Another sunny morning and I couldn't get out of bed. I was up too late last night typing this blog. So I was late in getting my 2 mile walk in, which almost made me late for the meeting with the banker. I had just finished getting dressed, and my make-up on, etc. when the banker was here.
We have had issues with banks for years. The first bank John had his loan through for the resort was good for a couple of years. Then they said he was a "risk" for some reason, but he always paid all the bills/mortgage on time. So we went to another bank who said they were incorrect and would be more than happy to have our business. The second bank loaned us a line of credit loan, which is imperative in this type of business. Then they got bought out by two banks since we've been with them. Now we've been with this bank for several years for our business checking and line of credit loan only. The banker came out a few weeks ago to do a site visit to make sure what we had as collateral wasn't falling apart or something. Everything was fine. But the banker returned to tell us that we MIGHT have to have an appraisal and/or title search and/or a survey. What? With all the banking problems of the last several years, they are enacting new policies. We are not listed as a risk, but because we about break even every year, they want to know that they're covered. We've always paid our mortgage, all our bills on time, clear out our debt with the line of credit after almost every summer, etc. So we are a GREAT customer and they said so, but they still might want us to give them more information. Amazing, frustrating and, perhaps, reminiscent of the depression era when banks pulled their mortgages on people - pay it all now or we own your home, or in our case one cabin (collateral). Are any of you having trouble with your banks too? We hope not.
After the banker left, John got all the cardboard and aluminum ready for me to take to the recycling center. We donate all the cans to the Mercer school. So when kids from the area come asking for some donation or other, we don't feel bad just getting one thing from them. John works very hard picking out the cans people throw in the large recycle bin, transferring them to plastic bags and loading/taking them into town in our van. No one likes dumpster diving but he will just so he can get some aluminum cans out for the school kids. We have large cans just outside the recycle bin marked "Aluminum Cans Only For Mercer School" but sometimes people don't see this.
After the meeting with the banker and after I dropped off the recycling, I went to the biggest rummage sale of the year. I got 2 office desks for our office. We've been using antique tables and falling apart laminate desks, which have been working okay, but are very difficult to keep organized. For $20 I got a desk that extends out and one side is rounded. We will put that between my office area and John's for our printers. With the rounded edges we can move between our desks with ease and fewer bruises. I also got a desk topper - upper cabinet with shelves and doors. This will attach to our old desk and make it easier to organize and get things while still sitting. Maybe we can be so organized that it will take less time to work on paperwork. Our office is a small bedroom that faces the parking lot area. It used to be that our office was in our dining area. Our dining table was pushed over to a wall and holidays were frustrating trying to get everyone gathered around. So we moved the office out of the way into a spare bedroom. Because our house is a smattering of old furniture, cabin rejects and hand-me-down antiques, so is the office. We have a file cabinet from the 40's, a desk from the 70's and an antique farm table that's barely big enough for two that holds our printers. Now our office will work better-in theory that is.
I also got some $1 coffee makers, toasters and clock radios. These are items that break fast and so we go through a few every year. I spent the better part of the afternoon cleaning them, checking them and putting some in cabins. We have a large storage area in the basement where we keep spare household items. I will put the coffee makers and toasters down there after they dry from my cleaning efforts. There are floor to ceiling shelves about 2 feet deep and 15 feet long in our basement. They hold cleaning supplies, extra silverware, dishes, pots/pans, lamp shades, glasses and you name it. When a customer comes in to get something their cabin is lacking, I give them one from my kitchen, which is clean. Then I go downstairs and find another one for my kitchen, which usually has to be cleaned, etc. It saves the customer time to do it this way - grab it and give it and away they go. Our clock radios get trashed usually by either the speaker getting blown out or something getting spilled on it. Coffee makers are usually done for after 5 years at the maximum. We went through two of them this summer already so I had used up my reserves. Now I was set. I also got a recliner for $3. I had picked out a very nice chair with oak carved wood arms, but when they put the chair into my van for me after I backed it up, it was the wrong one. I never saw them put it in because the desks were in the way. Now I have someone's $3 recliner with a slightly dirty arm. Its cleanable but I am sad I didn't get my chair. How can two guys in 2 minutes be standing by my chair and then pick up another to transport? Intentional?
I also got a shower chair for people with disabilities. We do a few programs each year for people with disabilities here. In the spring we have an ATV rally for people with disabilities through Adaptive Sportsmen. In the fall we do a kayak outing for anyone who is interested who has a disability. Then the Spina Bifida Assoc. of Wisconsin comes to our resort in September. So we go through a lot of adaptive equipment. The shower chair looks brand new and was only a $1.
The desks are still in the minivan because every job around here is a process. For instance to get the desks up to the office, we first have to have the office ready. Trim has to be fixed on a wall, shelves have to be put up because they are currently sitting on the floor, in the way, and the floor needed to be fixed in a spot. So for most of the afternoon John and I worked on the office. Our customers were out in their boats or up at the Porcupine Mountains hiking so we weren't needed. We got a lot done, but have to finish tomorrow.
This spring I wanted to have some topsoil brought in for the Ironwood cabin and it wasn't that easy. Everything here is a process. First we had to pull out as many rocks as we could from the area. Then we had to pile them and load them in a trailer. Then we had to transport them to another area for a later project. Then we had to work on getting some trees planted. We never got the top soil put in before summer. Maybe next spring or this fall.
I served some ice cream cones today in some new waffle cups I bought. The kids loved them and took them outside to show their parents. I'm sure I'll find the plastic spoons all over the place tomorrow. Oh well.
John went down to see if there was a campfire tonight around 9:30 p.m. but was back in 15 minutes. He said the mosquitoes were worse than when he lived in Alaska. Now that's bad.
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