Esky McDonalds'

You will have to sing.

" There she is Miss Retirement"
There were a couple of times in the last 5 days that I actually quit singing and dancing and had a feeling of sorrow. The flowers are beautiful but I don't think they will last long enough for the trip. Then I looked at my new little buddy and start singing and dancing again. "Ain't she sweet", see what I mean. So far all I do is pack, dance and drink coffee. Joyce only thought she drank coffee. I think I'm going to have to get a 3 pound can to get me through the next 12 days. It is sooo nice to drink a cup of coffee while it is still hot. Just one of the perks of retirement. It will probably hit home when I can't drive by and see who is working or stop for a drink and say "Hi". I have named my little buddy, Sara Joyce Debbie Judy Carol Tammy Cathy Misha Jenna Jade. Her real name is "Who's going to fill her shoes when she's gone". She will ride in the car with me on the trip to Illinois. We'll let you know how she like the drive.

See you in a couple of days when I get a little time.(TEE HEE)

It started about 4AM on Friday. Judy B. brought a homemade cake in and da I didn't have enough sense to get a picture of it. Did I mention it was delicious? I have a feeling I was more interested in the content and it's exchanging places with the empty spot in my tummy that at that point in time was calling out very loudly for a sweet bit of cake instead of the posterity thing. Only after it's too late does one stop to think. I might say at that time of the morning most things are done by rote. And rote doesn't take pictures. I have to put Judy among some of the really good cooks at our store. We do have a few. Boy I'm going to miss the impromto food fairs.

I will try to keep up with the goings on at the store to keep you up to date.

Yes ol' #8 is retired. Lois is pasture bound. I am going to miss all the kids and the old folks and all the in between folks. Fellow employees as well as the customers. Working mostly the early morning shift we have the same people coming through in a hurry on their way to work and like they say someone had to get up first and make the coffee. Then the ones coming off the midnight shift on their way home, tired and ready for a snack and a little harrassment to get them on their way. Actually there isn't a paticular time that there isn't a special customer that you enjoy seeing and passing a couple of seconds with as they go on their way. I had one gent that started ordering a 'one o nickle' because that's what I always said when he asked for a large black coffee. I think he will miss that little reparte for awhile. Another as soon as he started to speak you could have his order punched in and get him moving. Soooo many. I think I took about 70 pictures as they came through and of course I was taking pictures of the crew too. I told them I was making a rouges gallery.

18 years 10 days. Might not seem like a very long time until you consider I wasn't a teeny bopper when I found a career I really enjoyed. I had done many things but working at McDonalds and meeting interesting people from all over the world really made a difference. One couple from Scotland owned a McDonalds there and his name was the same as the owner of our store. Everyday something that just makes life that much more interesting. My son says I will have withdrawl symptoms for a time especially when I see the 'Golden Arches'. I can't even begin to tell about all of the youngsters I have worked with, a lot of whom I trained. I say youngsters because everything is relative and it's the point at which you start.

Enough said for awhile. It will take forever to forget those I have worked with and those I have waited on and those customers that suddenly didn't show up one morning for coffee. All of the high school kids that grew up and started coming in with their own families. The whole process is like it was your family. I really am going to miss it. Talk at ya later. Bye.

We were decorated this last Christmas season with ornaments made by Pre-School children. Really a cute idea. The children go to The Little Country School House
here in the Escanaba area. Give a child paper and glue and you have art.

Only one person emailed me with answers to the questions on the previous post. That person got all answers right. 1. The CUSTOMER of course. 2. 1955 3. Des Plains, Illinois (just south of Chicago on what else? The Des Plains River)

On the left is John D. and on the right is Scott B. They Manage the shift that ends around 5:30 A.M. I was able to catch them for posterity when they came in for the managers meeting. It was difficult to get John to straighten up and face the camera. I'm not sure if he has the Central America Indian idea that the picture will steal his soul. Not to worry, just the image man. Scott is willing but the smile isn't. He's all smiles until you point a camera at him. Both he and John seem to be able to smile and be pleasant until camera time. Good luck guys and stay awake. I don't think I could.

As of 12:01 A.M. Wednesday, February 1, 2006
Donna and Tom have "retired"!!!
Tim and Cathy W. have bought the Escanaba, Escanaba Wal-Mart, and Gladstone stores.
Jim and Sandy W. have bought the Marquette and Marquette Wal-Mart stores.
Brian and Sophia W. have bought the Ishpeming and Houghton stores.
Great news for all concerned. Hope Tom and Donna really enjoy retirement. Throw off the harness and enjoy.
Pictured with Tim is Shift Manager, Jenni. He refused to let me take his picture unless someone was in it with him and lucky Jenni walked by at the right time. Picture taken and the rest as they say is history.