#evergreenlumber

[theforkprintsbyirene]

My time with Evergreen Lumber ended the way so much of it was lived - through people.

Yesterday at 5:00pm, I took a picture of my favorite UPS driver, Tim Olson. He’s been my constant since my Ace days, so we’re talking almost over two decades now. Through all the changes, Tim was always there. Reliable. Familiar. Part of my everyday rhythm. Some things in life don’t change, and that kind of consistency means more than words can say. Thanks, Timmy! Always smiling and always cracking jokes. 😀

I didn’t get a chance to take photos of my FedEx drivers - Mark, Lorenzo, and Jason (Express and Ground) but I know I’ll see them again next week during the transition. They spoil Cash with treats, and I know Cash will truly miss them. 🐾

I love shipping. Truly. I know it like the back of my hand, and I enjoy it as much as I love Reese's PB cups, Zumba, Brickhouse Pink Lotus, Americanos, and green tea. I love helping people. I love visiting. I don’t care who you are or where you’re from. I enjoy talking with you, listening to you, and being part of your day, even if just for a moment.

I even discovered that I enjoy dispatching U-Hauls (thank you very much, Darrin Smedsmo 😄). I broke a lot of nails doing it, but that just gave me an excuse for a mani and pedi so it all worked out. And yesterday, I dispatched my very last U-Haul. Thanks Jeremy U-Haul! I greatly appreciate all your help. ☺️

Yes, I complain about the cold, but I also dance outside while walking Cash. Our neighbors, Josh Wiskow and Micah from Sjoberg's Cable, can absolutely confirm that. Winter, spring, summer, or fall, they’ve seen me doing Zumba routines all around the property. One text and they always show up. Great neighbors. Even better friends.

I’ll miss the Roseau Fair and that one special week when the energy shifts and the town buzzes a little louder. I loved talking with the carnival folks and hearing their stories.

But more than anything, we will miss our customers.

YOU are what made Evergreen a happy, successful place - the lumberyard customers, the shipping customers, and the U-Haul customers. You are the reason the doors opened with purpose every morning. Your trust, your loyalty, your conversations, your laughter… you made the work meaningful. And you were never a bother - not with your lumber projects, not with Amazon returns, or questions big or small. Helping you was always a privilege. And honestly, Jeff Bezos should probably send us a gift because between all those Amazon returns, we basically helped pay for that very expensive wedding. 😄 And to our regular shipping account customers who trusted us year after year... thank you. You were part of the daily rhythm here. The familiar names, the repeat drop-offs, the quick hellos, and the ongoing trust meant more than you probably realized.

I’ll especially miss my Canadian customers who followed me from Ace, to Going Postal (yes, remember that place? 😂), and all the way to Evergreen....my loyal shipping family who spoiled me with Timbits, ketchup chips, and all the Canadian treats. Dwayne Gross and the Gross family, you truly have my heart. I’ve known you since my Ace days. Friends for life. ❤️

I’ll miss my big picture window, watching the sun rise in the east, looking up at the sky and thanking God every single morning for the blessings He gives us. Some mornings I cried, not from sadness, but because I felt so deeply lucky and grateful. Don’t get me wrong - there were challenges and hard times. But when things got loud, I learned to close my eyes, block out the noise, and ask God for guidance. And somehow, through it all, we’re still here.

When I moved here from San Diego, I didn’t know what to expect. I was a big-city girl... spoiled by my family, high-maintenance, loud, and outspoken. But my parents taught us good work ethic, resilience, and treat people with respect and kindness. I adapted. And I made lifelong friends I will always treasure. I’m a multitasker. I thrive on the rush. If it’s too quiet, I get antsy. I’ve always found joy in movement, purpose, and being needed.

Yesterday, I told a good friend I had one hour and thirty minutes left. He asked what I would do next. I said, “Eat a rare ribeye steak with a loaded baked potato and dessert.” He laughed and said, “I meant with your life.” Oohhh. 😂

That’s me. I plan for the future, but I live fully in the present because we don’t really know what the future holds. (And yes, I was starving too.)

Next Monday will be different. I won’t open the store at 8am. Cash won’t jump out of bed to greet every customer or get treats from the drivers. He won’t run off to Fleet Supply when the weather is nice. I won’t have Canadian customers bringing treats. I won’t go through the U.S.–Canada border gates as often (just ten minutes north) where the customs agents know me so well after years of trips to Steinbach and Winnipeg to eat, shop, and attend Zumba marathons. I won’t dispatch U-Hauls or wish travelers safe journeys.

These were the little things.

And they mattered more than I ever realized because they were never little at all.