Rear Window

There is cabin fever and then there is 

CABIN FEVER!

Hello my lovely friends,

I hope all is well in your world. My world, these past two and half weeks have been a time of testing, a time for resting, and a time for "nesting."

Now before I share my last two and half weeks, I will share a few images I took at an 1800's log cabin that my barber husband and I visited not long ago. He felt I would really love it, since it would be a while before I could be out and about. (More on that in a moment.)

My beloved took me to a very remote cabin on a very cold and windy weekend....weather wasn't an issue, as the cabin had a wood stove. 

There wasn't a bathroom, rather an outhouse (below). No real running water (only water fed to the sink by a well) and no electricity. There were a couple of solar panels, but they were not hooked up at the time, but oil lamps are just the touch to make playing checkers romantic). My handsome barber is making a fire for me above, as I am a fire lover...fires are never long enough or big enough for me. :-)

The privy wasn't bad, actually...got to hear the coyotes up close and personal at night. I felt right at home with the little stove...we made great pancakes (or flapjacks, as my father would say) and brewed up some good ole coffee. Sometimes, I really believe I was born in the wrong century. 

The kettles on the wood stove (below) were full of water for washing dishes and ourselves. I loved the little bit of humidity it gave off in the cabin.

The sink was literally a little copper pipe, bent, and a turn knob to get the water going. More than once we got splashed, as it takes time for it to come down the hill...

While I was outside in the early morning chill, snapping photos, my beloved barber (and his very worn long johns) was getting breakfast. I love this image because you can see how small the cabin is (sleeping quarters was up in the loft). But to be honest, the little cabin had everything we needed and never felt cramped - only cozy.

This view from our porch was so serene.  A little farmhouse below in the valley with a bright red barn...

We drove around to visit the other few cabins (all owned by one person) and got permission to do some target shooting. Most people don't know that I absolutely love to shoot - and I will say that I am a very, very good shot. (I have target sheets to prove it :-)! Below, I am shooting our .22 Ruger long rifle. I was more interested in taking pics of this little red cabin area, but did take a moment to help site in the rifle with my barber/chef/shooter/fire-builder...

And of course, the rifle isn't all that I shot, I brought along some props to shoot! No way am I going to pass up such fab light at a great location. Below is just a sample of my styled shots...

While I could go on and on with my styled shots, I will have to show more of them later. I was just in heaven to have a whole day to just shoot, be outside, and be with my beloved. Couldn't ask for more, really.

But all good things must come to an end, which leads me to the present. 

A "REAR WINDOW" VIEW TO MY CURRENT LIFE:

(For those of you lucky enough to be so young you do not understand the reference to "Rear Window," that is a reference to a famous Alfred Hitchcock movie with Jimmy Stewart and Grace Kelly. Jimmy is laid up, and gets to know his neighbors through his rear window, up close and personal...)

Now, you get to know me up close and personal...maybe even more than you ever wanted or hoped for. But hey, this is reality (via iPhone) and as much I would love the "Pinterest" lifestyle, my life really isn't that "Pinteresting" to be frank.

Briefly to recap the last 15 or so months: Back in Nov 2012, I had "simple" knee surgery that went very wrong. I was in constant pain, couldn't even walk at a fast pace, or without a limp. I gained a ton of weight not being able to move for so long, and I never knew what was going to be a "good day" or a "bad day." I didn't write about it very much in my posts, as it was a depressing topic for me, and besides, I really didn't know how the story would end....

Well, on Feb 13th, I got a total knee replacement. Yup, sort of like the bionic woman, but not so bionic...I have been spending these last two and half weeks mainly in our bedroom...with my iPhone. Do you have any idea how crazy I am going without my camera? I decided this would be the best time to get my pro camera professionally cleaned (takes several weeks). When I am not dozing off, or doing physical therapy, then I have my computer and iPhone. However, today is the first day that I am not too tired to actually stay awake longer than 30 minutes....so I give you my "reality" below, all in its vivid glory... :-)

This is where my leg (and the rest of me, come to think of it) are almost 24/7. I must be in this passive movement machine 6-8 hours a day for the first three weeks. And the little controller next to me, allows me to increase the bending. My goal, I am told, is 110. I am happy to report that I did reach that today!

I then started to snap pics of my immediate (and daily)surroundings. I wasn't really thinking anything of it, until I downloaded them and started to play with them; I realized that what has become "normal" really isn't all that normal...really...

I realized as I stare at my bedside table, filled with all sorts of things I need throughout the day...I have a large amount of potions, lotions, balms, and creams...my skin has never been so dry, and my leg, when not wrapped up in its ace wrap, looks like a small blizzard, or snow globe, has taken residence since I am not allowed to have any cream near my incision. 

My lovely caretaker/barber has brought me home things he finds at the pharmacy, while waiting for my perception to get filled...I am starting to feel like all these old-time remedies would fit perfectly in that cabin a few weeks ago!

What I find so ironic is that my "corn husker" and "bag balm" right next to my antique tea towel...

For those of you with eagle eyes (or magnification enhancers), I am sure you spotted the honey and surgical tape. That is for my very burnt (but small burn, thank God) that I got last night. My beloved was making me a fab dinner, and as I hobbled into the kitchen on my cane, he held out a spoon for me to taste, while next to the stove. I had no idea that he had just taken the sauce pan out of 400 degree stove. I grabbed the handle to turn it out of the way, and well...let's just say I didn't think about my knee for the first time in over a year, for a few hours.

To my left, on my honey's side of the bed, I have my "desk," Every morning, my beloved puts my large basket filled with stuff, along with the leg machine, ice, and fresh water. Actually, I have no idea if any of this interests anyone at this point, but hey, this has been the most exciting day in a while. Plus, I personally love knowing the details of those I see online or in magazines. Yes, I am one of those that will take out a magnifying glass and scope out the details of a pic of someone's desk, or kitchen...I know I can't be the only one!

My basket has lots of very unrelated things in it: My therapy pages, a book on French kitchens, image files to be downloaded, glasses, scissors, kleenex, chocolate chips, almonds...the usual.

Then back on my right, on the floor next to my side table, I decided to take a quick snap from my phone. It wasn't until I downloaded it, did I realize that my pic may need some explaining...

Is it me, or does it seem a little strange (I prefer the word,  "eccentric")that my side of the bed my Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking, is leaning next to my Russian, WWII Mosin-Nagant, bolt-action, rifle. And my Mosin-Nagant, is leaning against my antique, linen, monogrammed table cover?? My rifle is very handy, as the arrow below points it out. I have shot it before, (at a shooting range) and I offer no apologies for it...except to my neighboring shooting buddies in the next stall, who said that my gun sounds like a cannon. (I also have a very beautiful Ruger Red Lable, 20 gauge, O/U - over/under that my barber got me). My goal is to own a very nice (old) Smith and Wesson and an old, (decorative) Winchester rifle...I love both those makers. But I digress...

To be honest, I never really thought of neighboring weapon, Julia, and linen, until I took this pic. And the funny thing is, I use all three. Julia is second to none, my Mosin's site is dead on (no pun intended) and my linen table cover has seen many a tables over the years.

So whether this side of me endears you, or fears you, (and I wouldn't blame you if it was the latter), I am who I am... :-)

And who am I? Well, for now, I will say that I am someone who is very loved by my barber husband. I must boast that he has made me(from scratch) delicious meals of Boeuf Bourguignon (beef stew in red wine, bacon,  onion and mushrooms), Paupiettes Deboeuf (braised stuffed beef rolls), and a very rich Reine Desaba (chocolate and almond cake).  (And why is it again, that I have a gained a ton of weight...?)

Well, it is time to do more PT...which I hate and is very painful. But everything is going pretty well and I see the surgeon again on the 14th. I will be up and around before long.

Until then, I will keep resting, nesting, and testing myself with lots of therapy. 

I appreciate and am so grateful to all those who have sent me beautiful cards, stopped by to visit, or sent me some of the most wonderful hand-made gifts that brought tears to my eyes. (The good kind of tears, which I welcome any day!) To all my readers, know that I am thinking of you and thank you for just stopping by for a visit.

Miss you all.
from my side of the bed to yours...

A Real Page Turner in the Making...

The last three weeks have been especially challenging and stressful. No matter how hard I work, I never seem to get caught up. And no matter how long I work, the day is too short. Well, this evening my appointment called and rescheduled. My evening was happily free! I had so, so , so much work to do, but instead, I decided to head to the gym to run off my stress. Gotta take care of myself.

As I was getting ready to head out to the gym I visited my "library", as I always do before a run, and during my visit I pick up my Runners World Magazine that has been sitting next to my throne for a week now. (I know, this falls under TMI - too much information.)

I read an interesting article on Kathrine Switzer, the first woman to compete and complete the Boston Marathon. This historical event took place on April 19, 1967. A mere 40 years ago, women were not allowed to run marathons - amazing.

Switzer was a college student, trained, and had her coach/friend run with her. Her boyfriend ran with her as well. She paid her entry fee and filled out her application, signing it "K. Switzer." Once the race began, the officals and press became aware that a woman was competing in the race - the horrors! Switzer was attacked, jeered, and rentlessly questioned by the press as she ran. "When are you going to quit?" was the question of the day for Switzer as she ran the race. It was never ending.

Switzer recalls the pain - the bloody blisters, sore muscles and relates her thoughts from some 40 years ago:

"My mind was whirling, but that couldn't distract me from feeling the very big blisters in my arches that soon would burst. I could handle that; pain was nothing. It was part of what made you a hero, doing this, overcoming it, relegating pain to the incidental for a higher purpose."

What a powerful statement - read it again - slowly. She made history for herself and changed the course of sports for all women with the pain she endured. Inspiring to say the least. But as I continued to read the article as I made my way to my front door - I stopped in my tracks!

Kathrine Switzer's bib number, in that historic race was: number 261...look at the above photo....261!! That photo is my bib from my very first marathon - number 261! And how ironic that my first marathon - the More Magazine marathon, was a women-only marathon! I couldn't believe my eyes. I actually teared up as I read this.

I went to the gym and as I worked out, I kept thinking about my first marathon, the bib number and how Switzer made history while enduring her pain, but never losing sight of her goal - to finish. She just wanted to finish it. How many times have you put a goal in front of you, but even with odds against you, even with others around you telling you to just quit already - you endured - and you completed it. That is your personal history. It may not make headlines or be recorded in history books - but it is your history. You know the saying: "I'm closing that chapter of my life." Or "This will be a new chapter in my life." Well...where do those "chapters" go? Your personal history book, of course.

I thought about this as I ran this evening and I realized that all my stress, worries, and hard work these last several weeks meant I was simply "relegating pain to the incidental for a higher purpose." That lifted a lot of weight off my shoulders - it gave me more focus. It made sense.

In the running world we have a term "PR" which means "personal record." While racing, most runners have a goal of breaking their personal record. To do better than the last race. To be stronger, faster, and yes, just to finish - and to accomplish this means to endure even more pain than the last race. With each new goal or ambition requires more strength and endurance than the prior goal - in other words - we are creating our personal history. Another chapter. Our own book. (Sometimes I think I am creating a novel!)

Number 261 will always have special meaning to me. And what an unexpected honor to have ran my first race with the same number as Kathrine Switzer. I am glad I didn't know at the time, the significance of the number - it would have been intimating. But knowing its significance right at this moment is just the inspiration I need and the assurance that I am simply making my own personal history - and that it all has a higher good and purpose.

Whether your goal is to go back to school, start a business or maybe own a home - know that while your endurance and pain probably won't make it in the news papers, you are making history - your personal history. May your personal history book be filled with inspirational and accomplished stories to someday share with those who have yet to begin to write their own book.

Thank you for allowing me to share a page or two of my personal book with you. My hope for us all is that when all is said and done our personal history books will be a real page turner!

From my house to your house,

Elizabeth

http://www.elizabethhouse.us/

Maplewood takes Elizabeth House to Court - again

I wanted to update you on my sign usage. To date, I have yet to receive a phone call from the mayor or my alderman. The last time I addressed this issue, EH received a citation for having my sign in the middle of the sidewalk. That was simply due to the fact that I had just hired a new employee and she accidently put it out. And please know that I don't blame my employee at all - this friggin sign issue began long before any employee came along.

Once I realized this, I put the sign right next to my entrance, next to my potted trees - where it does me no good at all unless someone actually takes time to turn the corner and see that there is another store afterall. In fact, just yesterday I had a customer come and I always asked how a customer found the store, and she said she was looking for a friend who left another store, and peeked around the corner to look for her and then she saw my "Open" sign and wondered what that was all about - she had no idea that there was another store around the corner!

So, now Maplewood is taking me to court because the city inspector saw that my sign was at my entrance of my store (see photo) and even that wasn't good enough! I have had my sign next to my front door for almost four years without any issue. It wasn't until Maplewood changed the streetscape and widened my sidewalk to 20' and took away my front door parking, did I need to move my sign way out to the center of the sidewalk (right next to a large tree) to let people know that there is a store around the little corner. Since August, when I got notice to remove my sign (from the center) I placed it right next to my trees, as shown above ever since. Now suddenly, even this location is now off limits.

I go to court on December 18th at 7PM. I have no idea what the fine will be or if my business license will be revoked, but what makes me angry is that after my new employee accidently put it out, I thought I was complying by returning it to the front door area like it had been for four years now.

It amazes me how this damn city is so quick to give the local paper a photo of my store when a story is being done on the "up and coming Maplewood" and how quick the city is to make sure my store is mentioned when there is any PR to be done about the "up and coming Maplewood" and how "proud" they are of all the little businesses (at least in front of a camera, that is), but Lord forbid they do anything at all to ensure that these little cute boutiques get the assistance they need to stay in business.

I am sorry to vent, but it just irks me to no end at all the tireless hours, money, working nights, expenses and so on it takes to run a business and the city reaps all the benefits of our hard work and is so quick to point out how great Maplewood is, but city hall has it all wrong. All these little boutiques are wonderful INSPITE of the damn city - not because of it. It is sort of like a couch potato spouse taking all the credit when his wife trains, works out, eats right, then competes, and wins a triatholon. I wish Maplewood city hall would get off its "couch" and try actually running the city for a change instead of ruining it.

So the saga goes - and so will I as soon as I can find another home for Elizabeth House.

Thank you for caring,

Elizabeth
www.elizabethhouse.us

"At the 18th mile you wonder why in the hell you are doing this and at 26.2 miles it all becomes clear." That was a quote I read on the back of a woman's T-shirt that was running in front of me at the Chicago marathon this past weekend.


Yup, I did it! Well, sort of. If you have been reading my blog, you will know that I went into the race with some injuries. The four weeks prior to the race, I couldn't train due to fierce pain in my arm and my pulled hamstring in my left thigh. So I rested for four weeks in hopes that all would be well on race day.
I flew up my older sister, Louisa (yes, I had to put that she is older - that is what sisters do) from Texas to see me race. She has never attended a marathon before and boy was she in for a surprise. This marathon is great! Almost 40,000 runners, over 1.5 million spectators, and lots of entertainment along the route.
Weeks prior to the race I have been eating lots of fish and chicken and really loading up on carbs. I am not used to all those carbs, all the more reason to start weeks in advance. I was beginning to feel like this race was not meant to be. First, my pain and injuries, then a WEEK early, my "ladies day" started the day prior to the race, cramps and all. Yes, I know this falls under the TMI catagory (too much information), but when I tell a story, I don't leave out the details. Then, the weather turns awful! It started out cold, and only got colder and the wind really picked up about mid race. And the two nights prior, I slept awful with the pain in my arm. You'd think I would have sense enough to say to myself: okay, there is pain, rain, PMS, and not enough training....maybe I should pass on this race.
But, who said I had any sense?
We get up at 4:30 AM and head for the 6AM shuttle that was 20 minutes late. We got to the starting area (Grant Park) and the wind started to really kick in. I had my sister carry my bag of "goodies" for me. It was filled with clothing, knee brace, gloves, hats, sun glasses, you name it. So as race time neared, and still trying to figure out the weather, I kept digging in the bag (and driving my sister nuts) and tried to decide: hat or no hat? gloves or no gloves? jacket or no jacket (I HATE running with a jacket), got my power shots? got my sunglasses? Ipod? earphones? oops, don't forget that extra tampon, now where in the hell do I store that on myself??? Water bottle? where is my other glove? ...it went on and on because when I run 26.2 miles, I want to be as comfortable as possible and have all that I need and not a single ounce more.
I stretch and warm up and pray that I get through this. My sis is snapping photos as if I was trying out for the Olympics. She is so proud, so happy, and so friggin sleepy and cold too.
I say my good-byes and go get into the crowd. I picked a pace of 5 hours. That means that I find the area in which other people think they can finish in about 5 hours as well so that way we all are running about the same pace. I looked behind me and was happy to see that there were two more pace times slower than the one I picked. I met a wonderful British woman who flew here to race her very first race. I welcomed her to America. The National Anthem played and I saw lots of gloved hands go over jacket covered hearts - mine included. It was a really touching moment. There were people from all around the world racing - when we all gather for a common goal - it really does make this world a whole lot smaller - which is comforting.
The horn blasts and we all cheer and ......wait....we didn't all start running just yet. You see, I am so far back in the pack, that it takes almost 20 minutes for my section to even get to the starting line. We all wear electronic chips on our shoes which record our time as we cross the starting and finishing lines and some area in between as well.
Well, I had on my Ipod, and as I crossed the the starting line, I cranked it up and the very first song I put on it, just for this race, was "American Woman." It has a great beat and I love that song. I was in a sea of bobbing heads and thousands, no, millions of spectators crammed on bridges, yelling, waving, cheering as we all passed under the bridge. Spectators were everywhere, making all the runners feel like Olympians.
I was really feeling good. No pain, nothing. I kept my pace a little bit slower than I wanted to, but that was a good thing. In fact, I ran the first 13 miles really, really well. In fact, I didn't even stop to walk or rest until after the 10th mile! I usually stop and walk a minute or two every 5 miles, but I was feeling so good. I remember thinking to myself: "Oh! This is what it feels like to be a real runner!...."
While running those first 13 miles, I put myself right, smack in the middle of the crowd. I wanted to be really "in the moment." You can't even begin to imagine what it felt like to be running side by side with thousands of runners and to look ahead and at the slight incline, get a wonderful view of thousands of runners, in all colors, sizes, shapes....and all of us headed for the same goal: the finish line. I had to look behind me, and when I did, I saw thousands of runners - some with smiles, some already huffing, some looking up at the buildings, some waving to their friends...it was just amazing to be a part of that crowd. For years, I've seen the famous photos of the Chicago marathon and its runners and always wanted to do this, and now, here I am - doing it. I even found myself choking up a bit with the thought.
I can think of no better way to enjoy a city, such as Chicago, then with the views that I and 39,999 other runners had that day. The streets were closed, and we got to see all kinds of neighborhoods, houses, buildings and have the city's finest (the police) wave and cheer us on as they blocked the roads and protected us as we ran.
I am asked often what do I think about or "do" as I run for so long. Well, in this race, I enjoyed reading the backs of the T-shirts of the runners. I liked the one that was in front of me for a few miles. It said in small letters: "If you can read this, then that means I am not last." Then there was shirt that said "If you are running this race, you are not a runner - you are an athlete." Me? An athlete? Never thought of it that way, and it may be stretching the meaning of that word a bit, but I will take it anyway! Then there were the spiritual shirts, religious shirts, the shirts that listed all the marathons its owner participated in. But then there were a couple of shirts that made it hard for me to breath because I got choked up. One shirt, worn by a woman said, "This jersey was worn by my sister. I run in her honor." Then it had her sister's birth/death date on it. Another shirt, worn by a woman, said "I am the first twin. My twin can't run, so I run for us both."
Then there were the spectators with their cheers and posters. A young man held up a poster that said: "Free massages for hot chicks. Everyone else, $5." I couldn't help but wonder if I would have had to pay or not. Then there was a poster from another man that said, "Are you tired? You should be. You have been running through my mind." Yup, the cheesy line is now in print. Another poster held by a woman said, "You can do it!" But what made it funny was that as she held it high, she chanted over and over "You can do it! But I can't do it. You can do it, but I can't do it!" And she chanted this as she jumped up in down in glee over and over.
Of course what is a marathon without a runner who juggles, a man in a cow outfit with utters, a man with a lizard hat, devils, fairies, clowns, "outlaws" in cowboy hats and a group of about 30 who blew whistles (loudly) with every step. Thank God they ran faster than me and I didn't have to listen to those whistles for very long.
About mile 12, I started to feel the all-too familiar pain starting to creep from my left butt cheek, down my thigh. Damn! I slowed down a bit and then stretched. I jogged some more, stretched some more, made sure I fueled up well, and kept going. I wanted to keep running, but my leg, at mile 16, said "ain't gonna happen." So, I had to stop. I stretched and stretched and stretched. I started to jog again, for only about 10 seconds and had to stop. That was it. I was now forced to walk the last 10 miles. I was so mad at myself and really, just pissed to put it bluntly. Well, I stayed mad for about a mile. I was just yelling at myself inside my head. Angry that all my training wasted because of this darn injury - and now I can't even run.
After beating myself up for over a mile, I finally told myself that I can stay mad for the last 10 miles, or I can just accept it and enjoy the fun all around me. I decided to enjoy the fun - and I also decided to power walk those 10 miles. So, what did I think about during those last 10 miles? The last marathon I did, last March (which was the very first marathon I ever did), I did a lot of thinking about my life, its turns, and what I went through in the previous months. This marathon, I thought of others. Not myself. I thought about my sister who was cold and waiting and waiting for me. I thought about my boyfriend, who is starting a new job and wondered how he was doing and really wishing he could be here to cheer me on. I thought about my new nephew, due in December and what he was going to be like. I thought about how today is Freddy's 50th birthday and I need to call him. I thought about my friend Debbie, and her 50th birthday coming up. I thought about my boyfriend's brother-inlaw who just found out the day before the race that he has cancer. In fact, I thought about him the most and how I wanted to finish the race just for him. I thought about all of my friends back in St. Louis, and how much they mean to me. I thought about all of you and how would I describe my day to you in this blog and if you would even care to read all the mundane details. I also just simply took in the beauty of the city, its people, and just being a part of such a great race. Oh, yeah, and I did do a lot of thinking about how friggin cold I was!!
Well, I had 800 meters left, and I wasn't about to walk across the finish line...so I began to jog again - with great pain, but I didn't care. I turned down my Ipod so I could hear the crowd and the announcers. I rounded the corner and I could see the finish line banner - never in my life did I ever love a banner so much. As I made my way down those last meters, I glanced around for my sister. I didn't see her, but then I heard "Go Bitsey! Go Bitsey!!" (That was my childhood nickname) and I looked up and she was cheering as if I was from Kenya and about to break a world record. I wouldn't say I set I record.
I finished at 6:31. A little more than an hour longer than my first marathon. I wasn't too thrilled with that. But, then again, I had to remind myself that I just completed 26.2 friggin miles in cold, the wind, and with a very painful leg. Not too shabby. Besides....there's always next year!
Louisa snapped photos and I waved and grinned so happily. I got my medal, my "warming blanket" and my chip off my shoe. I met Louisa at the tall chain-link fence and the first thing out of my mouth: "Is there any food in that bag?" She handed me a giant, and I mean giant cookie that I ate in about 3 minutes and asked for more food. We got a cab and went straight for the hotel. I jumped into a hot shower, gave my sister some BenGay and asked her to rub it in my left butt (what are sisters for if you can't ask them to rub BenGay into your sore butt???), I got under the covers, to try to get the chill out of me and then grabbed the "warming blanket" and used that to help me warm up. The photo below sort of says it all. I was out.
I woke up about 7PM, we ordered Chicago style pizza, watched the Cardinals, talked to my boyfriend on the phone, and I was out again.....I was out....I was happy....I was warm....I was full of pizza.....and I was an "athlete."
Thank you for your well wishes. They mean so much to me.
from my house to your house,
Elizabeth
www.elizabethhouse.us

Elizabeth House gets another citation from the City of Maplewood again...

Well, this will be a short posting as I am at the end of my rope. I just wish there was a noose at the end sometimes. I opened my mail today and what do I see? I wonderful love letter from our endearing city inspector saying that he "inspeceted" my location and I was in violation of the city ordinance on portable signs and I have 30 days to correct it.

See the photo at the top? It does me no good having my sign right there on my front porch area because people walking down the sidewalk can't see it until they turn the "bend." But should they actually find my store, it is nice to let them know that I am open for business.

If you have been reading my blog, you know that I am hiring new employees and one new employee put the sign way out on the sidewalk (where it can be seen) instead of next to my front door. I didn't make it clear that it was to be right by the door, and she, being new, had enough sense to realize that the sign does no good at the front door and placed it where it would actually be visible. I am out most of the day on appointments and did not know this happened. The inspector writes me up again instead of just coming in and checking to see if there was a problem. I am not sure if I go to court again or not - or pay a fine - or what. According to the last time I was in court, the judge said he would revoke my business license should he see me in court ever again over this issue. No license means no doing business in Maplewood.

Maybe this is a "sign" for me to move? Is there a quaint, but high foot-traffic town out there that would welcome a small boutique? I may be shopping around.

Apparently, City Hall doesn't even know its own Mayor's email address. Prior to my post regarding this issue, I called city hall myself to get the Mayor's email address so you readers, if you felt like it, could email him your opinion. Apparently your emails have not gone through at all.

Here is another email address so please try this one if you feel like telling the Mayor how you feel:

mark@marklangston.us


To get the complete story, please view my posting titled "Signage." And no, I haven't heard a peep from my alderman or the mayor, or the chamber of commerce since I last left them all messages or spoke with them about this issue last August. All of whom told me on the phone: "I will look into it and make some calls and call you back." No calls yet.

I appreciate your support, concern, and outrage. I am just fed up. Period.

from my house to your house,
Elizabeth
www.elizabethhouse.us

Sign Language

Store signage is an issue that needs to be addressed before you sign a lease. Welcome to part 4 of "business of boutiques" for those of you who are wanting or getting ready to open their first boutique. I am going to use my personal experience on the issue of singage.

When I first opened my store, I had street parking right in front of my store. But after over a year of hard work in establishing my business, the city had decided to revamp the streetscape and expand my narrow sidewalk out to twenty feet or more, add some plants and lightposts. Quaint right? Wrong! (This is a prime example of finding out about any city plans before you sign a lease - something I didn't know to do.) I no longer have parking in front of mystore, no place to load and unload inventory and worse, my customers (or rather, prospects - they aren't customers yet), while walking down from other local shops, not only do not see if I am open or not, they can't see my building at all because of the way the city redesigned the sidewalk. They assume as they walk down the sidewalk, that where the cars are able to park, is the last store and they turn around and go back.

Look at the photos and see for yourself. See how the store on the right appears to be the final store? To the left of that store, is the beginning of a busy intersection and thus no parking allowed along the street at that point. My store is at a very slight right angle beyond that store. You can't even see my awnings!

Now look at the next two photos. The top photo shows my "open" sign out on the sidewalk and at the a point, you can just see my black awnings on the right with my topiarytrees. Having that little open signout is the diffrence of having 20 customers walk in or only 4. Literally. I kept track on some days. But the city has an ordinance against portable signs. During

Christmas, we are allowed to put out signs but no other time. I did due diligence and approached the sign and review board, wrote letters, spoke with my alderman to get the ordinance changed. This is going on two years now! So, for a while, I just kept putting my sign out anyway because if I didn't, I would be out of business. But then our friendly city inspector, had nothing better to do than to watchand see if my sign was out, write me up, and I would be taken to court by the wonderful city of Maplewood. (Maplewood is two blocks from the St. Louis city limits.) So, I would spend my Monday nights, once a month in court, and pay a fine.This little routine of putting the sign out and then going to court was not my intention, but it got started because of Maplewood's ever so helpful, city inspector, fined me again on a Tuesday morning after I had just gone to court for the first time, the prior evening. Apparently what had happened was this: Monday night I go to court the first time, get fined, and am told to take my sign in. Tuesday morning, I had appointments all day and so I left a sticky note on my computer screen for my employee NOT to put the sign out (at that time I was still determined to change the ordinance and do things properly). My employee, comes in for the day, the sign is right next to the door, so as usual, she puts it out on the sidewalk, returns, turns on lights and makes her way to the computer where she sees my note and immediately goes out to remove the sign. A week later, I get a citation and I am livid because I know I did not have my sign out. I call up the city inspector, very adament that I have not put my sign out and he said I did on the following Tuesday morning. Upon questioning my employee, she had to even try to remember the events, and finally remembered that she did have it out for a total of 4 minutes. The inspector was waiting that morning to see if the sign was put out. When I explained this to him he replied, "yeah, I thought it was strange that you would just defy the judge's order and have the sign out." I then told him that if he would have taken a minute or two and came inside and just ask us what is going on, by the time he got out of his car, he would have seen the sign was returned inside. But no, he drives back to his office, writes me up, no phone call and I get to go to court yet again. Well, that was it. I was getting no help whatsovever from Maplewood about this issue. So every month I get a citation and every month I would go to court. All the time trying to get Maplewood to grant me a conditional use permit for my sign. Finally, one court session, the judge told me that if he sees me in his courtroom again, he will revoke my business license! That was Nov 2005.

I immediately went to my alderman's home, very upset that all I am trying to do is run my business and I can't seem to get help from anyone about this sign issue. My wonderful alderman said he would look into it. I was standing on his front porch at 8PM, in tears and just spent from having so much on my plate, trying to keep my business going after my husband just left me only 5 months prior and so, so, so tired from all the hours I was putting in. Finally, someone was going to help me!

I never heard a peep from him after that tearful night.

Well, Christmas comes and goes, and I am told "under the table" to keep my sign out and the city will look the other way while the ordinance is being revamped. I went to a meeting about the ordinance and voiced, publicly, the need for this change. I also stipulated many ways in which the ordinance will not work if the city council puts tight restrictions on theplacement, size, and so on simply because having a sign near my front door will do me no good. I also invited the council and review board to walk down the sidewalk and they will see what I am talking about. No one has.

So, now it is August 2006 and I get a letter from the cityhall telling me that an ordinance has been passed that allows a sign to hang from the building and that I need to remove my portable sign immediately. There are a couple of problems with this. One, I wasn't even notified that the ordinance was finally coming up for vote...my alderman didn't even notify me. Two, the signage hanging from my store does me no good whatsoever, and I made this clear in my public meeting, and three, even if the hanging sign would help me, it would take at least two months to get the sign approved, and the letter stated that I remove my sign immediately instead of stating that once I get approval of my new signage then remove my portable sign. Nope, had to do it that day. And I did.

So, I made many calls to the city manager, the alderman, chamber of commerce, the mayor and no one returned my messages. Finally, I called the president of the chamber at his workplace (a bank) and voiced my concerns, my anger, and how am I to stay in busienss if no one can even see my store? August was my WORST month ever since I opened my business. To this day, after almost 4 years of being open, I still get ladies who "found me" and they walk in all excited about what they see and they ask "how long have you been open?" And they are shocked when I tell them how long because they "have never seen the store before." Yes, I advertise, and yes, I get PR, but that does nothing for those who are just "walking" around and just shopping for the day and who don't know about the store "around the bend."

So, I finally get a call from my alderman after I left a message that was less than friendly. This is over a week later. The phone call did not go well at all. I asked him what exactly does it take to get a conditional use permit anyway? He said he would have to look into it because he didn't know. Oh...my...gosh...you mean to tell me that this is Aug 2006 and since Nov 2005 you, my representative, haven't even looked into that? Especially after I was on your porch in tears needing help????? Basically, I told him he was worthless as a representative. He was very condescending in letting me know that there are other important matters in the city other than my sign. I was quick to let him know that this is not the first time I dealt with city government, and I am very aware of the issues, but we are going on two years with this sign problem and that is just inexcusable.

He said he didn't want to give me a conditional use permit because then "all the other stores will come rushing in with their conditions." I basically said, "so?" God forbid that the council actually do what they are voted in to do: help run the city and the businesses. I told him that I am not asking for special treatment, I just want to stay in business! I told him should he get a "rush of store owners" at city hall that the answer was very simple: If those store owners use to have front door parking and the city took it away, and if they also have a 20 foot wide sidewalk, then they too may have a portable sign. He said ordinances can't be written to satisfy everyone. Yes, of course Mr. Alderman, I am aware of that. That is why you have conditional use permits. I started to get very loud and bold on the phone and he tells me that if my "goal is to call me up and piss me off, then you met your goal." I said that I don't give a $#@ that he is pissed off because I have been pissed off for almost two years now. Then he tells me that my attitude doesn't want to make him jump through hoops to help me. And so I then ask him: "Are you saying that I need to kiss your ass to get help???" Of course he said "no." And I told him that is exactly what he is saying and that I have been "playing nice" for two years and have gotten no where, so why continue to be nice? I told him that I hate doing business this way (yelling) but if that is the only way to get something done, then I have to do that.

He then told me that there are other means of advertising - again very patronizing. I told him I have a budget for that and this is not about advertising this is about letting people know where I am located and that there is actually a business around the corner! He then admitted that he hasn't even walked down the sidewalk to see what I am talking about! By the way, Walmart moved in during this time, and it seems as though all the little cute boutiques in our town are not necessary anymore....at least to the city's eyes. Maybe that explains why no one is willing to help out within a two year period? Needless to say, it got ugly but he said he would look into it and call me back. I have yet to hear from him. I did finally talk to the Mayor about two weeks later and he too said he would look into it. Never hear from him either.

So, what to do? Well, I have a business to run. I can't do it all. My foot traffic has been horrible. Sales are down. And the city of Maplewood couldn't care less. Why the city won't provide a conditional use permit is beyond me. The city won't help. And I am out of options. I can't be on the phone, in city hall, or write letters in "ordinance language so the council members will have it almost written for them" as my alderman suggested and run my business. I just keep on working, doing what I need to do and just share my experiences with you who are getting your store ready to open.

Please check into any future plans the city may have that may affect your business. I wish I had. Thank you so much for letting me vent. And if you feel like it, feel free to email our mayor and let him know your disgust at the city for not taking care of one of their own. On the subject line if you could, please put: "let Elizabeth House stay in business" because quite frankly, if I have several more months like the month of August, I will need to rethink my way of making a living.

Email: m-langston@cityofmaplewood.com I hope I helped some of you to avoid the headaches that I have had.

from my house to your house,

Elizabeth

www.elizabethhouse.us

Big Leaps for Little Boutique

Just a note to let you know that my store, Elizabeth House, www.elizabethhouse.us, was selected as one of the top 50 retail stores nation-wide by the retail trade journal, Home Accents Today. My store was selected out of 23 stores in the category with sales less than a million dollars. The award reads as follows:"Try to define a Star of any kind is tough, as true in retail as any place. The star store has its own distinct personality, usually a strong entrepreneurial owner who puts his or her stamp firmly on the product mix, the merchandising and the store's role in the community. This year, the Home Accents Today's 50 Stars share all of the these characteristics, but also are fiercely independent in their approaches to retailing. We congratulate the 2006 Stars."

How exciting and what an honor to be selected. Also, congrats to my dear friend, Debbie Dusenberry for having her store, Curious Sofa, selected as well. Visit her store in Kansas City and give yourself a real treat! She is one very talented lady. Her website is www.curioussofa.com .

I feel truly inspired by so many of you and continue to challenge myself as a business owner. I thought after being open for almost four years now, things would be easier - but they aren't. New challenges, issues, and problems to solve face me every day. But living a creative life and trying to make a living from it has its worries and its rewards. I choose to focus on the rewards.It is my dream that one day I will be a true inspiration for other women searching for their creative side and living their passion. I have been inspired by many women who shared their wisdom and encouraged me when I felt defeated.

I hope someday that one of you will write me or (or call into my national design show!) to tell me how much I inspired you to live your dreams as well. Someday, I hope to be in a position of not only inspiring others, but to actually be able to help make those aspirations a reality. Who knows? Maybe that will really happen.For now, we creative women need to support and give to one another as we continue our journey.

Basically, we all have same need: we just want to be accepted for who we are. The challenge? To discover who that person is. I am up for a challenge, are you?

from my house to your house,
Elizabeth