Discount this!

Two days ago I received a coupon at checkout from the Food Lion in Elkin, NC. The coupon is for $5 off your next purchase of $65 or more. Needless to say, I was really excited about this coupon. It doesn't take much to excite me anymore. Sadly, as my husband pointed out, the coupon is only good this Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and since we will be out of town during the coupon dates, we will not be able to redeem it. Bummer! Still, I thought why not ask the manager if they could accept the coupon a day early or give me a rain check. So I got on my cell phone and called the Elkin Food Lion to make my simple request. The answer was NO. What could possibly be her reasoning? Because the coupon is computer generated. I asked the lady if she could do something outside of the coupon to accommodate me. The answer again was NO.

My husband and I are self-employed antique dealers. And it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that the economy isn't exactly booming. You would think that a store at which you spend $100 a week would make some sort of exception for you. After all, you are a valued customer. You are an MVP! What happened to the rain check? How about picking up your little manager card and overriding the system? How about loading $5 on a freaking gift card?

My husband had the idea of calling up the manager at the local Ingles grocery store here in Elkin, NC. Perhaps this grocery store would honor the coupon. His request: If we come to your store right now and spend at least $65, will you give us a $5 discount? The answer: NO. This grocery store took a hit when Wal-Mart moved into the same strip mall, but it's really struggling now that the Wal-Mart built a new super center and moved across town. The parking lot is deserted. There is never a line. The produce is always marked down to $.99. And the strip mall is for the most part devoid of businesses. If business sucks so bad, why are you not interested in stealing a customer from Food Lion?

Like I said, we are self-employed. And believe me, if someone walked into my booth at the flea market or antique show and asked for $5 off a $65 purchase, I'd jump on that. If giving a $5 discount meant this customer would buy my coffee table instead of our neighbor's, I'd do it!

It seems to me that the entire retail establishment has lost all creativity. I have worked in a grocery store as a cashier. We always went out of our way for the customer. We have stored groceries in coolers, freezers and bags, even when it meant taking all of the groceries out of their bags and re-bagging them. We have delivered groceries even though we don't deliver. What ever happened to customer service? Isn't the customer always right? I say YES, the customer is always right. And in this case, I, the customer, am RIGHT out the door.

Old School Sale - July 3, 2010 at Davidson Auction House

Just a few of the goodies up for grabs at Davidson Auction House's July 3rd Old School Sale. The auction begins at 10am sharp. Come early to preview! Breakfast will be available.

Check out this amazing hand stitched advertising blotter.

And here is one interesting quilt made from sweetheart pillow cases!

My husband is aiming for this Winchester flashlight. Hope he gets it! But I'm eyeing the colorful Victorian mesh purse. It just belongs with me.

Davidson Auction House is located at 717 S. Hwy 150 in Lexington, NC. 336-787-4400. Hope to see you there!

Our space at the Hillsville Flea Market this Memorial Day weekend

Black Chow

In an effort to keep a forward momentum I will be posting all sorts of things: lists, recipes, free-thinking strands, and whatever else I come up with. My goal is to communicate in some way, to write something, anything.

Cooking and baking have always been a big part of my life. My mother and both grandmothers were fine cooks and all of my sisters and I must have inherited the gene. I love trying new recipes and I love swapping recipes. How many times have I tried the chain recipe letter. Of course, I participate but rarely is this reciprocated. Still, I must cook and I must share these recipes. So why don't you try this recipe out. I made it up just last night. It's easy and you probably have everything you need in your pantry.

Black Chow
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can whole kernel corn
1 cup chow chow (hot, mild, sweet, whatever)
Combine ingredients in a medium sauce pan. Heat and serve. This is also great as a cold salad.

I hope you will try out this recipe and maybe pass one on me.

Hear me roar!

Why in the world and I starting this blog? To be honest, I'm not sure of the answer to this question. I actually attempted to start this blog several months ago but could not find the patience or ability (sadly) to figure it out. This morning (yes, I know it's now afternoon) I decided to defeat this beast and here I am, finally, typing away on my new but not yet paid for laptop. Who am I writing to? I don't know for sure who will end up reading my yada yada yadas, but really, I am typing for selfish reasons. Somewhere between losing my family home--the lake house where I grew up, the place where my parents lived and died--and having a baby, I've lost myself. I've lost writer Joy. I've become Slushy, wife of Steve and mother to Eli. And while I love both of these roles...no, I would not trade them for the world...I have to reclaim me: Joy Michele Beshears, writer, woman, human being. Any writer knows if you are not writing, you are lost. So hear me roar! It may not be a poem, it may not be a fabulous essay, it may be a rant, it may be a list of what I ate today, it won't be sent out for publication, and it might not even be good or correct writing. You may even see some misspelled words because I'm too lazy to do a spell check. But hear me roar! Perhaps this reclaiming of self will give me the patience and ability I know I have, not just for figuring out things like how to blog (I mean really!) but the patience and ability required for being a good mother for Eli and a good wife for Steve.