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Customer Service Week 2017

The International Customer Service Association started Customer Service Week in 1984 to take time to recognize the great people who deliver great service and value to their customers. In 1992, President George Bush signed a proclamation that stated:
“A business will do a better job of providing high-quality goods and services by listening to its employees and by empowering them with opportunities to make a difference” (source)

Customer Service Week is an international celebration of the importance of customer service and of

The People who serve

and support customers on a daily basis.

I am one of those people who serve and support, and my company participated in Customer Service Week again in 2017.

Monday, October 2

was “Be Proud of Your Selfie” Day.

The idea was to dress up in your workday best and make use of the photo booth.Okay so I wasn’t in my workday best.  LB and I had delighted in a four day vacation and returned home just hours before.  Obviously I completely forgot about Customer Service Week.  In this picture I am styling my new Hall & Oates tee shirt because I was too tired to put a decent work place outfit together.  As it turned out, the week would be laden with tee shirts, so this one was appropriate enough.

POW!

Tuesday, October 3

was “Be Proud of the Brand” Day.

The company provided tee shirts for everyone to wear on Tuesday. We took the opportunity to take a team picture for the sake of posterity.

Wednesday, October 4

was Appreciation Lunch Day.

The company arranged a complementary lunch for everyone. Each team was provided a platter of sandwiches. In addition, we took the opportunity to participate in Breast Cancer Awareness Month by donning pink clothing, ribbon pins, etc. I posted about it here.

Thursday, October 5

was Team Tailgate Day.

The idea was to wear a shirt or jersey representing a favorite sports team.

The picture was just weird.

I Can’t Even.

Friday, October 6

was Entertainment Proud Day.

I don’t know what that means… but we were given another tee shirt.and popcorn.How about that!It was a relatively festive week.

Time to go on another diet.

Better Late Than Never

I’m about six days late for this post, but as some wise Latin speaking individual once said

“potiusque sero quam numquam”

translation: it’s better to do something late, than to never do it at all.

And now that we’ve had our Latin lesson, on to the real topic of the day…

Fall Q&A

So… here are MY answers…

1. Favorite Fall Sweet Treat?  Halloween candy2. Red, Yellow or Green Apples?  Any… as long as it isn’t crisp.  I like my apples gritty.  Don’t judge.3. Favorite Fall Sport to Play? Not
4. Best Drink for Fall? Although it is ALL ABOUT PUMPKIN when fall comes around, apple cider comes to mind. I make sure we have a warmed pot ready at our annual ‘Sunday before Thanksgiving dinner’, and a few other times before year end.
5. Favorite Fall Activity? Vacation! It typically happens sometime in October. LB and I will hit the road and head for the Blue Ridge Parkway. There will be foliage, festivals, and fabulous fun along the way.

OH! And let’s not forget shopping!

It will happen!

6. Must Have Fall Purchase? Sweaters, Boots, Jackets
7. Pumpkins: Pick your own or store bought? Sadly, I’ve never been to a pumpkin patch.  So store bought it is. WalMart here we come!8. Real or Fake Pumpkin? Both.  WalMart has everything you need for fall home decorating.  But if you want to get fancy, Pier One is the place!
9. Favorite Halloween Costume? I have dressed up as Captain Hook, “I Dream of Jeannie”, a Cowgirl, Sandy (from Grease), a pirate wench, Poison Ivy (a Batman nemesis), a 20’s Flapper.  I think my favorite was the 1920’s Flapper Girl.Goofing around in the Halloween Store is also a good time!
10. College Football or NFL? There are only 2 football games that I watch during the year: The Super Bowl and the Florida/Georgia Game.  I’m not a big football fan.
11. Fall or Halloween Décor? With the exception of one big Jack-O-Lantern at the front door and a small one just inside the front door, the house is all decked out for fall! I posted about it here.
12. Raking Leaves or No Leaves to Rake? There are definitely an influx of leaves during the fall months, but LB manages them with the lawn mower.
13. Favorite Soup?  Probably Chicken Corn Chowder.  The recipe came from Mama.  I’ll eventually get around to sharing it on the blog.  Very tasty!
14. Favorite Fall Candle Scent? Spiced Cake. I recently purchased two from Pier One and they smell delicious… even when they aren’t lit!
15. Love or Hate Pumpkin Spice? Love it! And I think it is amusing that it is blathered about it incessantly!
16. Short Booties or Tall Boots?  short now, tall later, have both!
17. Favorite Halloween Candy? M&Ms peanut and Reese’s anything
18. PSL (Pumpkin Spice Latte) Yes or No?

Yes!

19. Hayride or Corn Maze? Never had a corn maze experience, so I suppose the answer is hayride.
20. Favorite Fall TV Show?  It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown

 Love the Season!

Breast Cancer Awareness

On Wednesdays We Wear Pink

came true today!

To bring awareness to the fight against breast cancer, our team members each attempted to do their part by wearing pink (or a version of pink) to work today.Okay, so as a “team” we totally missed the pink mark… but some of us tried! And my girl Geraldine aka Mrs. G, is styling a pale pink top.  It was difficult to capture the color on camera (as it was with a few other shirts/tops), but without a doubt, it was pink!

Although there isn’t an official Breast Cancer Awareness Day, National Breast Cancer Awareness Month is observed in October. Breast Cancer Awareness Month, is an annual international health campaign organized by major breast cancer charities every October to increase awareness of the disease and to raise funds for research into its cause, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure” (source).

There are many ways to take part in raising money for breast cancer research.

For example, in Jacksonville there are road races such as the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure which I know as a 5K that takes place in downtown Jacksonville during the month of October.  What is especially precious about the Susan G. Komen foundation is the fact that it was started by Susan’s younger

Sister

Nancy.

Nancy promised Susan that she would do everything she could to end breast cancer, and founded the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation in Susan’s memory in 1982.

Nearly everyone in some way been touched in some way by breast cancer, whether it be a friend, family member, or oneself.  My experience involves family members.

Two of my Mama’s younger sisters have fought breast cancer.Linda (left) and Sharon (right)

They are both very strong and have been brave in their battles against this disease.  I am glad to report that they are both survivors.

On the other side of the family, my Daddy’s mother (Mema), whom I posted about here, was diagnosed several years before her death.  She took steps to fight the disease.She is thought of daily and dearly missed.

We can all take steps to fight cancer.  The American Cancer Society recommends maintaining a healthy weight and avoiding excess weight gain.   By monitoring diet and maintaining a physically active lifestyle there is evidence to prove a reduced risk of breast cancer.

 

 

 

 

Weekend Whirlwind

We had such a good time at the Hall & Oates concert last Thursday that I wrote a post about it and published it on Friday. LB was sitting close by as I played through the different YouTube videos that I shared in that post. He was happy that I was enjoying myself and was formulating a plan for a weekend whirlwind trip.  In addition, he decided he would surprise me again by purchasing tickets to a second concert to see my favorite duo…

Saturday Night!

In Charleston, South Carolina.

So we headed out Saturday afternoon and hit the road. Destination: North Charleston Coliseum, 5001 Coliseum Dr.
Since we arrived early for the concert there was time for dinner at

– you guessed it –

a Mexican Restaurant. Conveniently right across the street from the concert venue.LB enjoyed his chips and salsa!I was just happy to be out of the car.

But I did enjoy the chips and salsa, too.

The concert was great… didn’t make any new friends this time. But I managed to acquire a tee shirt!

The first day of October

began with a pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks then a tour of downtown Charleston. It was a beautiful day, unlike the day my fellow Floridians were experiencing.  Each time we checked the security cameras it was raining at our house!  If ever there was a good time to take a whirlwind trip, [even if for no other reason than to follow the sun] it was this weekend!

We walked through Charleston Waterfront Park and back up the street along Rainbow Row towards the Historic Charleston City Market

Where LB was able to collect a few items he found to be interestingYes that is dehydrated okra.  And it is actually pretty good!

Hall & Oates Concert

This post is dedicated to my jealous nephew Clayton Rigdon.

Clay is a talented musician and a fan of my favorite 80’s Duos…

Daryl Hall & John Oates

They were in concert at the Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena on Thursday, September 28th.

And I WAS THERE!

EARLY!

I’ve been looking forward to this since I found out about it last May.

Nowadays the guys look more like thisSince my Mama has no idea who they are…

or what they sing…

Some of their greatest songs are:

“Rich Girl”

“Kiss on My List”

“Private Eyes”

“I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do)“

“Maneater”

“Sara Smile”

“One on One”

“You Make My Dreams”

“Say It Isn’t So”

“Everytime You Go Away“

“Out of Touch“

How about that animal print suit!?!

“What’s Going On“

and last but not least, by Daryl Hall…

“Me and Mrs. Jones“

The concert did not disappoint!

We had a great time singing along!Making new friends(that’s cranberry juice y’all)

And she was hilarious!

I’ve attended many concerts and among my favorites have been the Eagles and Garth Brooks.  But I have to say that I have never enjoyed a concert as much as I did last night.  These guys are SO talented and their songs are great.  Daryl Hall has a program called Live from DARYL’s HOUSE and John Oates will either be touring with his solo show or with Daryl.  John along with his wife and son also spend time in Nashville, TN or at their rescue ranch in Colorado, caring for dogs, emus, peacocks, llamas and alpacas.

 

If you’re so inclined, watch This episode of VH-1 Behind the Music

Fall Décor

Happy Tuesday

and welcome to the first full week of fall 2017!

Saturday I headed upstairs to discover the fall décor that I packed away just before Christmas 2016.I have LOTS of stuff!

Apparently I’m a better organizer than I thought because the fall container was front and center and easily retrieved.  The Jack-O-Lantern took a little more effort to reach.
I pulled everything out and that was about as far as I got.

My house was screaming to be cleaned and the treadmill needed my attention even more. With the exception of a wreath that I strategically placed in the living room, the fall décor is scattered on my dining room table.

Although I didn’t decorate this weekend, I did celebrate the season.

As I mentioned in a previous post, actually two previous posts (here and here), I baked a pumpkin pound cake Saturday afternoon.

Sunday was LB’s first day off in three weeks.

He has been working long hours, every day since a few days before hurricane Irma befell.  To celebrate (in addition to LB’s pumpkin treat) we went to

Pier One

and stumbled on to an excellent sale!

and found more fall décor

This little guy made me LOL!She reminds me of someone I know!This little turkey came home with me! And so did this little guy!We found some beautiful thingsAnd picked out several items to take home with usIn addition to all the seasonal items, there were things that made me think of some of my family members.  This little bird reminded me of MamaThis fancy cat made me think of StephanieAnd although I cannot explain it, this Llama called Amanda to mindDisclaimer:  No suggestion that Amanda resembles a Llama was intended in the publishing of this post. Now I will need to get that decorating done!

I’m going to need another day off!

Pumpkin Pound Cake

Friday I said I was planning to make this

Pumpkin Pound Cake

Saturday afternoon I did!

It looks great right?

I’m not going to take credit for a recipe that isn’t mine, you can find the purveyor of this pumpkin cake click here.

Here are the instructions that I followed:

  1. Preheat the oven to 325°.  Grease and flour a 12-cup Bundt cake pan.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine flour (3 Cups), baking powder (2 tsp), baking soda (1 tsp), salt (1/2 tsp), cinnamon (2 tsp), nutmeg (1/2 tsp), ginger (1/2 tsp), cloves (1/4 tsp); set aside.
  3. In mixing bowl with an electric mixer, cream 2 sticks of  butter, 1 cup of sugar, and 3/4 cup of brown sugar until light and fluffy.
  4. Mix in 5 eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
  5. Mix in 1 15 ounce can of pure pumpkin and 1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Slowly add the dry ingredients into the mixture. Continue mixing on medium speed until the batter is smooth and well blended. Pour the cake batter into the prepared Bundt pan and bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick or cake tester comes out clean when inserted in center.

Once again, I can’t take credit for this cake recipe.  I think it is very delicious, but it belongs to The Spruce who has several good recipes, and you can this one find here.

You’re welcome!

It isn’t superimposed onto a clean white plate, but it still looks pretty good.

And it tastes great.

That buttery maple pecan glaze is delicious.

Here are the instructions for the glaze:

  1. In a small saucepan, combine 4 Tbsp butter, 3 Tbsp maple syrup, and 3 Tbsp heavy whipping cream; bring to a boil. Continue to boil for 1 minute.
  2. Remove from heat and sift 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar into the hot mixture. Whisk until smooth. Let cool for about 15 to 20 minutes, until slightly thickened.
  3. Stir in the finely chopped pecans, if using. Drizzle over the cooled cake.

And that is the way to begin a new season!

 

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