Some People choose to Walk the Walk...............

No Rant Today - nope - instead I want to concentrate on the GOOD in people for the month of December
And this will remind us all how just how good some people can be
Because I really do believe that the more love you give away - the more love grows inside you.

Meet Mr. Leuken

Employees in a small Minnesota town are getting quite a holiday bonus this year.

Joe Lueken of Bemidji, Minn, a successful local grocer who is planning his retirement, has decided to give his company to his employees rather than sell the small business to bigger buyers, the Star Tribune reports. Through an Employee Stock Ownership Program (ESOP), the 400 employees of Lueken's Village Foods will become the new owners at the start of 2013, despite offers from large independent chains.

"My employees are largely responsible for any success I've had, and they deserve to get some of the benefits of that," Lueken told the Tribune. "You can't always take. You also have to give back."

An ESOP is a stock equity plan that enables employees to acquire ownership in a company. The employees form a trust, which then purchases shares of the company. Employees generally contribute to the trust through payroll deductions.

In Lueken's case, however, he won't require his employees to pay anything for their shares, effectively giving the company to the employees for free.
source

thank you Mr. Leuken - we need stories like this more often - you remind us that it really is a Wonderful World

( and that it's filled with wonderful people )

and once more for good measure - 

"My employees are largely responsible for any success I've had, and they deserve to get some of the benefits of that," Lueken told the Tribune. "You can't always take. You also have to give back."

Indeed, words to live by, if I had the chance to meet you I would shake  give you the biggest hug I could - but because the probability of that is quite slim - I'm giving you my big heart award planted on your photo - so that as many people as I can reach know just how big your heart really is...................

John says it's not a desk!

Happy Friday everyone!!!

I'm officially taking a day off from painting

this has been a crazy week and I

need a day off badly

And actually I don't know which is more work

painting the pieces or staging them

This is one of John's finds - yup - he's finally on the band wagon everyone - it's official - he's looking and picking all on his own now!

Suzan says - ( with such pride )  Wow - great find John!!!
John says - I think I have an eye you know
Suzan says - ( rolling hers ) this is really a fine quality piece of furniture
John says - Of course it is - I don't pick junk ( cocky )
Suzan says - This is going to make a fabulous secretary desk
John says - Don't be ridiculous - It's NOT a desk
Suzan says - Oh but it will be, you'll see
John says - WHY WHY WHY do you always have to overdo everything? I found it - it's my pick - and I think it'll make a great bookcase or even a bar.
Suzan says - Nah - boring - same old same old - but a unique one of a kind secretary would be great!
John says - It's NOT a desk
Suzan says - oh ok - just a minute then
Suzan comes back with a purdy brush in her hand
Suzan says - Here you are big boy - go to town -
Johns says - well tell me a little bit more about how you plan on turning it into a secretary?

It'll be awhile before he's pickin' AND paintin' I guess........................
So here we go - I painted the upper back with ASCP French Linen - ( not the lower part where there's a hinged door - you'll see why soon )

then taped it up and started on the white - only realizing after the 2nd coat that I needed to shallac the entire piece because of bleed through -
this is the one I use - always - I'm sure there are others that work just as well but this one has never failed me yet ( I HAVE tried others and the bleed through happened anyway so sticking with this one )

I did a quick coat over the entire surface - warning: this smells strong but dries extremely fast -
and was ready to put on the final coat of Pure White in no time at all.
then I removed the tape ( holding my breath - ALWAYS hold your breath when doing this - it helps the lines stay clean )

don't mind the streaks - the paint is still wet - because I cannot - absolutely cannot wait until a step is finished to take photos

I just love French Linen against Pure White - it's such a clean crisp combination -

 this is pure white - my house is so dark I have no choice but to use professional photography lighting

and everyone one of those discs seem to throw off prisms of light - ( they seemed like a good idea when I bought them - live and learn ) for now I have to deal with crappy photos

lights anyone?
yes please

and here's where my " vision " came in ( did you know I get those?  I'm a physic )

hands are pressed against my temples - I'm slightly swaying - I have a kerchief wrapped around my head ( because my hair's filthy actually ) and big silver hoop earrings................and I see
I see
A desk..............................

large drawer - for paper - pens - or in John's case - ice storage

I kept the interior wood because I was using it as a desk - and thought it looked more authentic
( manly yes, but I like it too )
and please don't tell me I'm the only one that remembers those ads!

Me - Miss Wood Hater ( anonymous ) especially loves the wood desk area - (and love that it lights up even more )

John says - Don't get me wrong - I like it - it's beautiful - but I still say it should be a bar
Suzan says - So I'll make it a bar but it's not a bar - it's a secretary being used as a bar
John says - Bet it'll look best that way
Suzan says - this staging thing is getting a little out of hand

We both stood there staring at it for a few minutes

Suzan says - you know, this would even work great in a kitchen - you could keep a microwave in it - and use the hinged door part as a coffee station
John says - try it - see what it looks like
Suzan says - I AM NOT DRAGGING THE MICROWAVE AND COFFEE MACHINE INTO THE LIVING ROOM  - you know,  you must think I'm a donkey.................I have limits you know - you wanted to see it as a bar and I
John says - Ok - Ok - it was just a suggestion
Suzan says - well why don't YOU bring it all in?
John says - People can use their imagination
Suzan says - well they could have done that for the bar too you know

So what do YOU think it is?  And no being politically correct here - you have to choose one or the other.

And you know what comes next right?  C'mon, you know the drill

Suzan  says - I'd like to keep this
John says - ( emphatically I might add ) NO - you want to keep everything
Suzan says - well you made me sell that dresser - it was like ripping my heart out of
John says - Oh knock it off - it's a piece of furniture
Suzan says - But I despise the piece we have in the dining room -
John says - I LOVE it -
Suzan says - but it has no character - it's the ugliest thing - I just can't bear to kee
John says - Good God, what's with the theatrics all the time?

I can't even be bothered to bookmark it or get a better photo of it - I really do hate it that much

Suzan says - why don't I try to sell the piece in the dining room and replace it with this piece?
Suzan says - what does it matter - as long as it's not costing us a penny?
Suzan says - why are you so stubborn all the time?
Suzan says - haven't I sold enough?  Do you want my blood too?
Suzan says - DO NOT WALK AWAY WHEN I'M TRYING TO NEGOTIATE WITH YOU, please
Suzan yells - When are you going on your next business trip?
John says -   My next trip will be to Hollywood - when  you accept your Oscar, how's that?
Suzan says - I'm keeping it.........................

And that's what's been going on in our little world lately - TGIF - happy Friday everyone!



Partying with
Under the table and dreaming
http://www.bystephanielynn.com/2012/12/the-sunday-showcase-party-no-129.html
I should be mopping the floor
http://www.ishouldbemoppingthefloor.com/2012/12/mop-it-up-monday-45-and-give-away.html
Homemaker on a dime
http://www.homemakeronadime.com/2012/12/creative-bloggers-party-hop-88.html
Lines Across
http://www.linesacross.com/2012/12/the-cure-for-common-monday-63.html
The Ironstone Nest
http://www.theironstonenest.com/2012/12/transformation-tuesday-december-4-2012.html
Clean & Scentsible
http://www.cleanandscentsible.com/2012/12/the-creative-spark-no-69.html
Savvy Southern Style
http://www.savvysouthernstyle.net/2012/12/wow-us-wednesdays-95.html
In the old road
http://intheoldroad.blogspot.ca/2012/12/all-star-block-party-27.html
French Country Cottage
http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.ca/2012/12/feathered-nest-friday.html
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
http://myuncommonsliceofsuburbia.com/tuesdays-treasures-115/
Adventures of a DIY Mom
http://adventuresofadiymom.blogspot.ca/2012/12/terrific-tuesdays-45.html
PJH Designs
http://pjhdesignsoneofakind.blogspot.ca/2012/12/transformed-tuesday-18-and-features.html
Domestically Speaking
http://www.domestically-speaking.com/2012/12/156th-power-of-paint-party-ombre-dresser-update.html
We like to learn as we go
http://weliketolearnaswego.blogspot.ca/2012/12/what-i-learned-wednesday-37.html
DIY By Design
http://diybydesign.blogspot.ca/2012/12/fall-into-fall-its-party-95.html
French Country Cottage
http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.ca/2012/12/feathered-nest-friday_13.html
At the Picket Fence
http://www.atthepicketfence.com/2012/12/inspiration-friday-no-93-welcome.html
Redoux Interiors
http://www.redouxinteriors.com/2012/12/link-party-83-and-mes-preferes/
Miss Mustard Seed
http://missmustardseed.com/2012/12/furniture-feature-friday-favorites-a-link-party-14/
Our Fifth House
http://www.ourfifthhouse.com/2013/01/thrift-it-link-party.html
Glitter Glue & Paint