ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT
Of bathrooms, cheese and old-fashioned service
January 14, 2009
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Denise Holtby
YOURHOME.CA
It’s been several weeks now since we completed the bulk of the work on our bathroom facelift. We’ve still got some items on our to-do list, including touching up the grout on the tiles. It’s now looking quite dingy next to the fresh white paint.
Meanwhile, I’ve been shovelling the driveway, carrying firewood and cooking Dean’s favourite meals as a way of thanking him for all the work he put in to get the bathroom finished on time.
Saturday, for example, I made him his favourite breakfast: salty peameal bacon, thick slices of onion, homemade whole-wheat bread (courtesy of my friend, Sandra) and Empire cheddar cheese.
The cheese is an important ingredient. Once you get used to quality Canadian cheddar, no “processed cheese food” will suffice.
We used to buy Empire cheese at our local hardware store. I know that sounds odd, but this particular store sold not only tools and paint, but also sandwiches, salads, baked goods and coffee. (Although the store was known officially as the Brougham Country Store and Hardware, regulars often referred to it affectionately as the “Snack ‘n Screw.”)
Unfortunately, the hardware store closed down when owners Dianne and Ed retired. They did try to find a buyer, but in this mega-big-box retail world, it was impossible to find one willing to take a risk on a small-town store.
While it’s true that big-box stores can offer lower prices and almost limitless selection, we miss the hardware store because it also served as a kind of community centre. Even when we moved away, we still went back to see Dianne and Ed on Saturday afternoons, to have a sandwich and coffee and catch up on the local gossip.
Often, there would be eight or more of us sitting around the store’s two tables. These were our neighbours, people we’d known for years, people whose families have been intertwined with ours for generations.
We’d swap tall tales and gossip, then offer advice, criticism and compliments. We’d complain about “city people” who didn’t understand our rural customs, then discuss the merits of tractors and tea towels, politicians and peonies.
Why do I tell you all of this? So that when I rant in this column about the service at the big home improvement chains, you’ll understand my bias. I’m used to shopping at a store where the owner serves you coffee and sits down to talk about the weather while you wait for your paint to shake. The kind of place where to get up and leave too quickly is the ultimate insult.
While Dianne and Ed have officially retired, they continue to sell Empire cheese to former customers and friends. So now we stop by their house, get our cheese from the garage refrigerator and then catch up on the local gossip.
Now, if only they would set up a couple of tables and some chairs in that garage, we’d feel right at home!
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