This past month has been busy, we were able visit Stacy, Ethan, Sophie and Sadie for a couple of days, to short of a visit for sure.

Working on Sweet Potato Chips, and Clear Coat Batter for sweet fries.

I finally let them transfer my membership to the Lumberton, Branch they do need some help for sure. It will be interesting to see what they decide to do...we have had a couple of visits with the BP about what the needs are.

Sylvia will be flying back to Idaho on the 30th. hopefully in time for the arrival of our newest granddaughter. We are excited for Rachel and Jeremy Isaac and Bella.

Off to another food show Monday thru Wednesday, prettty sad, it's at Disney World Swan Hotel; just joking....fun fun fun after the food show, of course.

It has been a few years since we have been to Epcot center so I am looking forward to going. Yes we will be thinking about all of you and wishing that you could be there too.

Steven wants to plan a family reunion to Disney World when he returns from his current Tour of Duty, we told him to figure out a date and let everyone know.

Think Mickey & Minnie, Donald & Pluto, and Nana and Papa having fun.

It was so great to be home for Easter, listen to conference, and see most the grand kids. But here we are back in North Carolina, yes; we meaning Sylvia came back with me. It is great to have her here.

Fed Ex delivered a new/used Dell laptop for Sylvia to use late last night and I mean late for delivery after 9:00 pm. I stayed up way to late to get everything running on it.

Tested my new batter that a company blended for me, I am very happy with the initial test.

79 degrees today NICE.

Food Shows are keeping me busy, off to Nashville tomorrow for another US Food Service Show on Monday. They wanted us to bring some new ideas for restaurants that come to the show. I made julienne strips of sweet potatoes with my wet crispy batter on them, three types of twice baked sweet potatoes, and french fry strips to fry at the show. I will be by myself, first the 550 mile drive to get there, set up and 5 hours of show time. Then pack up and start home Monday evening.

We did a blind test comparing my sweet potato fry against a couple of other brands. I was very happy about the results, my fry was picked 9 to 4 over the others. Amazing...

Thursday is the day that I am really looking forward to, I am flying home for Easter. I think that we are going to Canada the week of the 12th. to visit the french fry plant that will be processing fries for us.

Busy Busy Busy

76 degrees today and the my bicycle was begging me for a ride. So off I went, I used the heart monitor today, man that Garmin is nothing short of cool. Rode in a neighborhood just to the north of the Condo, nice nice homes. Been busy I have go go to another food show on the 28 - 29 of the month in Nashville WooHah! Yippy Yih Yeh!

Had a company in Canada do a test sample of sweet potato fries, just received them Friday and they look very good.

Best thing coming up is I will be home for Easter......I am so excited.

Got a new Blackberry Tour last week from the Company. They were on Altell/now Verizon, so everybody that had a company phone got a new one, not very many of them have the Blackberry. If it was my choice I would have liked the Droid.

Saturday was a nice day, they had the annual Rumba on the Lumbee festival. Races, walking, carnival and a chili cook off, I rode my bike to the event, 10 miles in all. Love the Garmin.

We are in the process of closing down and selling the plant. They have decided to have another company manufacture sweet potato fries for them, at least for the time being and until we can build sales to over 8 million lbs per year. We shut the freezer off a couple of weeks ago, there is still 200,000 lbs of sweet potato puree in the freezer, shipping it out as fast as I can. I told them that as soon as everything is out of the freezer then I was going home for a week. (I am the last man standing at the plant). They said that would be fine, then; a change in plans, I have to cover a food show for one of the salesman.

They asked me to to provide the batter and help build sales once we get them made. The mission has changed but the objective is the same, sale sweet potato fries.

Last Thursday they asked me if I would go to a Food Show, Monday - Thursday, at the MGM Grand Foxwoods Resort in Ledyard, CT. It is a Bazzuto's Food Show, George does a lot of business with them.
The salesman that was going can't, his mother is in the hospital and the Dr. recommended that he stay home. She is 88.
SO MUCH FOR GETTING TO GO HOME. If not before I will be home for Easter and General Conference.
Monday up a 4:00 am to catch 5:45 flight zowie.

Golfing today with 6 Missionaries at Little River Golf Course, Pinehurst NC. It was a nice day, a little cool but other than that a lot of fun. As you can see it is still brown here, the trees are just starting to bloom. They need warm weather...and I think that it is coming soon. Working on cleaning out the freezer at the plant, as soon as that is done then I am going to go home for a week or so, I am so excited.

Sunday has been another very nice day, lonely but nice. When I took the missionaries to the Temple a few weeks ago we were talking about golfing. They have a friend that will get us a round of golf at Pinehurst Golf Club for only $25.00 instead of $185.00 per round. They hit me up today to see which Monday (Pday) would be good for me. Can't imagine playing on a golf course that has hosted the US Open and other USGA events. I am thinking that I will have par (72) after the first 7 holes, hahaha.

Ahhh! that first ride on a bike. Many many thanks for the Garmin Forefunner, I am excited to use it and to track my time, distance, miles and progress. Only rode 8 miles today, that ole mountain bike just doesn't coast ride my road bike. Oh well I am in it for the exercise.

Big changes today, the objective hasn't changed but the mission has. The other person that was at the plant before I came had his last day today. They are going to sell the building and equipment. For the time being the objective is to find another processor to make sweet potato fries for us. There is a bakery that is interested in the building, an offer is on the table, they will have 60 days to close and then we will have 90 days to move the equipment out.

For now they are keeping me here to help them build business and eventually build a plant. That is why I have said from the beginning, this is a fluid situation and can change at anytime. This is the second time in a year and a half that they have gone through this process of shutting everything down.

On a fun note the weather is getting warmer so I fixed my bike and I am planning on a ride tomorrow.
Sixty degrees baby....

Well the weather is improving, I can say that I was in NC when it snowed for the first time in many years. Work is interesting and ever changing. From building a sweet potato french line to a new plan of finding a manufacture to make Sweet Potato Frys for us.
I am sourcing a company to blend our signature batter that we will provide to the custom manufacture.
All have to say is that this is a fluid situation and that I take it day by day.

I miss seeing the little girls and Isaac, Sylvia, Erin & Shane, Rachel & Jeremy, Jackson, Sean & Jen, and Sunday pot luck. It is fun to be so close to Steven & Stacy Edog, Sophie,and Sadie.

Love you all,
Papa

Yes, it snowed over 2" February 13, 2010 in Lumberton N.C. I am sure that little kids are loving it.

Off to Myrtle Beach Wednesday morning at 4:30 am for a one day food show. We will be cooking fresh cut, battered, sweet potato fries. Should be very interesting. Still lots of rain in NC, better than the snow up north.

Rain Rain go away...taking 4 missionaries to Apex NC tomorrow for a Spanish Temple session.
So sad I left my clothes at home so I can't join in, but I will still enjoy the ride.
Thinking about my non Super Bowl party...making me feel very lonely.

Time to get serious about doing what I came to North Carolina to do...make Sweet Potato Fries.
Doing some at the condo until I get the plant set to do samples.

Nana is packing to go back to Idaho tomorrow, its making me sad.

I know that Erin, Rachel, the little girls + Isaac are excited.

Sunday Morning

Church canceled due to extreme ice conditions. I chipped off most of the ice from the drivers side and turned the car around to have the sun melt the rest.

Went out with the missionaries last night to give a new member discussion. It was a lot of fun.

Sunny North Carolina January 30 2010

Woke up this morning to a nice winter storm, or should I say Ice storm.
Since I am on the adventure to build a sweet potato fry plant I decided to try this blog thing out for the grand kids.

And here I am creating this blog, Nana is trying to get me to smile.

Don't want them to forget about Papa.