Can You Hear Me Now?

I'm trying some new stuff for my business.  Google Ad Words.  I find this to be very complicated but every day I try to learn more.  I finally have it set so when (in our area) hearing aids are clicked on my business is generally right on top.  It's tough.  There is a lot of competition here.  On National Highway alone there are 3 other hearing aid businesses within miles of one another.  

This July will start our sixth year.  Even though Gary has retired, I still say 'our' because he will pitch in and help when needed.  He's good like that.

We get a lot of referrals from satisfied customers.  We also have many customers because of the big gold ear in our front yard.  This year our 'ear guy' is going to carve us a new ear.  It's time.

Business is good and we beat all competition in pricing.  I love working with the elderly (mostly).   Servicing their hearing aids and sometimes just counseling them on how to use them or what to expect.  Today one of my customers hugged me tight before she left and said, "I love coming here.  You are not only my hearing aid provider...  you have become such a good friend as well."

This is going to be another great year.  January, which is usually quite slow,  has been very prosperous!

Come on over to ALL ABOUT HEARING and check us out!   My web page is not perfect...  but I did it myself and I change it around a lot.  I get a fair amount of business from it.

Hey, Phil says spring is just around the corner!  Are you as ready as I am??

Ready for It?

Regardless of what that groundhog sees when he pulls himself from his little cubbyhole next week...  shadow or not... 

The calendar says that the following month will be spring.  

Are you ready for it?

Summer and Rissi and....  AND I'd like to Introduce to you my new granddog Ellie May.  

Snowy Sunday

Snow.  

It can bring out the best....

And it can bring out the worst...  

"Where's my potty???"

"What are you looking at?  Haven't you ever seen a dog look for a place to go potty before?"

"I don't get mad...  I get even..."

Disappointing

I'm supposed to be in Nashville.  The trip was planned well in advance.  It would be a fun time.  A time of learning.  Of getting CEU's.  Of eating good food and visiting fun places.  

My bags were packed (well, in my head) and a sign was ready for the door.  I even printed out directions and had calculated in my head how I'd be spending every single minute of my trip after downloading Siemens agenda on my iPhone.

But.  The snow came.  The trip was cancelled.  And I have swore off making any plans again in the dead of winter.

Hope everyone is staying safe and warm!

HELP!

Business is booming.  Who would have thought January would bring so many people in to get hearing help?  And speaking of help...  it was going on four o'clock the other day, and I looked out my office door to find a sight to behold!  A snow squall that covered the ground and looked like it would be a big 'un.   My survival mode kicked in and I did the first thing that came to mind. 

I wrote in that virgin snow...  for all the world to see....  exactly what I was thinking.   

Now how many days till spring?

Footballs

This scene from last year sometime:

Summer:  What are you watching, Pop Pop?

Gary:  I'm watching football.  Do you like football?

Summer shakes her head:  No, I don't like football.  

About five minutes later Gary goes to the kitchen and brings in some hershey's chocolate drops in a bag.

Summer:  What are you eating?

Gary:  Footballs.

Summer:  I like football!

It's Magic

Christmas celebration may have been interrupted by the loss of my sister this year, but God's peace has replaced the empty, sick feeling that I held onto for that first week that she was gone.  

I worried that I might have nightmares after the day of her death.  Being alone with her when she took her last breath.  

I did have one nightmare.  It was horrible.  One of those that you cannot wake yourself up from, but your spouse hears you crying out in your sleep.  I blame it on the spaghetti that I ate too much of the night before.  

Most of my dreams are good though.  Pleasant.  Comforting.  Peaceful.  Many include my sister.  

 For me, dreams are a big part of my life.  I love dreaming, especially when I can remember what I dreamed.  But I find when my mind is cluttered with doubt and unfinished business,  I often cannot remember what or if I even had any dreams.  If I take time to pray before I sleep I almost always have peaceful sleep.

Yesterday the kids came for one last round of play with the Christmas Village.  Then today, we packed it up and put it all away for another year.

I will miss mornings of magic.  Sleepily pulling myself from bed and shuffling out into a living room of brilliant blinking lights and houses aglow.  Figurines ice skating and the train waiting at the station for the next group of passengers to be whisked away to the winter carnival in the next town, just around the bend.  

Yes, my mornings will seem mundane without Christmas magic lighting up the living room, and my life.   But on the positive side, Gary (who is generally awake before me) will have one less job to do (turning on the lights).  

Ha!  He actually had it down to a science...  especially after he wired it all for remote access.  Just push the button and.... poooofffffff.... magic.

Oh, I have to tell  you this!  It is so funny!!!!  And so cute!!!!

Jasper is three.  A precious, precious child he is!  A little slow in learning and of special needs and so very trusting.

Gary hides the remote in his hand and tells Jasper that if he touches his nose the village will light up. 

 So he does.  

 Gary secretly pushes the button on the remote.  Jasper smiles with delight as the village comes alive  with the touch of his finger to his nose.  

Gary:  Now if you pull your ear like this (pulls his ear) it will turn off.

Jasper pulls on his ear and the village goes dark.  

He touches his nose again and the village comes alive.  

That boy was so excited that he had the power to turn that village off and on just by the touch of his nose or the pulling of his ear,  he kept doing it over and over again, shaking with excitement, his eyes wide with disbelief at his own powers.  

It was so very cute!!!

After church yesterday a rainbow showed beautifully over the church parking lot.  God, reminding us of his promises.  

My New Years hope is that I draw closer to my Creator 

and that His peace be with me throughout the year.