THE STORE!!!

[SandyG]

Colleen B. met me at THE STORE today for the scheduled work hours and we ROCKED!!! When we walked in, it looked like a pile of stuff! No order, things on top of other things, and barely a path to the back rooms.

When we left, there were kitchen areas, two (2) living room areas, clothes racks with clothes on them set out, and a backroom filled with items to be used in "Phase 2" of the selling this spring.

THANK YOU, COLLEEN B. !!!! It is with help like this that we will be ready for the store opening!

[SandyG]

Talk about progress!!!!

Bridget joined me at 2pm and we hooked, fed, filled tanks, and dropped hay. Then we piled into the truck and went to THE STORE where Sarah L. met us at just a bit before 4pm. And the three of us worked STEADY until 9pm! What a difference was made!!! ;D

Everything from the t-shirts and front counter to the display cabinets and the old stereo unit. Massive cleaning was begun and, as Bridget says, it is so rewarding. That immediate gratification stuff about seeing a difference. Just the opposite from trying to put weight on a horse where you sometimes wait 3 months before you can measure your progress!

I am so grateful to these two women who do NOT give up! We are meeting again at 10am at THE STORE tomorrow (Thursday) for more work, if any of you would like to join us! We do have fun with it, you know!

Thank you, Bridget. Thank you, Sarah!

[SandyG]

I wanted to post a thank you note last night to those volunteers who stepped up over the weekend and helped ready THE STORE for our quiet opening but I headed straight to bed once I finished with nightly feeding, stock tanks topped, massaging and wrapping Clyde Mare, and replacing failing tank heaters. So I will post it today however it is even more appreciated today as I sit here and realize the progress we made with help from the volunteers!

Saturday, the team consisted of Karen H. who attacked those piles of books, Amy S. who attacked furniture everywhere, Sarah and Kiley L. who made the Refuge Farms window and floor display absolutely darling, and Bridget M. who did anything and everything even after leading the Orientation Class and not sleeping (but working) all night the previous night! Thank you, Crew, for giving your Saturday to THE FARM!

Sunday, the team consisted of Karen H. who diligently continued her work with the books and Sarah and Kiley L. who came to move and paint the try-on room. Much, much appreciation to you three for being there the second day, as well!

We have much to accomplish in the next two weeks and so please put your effort forth in supporting the task of readying THE STORE. This is a village-taking-task and we need every set of hands of the village residents - YOU!

[SandyG]

I am so excited for this weekend. The list of tasks that must be completed this Sat and Sun is on the front counter. With those tasks done, it will be time to put out the good dishes and hang up the clothes and linens. And then it is time to open!

Tom - I have a list for you on Sunday and am so grateful to have you helping us. There are still pieces to clean, pieces to hang, and other pieces to store or wash up. There are even a few pieces I want the volunteers to decided on whether we incorporate them into our store or not - we'll see what the group decides!

Thanks to all who are coming this Sat and Sun!!

[SandyG]

Dear Colleen B. answered the call for help at THE STORE this weekend and spent all day Saturday and all day Sunday working non-stop at that list that never ends! Thank you, Colleen, for washing, wiping, polishing, de-gumming, and repairing all weekend! The place looks a million steps better than before you arrived!

And then, at 1pm on Saturday, Colleen B.'s Mother and two Aunts arrived to assist us with our work. Those women DUG IN!!! Buckets were flying and they just did "it"! Whatever "it" was! Hanging mirrors in the try-on room, hanging drapes, cleaning kid's toys and creating a "play room". Fantastic women! Colleen, you are a lucky woman to have these role models so close to you!

Today, Tom and Julie A. joined us and we made huge steps forward! Julie brought up loads of hangers and washed them in preparation for the clothes. Tom? Well, I let him get 3 steps in the door and I hit him with his first project. These two people worked steadily until 4pm at which Tom asked if there was anything else. I mentioned one more thing and they finally headed home to do their own animal chores at almost 5pm.

Thanks to Colleen B., Yvonne B. and her Sisters, and Tom and Julie A.! I am grateful and so appreciative of your support of this project!!Thank you!!!!

[SandyG]

Colleen C. and I will be at our landlord's Mother's house at 11am tomorrow morning to move boxes of dishes ready for us to place on the floor for our opening. If anyone wants to help load or unload at THE STORE, you know will be welcomed!!

Saturday we'll be at the Ways of THE FARM training and Easter Sunday there are no published hours for THE STORE. I will take some time to remember Dudely, Appaloosa Mare, Quarter Horse, and all of the others found on that Easter morning in Clayton. The day when one particular near-dead horse was born again, just like the Bible story. And now, he is a parade horse for the Zuhrah's!!!

I'm signing off for a couple of days while this old computer at THE FARM is reconditioned to be used at THE STORE. PC Doctor in Menomonie is retrofitting us with a refurbished computer for the office here at THE FARM and I'm hopeful it will be able to open an email in less than the now needed 45 seconds. So I'll speak to you again on Friday at some point, assuming everything goes as planned.

Now, let me see......when was the last time anything went "as planned"?

[SandyG]

Thank you (again and still!) to Colleen B. and Bridget M. for being at THE STORE on Saturday. One person would have been greatly overwhelmed with the business that we had! And all the books are marked. YEAH!!!!

I'll be at THE STORE on Tuesday (tomorrow) from 4pm until about 7pm if anyone is available. There is more marking to do, furniture to clean and get on the floor, and the entire floor needs to be vac'd before we open on Wednesday morning.

[SandyG]

Our landlord, Jim C., appeared this evening to help me get ready for opening in the morning! He changed light bulbs, helped me unload the truck, and he emptied the big can of water from the roof leak, and then found a hanger stacker stand in the basement for us. A huge help!!

Colleen B. came to THE STORE and vac'd the floor, helped me get the second set of dishes set out and counted and also hung a bell on the door. We'll see how it works - THANK YOU, COLLEEN!!!!

[cc459]

Jo and I will be thinking of you and The Store on Thursday. I hope the weather doesn't turn nasty for our biggest fundraising endeavor's soft opening. Go Refuge Farms!!!!

[SandyG]

Check out today's edition of the Eau Claire Leader Telegram - both the paper and online version!!! There is an article about THE STORE in there!!!!! YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[SandyG]

Bridget put in quite a few hard hours today and made room in the red room and the office. Our recent donations had just been placed anywhere and, literally, those rooms had no room to walk through them let alone retrieve anything out of them!

Bridget made some space in the basement and moved "not sure" pieces down there, assembled all of the lamp shades in one, safe area and even worked to put like items in piles together in the red room.

Job well done, B! I looked in quickly on my way home from working at the antique store next door and I was impressed with the space you opened up! Thank you!!!

I'll work on the back aisle and who knows!? We may actually be able to walk through without having to turn sideways!!!

Thanks, Bridget!

[SandyG]

Bridget's call for help at THE STORE planned for yesterday and today resulted in Bridget, myself, and Colleen B. spending the day at THE STORE working through the day. Yes, on a day like it was today!

We made exceptional progress and all 3 of us were dragging our tails on the way to our cars! While we worked, we opened the doors to the public and sold a few items. And we washed and hung additional old ceiling lamps, new pictures, and Colleen put out 8 (yes, eight!) boxes of books. The basement wasn't touched and neither was the back room or the red room so there is much, much more to be done. However, the floor looks better than it did this morning and new items mean new interest from our customers.

Thank you, Bridget, for organizing these project days at THE STORE! And thank you, Colleen B., for responding! Without your response, it would have been me and B and that wouldn't have given us the results we have today!!!

[SandyG]

Tomorrow the Wagon Wheel 5 piece living room set leaves THE STORE for its permanent home with the Minnesota Historical Society. This set will be added to the display in the Minnesota History Museum in St. Paul.

Cool, eh? ;D

[SandyG]

A husband and wife from Chippewa Falls came into THE STORE today. They shopped and then stood and looked at the poster of Handsome.

Of course, I took the opportunity to start telling them about that wonderful horse and how he has become such a calming force of this place. As usual, they challenged his height (I'm going to have to print up some pictures of Handsome and I showing just how tall he is and that YES! the poster is life size!!!!!).

One thing followed another and finally the woman came up to me and asked, "Are you Sandy?" I replied that yes, I was. She reached out and hugged me. Looking me right in the eyes, she held my hands in hers and said quietly and most sincerely, "That hug was from all the poor souls you have helped."

Then I hugged her.

[SandyG]

So you all know about the poker/kitchen table that found its way from our front window to Dallas, Texas . . . .

NOW we have three vintage bar stools that will find their way from our store floor to Anchorage, Alaska!!!!!

Just how dang cool is this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!