Sweet Success

Woo! Superbowl!! As I sit at my brother’s Superbowl party reflecting upon this surprisingly beautiful, busy day, I’m thinking about community. I guess it takes a good snowstorm to get everyone to come together…instead of grumbling and moaning all day, my entire electricity-less neighborhood picked up shovels, released their well-behaved dogs and got to work on the whole road. Old ladies shoveled sidewalks, young men shoveled old ladies driveways and all the dogs played leash-free while their owners chatted, smiled and shoveled. Oh Charlottesville…could this place be anymore more wonderful?!

Speaking of wonderful community…everyone on the Relay team deserves a giant pat on the back (and maybe an extra large cookie) for sticking through the stickiest part of the storm to deliver groceries our snow-bound customers. The joy on our new friends faces when we told them that we did, indeed, trudge through the storm to deliver their bread, milk and pies, made the whole endeavor more than worthwhile. No injuries, no broken cars, not even a cracked egg…total success and total team bonding. Arnie actually had to yell at us to FORCE us to take a lunch break (complete with the most delicious Belle Haven soup bowls filled with Rev Soup and Fruit Harvest cookies from the lovely bakers at Foods).

I’d like to send out a giant thank you to all of our team members (Arnie, Ted, Tom, Jason, Lance, Dennis, Nancy, and Annick and Neal for their emotional support while they were snowed in), our retailers (especially Shelia from Belle Haven who made it all the way from Scottsville and Ronnie/Tim from Meadow Run Farm who trekked all the way over the mountain), and our customers for trusting us with their precious snowstorm vittles. THANK YOU ALL!

Happy Snowy Superbowl Sunday to you all!

AHH!

It’s comingggggg…Snowpocalypse P.2, Pandesnownium (my new fave from the Hook), Snoomsday, Snarmageddon, snnihilation, snowtastrophe…3 ft? 4 ft? I heard 10 feet! Really!! THIS IS GOING TO BE INSANEEE!

I’m feeling the snow day jitters. You know what I mean, they’re a vestige of your childhood that will NEVER ever leave. Yes, the adult in me is dreading all this snow, I’m already thinking about how long it’s going to take me to shovel out and how badly I just want to go to a nice restaurant tomorrow but I know it’s not going to happen. But, for some inexplicable reason, I’m excited. Really excited. Even though I know I’m not getting a snow day tomorrow and even though I know come day 2, day 3, day 8 (oh, I hope not…), I’m going to be miserable in my house, I just can’t wait.

Mostly, I think I’m excited to see how tomorrow plays out. All of us over here at Relay are going to be troopers tomorrow, the team spirit is infectious (do you feel it-all the way over there, wherever you are in internet land?). We’re going to rush around to our retailers in the morning, who will, I’m sure, be equally rushed with the Pandesnownium of last minute shoppers. Then we’ll find a way to get the trucks from our warehouse on River Rd. out to their pick-up locations while the rest of the team heads out in pairs to deliver orders (for free!) to anyone who can’t make it through the snow. Slip-sliding around Charlottesville with a car full of groceries has to be team bonding at its best.

Some way, some how, we’ll get your groceries to you so you’re not stranded and hungry for the weekend! I’m getting my order in tonight, partially because I just remembered that Sunday is the Superbowl (yikes, can we reschedule…) which means I’m going to spend some serious time thinking of Superbowl Snackies that I can (finger’s crossed) walk over to a neighborhood Superbowl party because we all know the best part of the Superbowl is the snacking and commercial watching…right?

Stay snafe and stay off the snroads!

Stay Warm

SNOW DAY!! I don't think I've ever seen this much snow in Virginia...really, this is nuts.  Speaking of nuts, I think I'm going to spend the day baking (perhaps these candied curried pecans from Bon Appetit) and frolicking with my puppies.  

        But before I can do anything, I desperately need some hot chocolate to warm me up.  Did you know that the original hot chocolate drinkers were the Olmecs in Central America in 1500 B.C.E.?  Apparently, they discovered that the seeds they tended to spit out while eating the fruit of the cacao tree (which tastes like passionfruit!) could be turned into a delicious drink when mixed with chilies and ground corn...weird.  The Nibble has a pretty interesting article all about hot chocolate/cocoa.  

Check out some of the really interesting hot chocolates and drinking cocoas we offer through Retail Relay (including an Aztec Spicy Hot Chocolate that I'm planning to add in my next order)!  Or, think about wrapping your cold hands around a hot mug of one of the 190 different teas we offer...that's right, 190.

Has anyone made it out into Charlottesville today? Is it the ghost-town that I imagine it to be?  According to this Daily Progress article, officials are asking people with 4 wheel drive vehicles to help emergency crews. If you can help, please call the county Emergency Communications Center at 434-979-INFO.