It's morning time!

Ever wonder what happens in a landscape company in the morning? Here's a peek in ours.

Its MORNING TIME!
6:45 in the morning. I'm on my way to the office. Coffee tastes good. Its raining. Good day for ducks. Not landscapers. Hope it stops. I don't want to make up shop work today. That's like work. Pulling on the paver parking area marks the end of my silence and absence of responsibility. Gene and James are here already, just like normal. Gotta love those guys. The coffee cup occupies my one hand and my briefcase the other, but I manage to open the door, mainly because this is how I have entered the office a million times before. I like our office. Its just a 14' x 40' "Esh's" Shed. But I love it. I set my briefcase in my cubicle, walk over to the common area. Gene picks up his head from the Bass Pro Catalog. "Goodmorning" James nods in agreement as he clicks on the 10 day outlook from Weather.com. "Is it gonna rain all day?" "Nope, hour by hour says down to 10% at 8:00". "10-4". I walk back to my corner. Checking my email reveals 4 emails that I don't want. I hear the gravel crunch. A look reveals a white Ford Ranger. You'd think a Chevy lover like Dave would never drive a Ford Ranger. But he does. He walks in, peers around the cubicle, "Goodmorning". "Awesome". He exchanges formalities with the fellows in the back, then plunks down at his desk and starts on some office work. Bosses like people that get right to work. Its 7:01. Where's Spencer? Where he was yesterday morning. On his way to work. 7:04. The driveway hums, and then gravel crackles. I don't have to look. It always sounds like that when Spencers zooms in. He pops in the back door. Or tries to. The door is locked. Gene opens it. About an inch. And holds it. Spencer pushes. Gene holds. Spencer pushes harder than Gene wants to hold. Now he pops in, 2 sausage McMuffins in hand, throws Gene a playful punch, laughs. He sits down and starts the process of consuming McMuffins. They disappear in precisely 2 minutes. This fellow is our star, because he works faster than he eats. 7:07. I'm done acting like I'm working back in my cubicle, when in reality I'm reading the news. That's what cubicles are for, I'm telling you. I walk back to the common area. Dave pushes away from his desk and walks back. James stands up. He tells Spencer to go and load 10 yards of hardwood mulch on the F550. "Make sure you load it up good. We're going to back to the job in Chambersburg to mulch. Rain should be over when we get there" Spencer giggles "If not, we'll just stop at Dunkin Doughnuts for coffee and doughnuts". Dave says "So that's what landscapers do, huh". "Yeah, we just goof around". With that Spencer launches his wrappers in the trash can, "well, gotta get to work". He's out the door. I ask Dave "You takin' pavers with you?" "Yeah, I guess". "What rig are you taking?" He pauses, and thinks. "Well, it doesn't really matter". "James do you need the 450 today?" "Nope, just the 550". Dave makes up his mind. "Then we'll take that with the small trailer and load up the pavers we can lay today. We'll take the rest tomorrow". I reply "Sounds good. I plan on stopping at the job around 11:00, because I have to look at a project in the same development at 12:00." "OK". Dave turns to Gene. "Go ahead and load up those 3 pallets of 6x9 and then pull the truck down here. I have a little bit of work here in the office I want to finish". He nods and heads out the door. Its nice to see people working together. I turn to James. "Will you get that job done today?" "I sure hope so. I've got the Smith job scheduled for tomorrow". I didn't know about that job. That's not unusual. I don't know half the customers he works with. I saunter back to my corner. Dave grabs me with a question about a bank statement. Luckily I know the answer. I continue sauntering, and look out the glass front door. The rain has stopped already. Good. Spencer comes around the corner of the shop with the 550 and trailer. James grabs a soda out of the refrigerator, and his briefcase. James takes the wheel, with Spencer riding as co-pilot. One crew gone. A crew that functions well. Without me. 7:30. Gene pulls down with the 450 and trailer loaded with pavers. Dave quick finishes his stuff. I hear him get up. I am sorting through the mail. I like that job. He stops, asks me a question about the pattern of the patio. I confirm that it is as he thought. "Ok, we'll see how far we get today". "Yup, see you around 11:00". He heads out the door with a few envelopes to drop in the mail on his way out. Gene grabs his lunch, jumps in the passenger side, and they're gone. Another crew gone. Now I'm all alone. Its quiet. But don't think for a moment that it'll stay that way. Thankfully it doesn't. There will be calls with questions about how to get a track back on the track skidloader, how to get something to the jobsite that someone forgot, if we should replace the mail box that we backed over rather than giving the customer cash, or what do do about a machine that doesn't start.

Yeah, being a business owner is peaches and cream. Really all you have to do all day is worry about getting jobs, keeping employees, making sure there is money to pay the bills (and payroll of course), and how be the person you wish you would work for.

At least thats my side.

Do I love my Job? I do. Truly.