"signs...they don't get much respect"

tobin and i visited norman sign company this morning. our bike shop sign is in need of replacement.

let me tell you a little about the sign above... it was made by joe almost thirty years ago...the same joe that we met with today. the type of wood it is carved out of is redwood...no longer available. this sign has hung outside of the shop all of its life except the last year. for the last several years tobin has had to bring it inside and doctor it up...it is 30 yrs old afterall! this past year it has been inside the shop...to old to weather the outdoors.

so...as i type, joe is working up a new sign. this time it will be carved out of ponderosa pine and instead of by hand, a machine will carve it.

now, let me tell you a little bit about joe. he is a small man and looks to be in his seventies for sure. he is well spoken and very insightful. he used to teach art at the university many, many years ago but wanted to express his artistic side in a different way. he is a true artist. he loves his work. he loves wood. he loves signs. he wanted me to see his workshop so i could get an idea of "how it's done". he called me dear. there is so much more we talked about from small business ownership to how to handle the teenage years. this man is a very special person. i am so happy to have met him. we are invited to pop in from time to time during the next couple of weeks to see the progress of the new sign.

by the way...we will be retiring the old sign. it will hang in a place of honor. it is pretty much an antique with a wonderful history.