up won't have the velocity to get into the vacuum, and often falls right back out on the floor. Here's a way to check to see if your belt is stretched, without taking the cleaner apart. Lean the vacuum backwards so that the roller brush isn't touching the floor. Turn it on. The brush should spin fast. Then, lower the brush to the floor. The brush should still sound the same. If it slows down (and you can tell by listening), it's time for a new belt. Many people just assume that their vacuum cleaner is worn out, when in fact, a belt change is all they need.
Have a great day!
Cathy
Hint of the day: Ever feel that your vacuum cleaner just isn't sucking up stuff the way you think it should? Did you know, that it might be something as simple as a stretched-out belt? Most people totally ignore their belt on their vacuum cleaner, until it finally breakds. But most manufacturers recommend that you change your belt once or twice a year. Why? Because they stretch, and without the tight tension, your roller brush won't spin as fast. Stuff you pick up won't have the velocity to get into the vacuum, and often falls right back out on the floor. Here's a way to check to see if your belt is stretched, without taking the cleaner apart. Lean the vacuum backwards so that the roller brush isn't touching the floor. Turn it on. The brush should spin fast. Then, lower the brush to the floor. The brush should still sound the same. If it slows down (and you can tell by listening), it's time for a new belt. Many people just assume that their vacuum cleaner is worn out, when in fact, a belt change is all they need.
Have a great day!
Cathy
Sunday, August 9, 2009
All about us
Me and my hubby of almost 27 years (John) are from a tiny little town in Maryland called Hurlock, that nobody around here even knows exists. We moved to Blairsville, GA, in 1998, after I had graduated from college for the second time, with a degree in English, Secondary Education. Gainesville, GA, was desperate for Spanish-speaking English teachers, and tried to recruit me. Well, John came down here to check it out, and hated Gainesville, but stumbled across Blairsville, and here we are! We packed up the 4 kids and the cat, and drove 650 miles to a place I had never visited, and he had only been to for a few days.
Luckily, John worked for Electrolux at the time, and could transfer anywhere in the USA. So he ended up in the Murphy office, and I worked a series of jobs while waiting for the high school English teacher position at the local school to become available. Soon, I ended up running the GED program for North Georgia Tech.
In the meantime, John decided to open up a vacuum store, since not everybody could afford an Electrolux, but might need a good vacuum cleaner. A building came available right across the street from our house, and that was the beginning.
So, we began hiring a series of people to help him at the store, while I continued teaching. Soon, we were paying his employees more than I was making, and we couldn't find anybody to do a very good job, anyway. In 2002, I became the Vacuum Queen, and started working in the store.
We sell new and used vacuum cleaners, install and service central vacuum systems, sell floor care products, fix vacuums, rent shampooers, and sell floor care products. Throughout the years, each of our four children have worked with us at some time or another......finally, one of them decided that he actually liked it, and Drew is here with us full time.
Throughout the years, I have learned a lot about vacuum cleaners and related items, and thought I might pass along some of the more useful pieces of information to anybody who might be interested.
Hint of the day: Do you have a vacuum cleaner with bags, and your vacuum seems to stop sucking long before the bag is full? Here's a trick........Take 1/3 of a paper towel, rip it in half, and then stuff it into your clean bag. As you are using the vacuum cleaner, the towel will bounce around inside the bag, knocking the fine particles of dust off the sides, and helping the bag to breathe better.......greatly prolonging the lifespan of your vacuum bag. Try it, it really works!
That's it for now........Have a great day!
Cathy
Luckily, John worked for Electrolux at the time, and could transfer anywhere in the USA. So he ended up in the Murphy office, and I worked a series of jobs while waiting for the high school English teacher position at the local school to become available. Soon, I ended up running the GED program for North Georgia Tech.
In the meantime, John decided to open up a vacuum store, since not everybody could afford an Electrolux, but might need a good vacuum cleaner. A building came available right across the street from our house, and that was the beginning.
So, we began hiring a series of people to help him at the store, while I continued teaching. Soon, we were paying his employees more than I was making, and we couldn't find anybody to do a very good job, anyway. In 2002, I became the Vacuum Queen, and started working in the store.
We sell new and used vacuum cleaners, install and service central vacuum systems, sell floor care products, fix vacuums, rent shampooers, and sell floor care products. Throughout the years, each of our four children have worked with us at some time or another......finally, one of them decided that he actually liked it, and Drew is here with us full time.
Throughout the years, I have learned a lot about vacuum cleaners and related items, and thought I might pass along some of the more useful pieces of information to anybody who might be interested.
Hint of the day: Do you have a vacuum cleaner with bags, and your vacuum seems to stop sucking long before the bag is full? Here's a trick........Take 1/3 of a paper towel, rip it in half, and then stuff it into your clean bag. As you are using the vacuum cleaner, the towel will bounce around inside the bag, knocking the fine particles of dust off the sides, and helping the bag to breathe better.......greatly prolonging the lifespan of your vacuum bag. Try it, it really works!
That's it for now........Have a great day!
Cathy
Welcome to my blog!
I'm new to this. But everybody tells me that I'm crazy if I don't take advantage of every free marketing opportunity that is out there. So here I am!
Every day, in my vacuum store, I seem to be repeating the same information to my customers. So it dawned on me that the public might like to be educated a little about vacuum cleaners, floor care, central vacuum systems, troubleshooting machines, hints for making their equipment work better, and ways to make it last longer. I'll try not to bore you to death, and who knows, you might even learn something!
So, off we go!
Cathy
Every day, in my vacuum store, I seem to be repeating the same information to my customers. So it dawned on me that the public might like to be educated a little about vacuum cleaners, floor care, central vacuum systems, troubleshooting machines, hints for making their equipment work better, and ways to make it last longer. I'll try not to bore you to death, and who knows, you might even learn something!
So, off we go!
Cathy
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