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Downtown Burlington, Iowa

Downtown Burlington, Iowa

We’re doing it again – late this afternoon we’re boarding an Amtrak train heading east to visit Nancy’s mother in Burlington, Iowa, a city built, like Ancient Rome, on seven hills with the Mississippi standing in for the River Tiber.

While we’re gone, we offer you a 10% savings on all in-stock items at any of our web sites.  Our “Play While We’re Away” sale starts now and runs through May 30. It’s our way of saying thank you for your support and thank you for your patience while we’re gone.  Though, you’ll need less patience than previously because now we have someone who can mind the store while we’re away.

Keri

Keri

Our amazing and dauntless co-worker, Keri, will be processing and sending out most of your orders, but more slowly than if we were all here doing it together.  There may also be some orders that wait for our return due to processing complexity or other things.  However, we are thrilled to be able to keep most of our wheels turning, and turning so well (Keri is a gift – and she knits!!!).  Not to mention that it’s a delight to get to introduce Keri to you – she has become a wonderful part of our business.

As before, we’ll keep you abreast of our adventures as we are able.  Thank you all again for your support, your goodwill, and your generous spirits. 

Our new search engine!

Being able to search for the yarn you want or a colorway you long for - what a concept!  Finally, Bob had a chance to make that a reality – and found a search engine that does the job beautifully.  Now, in all our online shops, you can just type in what you’re looking for and be directed straight off to it.  You’ll find the search boxes in the upper left area of all the pages in all our web sites – and they will tell you where to find everything else.

We made a quick trip to the Bay Area last weekend to see most of our children and especially Ari.  We had such a good time with everyone. 

We celebrate Easter, Ari’s family celebrates Passover – I see both festivals as ways of shouting “Hallellujah” that times of darkness and despair can be transformed into the joy of renewed hope.  It was quite beautiful to spend that time with 4 of our 5 children and their husbands and wives, and especially to spend it with our new grandson.  

While we were there, Ari (who just turned 6 months old!) had his first solid food, having been breastfed completely until then.  Here’s a photo taken just before his first spoonful went in:

Ari Matthew learning to eat

Ari Matthew learning to eat

 Here’s “Before” and “After” shots taken by his mother the next day:

Ari - before his second meal

Ari - before his second meal

Ari - after his second meal (and wondering why his mother has a camera in her hand instead of the spoon)

Ari - after his second meal (and wondering why his mother has a camera in her hand instead of the spoon)

We also had an amazing train ride back home — we were able to go through the Cascade Mountains in daylight after recent snows – spectacular.  In addition to the views below, we also saw 5 Bald Eagles when going through the wetlands near Klamath Falls.  A lovely way to end a good visit.

The Cascades - South Side

The Cascades - South Side

Looks like an old B&W movie, doesn't it?

Looks like an old B&W movie, doesn't it?

Near the summit

Near the summit

Evergreen forests close up

Evergreen forests close up

Over the summit - on the way down now

Over the summit - on the way down now

The Coast Starlight Parlour Car - where we got to sit to look out at the world

The Coast Starlight Parlour Car - where we got to sit to look out at the world

Thanks for your amazing understanding and goodwill to those of you whose orders were slowed by a day or two while we spent time with our family.  And, to all of you, thank you for your continuing support and encouragement — and for loving so many of the good things that we also love.

Joyous Holidays!

Joyous Holidays!

We know.  We’ve been really quiet on these pages for a while.  Not that we haven’t been busy, mind you; in fact, we’ve been so busy sending out packages for Hanukkah, Christmas and just plain old happiness that all attempts to grab the keyboard and just write have eluded us until today. 

It has been a holiday season with more laughter and joy than any we remember in years – so many of you have sent good wishes, happy stories and bubbling enthusiasm our way that you made each day something to look forward to, and the work load a joyous undertaking.  We have come to imagine all of you together under Christmas trees, gathered around Menorahs, celebrating the Light that lives amid the Darkness in other ways, or just sitting contentedly by the fire – it’s a beautiful picture, if a bit crowded.  And, of course, you’re all knitting away, or reading books, or watching someone you love open one of the gifts you’ve given.

What strikes us most is that despite the news of all the troubles of our world, the flame that glows within the human heart seems to glow a bit brighter this year.  Perhaps we’ve all awoken from a slumber with renewed love, with the happiness of connecting with others here and now, with the sense of reality that moves us beyond what is found in newspapers and into the world that is alive with hope and possibility.  That is, at least, how it seems from here – we feel an upsurge of goodness that has already surmounted the gloomy pictures of our times.

This is the best gift anyone could bring – you have blessed us with your own goodness.  Thank you! 

We wish you much beauty and bounty in the coming New Year.  May all the joy you’ve brought be yours ten times over.

Thanksgiving 2009

Thanksgiving 2009

It was Thanksgiving in the US on Nov. 26 – Bob and I snuck away for a quick couple of days with some of our children. Sarah, Larry and Ari were in NYC celebrating with Larry’s family.  We had one of the best-ever Thanksgivings in our experience: a love fest with all the family cacophony merging into one happy symphony of “together.”  It was nothing short of wonderful, and we were all very grateful indeed.

I’d like to quickly introduce you to our children who were able to be present.  From left to right: Our son Matthias, his wife Kaye (we met at their home and have unanimously decided they are in charge of all future family gatherings because they are such great hosts), our daughter Meredith, me, our son Michael, Bob, Cecilia’s partner Kate, and our daughter Cecilia.

And, to all of you, we send our gratitude, appreciation and smiles. You make our life a daily joy.  Thank you!

Larry and Ari

Larry and Ari

Today we are celebrating Ari’s first month in the sun (can you tell we’re first-time grandparents?).  We think he has received one of the best gifts possible: a father who is head over heels in love with him. 

Many thanks again to all of you for your beautiful good wishes!

Yarn on the hoof delays eager knitter

Yarn on the hoof delays eager knitter

One of our customers lives on an idyllic Aegean isle.  She took this photo while her car was halted on the way to the post office to pick up the needles we sent her.  I couldn’t resist sharing it with you – every time I look at it, I am just delighted.

PS She did eventually reach the post office and has since happily cast on.

We’ve returned from a most beautiful visit with Ari – it was truly a gift to be able to hold such a new life in our arms.  All the orders from the past two weeks have been shipped out, although our predictions of being able to do that were, shall we say, a bit optimistic.  Your good wishes for our grandson gladdened every step of our way – thank you all for your generous hearts! Your happy warmth was golden during this time.

I want to share this photo of our daughter Sarah, her wonderful husband Larry, and baby Ari, taken an hour or so after he was born:

Larry, Sarah and Ari

Larry, Sarah and Ari

This is just how they are with each other – joyous, happy, at peace and confident.  The best gift we’ve had, perhaps ever, was being able to witness what a beautiful family our daughter and her husband have created for themselves.  Our life doesn’t get better than this – thank you again for your warm support. It enabled us to visit them at this wonderful time.

Our Grandson, Ari Matthew Siegel

Our Grandson, Ari Matthew Siegel

Our youngest daughter Sarah and her dear husband Larry added a grandson to our family!!!  Ari was born Tuesday night at 10:31pm.  We are beside ourselves with excitement and can hardly wait to meet him in person.  Ari is my first grandchild and Bob’s second.  And isn’t he beautiful?

We thought some of you might like to see how we prepare your orders for shipping and get them to the post office. 

After we’ve finished with all the paperwork and processing, we collect the items to be shipped and I do what we call “pre-packing”:

One of my happiest jobs

One of my happiest jobs

This photo was taken yesterday after a shipment of addi Clicks had arrived.  We have now retired all Click backorders through September 21!!!  Did we ever celebrate!

I should mention that the Newport Bag you see hanging on the slat board is the original one that was knit by our friend Witt Pratt.  Witt left his body this past spring while sleeping beside the Shenandoah River near his home in Virginia.  We keep his bag where we can see it and think of him often.

After your yarn, books, needles and more are prepackaged, they move into the shipping room where Bob wraps them up for travel.

Bon Voyage!

Bon Voyage!

On any given day, Bob will shout out several times from this very room, “Wow! You’ve got to come see this! Someone must be making something amazing with these colors!” Or words to that effect.  Needless to say, Bob likes this part of his job a lot.

Below is the posting room where I create the shipping labels, customs forms and whatever else the post office needs to get your orders right to your door and into your hands:

Just imagine me in the seat with a mountain of packages awaiting attention

Just imagine me in the seat with a mountain of packages awaiting attention

This depleted pile of orange magically puffs up with all your packages and turns into postal bags bursting with wonderful things.

This flacid pile of orange magically puffs up with all your packages and turns into postal bags bursting with wonderful things.

And now the real fun begins!

Just about ready to roll!

Just about ready to roll!

We load your bags onto our bike carts and head off to the post office down the road.

Heading to the post office

Heading to the post office

Rolling happily on!

Rolling happily on!

A word about our beloved bikes – they are not just one of the more fun parts of our business, they are our main form of transport, not just for packages to and from the Tin Warehouse, but for Bob and myself also.  Bicycling is very well supported in our area, with lots of bike paths along main thoroughfares as well as through scenic parks.  We estimate that our bikes pay for themselves every 9 months in saved gasoline, mileage, and other upkeep we would otherwise be “spending” were we to use our car instead.  What can’t be counted in dollars and cents is how much we enjoy riding them and how beautifully they have rescued us from a sedentary life.  We truly do feel better in body and soul as a result of riding our bikes most of the places we used to drive the car.

Team Wonder Bike

Team Wonder Bike

Bob & Nancy’s Services has joined Team Wonder Bike where we and thousands of other members can log all the miles we ride each month where we would have otherwise driven our car.  It is sponsored by New Belgium Brewing Company who devote a fair amount of their donation dollars to promoting bicycle use, in this instance by providing a place where anyone can look and discover the literally millions of miles being travelled by folks who choose to bike instead of drive. We were inspired by New Belgium’s approach and decided that our business should lend a hand toward their bicycle outreach. 

Not to mention that they make a tasty brew that we’ve been known to enjoy on our off hours.

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