What a life!

So Monday was an incredibly busy day with people in all day and evening and just about the time I think "WOW this place might actually make it... " the really good day is followed by one like yesterday. So here I am.. I get up after only 3 restless hours of sleep and I come in to the shop a half hour early because I obligated myself to start walking with a friend on Tuesdays and Thursdays (She is walking for the 3 day cancer walk in September). I walk with her early and get into the shop early and have the soup on, the drip coffee done, a new pie cooked and scones made all by the normal opening time of the shop and I don't see another person until almost 3:00PM. Then I see two (one of whom is an artist that I had here at the shop who came in to gab for a while) customers. At 5:00 I have a meeting with the Clinton Progressive Association. I am the vice president of this group so of course I need to be at the meeting ( fortunately they meet here at Rockhoppers). I must have had 6 people who came in at the start of the meeting who needed assistance. (Did I mention that I love the shop when it gets hopping?) So then my girlfriend comes in for her weekly coffee and fortunately she waited on a few people so I could attend the meeting. She left before I could spend time with her and I REALLY hate that but she understands and she knows I love her and we will see each other this weekend. I attend that meeting (2 hours) and it finishes just in time for another meeting, this time with the Clinton Days Committee. This group sets up and manages our annual celebration over Memorial Day weekend. Rockhoppers is a part of this celebration and has been since its inception. Both the shop and the celebration are only 3 years old. That meeting took another two hours and at nine my meetings were finally finished for this week. Actually I have an investment meeting this evening here at the shop. By the time I left last night I actually had made budget! Did I mention that owning and running a coffeehouse is really strange! I never know what kind of turnout I will have from one day to the next and I have no idea what kind of money I will make until the day is over. I could be having an absolutely awful morning with no customers and at 4:00PM get totally mobbed and then by six have the shop totally empty out and not see another human till I close and still make budget. Keep in mind that I am not your typical shop.. I have no employees (actually I have 3 part time but on call) and I am not really trying to make a profit right now. Within 3 years it would be nice to see this place make a profit and be able to have my employees working steady part time hours so I don't need to be here so much... But right now this is a place to build on... to show my art... to show other artists art.... to meet people... to be a part of my community..... and to have entertainers come and show their stuff.... It is a destination for me just like my customers. My destination is to see this shop survive! This is my goal... So here I am with a shop full of people again. It is so much fun having days like this! Today, again has been really busy! No time to leave and do chores or anything. Just constant! I like it! Hey, I am bringing this up again... Come check out the music on Saturday! It is a $4.00 cover but the music is so worth it.. Steve has terrific songs and Ed plays the guitar so well that the music will be probably the best you may hear for a very long time. Anyway, I need to go now but I will check in with ya again tomorrow.