Upper Crust!

Congrats to my friend Cynthia Wolf for her determination (see the photo I uploaded earlier this week above). She has loved baking, welp, all her life! Yet she's worked at Gits Manufacturing for probably thirty years - at many different jobs.

That's where I got to know her well, during my two-year stint as a production planner at Gits. In the mid nineties, Cynthia, Jeanne Piel and I were all planners - in our own little office in the middle of the plant. We became very close during those years, sharing everything.

Cynthia is also a topnotch seamstress, and she's wonderful with people and would make a fine therapist. But baking is her true love (only behind husband Joe and son Tyler). CW has baked for various shops, catering services and restaurants around town for years. But for the past couple years, Christy Whited, another gal who did a stint at Gits, and she decided to open a bakery. During all this, she still does her day job, probably mostly because that darn health insurance.

The oven is in the old bank vault

Cynthia and Christy worked with one downtown property owner, who informed them he was going be forced to jack up the rent much more than they had discussed, AFTER he took their money to do some work on his property. That set them back. Finally, a wonderful (and wealthy) couple in town decided to remodel a historic main street  building just for their business. Upper Crust Bakery and Tavern proudly had their Grand Opening this week!

Paul and I stopped in this morning first thing. Besides a hug from Cynthia, we got a tour of the facility - which includes: an oven in the vault (it IS the former First National Bank building) and a counter area where Cynthia and Christy can teach cooking classes. Plus those glass displays of delicacies! I selected rhubarb coffee cake and Pablo got peach pie. Cake balls were a free gift, courtesy of Grand Opening week. The coffee cake was so rich it made my teeth ache. Yum!

Paul and I had a nice chat with CW - catching up a bit. Tyler is getting married! We're Facebook friends, and my life is an open book between FB and this blog...so she knows most of what's happening with me. But you can't hug on Facebook!

I'm so glad I got a chance to see her new store - and happy Creston has a quality establishment like the Upper Crust. But most of all, I'm proud of CW for her determination - to pursue her dream!

Friday bits

• Pablo and I had lunch with 3/4 of the McFees at Elms Club. Kimmy is on her way to Okinawa Saturday to work in the aqua area of the U.S. military bases there until mid August. It's true, they are trusting her to DRIVE in that country. (They don't know her very well...DO they? -said in Bugs Bunny voice). But this is the new and improved college grad Kim. Have a wonderful adventure Kimmy!
• Worked on my PowerPoint for my big meeting Wednesday for my very special work project - Environmental Management System (EMS). I hope to entice some new Agencies into signing up!
• And I worked on the lunch order (Jimmy Johns) for my Tuesday EMS Internal Auditor training meeting. Fifteen people are coming - and I'm in charge of logistics. Who knew figuring out lunch would be so damn time consuming...and I'm not done yet. Tried to do each box lunch online, but it timed-out so I called and told them I'd bring in my order Monday. Then I have to figure out how much each person owes me...yes, we have a budget crunch people and the great State of Iowa cannot afford to spend $150 for lunch for a meeting...for our environment. So I, the employee paid by the state has instead spent 3 hours of my time arranging for the food and will put it on my credit card. Don't we all feel better? Hmmm - not me!
• Paul and I went out to eat with long lost friends Joan and Greg Weis! Our sons Jud and Ben were sportmates, though they never really hung out as friends. Even so, we began to commute to games together, as Greg was in vet school until probaby 2005 or so (he was a late goer). So we got to know the folks well! Love those two - especially Joan as she rode with us a lot. Fun to catch up on all things kids/fam.
• We went (trumpets sound) to A&G: big crowd in there - softball tourney here this weekend and Sioux City Heelan folks were just clearing out as we got there. Talked to Katie Turner about the new girl's bball coach. Sounds like a winner.
• Started telling Joan and Greg about Deb's experience buying her MOG dress (Mother of Groom) in Kansas City and the "what not to wear" lady there. And her hair experience - ending up going to my stylist Sarah Darby.
• So who walks in and sits by us? I mean in the next booth? Darbys! Along with Jacque Jay and her latest squeeze who must by Lucas's friend. Jacque's bro just was arrested Thursday for all sorts of mayhem - talk of the town. Shot Tyler Coenen's truck with a shotgun?!? Drugs/Alcohol? Hope they get that kids squared away! Anyway...told Sarah we were just talking about her! Deb's sis in DSM also went to see her for a new style! I go Monday for a color. Yay!
• On to "The Lobby" for one last drink (already 2 lemondrops in) before we head home. Joan and Greg hadn't been there. Small nice crowd again. Our neighbors Joanie and Bill Taylor were there - Joanie fills us in on bball scoop. Our town needs a boy's coach too. Plus she says Ryan McKim is interested in coaching here - helping new girl's coach. Hmmm - we'll see if this happens.
• The bar owner, Tim Grey stops by to see if all is good. I think that is cool! Another new server, Doug North. Plus Morgan Evans works here. Kathy Lacina must be a regular - but then again, so must we!
• So a quiet Friday ended up being pretty busy.
• This a.m. I had a major migraine - I blame a mixture of hormones and liquor.
• Paul went to the new bakery (Cynthis Wolf ways "hi") and got a lovely mixture of stuff. Now that my meds kicked in - time to eat!