Bad News & Good News...

Yesterday we received a call from one of the women involved in the Artisan Guild.  She found the inside of the shop covered with soot.  The furnace had malfunctioned and we were the victims of a 'puff back'.  The bad news is that EVERYthing is covered with a thick oily smelling soot.  The good news is that it happened in January (our slowest time of the year) and our inventory wasn't as large as it was in November/December.

We're waiting to see what our landlord's insurance company decides about cleaning the inventory, but we know that they will clean the store.  We'll have a new paint job and probably a new furnace.  So-o-o spring cleaning will be done for us.  We're praying that the insurance company will also pay to have the inventory cleaned, but even then, those of us with fabric/fiber items have probably lost our inventory.  Wayne used to work for a company that cleaned after such incidents and he told me this is probably the worst one he's ever seen.  The cleaning company called in by the insurance company confirmed this.

I've decided that I will not dwell on the negatives, but try to focus on the positives...call me Pollyanna!
--Wayne has experience with this type of 'disaster' so he knows what to ask and how things need to be done.
--It wasn't in December when the store was packed with inventory.
--It's our slowest time of year so if we have to be closed, now is the best time.
--We're not having to pay for heat!
--I get to make all new items so I have an excuse to 'play' with fiber and fabric.
--Many of the other artisans' items can be cleaned effectively if done properly.
--The new furnace will probably be more efficient so we'll be saving money on oil.

Hmmm  I'm still thinking....