Congratulations!

I'd like to give two shout-outs to three of the most important people in my life: Mom, Dad, and Renee!

First, congratulations to Mom and Dad. In February, they were honored by the International Grocer's Alliance (IGA) as International Retailer's of the Year. They got these spiffy jackets and accepted their award at a ceremony in Miami. You can read the press release here. Sean and I weren't able to be there with them to celebrate (bummer), but if we would have been, we would have smiled like this and said, "We are so proud of mom and dad for so many fantastic years in the Grocery Business!"

So Congratulations to Baker's Foods for being the best of East Central Ohio's--and the world's--independent grocery stores!


Congratulations also to Renee, one of my best friends over the past eight years, who was recently accepted to University of Pittsburgh to pursue an MFA in Writing (Creative Non-Fiction). For those of you who know and love Renee, you know that this is something Renee has been building towards over her entire life. And--she just called me this morning to let me know she's secured funding for the fall! So! Congratulations to Renee, who will soon be on a Barnes and Noble bookshelf near you!

Anyone who gets a public shout-out of congrats on backroads-midwest-coast also wins one of these, hand-made from the world's best balsa wood...(you know...balsa wood...the kind of wood they use to make those never- work- right- when- you- get- them- home boomarang airplanes they try to sell kids from the mall kiosk?)