what a week so far!

My word!
Our heat wave finally broke last Saturday night but not before I had to call 911 for a worker who was resurfacing the parking lot out in front of the store on Saturday - Day. They started the job around noon.(There were 2 workers) They had completed a large job earlier in ST. Louis the worker who was still standing had told me.
I was in the office on the computer and heard the front door open. I looked out but didn't see anyone. About that the time the co-worker came in the front door and looked at the floor immediately in front of the door and asked, "Jimmy you alright?" That is when I walked around the counter and saw a very large man laying on the rug that is in front of the door. He shook his head 'no'. And mouthed call 911. So I went for the phone and dialed. When I got off the phone I got wet cold towels and wrapped his head and neck with them. The paramedics came pretty quick and checked the guy out. By the time they arrived he was talking clearly. He refused to go to the hospital. The paramedics said NOT to go back out into the heat. As if he did, they were sure that they would be back to cart him off. I believe that they were correct in that assessment. The co-worker called the big boss in St. Louis and told him that 'Jimmy' had bitten the dust and that he needed some help. In about 45 minutes two big trucks and 4 more men came to finish our little lot. The big boss had come to take 'Jimmy' back to St. Louis. He(the big boss and I exchanged a few words.) I told him what the paramedics had said about the man. He then informed me that he had been in that business in St. Louis for 30 years and knew what he was doing. I simply said, "ya, right." And turned and walked away. Neither of the original two workers wore hats or those cooling neck ties or head bands. They had NO water on their truck. I gave 'Jimmy' a bottle of water from my frig after clearing it with the paramedics. The ambient temperature was near 100 and I am sure that it was a lot hotter on that parking lot in the full sun beating down on that black pavement with them smearing additional black goo. The four additional men that arrived to complete the job also wore no hats or visible cooling kerchiefs. A lot of the time you see those big igloo water coolers strapped to work trucks. I didn't see any. But that is not to say there wasn't something on the inside of the trucks. I am wondering if OHSA would like to know how this man sends out his workers on hot days....
Since Sunday the weather has been absolutely delightful. Mother Nature is being kind to us after the brutal heat she laid on us for about 10 days straight.
I am working on the July newsletter and it will be completed very soon. I am also preparing for Saturday the Fourth of July and the Tea Party that is going to be held here in Washington on that Day. The shop will be OPEN. I had sent out e-mails telling everyone in my address book of that. I got one nasty e-mail back from a person telling me how awful I was for talking about and support the Tea Party effort. And that I was taking advantage of my staff on that day. She requested that she be removed from my contacts list. I happily complied. I really had wanted to e-mail her back and ream her a new one but then I thought, "why bother." It wouldn't do any good. And would be a waste of my time, talent and energy. Just for your all information I am staffing the shop myself on Saturday. I have not asked any of my employees to work. A couple will be on stand by as go-fers in case I run low on ice, cups or tea. I see being open on the Fourth of July trying to take full capitalistic advantage of the situation as the best way to honor the day. At least for me at this time.
Hope to see a lot of you on that Day. Come and share a glass of tea with me.