Collections

A few summers ago Sarah took over a paper route. About 75 houses in our neighborhood. Passing every Wednesday before 6PM. Collecting once a month. Now that she has moved on to "a real job", Michael, the boys and I have taken over the route from her. During the summer we work really hard at it. Meeting and greeting new people, learning about money and responsibility. It is fun to run all over the neighborhood. Winter ( school season) it is a little different. When the papers come, I fold them, put them into plastic bags, stack them in the laundry basket and load them into the car. Some days Allyson and I deliver them. Some days Michael and I deliver them. Some days Sarah has to help us. I have had to deliver them by myself once. I even collected once by myself for two and 1/2 hours in a snowstorm while Micheal was home with Sarah in bed with a double ear infection and walking pneumonia. Best 2 1/2 hours of my week!

Today was collections day!. We waited until it was almost noon and a little warmer...if you call 8 degrees warmer. We had a plan. Collect from three houses and then get in the warm car. I drove and Michael walked to the houses. Good plan. It really didn't take as long as I thought it would. We send an envelope the last Wednesday of the month telling our customers that we will be collecting on the next Saturday. The instructions are simple. Place payment in envelope and tape it to the front door or place it under the door mat before noon on Saturday morning. It was a little challenging today. Lots of snow and ice and bone chilling wind. But we had glaring sun! And it only took a little over an hour. This is what the happy camper looked like at the end of our journey...COLD, wet, snow covered, hungry and ready to go home. He ended up with $2.50 in tips. He has been saving to buy a Mario game for the Wii. I think we are really close.