Finally feeling somewhat better after my Covid affair, it was time to get to work. Joe was coming home in mid September and it was my mission to get his auto detail shop up and ready to go for an October 1st grand opening. The biggest hurdle I would face was the zoning and permitting process with Warrington Township. On my first attempt, I was met with a brick wall. Auto businesses were a tough proposition and required special zoning variances, planning meetings, attorneys and a lengthy process. As per the assistant zoning commish…”Good luck”. I left the township building feeling demoralized and worried that this endeavor was dead on arrival. No way. The next day I regrouped and headed back to plead my case. This time I asked to speak to the head honcho. A gentleman named Roy who listened to my pitch, reviewed my plans and location, and surprisingly, signed off on my zoning application with a flick of his pen. It might have helped that he was retiring in a few months. Did I seriously pull off a miracle? You betcha!
Within a month, working alongside my friends Vladik and Ed, on my days off and nights, a beautiful Red, White and Blue themed Auto Detailing shop was born from an ugly duckling of a garage. Joe named the business after his long time hockey number… 26. 2SIX AUTO DETAILING was coming to fruition. The only thing that we needed was for him to get home. He built a beautiful website for the business while he was waiting to leave Ohio and when he got home, helped finish with the last details of the shop. Thank God. I blew my shoulder out carrying a 14 ft metal ladder and I was getting way too old to be doing construction work. I went into full sell mode at my store selling jewelry and Premium Plus auto details. On October 1st the garage door rolled up. Appointments rolled in and the beautiful, shiny, clean cars rolled out. Joe’s girlfriend Kara would be moving down from Ohio to join him in a few weeks too. They were on their way.
Meanwhile, number 1 son was in full transition mode too. October 1st was his big day. We had facilitated the moving company a few weeks prior and Nick had flown down to Ft. Lauderdale in the beginning of September to meet the movers and set up his new apartment. He only spent a few days there and flew back to Philly to finish up with some work details and prepare for the final transition to Florida. Lori was so upset. It was rare to have both boys home at the same time. Canada, California, Sweden, Cleveland, Florida, like a Merry-go-round. We would gladly take the two weeks of them here together and Lor was able to take her coveted Christmas card pic! As Joe was performing his first 2Six detail, Nick would begin driving to Virginia where he would board the auto train for his 24 hour journey to paradise. He’d begin his sunny new endeavor as a Senior Agent at the Meyer-Lucas Group, Compass Realty , Ft. Lauderdale and Palm Beach. Officially, he was marketed as part of the Sports and Entertainment division. Congrats to my boy. He was able to rise to the top of his field in Philadelphia in such a short time. A self made top producer, I’m sure that in no time he would conquer the South Florida market as well. Nick was also…on his way.
As a parent, you only want your children to succeed. You want them to be able to move forward as accomplished citizens and be able to be independent. If you are fortunate enough to be able to help them achieve, then why not? Physically, emotionally, financially or educationally. Whatever it takes… Be there. Hopefully, they will pay it forward by being great people and treating their children in kind. Where am I going with this? Receiving a life or death cancer diagnosis at a young age, with young children, is devastating. While you spend years and tears fighting to live and breathe, you spend the rest of your time wondering how you could possibly continue to protect them, covet them, console them and perhaps control them… if and when you are no longer here. It’s a tough pill to swallow. So fortunately, even though I still feel the presence of that proverbial “Rock” hanging over my head, I will continue to be supportive, annoying, overbearing etc. Whatever possible for my family to thrive for as long as I am present and able. Whether they like it …or not. Lol.
Next Up: Just Rolling…Again