Month: August 2009

Hi Pen Fans!

Andrea’s recovery is going fine.  She needs help getting up and down, but everyday is better and better.

I have family coming to help tomorrow so I can get to work full time.

I’m going to try to do some very early morning hours, and maybe even some evenings after Andrew goes to bed, so that there is less burden on family.

Due to this, my webcam schedule will not be 9-5, and may be quite sporadic.

I’m hoping that Monday of next week everything will be back to 9-5.  We’ll see.

For those of you backordered, I will send emails with estimated dates tonight.  Please allow flexibility until we’re completely in the clear.

Many Thanks!

Brian at Edison

Hi Pen Fans!

My wife’s surgery went fine, and now we are into recovery mode.

Her gall bladder was actually about 3-4 times enlarged, and her stones were so big that they needed to widen the laparoscopic incisions to get them out. We’re just glad that the surgery remained laparoscopic, and that they didn’t need to make larger non-laparoscopic cuts.

So her recovery time might be longer than the typical laparoscopic recovery, but the outcome was fine outside of this.

Here’s the plan…

Andrea should be coming home tomorrow.  I will have help from family with our 4-year-old.  I’m going to get a couple of pens done in the next few days with their help.

Then I’m planning on going back into full production mode on Monday, with family helping with the little one.

By Monday, I should have a good idea as to what Andrea’s capabilities are (very limited, I’m sure), and also what family can do to help.

On Monday or Tuesday, I’ll send emails with tentative dates to everyone who is backordered.  I will ask everyone to still be flexible with these dates for expected delivery of their pens.

I’m pretty sure that family help will allow me to work 9 to 5 every weekday next week, but I’m also sure that there will be exceptions.  I’m anticipating that Andrea will not be able to deal with wrangling our four-year-old for another two weeks (?)  Who knows at this point?

I’ve received so many emails from people giving good thoughts, and I’d like to thank each of you.  It’s really tough to see a loved one in pain when you are helpless to assist.  It seemed like I got an email on my phone every 15 minutes from one of you that lifted my spirits.  I shared each of these emails with my wife, and she was overwhelmed with gratitude.  Many thanks!

A lot of my clients have told me to not worry about pens, and focus on family.  Don’t worry, I definitely have, and I will continue.  However, I love making pens, and it’s quite therapeutic for me.  I’m not going to neglect my family obligations by any means…don’t worry, family comes first, but I also need to run the business and our family will be helping with Andrea’s recovery and watching the little one.  There’s no paid vacations when you are self employed! My family knows this, and they, along with friends are lining up to help out.

Updates to backordered clients will remain timely.

Also – I will include a recent family picture that I like.  It won’t be long before Andrea will be healed up enough to hoist Andrew like this again!

Many thanks.

Brian Gray
Edison Pens

Hi Pen Fans!

The DC show was quite successful, certainly one of the best shows that I’ve ever been to. 

I had an outstanding time, but a hitch came along with it.

My wife had some abdominal pain throughout the entire show, which culminated in us leaving earlier than what we wanted to on Sunday.

After a long drive home and an ER visit late last night, we found that she needs to have her gall bladder taken out.

She will have a consult with a surgeon tomorrow morning, most likely going into surgery the same day.

Since the Edison Pen Co. is a one-man-show, I need to ask my clients to please be flexible with timelines and communication as a result.

I’m sure that my responsibilities as a husband and father will need to spill into my penmaking responsibilities in the next week or two.  We have family that can help with our four-year-old, but I’m sure that I’m still going to be taken out of the shop some and will be slowed down.

So I will be working in my studio as much as I can this and next week, but I have no idea at what rate.

Please bear with me through this event, as my productivity with pens and communication might be a little slower.

So far, it seems like this should be a routine procedure, but prayers are still appreciated.

Many thanks. 

Brian Gray
Edison Pens