Thursday, December 4, 2014

Thoughts for the end of 2014

Well, another year is coming to an end. Like most of you I wonder where the time has gone. Plus here we are wondering again what to give the guy or gal on our list that every year is challenge. ( a Cowboy Cleaners gift certificate is not a bad idea - I'm just saying) But we also look back at the year that was and what we can hope for or expect next year.

So ... some thoughts. This year we had no meat dresses or any other such nonsense. WHOO HOO!!! Does that mean we are all going to be thrilled with the 2015 "looks". Oh I think not. So for those of you wondering what does 2015 look like fashion wise well... here goes
1. Street wear - brightly colored, form fitting (UGH),sporty outfits featuring mix and match patterns, loud prints, big logos and provocative sayings.
2. Swinging 60's - miniskirts. thigh-high boots and shift dresses emphasizing op-art and retro-futuristic accents such as mohair and vinyl. Think Nancy Sinatra and "These Boots Are Made for Walking".
3.Knits - Head to toe Knits. Yep loose knit garments that drape all the way to the floor..
4. Fur - real and faux !! This year over sized and multi-colored patchworks of alpaca,shearling fox and astrkhan. Plus bright faux furs.

So when you go out looking for new clothes - that is what you expect to see a lot of this year. And the official 2015 Pantone color of the year is .........Marsala!!!! Leatrice Eisman, executive Director of Pantone Color Institute says" This earthy red has wine and a very warm brown underneath, which gives the feeling of groundedness,strength and confidence,It has a richness that lends sophistication. When you wear it it is a self-fulfilling prophecy - you'll find you get positive reactions from others and it builds up your confidence" All that from a color - heck Chicken Marsala is pretty good to eat so who knows maybe you can get that all from a color. But expect to see Marsala everywhere - clothes, shoes , lipstick and paint colors.I may go for the clothes,shoes and lipstick but I'm going to stop at repainting the living room

Maybe as we get older and start to contemplate our mortality we start to wonder where we are on the old life expectancy chart. I kinda avoid those charts mainly because I figure they don't include the random hit by a bus or rolling off a cliff - both of which I am trying to avoid.My theory is when it's my time then it's my time - I just don't want to be on a plane with someone else whose time it is and go with them like collateral damage. So let's get off our own mortality and discuss the mortality of your household stuff. Don't you love it when I transition back to clothes and such? But for those who are wondering what to get folks for Christmas - this might actually help. Did you know your bedspread and comforters have a life expectancy of 6 years? So maybe if someones bedspread is over 6 years old - get them a new Marsala bedspread !!! Blankets have about 5 years except wool that can last up to 10 years. Curtains and drapery sheers have 3 years. Draperies about 5 years - if you are lucky you can switch out the drapes and bedspread for Marsala this year and 2019 get new ones in the Pantone color for that year. Sheets and pillowcases only will last about 2 years.But towels will last about 3 years. So look around the house boys - this may be the year to get the your gal some lovely new bedding etc. OK not as good idea as a nice Marsala gemstone ( diamond ,ruby or garnet) but surely much more useful.

So those are some thoughts from 2014.Here is a few for 2015 - maybe this year will be less tumultuous.  Maybe , and not to sound all Pollyanna , we could stop calling each other names and actually listen to one another. I hope we all realize that being polite is just way easier for everyone. A simple please and thank you could change some one's day. Thank God ( or whatever deity or lack thereof you believe in) for your family and friends because without them life would be dull, boring and just plain sad. Take a moment each day just to be grateful for your life, the people around you and (even though at time you may wonder if it isn't going to hell in a handbag) this country. If we all could just for a moment realize how greatly we have been blessed - then maybe 2015 will be a great year. Here is wishing you a happy, healthy, prosperous and blessed 2015.

Monday, October 13, 2014

Ebola ,germs and other things that scare the c~*p out of me

Well this may be a first .... I always want business. We work hard to keep our customers happy and try and reach out to get new customers. But ....if there is any chance you may have come in contact with some one who has ebola... DO NOT BRING ME YOUR CLOTHES. In fact , do not take those clothes to any cleaners. Granted drycleaning solvent will kill a whole host of viruses and germs but not ebola. With ebola the advice is BURN BABY BURN. Yep, burn those clothes - even if it is your favorite shirt or dress - light up the grill and torch 'em. Living in Texas ,I guess I may be a wee bit paranoid about ebola. But maybe you are too. I mean damn - does anyone understand what the CDC is doing? The guy next to you on the plane could have loaded up on Tylenol and flown over from Liberia. Does that make any sense? SO of course they won't have a fever. You know back in the old days - when someone came to this country from another country with a virulent disease they were placed in quaranteen. Your dang dog is placed in quaranteen when returning to this country. Your dog and cat get stuck for weeks waiting to get released into society - but hell an infected person just strolls on out of the airport into your neighborhood. Does that make any sense? So you are being told to wash your hands. RIGHT !!! Washing hands and hand sanitizer works great for a lot of germs and viruses BUT NOT EBOLA. Ebola needs bleach ....use 1 part bleach to 10 parts water. So if you are flying - get those bleach wipes and wipe away - the arm rest, the seat , the guy next to you and even your hands. Yep BLEACH BABY BLEACH. And spray your bleach solution on surfaces in your house etc. Now I must confess ... I am terrified of needles. So needless to say , I have never gone for a flu shot. But this year I think I will suck it up and hyperventilate my way to get a flu shot. I heard a doctor on the radio suggesting we get the flu shot this year, His reason was if we all get a flu shot then we will not have the flu which in the intitial stages resembles the symptoms of ebola. So if you have a flu shot and start having flu-like symtoms you have ebola. Or if everyone has a flu shot then the guy at the airport who is feverish etc - does not have the flu but has ebola. SO GET A FLU SHOT!!! I have also read that UV light disenfection will kill the ebola virus.Not sure how useful that advise is ...unless you want to put a few up in your house. But there are small portable UV light disenfection devices - so maybe get one and wave it over everything you come in contact with? Heck I'd be ok if you wave one on me. So yep, I'm a paranoid. And apparently I am a complete redneck who distrusts the government at least whenever the CDC get on tv and starts telling me how hard it is to get ebola. Especially after a nurse totally covered in protective gear got ebola. I'm not quite ready to hole-up with my survival gear but I am just paranoid to stay away from sneezing, wheezing and sweaty people. Dang - this is Texas and most of us are sweaty people - not good. But lastly, please PRAY FOR NINA PHAM. This young lady is the nurse from Dallas who now has ebola. She is 26 years old and recent graduate from TCU. Please pray for her -this young lady did what you and I could not - she worked with a person she knew had ebola and did it anyway. What a courageous young lady!!! So I ask that all of you keep her in your prayers.

Friday, March 7, 2014

Boudica and Drycleaning

So you ask "what is a Boudica and what does it have to do with drycleaning?" Ok let's start with a confession from me - I do not watch the regular t.v. - yep no ABC,NBC, or CBS. I guess for the young folks it will come as a surprise but when I was a kid that was it for choice in t.v. So now with History, HGTV, and Food Network, I have all these choices so why watch a sitcom when I can learn to make a souffle, tile my kitchen or learn about history? Thus Bouddica.( pronouced Boo- Di -Kah) This is going to be a roundabout way to get to the drycleaning part but if you will indulge me ...first let's talk Bouddica, Boudica the Warrior Queen. If you watch the History Channel or the Military History Channel then you may know of Boudica- truth to tell that is how I learned of her. In 60 A.D. Boudica was the queen of the Celtic tribe the Icene ( eye-see-knee). Boudica's husband was a nominal ally of Romans after they invaded Britain. So all was well in Wales until Boudica's husband died.See as long was the king was alive and paid taxes to Rome - No problems. When her husband died he thought he was protecting his clan by leaving a will. In the will he left his kingdom jointly to his daughters and the Roman emperior. Sounded like a good idea but Rome decided to annex the kingdom ( leave a kingdom to women? not in Rome). So Boudica complained and the Romans came to Icene. They flogged Boudica 40 times while tying her to a post. Her daughters were raped. The Icene were were completely under Roman control and they were no longer able to feed their own clan because the Romans took their crops for themselves. But Boudica would not allow this injustice to stand. So she ( the Romans did not take her seriously after all she was just a woman) united all the Celtic clans. They then burned down to the ground the nearest Roman city killing all within its walls. She then led her army towards London destroying Roman legions on the way. Alas,an army with sticks and rocks was at a terrible disadvantage agaist one with shields and swords. But Boudica made the Emperor Nero ( of fiddle fame) consider completely pulling out of Britain. She did lose the final battle but did accomplish 2 things she united the Celtic tribes for the first time and she scared the beejeebers out of Rome. So while the Romans did not withdraw from Britain they knew from that time onward their position was always going to be precarious. Ok History lesson over, So what does Boudica have to do with drycleaning? I am going to go all Boudica at ABC. All drycleaners the same? Obviously, not. Why would one charge over $5.00 to clean a pair of pant and another only $!? Reason tells you that they cannot be doing the same thing to your clothes. So ABC found some guy named Jeeves who said some drycleaners use dirty solvent. Gross!!!! Does that happen ? I honestly do not know - not here. But it's easy enough to find out - take a look. I can show you my equipment and solvent. I would happy to do it. But bear in my - I have a thing for history - so it include a little history lesson too. But here is where I go completely Boudicca - this Jeeves fellow said some cleaners do not even clean difficult customers clothes - they just charge them. Who thinks like that? Who would do such a thing? I think perhaps Mr. Jeeves! How unbelievable that just because someone is picky or rude that would not do the job they are paying you to do. Picky people are great - they challenge you to do your absolute best. Rude people well ... sometime they are just a challenge... but what kind of person would consider doing anything less than their job . Hey life is tough, people have bad days , whatever but that doesn't mean I do not do my job. I have never ever heard of such a thing and frankly how in the great big universe does this Jeeves fellow know this stuff. I presume he is not invited guest to other cleaners stores - so where does this information come from .... perhaps personal experience? Look if you want to come here,look around , ask questions, I would love to talk to you!!! I cannot tell you what other drycleaners do ... why? I am too busy making sure we do things right! I try and buy the best products - the same way a chef buys the best ingredients. You cannot make a souffle with old eggs and you cannot clean clothes with old solvents, products etc. But like my dad use to say " people never accuse you Vicky of doing something attrocious if they haven't done it themselves - why else would they even think of it - did you ?" I guess that's why I will never be able to be congressman or senator , or president - I just cannot do that kind of thing. But here is the my final Boudica yell - A good cleaners . a respectable cleaners will gladly let you see whatever it is you are concerned about. We have had a group of homeschoolers come through and learn all about drycleaning and tour every inch of our store. But like Boudica I hate injustice - not all drycleaners are alike ... geez not all drycleaners even think like Mr. Jeeves. This warrior queen hates the idea that ABC gets some guy to impune all drycleaners. We are not all like that ... we are small businesses without some K street lobby who do the best we can every day. We are part of the community .. we live where we work. We care ... I do ... I have my reputation to uphold. My dad once said " all you really have is your good name - do not drag the Maisel name down". So as you watch the show ... drycleaners are not all the same and this Boudica warrior princess will fight to make sure you can trust us ... call me come by ... whatever . I hope I don't end up like poor Boudica - she either killed herself to avoid capture or was injured and feel ill and died. But Like Boudica I will fight to make sure that drycleaners are not lumped into this group of dishonest and smarmy slimes but decent people who do their best everyday to run a small business.Sure expose the bad apples - heck I'll help .... but do not act like it's the majority of us drycleaners.