Why wasn’t I at Brittney’s confirmation (see yesterday’s post)? Well, it was on a Friday (which in and of itself is a little strange) and it was the last Friday of preschool. I really couldn’t take that day off. I am terribly sorry, San Antonioans, and hope that Lloyd behaved himself while visiting.
I was able to take Monday off, though, am I’m in Colorado! That’s right – Lloyd and I were in different states this weekend, and neither of us were in Nebraska. We didn’t say anything sooner because we didn’t want to get robbed – like our neighbors. (A post for another day.)
All my pictures are on my camera, and I can’t load them to my parent’s computer, so let me just tell you the story about how I could have been an heiress. A scotch tape heiress!
My mom has a magazine from 1996 about sales people, and it features Lorenz Wholesale, my grandpa’s warehouse in Mattoon, Illinois. There’s a blurb in there that goes like this:
“In 1972…..Lorenz also sold 3M mats. The relationship with 3M goes all the way back to the beginning of Minnesota Mining Manufacturing…. when they were first getting started they had figured out that rubbing rubber cement on cellophane made Scotch Tape and were looking for investors. 3M came to Ernie and wanted him to invest a thousand dollars. Of course, he didn’t have the money to invest in someone else’s business. If he had just invested that $1,000 in 3M back then it would be worth multi-millions today.”
Did you hear that?? Multi-millions!!!!! Dang. Dang. Dang. Dang. Dang.
I forgive him the lack of millions. He was a fantastic grandpa anyway.
(Also, check out Lloyd’s Segway post if you missed it yesterday.)
Keren Lowell says
I remember Grandpa talking about the mats. He was really jazzed. I think we had one on our front porch. Who knew?
Brad says
I like the quote under his picture. I’d like to hear more businesses say that.
Peggy says
WOW! That is AWESOME! You knew someone who was let in on a new invention before the rest of the world! Inventive skilz are in your blood…so keep at it Lauren…your family is destined to millionaires!
Mark says
He was a fantastic grandpa…period. I miss him.
We would visit our grandparents in the summer, a week at each house. Because it was toward the end of summer, Grandpa would take us to his warehouse and hand each of us a box. Then he would take us to the school supplies section and tell us to fill up our box. Once in awhile he’d also let us add other stuff that really wasn’t education-related (remember the cases of Tic-tacs?). I wonder how much money he saved our family just in school supplies.
And he was a lot of fun, too. We’d be at the lake and he’d be horsing with his grandkids. Inevitably, he’d do something that would result in a worried Grandma yelling, “Ernie!” He’d stop what he was doing, but then he’d look at us with a childlike grin and wink.
I miss them both.
Lauren says
I just found out why he had all the toys in the warehouse. Apparently, he would give out free toys to the kids that came in the place. Grandma crabbed at him and said, “You’re throwing away the profits!” He replied that he was doing the cheapest advertising imaginable -- a customer comes into your store with their child and you give the kid a toy? That’s a customer for life.
Kristi says
sep-A-rate.
Kristi says
Never mind. It’s been fixed.
Lloyd says
I don’t know anyone who says sep-A-rate. The only really correct spelling would have to be sepparrate.
Kristi says
No, no, no. There’s always “a rat” in separate.
Keren Lowell says
Or “two ‘a’s separate the two ‘e’s'” I was about 29 when I learned this nifty tip. I could have used it in high school…