What Makes a Good Boss?

"The first thing the secretary types is the boss." Donald Trump

Friday, October 16th is Boss's Day. In 1952, Patricia Haroski while working as a secretary, registered National Boss's Day with the US Chamber of Commerce. It was a day that gave employees the opportunity to recognize and thank their bosses. Ten years later October 16th was officially proclaimed National Boss's Day.

Those of us who have worked outside of the home have had experience working with a boss. I encountered my first boss at the age of 11 when I worked a summer job picking cucumbers. Yes, it was legal for children to work on farms for pay in Massachusetts in the 1960's. Since then, I have held a number of jobs and have had a number of bosses.

I guess I have been lucky because, although there were one or two that I will be happy never to have to work for again, most of the bosses I have had were what I consider "good" bosses. One or two I'd even consider "exceptional".

While researching Boss's Day, I found the general criteria for considering someone a good boss, is that they are kind and fair. I agree that both kindness and fairness are excellent qualities to have in a boss but found the best bosses I had were good communicators and good listeners too. They were also generous with their time. They encouraged me to grow and were willing to teach me the skills I'd need to do so.

I am self employed at this time so I don't have a traditional "boss" to celebrate with on October 16th. But I will say thank you to all of my bosses. Each one is very special to me.

May be you will share with me the qualities you believe make someone a "good" boss. I'd love to hear from you.

(Simple Elegance Gift Basket shown above)

It's a Dog's Life

"Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.” (Roger Caras)

October is Adopt a Shelter Dog Month. As we have in the past, Laurel Mountain Basket Company's Studio will be a collection station for donations. In addition to dog (and cat) food, gently used toys, bedding, collars, leashes, and towels, area shelters are in need of office supplies and cleaning supplies such as laundry detergent, bleach and paper towels.

According to the ASPCA, 29 % of dogs are left at shelters because of family living situations and 40% are left because of incompatibility with the family lifestyle or the dog did not meet the family's expectations.

I am amazed at the amount of money people are paying for dogs these day. A friend told me they were looking to purchase a particular breed of dog and they were prepared to spend $2000. A "for sale" posting on a local bulletin board offered mixed breed puppies for $300 each and yet many of these dogs end up at shelters because the owners were not prepared to take on the responsibilities associated with owning a dog.

I can't imaging living without a dog. I've had at least one dog as a companion for the last 50 years, so I know what a huge responsibility they are.

Owning a dog is a long term commitment since a dog may life 15 years and they need daily care.

Owning a dog is expensive. In addition to the bare essentials of food and medical care, dogs need training and in most areas, they need to be licensed. Other costs can include grooming, day care, dog walking, kenneling or in home care when the owner will be away for an extended period of time.

If you are considering adding a dog to your household, please consider adopting from a shelter and please give a little thought to the type of dog (large, small, short hair, low energy) and choose one that will best suit your family structure.

P.S. At Laurel Mountain Basket Company we donate a portion from the sale of all of our pet gifts and gift baskets to area shelters. Looking for a special gift for a special dog, how about a personalized pet treat tin!

Thanks

Marie

Fun for the Young & Young at Heart

A friend and her husband recently took their daughter and a friend to see the latest "must see" tween age girl movie. She said the amount of money that they spent, for parking, tickets, popcorn and a drink, would have paid for a nice dinner for two at an upscale restaurant.
Spending time doing something that is fun with the kids doesn't have to break the bank.
A Home Movie Night can be lots of fun. Rent a video (or borrow one from your local library) and snuggle on the sofa with a huge bowl of popcorn. I still remember how much fun it was watching Wizard of Oz on TV with my folks and kid sisters and that was 30/40 years ago! Creating cherished memories for your kids (and for yourself) is really very easy.
Create a Game Night: My favorite is board game is Monopoly. Got beaten badly by my nephew the last time we played, but it was really fun! Choose a couple of age appropriate games and settle down for an evening of heavy competition! Have an ample supply of cookies and coca or chips and dips on hand and you are ready for hours of fun. You may be pleasantly surprised when your child whoops you good at "Chutes and Ladders" or "Crazy Eights"
Night at the Movies Gift Basket (shown) designed by Laurel Mountain Basket Company Easthampton, Ma.

It's Personal

Gift baskets are a great gift idea. That's why you will find them in discount stores, large department and grocery stores and pharmacy chains across the country. Especially during the Holidays. Some of the gift baskets are actually pretty nice, but to me, they lack imagination. Getting a gift basket filled with coffee mugs, flavored coffee and cookies, all sporting the logo of a major national coffee chain, tells me little thought went into buying that gift.
At a gift basket company like Laurel Mountain Basket Company you will find gift baskets with personality. Gift baskets designed especially for events like birthdays or bereavements, or for individuals with a passion like golf or fishing. A gift basket can be so much more than the sum of its parts. It can be a gift as unique as the person giving it and the person receiving it.

Seasons Greetings!

I know, it's August, but in our world it's time to start planning for the Holiday Season. It's actually lots of fun. Catalogs from all of our suppliers are arriving daily and we get to go SHOPPING! Shopping is my favorite sport.
This year we are putting together a new line of New England gift baskets but will continue to feature locally made treats like pancake mix and maple syrup from the Pioneer Valley, chocolates and cranberry candies from Cape Cod, jams and jellies and even salsa from the Berkshire hills. We will be bringing back some of your old favorites like Little House of Thyme and adding some new ones we know you will love like Appalachian Naturals.
We love the shea butter soaps and beeswax candles handmade by local craftspeople and will be featuring these items in many of our Bath and Body Gift Baskets like our Holiday SPA Gift Basket shown here.
We will be posting our new designs on our blog so check back with us regularly. If you have any design favorites, let us know.
Enjoy the rest of your summer,
Marie

Dog Days

At Laurel Mountain Basket Company, we love pets. So when I recently read an article about summertime safety tips for pets, I thought I would pass the information along.
1. Never leave your pets in the car. When the temperature outside starts climbing above 70 degrees, the temperature inside the car can reach 100 degrees in a matter of minutes.
2. Make sure your pets have access to plenty of water at all times. To keep the water cool, add several ice cubes. Remember that they will need to pee more, so be sure to increase the number of times you take them outside.
3. If your pets spend lots of time with the family in outdoor activities, be careful that they don't over do it. A leisurely bike ride for you can be a stressful run for your dog.
4. Not all dogs are great swimmers. When boating make sure your pet is wearing a properly fitting life preserver at all times.
5. Pets can have allergic reactions to insect bites and bee stings. Be alert. If you think your pet has been stung or bitten, call your vet. Swelling from the poisons in bites or stings can cause breathing problems that can be fatal.
Your pets rely on you to take care of them. Be a responsible pet companion.

Enjoy a fun filled summer with your pets.

Marie

It's Easy

Press one for English, enter your 99 digit number, if you know your party's extension, dial it now, listen carefully since our options have changed, all of our operators are busy helping other customers...... and then when you finally do get to talk to a person, they can't help you and have to transfer you to yet another person who can't help you. Sound familiar? This is what many companies consider "customer service".

You won't find that kind of service at Laurel Mountain Basket Company. When you call us, you will get one of two responses. Either a cheerful human will answer the phone and be ready and able to help you or you will get a short recorded message, informing you we are not in and asking you to leave a message. When you leave a message, you WILL get a response. A human, who is ready and able to help you, WILL return your call as soon as we return to the Studio.

We make ordering a gift basket from Laurel Mountain Basket Company so simple any one can do it. No time to shop? Shop 24/7 on our website which is designed to make choosing a gift and ordering it as easy as it can be. All of our gift baskets are individually created at the time of purchase, not sitting in a warehouse for days or weeks.

We also custom design gift baskets for our clients. Don't see exactly what you are looking for on line? We will create it for you. Our gift basket designers are professionals. They can answer all of your questions and help you make informed decisions. Whether you need a single gift for some one who is hard to buy for or 100 gifts for a corporate event, we can help. It's easy, just give us a call at Laurel Mountain Basket Company, "where gift giving won't make you a basket case!"

Happy shopping,

Marie