Gifting

We spent a good part of the evening planning our car care gift ideas for our shop and the other shops we prepare them for.    What does this entail?  Well it means that Michelle visits bulk stores in Lethbridge looking for the next best idea and then tries to find that perfect presentation for the gift.  

After a couple of hours we have decided on the next couple of months and as always they will be unique.   I am sure that the longer we do this the harder it will be not to repeat ourselves, but so far that hasn't been a problem.

So what is the gift picked out for July, (yes we always work at least 1 month in advance) well you are just going to have to stop in to find out!

Until Tomorrow.

The Best Laid Plans

Seemed to be the weekend for the Best Laid Plans to go kooky.    Got up Saturday to watch the parade and what did we see?   SNOW.  Oh well, maybe next week....    Tried to go west to visit a friend and what happened?   SNOW.   Grrr,   maybe in a couple of weeks.....  

Got up today to fold and stuff newsletters and spent the day watching water pour into a basement and deal with elderly parents.   

So what is the bright side in all this?   Well, it still was the weekend and there was lots of time for relaxation and of course family time, so as usual there is a silver lining if you look hard enough.

Enjoy the picture of the lilacs in full bloom.

Until Tomorrow.

Neither Rain nor Sleet nor Snow...

Oh well, the Taber Parade was cancelled.   

We really can't blame anyone!   Well, maybe Mother Nature - after all who wants to sit in 4 inches of wet snow to watch a parade.   Parades are for gorgeous days with lots of sun and little wind.

 So maybe we will just keep the date of the make up parade quiet so that Mother Nature doesn't know when it is!

Until Tomorrow.

That Time of the Month

Well, here we go again!   The printer is now whirling away printing out the envelopes for the Fuel for Thought newsletter that will hit your mailboxes at the beginning of next week.  

Between our shop and the shop in Stettler that we do the marketing for we will be printing close to 1300 envelopes today.    No wonder we keep having to purchase ink!

Enjoy your weekend and think of us folding, stuffing and and stamping our weekend away.

Until Tomorrow.

Branching Out

OK, keeping in with the weather out there we have decided to branch out from automotives.   Yes, effective tomorrow you can have your ark repaired right here at Verls!  

We will specialize in increased fuel economy - we will sand of the rough spots so you can flow through the water better.   We will also focus on steering - after all have to keep that wooden rudder moving!   Not to mention air conditioning, yes we will make sure all the portholes open when they are supposed to.  

Be sure to stop in and meet the new master mechanic - I think his name is Noah.....

Until Tomorrow.

The Sweet Spot

Last month we had a customer who was booked in for a routine maintenance on her car.   She knew that in order to keep the car running she needed to have a transmission flush.   She booked the appointment for the end of may and then called us last week to say that she had decided to sell her car because doing the maintenance on her 4 year old car would still mean she had a 4 year old car.

Yes, that is true the car will not get any younger, but this customer has forgotten that by performing the regular maintenance on the 4 year old car would mean on average a cost of $1200.00 per year.    Purchasing a new car will mean a cost running anywhere from $4680.00 per year and up.   Just for the payments!  That doesn't include the cost of insuring a newer car.

So, in today's money conscious world, do you think the customer made the right decision?

We are biased here, but would love to hear your thoughts.

Until Tomorrow.

All in the Family

Half the staff today wasn't at work - thats what you get when you are a completely family owned and run business.   Ariel had to have a biospy on the Parotid gland in  her neck.   That means that Michelle and Ariel travelled to Red Deer while Spencer and Verl worked at the shop...

For two of us the rest of the week will be very short!   But we have lots to do this week - those 1700 newsletters will not fold themselves!

Until Tomorrow.

Candy Day Monday

Monday, and Ariel, Michelle and Verl spend a good part of the day building candy bags for our shops.   We prepare candy bags for 2 other shops besides our own.   These other shops also believe that we really need to wow our customers.  Yes, we know today was a holiday, but we also know that preparing for our customers needs to come before anything we might want to do instead.   So the rose bushes will have to wait until tomorrow as you always come first.   And I think the other 2 shops agree.

Hanging Our Heads

Well, what is it they say about resolutions?   They are easy to break?  

Well, it was very unintentional but that is what happened yesterday.   We totally forgot to post to the blog!  

We were so busy rearranging our home to put in all our new to us treasures that time just disappeared.   Oh well, just like when you are on a diet, it's ok to fall off the wagon once in a while, just get back on!

Until Later Today!

Family Treasures

Spencer, Michelle and Grandpa Fred travelled to Airdrie to help a family member get ready to move into a smaller place. 

We each received a special family treasure from our Aunt, with a bit of history attached to it.   In Michelle's case it was a piece of carnival glass that has been in our family for a very long time.   It is very gorgeous and it will be passed on down to Ariel when Michelle feels the time is right.   But for now, it is hers to enjoy.

Thanks Aunt Helene.

Until Tomorrow.

State of Mind

The first long weekend of the summer is finally here! And what does the forecast call for? SNOW (possibly)


Still a long weekend is still a long weekend!

So we wish everyone warm temperatures, great camping spots, and summer fun.

And if we have to make believe it is true then we shall.

Until Tomorrow.

Eliza Doolittle

Eliza Doolittle is all about the improvement or reinvention of oneself. 

We can compare to Eliza here at the shop

If we look at this past year our shop has really been reinvented.   Michelle came to work fulltime, Jacob left to pursue further education, we began to actively market to our clients through newsletters, facebook, blogging, email and text as well as everything we already were doing to impress you. 

Will we ever feel that we are as improved as we can ever be? 

No, of course not - change is now the norm.

Until Tomorrow.

Mom, I got a Boo Boo

Today, Spencer came into the office bleeding from a deep cut on his knuckle.  Nurse Mom jumps up to the rescue. Grab some clean toweling, apply pressure and wait for the wincing to stop from the son.


It is still bleeding after a few minutes so we clean it up again and then drag out the crazy glue.

5 minutes later and a kiss on the knuckle and he is right as rain to run out and play with the oil pan again.

Yes, we really are a family here! Mom, Dad, Sons, Daughter and the occasional dog visit turn into Owners, Managers, Techs and Office Staff. (Not sure where the dog fits though!)

Until Tomorrow.

The Customer's Shoes

Today we had an online training seminar on how to talk to our customer at the front counter. 

What stuck with us is we need to put ourself in our Customer's Shoes.   When he or she walks into our shop what exactly are they seeing.   Do they see a smiling face on a well groomed and well dressed person?  Or are they getting a grouchy, dirty, rag holding mechanic?

Which one do you want to see greeting you?   I think we all know the answer to that question!

Until Tomorrow.

The Unexpected

Today we had a customer in the shop facing an unexpected bill.   A couple of months ago she purchased a second hand 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan from a dealership.    I know we have mentioned in the past that you should always have a pre-purchase inspection performed whenever or whereever you are thinking of purchasing a vehicle.  This lady needs to have the rear brakes replaced on a van she has only owned for a very short period of time.   Sometimes it pays to be proactive.   For a tenth of the cost of the repair she could have made a bargain with the dealership or at the very least been aware of an up coming cost.

Until Tomorrow.

The Heat is On!

The forecast for tomorrow? 29 degrees celsius!
Wow, what a difference a week makes.

We should start to see people showing up with Air Conditioning problems this week.    After all we are fickle, aren't we?   Windows open, people smiling and by the end of tomorrow we should start to hear grumblings - too hot, too muggy, the a/c doesn't work or isn't cold enough.

How soon we forget the snow from 2 weeks ago!  Only in Alberta...

Until Tomorrow.

Busy As A Bee

Saturday!  However, for us the shop was busy so both Spencer and Verl had to work today.   There is still 2 vehicles in the shop which will make Monday another busy day.

Michelle spent the day out in the garden pruning, clipping, raking and of course admiring the flowers!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Until Tomorrow.

The Universe

We receive a daily email from the Universe from http://www.tut.com/.   Today, we are going to share the Universe's wisdom with you.

Changing what you have, michelle, comes from changing who you are.

And changing who you are comes from changing what you think.

Which is why I made the latter so easy.

Because changing what you think, ultimately changes your words, your actions, the kind of music you listen to, the movies you watch, the places you visit, the friends you hang out with, and, yes, even how you look in jeans.

This something to ponder while sipping your lemonade out on the deck this weekend!

Until Tomorrow.

Thanks to Client Mary Knowles for sending us this.  With graduation happening this weekend, it seems an appropriate time to share!

Love him or hate him, he sure hits the nail on the head with this!


Bill Gates gave a speech at a High School about 11 things they did not and will not learn in school. He talks about how feel-good, politically correct teachings created a generation of kids with no concept of reality and how this concept set them up for failure in the real world.
Rule 1 : Life is not fair - get used to it!

Rule 2 : The world doesn't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

Rule 3 : You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.

Rule 4 : If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.

Rule 5 : Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping: they called it opportunity.
Rule 6 : If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.
Rule 7 : Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now.. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent's generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.
Rule 8 : Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools, they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.

Rule 9 : Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time.

Rule 10 : Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

Rule 11 : Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.

Until Tomorrow.

Life Balance

While there is still LOTS of work on the desk crying for attention, we are going to incorporate a little bit of life balance into our day.   After all, a 9 or 10 hour day is enough for anyone!   The front door to the shop has been open all day allowing the gorgeous day in.   Now it is our time to escape and get out and enjoy a bit of it.  

While we usually spend our days getting our fingers dirty, now it is time to let our fingers play in the dirt!

Until Tomorrow.

Help is Out There

If you are going through the same sort of situation that we find ourselves in with a parent, sibling, spouse or other loved one suffering from Alzheimers then we recommend attending the support group that takes place in Taber once a month.  

Being able to talk to others who are going through or have been in the same situation really does help to keep you grounded. 

Taking that little bit of time for yourself is also helpful to the patient.

For more information, here is the poster that is being distributed around today.

Until Tomorrow.  

Meeting of Like Minds

We were at a meeting tonight with 6 or 7 shops, the guest speaker was the director from AMVIC.   What is AMVIC? you ask.     The Alberta Motor Vehicle Industry Council licenses all shops in Alberta.   You can not operate a shop legally in Alberta without an AMVIC license.  
The one thing the director from AMVIC said tonight that struck a chord with me was this:   The liability of the vehicle's safety falls on the operator of the vehicle.   What does this mean?   Well, if we tell you that you have a safety concern on a vehicle and you decide NOT to repair it then if you are involved in a accident, you are the one responsible, not us.  

So please, next time we say you have a safety concern, think twice before you say no.

Until Tomorrow.

Happy Mother's Day

Today was Mother's Day.   We hope everyone took the time to honor their moms and if that wasn't possible to at least remember them.   Your mother is the one who molds you from the beginning of your time on this earth.

To our own Mothers we wish them the best.   To my children, well, I have the best.

Until Tomorrow.

All the Best

Today is the Fundraiser for Nikki Francis.   We hope and pray for Nikki and her family.  Hopefully the organizers for today are able raise a lot of money and awareness for the Francis family.

Ariel spent the week completing a painting for the silent auction for tonight.    Since we will not see the painting again, here is a picture of the picture!

Until Tomorrow.

Good Samaritan

Michelle and Ariel had to travel up to Red Deer today for a appointment early in the morning.   We had a good day and took a detour to Chain Lakes for an impromptu visit.   It was a good girls day out and we enjoyed each other's company.   But since the day began at 4 am it was long.   Right at Kipp on the way home we hit something in the road, still don't know what, didn't see anything..  

Anyway's the tire went instantly flat.   Pulled over to the side of the road and thought we wouldn't have a problem changing the tire since the PT Cruiser was the demontration car at the Ladies Car Care Night in March.   NOT!   Not only could we not remember where the jack was, we couldn't remember what to do!   Looking back on it now, I think it was just the stress of the moment....  Thanks to Heather Rathbun for noticing us on the side of the road and turning around to lend a hand!

THANKS go the Darren of Darren's Concrete, Lethbridge for pulling over and changing the tire for us!   It does your  heart good to know that there are still people out there very willing to lend a helping hand.

You can bet that the next time we need any concrete product we will be visiting this gentleman.

Until Tomorrow.

The Fund Raiser for Nikki Francis will take place this Saturday in Glenwood.   We hope as many of you as possible will attend or be able to help someone from our own community.  Ariel has been hard at work on a painting that we hope will be completed in time:

Dear Friends,

In support of the Cam and Nikki Francis family there will be a dinner and auction in Glenwood AB, May 8, 2010 to raise funds and support for the family as Nikki prepares for a lung transplant.
Nikki was diagnosed with Leukemia approximately four years ago. She was in her twenties with three small children, ranging in age from two to seven years.

Nikki and Cam have been, and continue to be, community oriented people giving of themselves whenever there was a need. They have sat on numerous boards and have volunteered in the community and schools. They have truly been an example to all those who know them.

Unfortunately the effects of this disease have been devastating to Nikki. One of the worst side effects of the treatments is that her lungs have been harmed to the point that she can no longer perform simple daily tasks without becoming dangerously short of breath and needing to sit or lay down. You can imagine how difficult it is with three small children at home.

Nikki recently returned from Edmonton having finished a boot camp program to prepare her for her upcoming lung transplant. She is now on the transplant list and is waiting for her call to come. In addition to the vigorous therapy needed, medication regimes and the uncertainty of complications the doctors have warned both Cam and Nikki that one of the most devastating effects of the transplant will be the financial burden upon the family. It is to this end that we feel as a community that its time to step in and help.

We are asking you to consider providing an item, or items, for the auction held on May 8. All monies raised will go in a trust fund to support of the Francis family.

We certainly recognize that this time of year individuals and businesses are inundated with requests for donations. With this in mind we offer our sincere gratitude for support of this young family who is dealing with unfortunate circumstances. As we strive to build our community and make this a better place to live we must look to those around us and help to bear their burdens, this will make us stronger to bear our own.

A form has been attached that will enable us to track the items donated. Again, all items are greatly appreciated; this form will also help us to recognize your donation at the auction. Thank you for your support towards this family in need

Sincerely and in behalf of;

The Cam and Nikki Francis family

Saturday May 8 th,2010

Glenwood School Gym
What: Spaghetti Supper, Bake Sale, and Auction



Why: Fund-raising money for Nikki Francis (daughter of Bill and Judy Hansen)to help cover the expenses of her upcoming lung transplant.
We are gratefully accepting quality items or services for the auction, if you have anything you would like to donate or for more information
Please call Marie Koch 403-626-3227 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 403-626-3227 end_of_the_skype_highlighting or Chrystal Jensen 403-223-3150 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 403-223-3150 end_of_the_skype_highlighting

Donated baked goods will be kindly accepted that night for the bake sale.

Pre-purchased dinner tickets available for:

$20/family or $5/person
OR purchase at the door
$22/family $7/person

For ticket information please call Chrystal or Marie at the above numbers.

Supper will be from 5:30-6:30pm
Auction to start at 7:00pm

A Trust Fund has been set up in the name of

Nikki Francis

Donations will be accepted at any
Alberta Treasury Branch location

When the Light is Green the Trap is Clean!

We tried out the MiST Machine today on Michelle's car.   We have lots of work in the shop, however we are waiting on parts or go-aheads  for EVERYTHING!  So that means it was a good time to try out our newest tool.

This little machine just sits on the floor of your car and does it's job.  You have to keep all doors and windows closed as it does the work because the chemical will make you sick if you inhale it.  

While we were waiting for it to finish it's cycle that saying from the Ghostbuster Movie popped into Verl's head......   Yup, sometimes there are strange thoughts floating around up there!

Until Tomorrow.

It's Misty in Barnwell

Nope, we are not talking about the foggy weather.   We have purchased a MiST Machine today.   Michelle's car will be the guinea pig tomorrow.  

This twice a year service should be done in any vehicle because not only does it remove the odours in your car but if you suffer from allergies or asthma it will actually sanitize and destroy bacteria and moulds.   Many cars these days have a cabin air filter but that just protects you from the outside air, this little machine takes care of the air inside your car!

Since everyone in our family suffers from asthma this purchase for us is more of a necessity than a luxury and we hope you will agree.

Until Tomorrow.

She's Back!

Ariel began work for us today.   I know that a few of you heard her on the phone when she called to remind you of your upcoming servicing.  

She will need a little bit of time to get back into the swing of things here.   Ariel has forgotten how the phone system works and accidently hung up on 2 people today.  So if one of them was you, please forgive her and try again!   

It is really hard to believe that she can't remember how to use the phone since she sleeps with her cell phone!

Until Tomorrow.

Folding Family

Although it is Sunday, we got to spend the evening inserting, folding and stuffing our 900 newsletters so that they can be mailed out in the morning.  With 3 of us doing it we were able to complete the entire task in less than 2 1/2  hours total.   Not bad!

You know what they say, "the family that folds together, stays together."

Until Tomorrow.   

Happy May Day

Yessir, this is the first of May.   Birds are singing, grass is growing, calculators are clicking, and every once in a while the sun came out to play. 

I don't think there is a single day that we are not at the shop for some period of time.  With no tools going or phones ringing it is the perfect time to budget for the month ahead.    Aw - the life of a small business owner!   

Enjoy the picture of the sunset last night - it was gorgeous!

Until Tomorrow.