Episode 92
Empowering Women Through DIY: The Crafty Carpenter Academy
Ginger Martin, founder of the Crafty Carpenter DIY Academy, joins us to discuss empowering women to take on home improvement projects with confidence. The episode highlights the importance of understanding tools and techniques, enabling listeners to tackle DIY tasks effectively. Ginger shares her journey from a family of tradesmen to becoming a skilled carpenter, emphasizing that home improvement is not just for men. She encourages everyone, especially women, to embrace their capabilities and learn how to create and modify their living spaces. With practical advice and insights, this conversation aims to inspire a more hands-on approach to home maintenance and creativity, especially during the holiday season.
Exploring the evolution of human shelter, Steve Deubel introduces listeners to the concept of sustainable living through container homes. The podcast kicks off with an engaging historical perspective, tracing the transformation of shelters from primitive bamboo huts to modern concrete towers. With a growing focus on environmental sustainability, the conversation shifts towards how container homes serve as a viable solution in the quest for eco-friendly housing options. Steve's enthusiasm for this innovative approach is palpable as he invites listeners to consider embarking on a sustainable lifestyle journey. He emphasizes the adventurous spirit of container home living, suggesting that listeners are not just passive consumers but active participants in the movement towards sustainability.
Companies mentioned in this episode:
- Crafty Carpenter DIY Academy
- Home Depot
- Trader Joe's
- Sprouts
- Ideal Home Improvement, LLC.
- Legacy Custom Homes AZ., LLC.
- Mr. Electric
- IFOAM
- Stardust Building Supplies
- The Dominating Designer
Transcript
Since the dawn of time, mankind has searched for ways to shelter themselves from the elements.
Steve Dubell:Over the centuries, these shelters have evolved from bamboo huts to concrete towers.
Steve Dubell:The last few years, there's been a push to save the planet.
Steve Dubell:Are you ready to embark on a more sustainable lifestyle?
Steve Dubell:Look no further.
Steve Dubell:You're about to enter the adventures of Container Home Living.
Steve Dubell:And now, contractor, radio and TV personality and your host for Boxcar Universe, Steve Dubell.
Erica Thompson:Hi, I'm Steve Dubell, host of Boxcar Universe, along with my co host, Erica Thompson.
Erica Thompson:And here's what's coming up on this week's edition of Boxcar Universe.
Erica Thompson:Ginger Martin is with us and she is the founder of the Crafty Carpenter DIY Academy.
Erica Thompson:It is a growing platform that's dedicated to the empowering of women to confidently tackle residential carpentry and DIY projects.
Erica Thompson:All that and more on this week's edition of Boxcar Universe, your home for container Sustainable Lifestyle Living.
Erica Thompson:And we'd like to welcome all of you to the show today as we move our way ever so much closer to Christmas.
Erica Thompson:And you know, one of the things that a lot of people like to do around this time, besides being with friends and family, you know, they, they take their attention towards things that they want to do at home.
Erica Thompson:And you know, I have been a big proponent of people doing DIY project projects, especially when they do the research on how to do it, that they have some talent, because that's most important, they have to have some talent to do a DIY project because if you try something that you have no clue on doing, I guarantee you something will go wrong, you'll hurt yourself, and then you'll be paying a Christmas visit to the hospital in the emergency room, which is not a good thing, especially around the holiday season.
Erica Thompson:But I have been a big proponent of, an advocate of women doing home improvement and doing, you know, basically DIY projects in the home.
Erica Thompson:Because home improvement is not dedicated to just the male population.
Erica Thompson:There are plenty, plenty of women out there who have plenty of skills that can do projects in construction and projects just as good as a male can.
Erica Thompson:In fact, for those of you who've listened to my show for a very long time, back in the day when we were doing my other show image home improvement show, one of my good friends, Norma Valley, she used to have a TV show on the Discovery Channel called Tool Belt Diva.
Erica Thompson:And she does exactly what we're talking about here, training people, women specifically how to do home improvement projects in the home.
Erica Thompson:And I had the good fortune to make a connection with Ginger Martin, the founder of the Crafty Carpenter DIY Academy, and I'd like to welcome her to the show right now.
Erica Thompson:Ginger, thank you for being on Boxcar Universe.
Ginger Martin:Well, Steve, thank you for having me.
Ginger Martin:I'm really excited to be here.
Erica Thompson:I'm really great that you're here, and it's a wonderful time of the season.
Erica Thompson:And, you know, it's all about giving back and inspiring other people.
Erica Thompson:And that's a lot what you do to inspire women to build things, which is.
Erica Thompson:It's all good.
Erica Thompson:I mean, I know my experience going back in the day where I just happened to work for an amusement company many years ago, and I was in the off season when I wasn't managing some of the parks and the rides and the games, I worked in the warehouse, and that's where I learned a lot of my carpentry skills.
Erica Thompson:And working with your hand, there's a lot to be said when you have projects, things that you could build with your hands, and it has a great satisfaction value.
Erica Thompson:But enough of my history.
Erica Thompson:I want to hear about your history.
Erica Thompson:So, Ginger, tell us a little bit about you and how the Crafty Carpenter DIY Academy got started.
Ginger Martin:Well, I guess first about me and how I got into carpentry is because I get.
Ginger Martin:I was born in a family where my dad and uncles were all tradesmen.
Ginger Martin:So my dad was a.
Ginger Martin:His father and uncle were carpenters, and so he was a carpenter.
Ginger Martin:And then he went to the Marines and decided to study architecture.
Ginger Martin:So he became an architect.
Ginger Martin:And then after that, he started his own company and got his contractor's license.
Ginger Martin:So he was a union contractor.
Ginger Martin:So I'm actually the youngest of seven, and there's four brothers and three girls, and the girls worked in the office and the boys worked in the field.
Ginger Martin:And since I'm the last one, I came up seeing the difference in the pay.
Ginger Martin:That was.
Ginger Martin:I think what struck me the most was the difference in the pay in the 70s when my dad was, like, really contracting, my older brothers was, or the two that's above me were like 16, 15, and 17.
Ginger Martin:I don't know, something along there, but they were already making $15 an hour back in the 70s as union carpenters.
Ginger Martin:And this is like 75, 76.
Ginger Martin:So whenever it came time for me to graduate high school, I didn't want to go to college.
Ginger Martin:I just was not interested in college.
Ginger Martin:And so I decided to be a carpenter.
Ginger Martin:And after a long time of having to convince my dad and my mom was completely against it, my dad was more concerned.
Ginger Martin:Well, I guess they were both concerned, but I convinced everybody that I could do it.
Ginger Martin:And so he gave me the chance.
Ginger Martin:And I had already been exposed to carpentry just coming up going on jobs or going secure jobs with my dad.
Ginger Martin:And so I already knew all the tools.
Ginger Martin:So now it was time for me to actually dive in and learn.
Ginger Martin:So he had, he was retired at the time.
Ginger Martin:And I just told him, I said, you got to teach me.
Ginger Martin:You taught the boys.
Ginger Martin:You know, I'm.
Ginger Martin:I want to be taught.
Ginger Martin:So he started taking jobs.
Erica Thompson:What's good for them is good for you.
Ginger Martin:Pardon me?
Erica Thompson:What's good for them is good for you.
Ginger Martin:Yes.
Ginger Martin:So he started taking jobs and he, he made me read project management books and we, we'd go out there and yeah, I just started learning and I was making good money.
Ginger Martin:Well, this for me it was more in the 80s.
Ginger Martin:So I was making seven something.
Ginger Martin:750 an hour, non union.
Ginger Martin:And then by the time I got to be able to know enough to join the union, I forgot what the scale was.
Ginger Martin:I want to say maybe $20 an hour.
Ginger Martin: This was back in: Ginger Martin:So it just was something that at the time I chose because it was easy because my family was involved and it was easier for me to go on jobs with family members than the first job I went on to that I was alone was a really big union job.
Ginger Martin:It was a power plant in California.
Ginger Martin:And I think the job was like over a thousand people.
Ginger Martin:And I think there was like four women, one carpenter, one carpenter apprentice, a laborer, and the laborer foreman were the women on the job.
Erica Thompson:Wow.
Ginger Martin:Yeah.
Erica Thompson:So you were selected out along with the other three women to show what women can do.
Ginger Martin:The job was just starting and so I was in the union.
Ginger Martin:You sign on the books, so they kind of call your number.
Ginger Martin:And my number was lucky enough to come up right at the beginning of the job.
Ginger Martin:So yeah, I was able to go out there and, you know, you in the unit.
Ginger Martin:Well, I don't know about out the union, but there's a lot of women that you have to prove yourself a lot in the industry.
Erica Thompson:Right, I'm sure.
Ginger Martin:And I think I did a pretty good job.
Ginger Martin:I'm still friends with that superintendent.
Erica Thompson:Well, that's good.
Erica Thompson:So.
Erica Thompson:So along the way, how did you get to create the crafty Carpenter DIY Academy?
Ginger Martin:Well, I've done a lot of my own contracting jobs and I would come across a lot of women that would say, I wish I could do what you could do and oh my God.
Ginger Martin:I didn't know that you could do this.
Ginger Martin:And they always just.
Ginger Martin:A lot of women that are interested in building but feel intimidated for one reason or another.
Ginger Martin:And I understand that tearing your house apart can be intimidating.
Ginger Martin:The tools we use can be intimidating.
Ginger Martin:So I wanted to make it more accessible for women and just help them.
Ginger Martin:Because when you understand how your house is put together, that gives you such a big freedom to be able to create your space, to match your energy, however you want to do it, you know?
Erica Thompson:Exactly.
Ginger Martin:And so, yeah, I thought about all the houses that I've remodeled or, you know, repairs that I can do.
Ginger Martin:And I thought in this day and age, a lot of times, whether you can afford a contractor, because contractors are really expensive these days.
Erica Thompson:Yes, they are.
Ginger Martin:And even if you want to use a contractor just to understand the terminology and what they are actually doing, feel like it's really important for women to understand how their homes are put together.
Erica Thompson:Yeah, I mean, that's important.
Erica Thompson:And that's what I tell people all the time.
Erica Thompson:You know, when homes are built brand new, or even if you buy a home that's already built in, you may have.
Erica Thompson:The original owner may have had some documentation from the builder about the home and materials and equipment that's put in the home.
Erica Thompson:But there's.
Erica Thompson:But there's no manual on how to maintain it at all.
Ginger Martin:Correct.
Erica Thompson:I mean, I like to use the analogy of the owner's manual for your car.
Erica Thompson:When's the last time you looked at it?
Erica Thompson:Probably the time you threw it at glove box when you got the car.
Erica Thompson:And it's where it's.
Erica Thompson:It's gathering dust.
Erica Thompson:So.
Erica Thompson:Yes, but.
Erica Thompson:Yeah, so that's important to be able to go back in and share with people on, you know, they don't have to have, you know, everybody I found that has different skill levels, what they're comfortable with, but they should have at least a working knowledge of what's going on in their home, like you said.
Erica Thompson:So if they don't think they could do it, that they make an educated decision on.
Erica Thompson:Well, I need to call a professional to make sure that it gets done right.
Erica Thompson:And also it's.
Erica Thompson:For them, it's good.
Erica Thompson:It's a good.
Erica Thompson:It's good backup.
Erica Thompson:Because if there's anything does go wrong, you have something to fall back on.
Erica Thompson:You have the professional, you have their, you know, their liability, their word on their workmanship to be able to come back and fix it.
Ginger Martin:Correct.
Erica Thompson:But going back and creating the academy, I think, is it what made you decide to create it online?
Ginger Martin:Well, I wanted to do something online and I didn't want to have to learn a whole new career.
Ginger Martin:And so, yeah, I thought I was.
Ginger Martin:I thought, I wonder if I could do this online.
Ginger Martin:Because at first I didn't think I could.
Ginger Martin:And sometimes I still question it because there's so many things that I wish I could just show people, but it's.
Ginger Martin:It's kind of limiting right now.
Ginger Martin:I've been demonstrating a lot of tools to people, but it's still.
Ginger Martin:I feel like it's a little bit limiting to me, but I feel like online these days I can reach so many more people as opposed to having a class in my area.
Erica Thompson:Oh, he definitely reached more people.
Erica Thompson:No doubt about.
Erica Thompson:And not just people, you know, like you say in your area, but people all over the world.
Erica Thompson:Because there's not just the United States.
Ginger Martin:Correct.
Erica Thompson:Because I'm sure there are people in.
Erica Thompson:In Europe and Australia and all over the place that I know when I check my analytics for the show, I get, you know, we've got people listening in all different parts of the world.
Erica Thompson:Good.
Ginger Martin:Yeah.
Erica Thompson:Yeah.
Erica Thompson:So, yeah.
Erica Thompson:So people that are.
Erica Thompson:Want to be able to do something but don't know where to go.
Erica Thompson:And Lord knows, there's so much information out there, especially YouTube, that is that people decide, I think they let their ego get in the way because they want to be able to show people how to do something, but then they don't.
Erica Thompson:They actually go back in and they blindly go back in and try and do something, and it's not get done.
Erica Thompson:Right.
Erica Thompson:And it's like watching a.
Erica Thompson:Watching a bad.
Erica Thompson:Like a NASCAR crash on tv.
Erica Thompson:It's like you.
Erica Thompson:You don't want to see it, but you can't turn away.
Erica Thompson:You know, you've got to see it.
Erica Thompson:And they do things incorrectly.
Erica Thompson:So.
Erica Thompson:And then the average homeowner does sometimes doesn't know that.
Erica Thompson:So you got to be careful where you're getting your information.
Ginger Martin:That's correct.
Erica Thompson:I guess it's kind of like going to Wikipedia.
Ginger Martin:Going to Wicked.
Ginger Martin:Wikipedia.
Erica Thompson:Wikipedia, yeah.
Erica Thompson:Because it's not.
Erica Thompson:Sometimes it's not real fact.
Ginger Martin:Oh, okay.
Erica Thompson:What is put on there?
Erica Thompson:So it's.
Erica Thompson:You got to be careful.
Ginger Martin:A lot of times as a carpenter, you go into someone's house, which I think, you know, once you become a finished carpenter, a journeyman carpenter, it's just a habit that you go.
Ginger Martin:You just kind of start checking lines in the home or businesses that you go into, and you kind of look and say, well, wow, that wall's crooked.
Ginger Martin:Just, you know, being able to Understand the concepts of construction, I feel, is just so rewarding.
Ginger Martin:It's, you know, apart from just understanding how to repair your home.
Ginger Martin:For example, when we were children, my brother was 15, and he ripped the porch off of a woman's house.
Ginger Martin:And I didn't think anything of it.
Ginger Martin:She had an old wooden porch.
Ginger Martin:It was an older house, so her porch was wooden.
Ginger Martin:And the wood was starting to deteriorate from the weather and everything.
Ginger Martin:It was an old porch.
Ginger Martin:And he and his friend, who out.
Ginger Martin:Who my father also taught to be a carpenter, ripped this lady's porch off.
Ginger Martin:And she had to use her back door for two weeks.
Ginger Martin:But they built her a concrete porch with brick pillars, and it just changed the look of her house so much.
Ginger Martin:And to be able to do that is kind of what stuff like that.
Ginger Martin:Or another brother, another older brother ripped the side of a woman's house out one time.
Ginger Martin:And I went on that job with him.
Ginger Martin:And I remember at the beginning of the.
Ginger Martin:Of the job, you know, you could see from her living room, you could just look straight outside, and we would cover it up with plastic at night.
Ginger Martin:But she wanted a bay window, and he was able to do that because he knows how the house is put together, and he knows framing, and he knows how to make these modifications.
Ginger Martin:So apart from just repairing your home, there's so many things that you can do, be it additions or decks, you know, different type of roofs and, you know, porches and everything else.
Ginger Martin:And I think that's the part that I really like, because I feel like, you know, I've never left a house the same way I found it because I enjoy modifications.
Ginger Martin:And I just want women to be able to feel comfortable that if they don't like their kitchen, they can tear it out.
Ginger Martin:They.
Ginger Martin:You know, if your bathroom needs updating, you really don't have to hire a contractor if you understand just the concepts of.
Ginger Martin:You don't really even know.
Ginger Martin:Need to know a lot about the plumbing.
Ginger Martin:But there's some things as a carpenter that you understand from being on jobs for so long that you're able to explain.
Ginger Martin:And that's part of what I do as the crafty carpenter also, is I help people walk through their jobs or their projects, you know, as.
Ginger Martin:So that they can complete them, so that they can see their dream and their vision come to life.
Ginger Martin:And that is so rewarding.
Erica Thompson:Yeah, I mean, it is.
Erica Thompson:It's.
Erica Thompson:It's really, really important to be able to do that and give people the satisfaction and the confidence that, hey, I did this.
Erica Thompson:Now what.
Erica Thompson:What else can I do?
Ginger Martin:So empowering.
Erica Thompson:What's.
Erica Thompson:Yeah, it is, it's.
Erica Thompson:What's the next thing?
Erica Thompson:And not, not feeling, because I know a lot of people, they just, you know, if, if they fail and they try something that they're just, they, they just like go into a corner and they just won't even try it again.
Ginger Martin:Yeah.
Erica Thompson:You know, if there's something else they want to do, they'll either hire somebody or they won't do it at all.
Ginger Martin:Correct.
Erica Thompson:Because.
Ginger Martin:And I tried to create a space where you can say, okay, well, I'm, I'm failing or I'm, well, you not failing.
Ginger Martin:Let's say I'm having problems with this aspect of the job and I don't know how to do it.
Ginger Martin:Or I, you know, I, this is what I'm facing.
Ginger Martin:And to be able to have a space where they can come and ask questions and get answers from not only me, but other women in the school and then also to be able to post your stuff and to be able to say, I did this, whether it's something big or small or whatever level you're on, to be able to show your work is also gratifying.
Erica Thompson:It is, it is.
Erica Thompson:We're going to take a short break, but before we go do break, I want to just let everybody know, you know, think about this.
Erica Thompson:You know, we're coming into 20, 25.
Erica Thompson:You know, you know, it's a little early to think about this, but not too, too early because there are things that need to be done.
Erica Thompson:How about giving yourself the gift for Christmas of a container pool?
Erica Thompson:And that is so, so important to be able to go back and think about what am I going to do with my backyard next year when here in Arizona it gets to be like 115.
Erica Thompson:And for those of you throughout the country, I kid you not, 115.
Erica Thompson:We've had days of 118 out here.
Erica Thompson:Okay.
Erica Thompson:And having a container pool has a lot of different advantages over traditional in ground pools.
Erica Thompson: -: Erica Thompson:And if you were here in the Phoenix metro area, we do have a model container pool over on 99th Avenue and Thomas.
Erica Thompson:So touch base with me.
Erica Thompson:And I'll give you all the details over there and you can go actually go see it and I think you'll be totally pleased.
Erica Thompson:But we're going to go to break right now and we come back, Ginger's going to give us a little more insight into how she empowers women and some of the things and the projects that she is helping women become, you know, totally, totally comfortable with doing home improvement.
Erica Thompson:So, and using those tools.
Erica Thompson:And Ginger, I've got a funny story about a couple of.
Erica Thompson:I know where the woman is totally used to using tools and the husband is clueless.
Erica Thompson:It's a funny story and I want all our listeners to hear it.
Erica Thompson:And when we come back, you're listening to Bockscar Universe.
Erica Thompson:Don't go away.
Mary Heitmeyer:Hi, I'm Erica Thompson.
Dominating Designer:My name is Thompson, the Dominating Designer.
Dominating Designer:A hardworking artist with a sense of humor.
Dominating Designer:What is the dominating Designer process?
Dominating Designer:It's just like what you see on tv.
Dominating Designer:We discuss your wants and needs about your project, go over your ideas.
Dominating Designer:Then I provide you creative, one of a kind options that fit your budget with respect to your home's value.
Dominating Designer:When we finish your project, you are set to enjoy your new space.
Dominating Designer:I would love to help you with your upcoming project.
Dominating Designer:Please reach out to me on Instagram.
Dominating Designer:The Dominating Designer Stardust Building Supplies is.
Steve Dubell:Your home improvement thrift store.
Steve Dubell:Find salvaged and gently used cabinetry, doors, windows, appliances, lighting, plumbing and much more.
Steve Dubell:Save money, be green and support the community.
Steve Dubell:Shop and donate at Star Building Supplies Valley locations.
Steve Dubell:For more info, visit stardustbuilding.org Discover the.
Erica Thompson:Future of sustainable lifestyle living with Boxcar Universe.
Erica Thompson:Your go to source for cutting edge container home and container pool information.
Erica Thompson:Want a dream container home or pool?
Erica Thompson:We can build it for you.
Erica Thompson:Hi, I'm Steve Dubell from Boxcar Universe.
Erica Thompson:For the latest in container innovation and expert insights, tune into our weekly podcast Boxcar Universe.
Erica Thompson:Ready to start your project?
Erica Thompson: -: Erica Thompson:Listen, learn and build with us.
Erica Thompson:Looking to transform your space with over 30 years of construction experience and featured on radio and TV, Ideal Home Improvement and Legacy Custom Homes.
Erica Thompson:AZ does it all from repairs, remodeling and restorations to new builds, container homes and container pools.
Erica Thompson:Plus cutting edge solar systems to help homeowners save money on their utility bills.
Erica Thompson:Hi, I'm Steve Dubell.
Erica Thompson:Let us help you design and build your dream home with the expertise that comes from Decades of experience in the business.
Erica Thompson: -: Erica Thompson:Remember Ideal Home Improvement and Legacy Custom Homes az where your dream home becomes reality.
Erica Thompson:Don't wait.
Erica Thompson:Call today.
Erica Thompson:All right, we are back and you're listening to Boxcar Universe and we are talking with Ginger Martin and we are talking about the Crafty Carpenter DIY Academy.
Erica Thompson:And for those women out there who are looking to understand more about tools and things that you could use those tools for, I mean, everybody likes, I gotta believe, Ginger, that everybody that has, you know, any kind of thought of doing something will get a lot of satisfaction out of learning more about tools and stuff like that.
Erica Thompson:Because it, it's just so important to be able to be handy.
Erica Thompson:I mean, you know, I mean, I see people see women online, you know, on dating sites that turn around and say, you know, I sometimes I wish I was as handy as my boyfriend, you know, or I learned how to do, wish I knew how to do this and somebody would take the time to show me.
Erica Thompson:And I think that's so important that people understand that.
Erica Thompson:But I wanted, I wanted to lead into the segment and talk, tell you a little bit about my friend and his wife who are a well known personality here in the Phoenix market.
Erica Thompson:And the husband doesn't have a clue about the name of what tools.
Erica Thompson:I mean, he could look at something and he, if you tell him what it is, he'd probably look over the whole table and couldn't pick out what it was unless he used it before.
Erica Thompson:So they were worth doing a DIY project one day and him, and, him and his wife, well, pretty much mostly his wife was doing it and he turned around to her husband and said, hey honey, would you go in the garage and get me that pair of channel locks on the, on the workshop table?
Erica Thompson:And he said, sure, honey.
Erica Thompson:And he went in the garage.
Erica Thompson:Okay?
Erica Thompson:Now this is the only way that he was able to find it, okay?
Erica Thompson:And his wife, being such a smart lady, turned around knowing that he had no clue about how to name tools.
Erica Thompson:Is that previously she went in there with a sticky notepad and she put sticky notes with the name of the tool on every tool.
Erica Thompson:Okay?
Erica Thompson:So, so when he, when he went in the garage, all he had to do was find the sticky note that said channel locks.
Ginger Martin:That's so smart.
Erica Thompson:And that was it.
Erica Thompson:So, but, but this is the kind of thing that, you know, not everybody can do that.
Erica Thompson:I mean, it Sounds pretty simple.
Erica Thompson:But when you think about it, you know, it's better to get to know the tools and use the tools and understand what some of the things are for.
Ginger Martin:Exactly.
Ginger Martin:Yeah.
Erica Thompson:Yeah.
Ginger Martin:But I think that's a really smart idea.
Ginger Martin:Like, she met him at his level.
Erica Thompson:Yeah, exactly.
Erica Thompson:That's exactly what she did.
Erica Thompson:And you know, because otherwise, I mean, and he's, he's a person, you know, in the media, you know, and he knows his craft.
Erica Thompson:Yeah, but it's just, just when she told me that I just thought it was extremely funny.
Erica Thompson:I just about fell off the chair.
Erica Thompson:It's like, okay, you know, but, you know, but I've been doing this, you know, my whole life.
Erica Thompson:So tools were not, you know, my dad was a mechanic and I got involved in woodworking back in the 70s and it just, it grew from there.
Erica Thompson:Yes, but so anyway, so let's tell.
Erica Thompson:Go through some of the things that are on, and I want everybody to make sure, you know, you want to see some of this.
Erica Thompson:I urge all of you to go on YouTube and just search for the crafty carpenter.
Erica Thompson:And you will see Ginger's YouTube video where she goes through some of the things that we're going to explain.
Erica Thompson:So this way you could put the.
Erica Thompson:The picture with, you know, what we're talking about.
Erica Thompson:So, Ginger, go through a little bit about what's on the video for the YouTube channel.
Ginger Martin:I started, I started off with just starting to explain tools.
Ginger Martin:I do see YouTube channels that have that teach about tools or they'll show something that you can do, but it's almost like you already have to have an idea of how to use the tool whenever you're looking at the channel.
Ginger Martin:So what I wanted to do was just take it slow, break it down, make it very, very beginner friendly, explain what the tool is, how to use it, and, and just give a little bit demonstration of the tool itself.
Ginger Martin:So I've done, let's see Sanding.
Ginger Martin:There's a YouTube video on there about sanding and, you know, how to sand the different grits of sandpaper and what the different grits are used for, whether you're, you know, stripping paint off or just sanding and making a smooth finish so you can stain furniture.
Ginger Martin:There's a video about using a drill.
Ginger Martin:I don't know.
Ginger Martin:A lot of people aren't familiar with a tool that's called a five in one.
Ginger Martin:But it's a really, really inexpensive, handy hand tool because it, you know, you can use it as a scraper and a paint roller cleaner.
Ginger Martin:And I Just I want people to, to know all these tools and gadgets that are so cool to have around the house.
Ginger Martin:And mainly, like I said for women, I want women to know how to use their tools.
Ginger Martin:Women, right.
Ginger Martin:Women can love tools just like men.
Ginger Martin:You know, I remember requesting tools for Christmas.
Erica Thompson:Yeah.
Ginger Martin:And I still would take tools for Christmas.
Erica Thompson:Well, yeah.
Erica Thompson:I mean, and I think it's important, you know, I know, I know plenty of women that are, you know, or single, that are.
Erica Thompson:Have a home or even.
Erica Thompson:Even live by themselves in an apartment.
Erica Thompson:Okay.
Erica Thompson:That they should have like a bag of your typical, you know, screwdrivers, hammers, you know, maybe a level, a tape measure, you know, things like that.
Erica Thompson:They would be able to go do certain things.
Erica Thompson:Because obviously, obviously a lot of people, when you move into a new place, what's one of the first things you do?
Erica Thompson:You, you put stuff on the wall, you know, so you got, you have to have nails and you got to know what kind of nails to use.
Erica Thompson:I mean, you know, and these.
Ginger Martin:And there is a video on there about wall hangings.
Ginger Martin:I do have a video on wall hangings because I did think about that.
Ginger Martin:Not well, actually.
Ginger Martin:One of the ladies in the, in the.
Ginger Martin:Expressed that she had to hang some window blinds and she was unsure about how to do it.
Ginger Martin:So there's a video on there that shows the framing that's around your windows and your doors.
Ginger Martin:And then I can explain to you.
Ginger Martin:So this is where your wood.
Ginger Martin:The wood is that's behind the wall so that you can easily easier know how to, you know where, where your nailing is to hang your wall hangings.
Erica Thompson:Exactly, exactly.
Erica Thompson:Because if you don't know where to place it, you know, you, you could possibly hit, you know, you may miss the framing.
Erica Thompson:And then if you don't know what other kind of anchors and stuff that you need, you, you may not.
Erica Thompson:You mean you, you probably wind up going to Home Depot and finding somebody at Home Depot that, In that, the hardware aisle that has a little bit of knowledge.
Erica Thompson:That's another thing you got to be careful of.
Erica Thompson:Go to Home Depot.
Erica Thompson:You have to find somebody that might be knowledgeable.
Erica Thompson:That or any big box store.
Erica Thompson:I don't want to single out just Home Depot, but any big box store because a lot of those people, they, they give them training and if they don't have a history, you know, experience in that field, they won't know.
Erica Thompson:But I mean, you know, I could walk in there, I could tell if I'm looking for something, how, how much experience they have because they know exactly what I'm looking for.
Erica Thompson:Even if it's something that's off the wall, you know.
Ginger Martin:Yeah.
Ginger Martin:And, you know, I do go over different wall anchors or.
Ginger Martin:Yeah.
Ginger Martin:Wall anchors to use.
Ginger Martin:If you are wanting to hang, hang a wall hanging and you have no nailing, if it's like, if it's out of center, if you want it in a certain spot and your stud isn't behind that spot, how can you hand hang it?
Ginger Martin:So there's, there's a little portion of that in the video.
Ginger Martin:And like you mentioned reading a tape measure.
Ginger Martin:I think they should teach that in school.
Ginger Martin:I just.
Ginger Martin:Reading a tape measure is just so.
Ginger Martin:It's not hard once you kind of get the hang of it and you, you're.
Ginger Martin:It's just.
Ginger Martin:You can do so much with it.
Erica Thompson:I mean.
Erica Thompson:Yeah, well, a lot of people deter.
Ginger Martin:It's one of the essentials.
Erica Thompson:Yeah.
Erica Thompson:I mean, it's an essential thing to do and to be able to know.
Erica Thompson:And it all depends on the class.
Erica Thompson:You know, I would have somebody, for instance, go to your website and check out how to use the tools.
Erica Thompson:And if you do have a specific project that you would like to do, then, you know, I would say, okay, like I say, always do your research to see what somebody else.
Erica Thompson:If somebody else has built something or fixed something that you want to do yourself on the web and see, well, they use this tool or that tool.
Erica Thompson:And maybe, you know, in between knowing what the tools are and seeing what someone who has built on do.
Erica Thompson:I mean, I know back in the day, I mean, you know, if there was something that I didn't know how to do, and I'm going to date myself here, but that's okay.
Erica Thompson:You know, I'd go to Home Depot and I'd buy a VHS tape.
Ginger Martin:Oh, okay.
Erica Thompson:That had the.
Erica Thompson:That had.
Erica Thompson:So, hey.
Erica Thompson:Well, it shows you how to do.
Erica Thompson:How to do this or frame or flooring or do something much like YouTube is now to be able to watch it.
Erica Thompson:But not everybody can watch something and then, oh, why didn't I know how to do that?
Erica Thompson:It's so easy, you know, so.
Ginger Martin:Well, you know, I think one of the benefits of the school community also is that watching the YouTube channels is good.
Ginger Martin:Going to Home Depot class may be good, but it lacks the opportunity to ask why?
Ginger Martin:Because like you were saying, everybody doesn't learn either just on the first time, or maybe there's something missing from there in their mind that they're not grasping.
Ginger Martin:And you can't ask YouTube why.
Ginger Martin:And the classes at the facilities, they're on a time limit.
Ginger Martin:And so to me, one of the things that I do encourage is to just keep asking why?
Ginger Martin:Until you feel confident in yourself to carry that project out, There's a lot of whys you have to just keep asking.
Erica Thompson:That's true.
Erica Thompson:Now, being it's right around the holidays time, we were talking in between the break about some home projects that you could do.
Erica Thompson:And, you know, we've been talking about fixing a lot of things in home, but, you know, talking about, as we talk, like the name of your academy, the Crafty Carpenter, talking about craft building.
Erica Thompson:And some of them, like you said, were, you can actually, like, make your own cutting board, which around the holidays, I mean, is so essential because you don't want to destroy your countertop.
Erica Thompson:You better have a cutting board.
Ginger Martin:Yeah, so I do have one of my cutting.
Ginger Martin:This was one of my first cutting boards.
Ginger Martin:It's not one of my best cutting boards, but it's.
Ginger Martin:It's maple and oak.
Ginger Martin:It's just, you know, a nice little cutting board that's hard wood that you can make for gifts or you can, you know, you see these things in a store and you think that it looks so complicated, like, how do they get those pieces to smooth out and stick like that?
Ginger Martin:And it's really not hard.
Ginger Martin:And I would love to show people and then the different types of woods, you can just get really creative, even with cutting boards or another thing I.
Ginger Martin:Christmas idea I had is a wooden potholder, which is kind of basically would be like a cutting board with legs on it, because that you can set hot pots on instead of sitting it on your counter or rags and stuff like that and.
Erica Thompson:Sure.
Erica Thompson:Yeah.
Erica Thompson:And that's.
Erica Thompson:That's important because, I mean, you know, some of the surfaces now in your kitchen, they claim that you, you know, you could put a hot pot on it or something.
Erica Thompson:I personally, you know, depending on how long it's going to be there, I would always put something underneath a hot pot.
Erica Thompson:You know, because back in the day when we only had Formica tops, that was one of the.
Erica Thompson:One of the things that always used to see when we used to replace them, where somebody put a hot pot on a Formica and they just burned it.
Erica Thompson:And that's not coming out now.
Erica Thompson:The one thing before we wrap up for today, I want to be able to let you know once say one thing.
Erica Thompson:One of my favorites that I think people should always have besides those tools that you mentioned in the video is.
Erica Thompson:And I would suggest if you go to Home Depot or any other big Box store or Walmart or any one of the Target.
Erica Thompson:Wherever you, wherever you decide to shop and you go into the tool, you know, tool area, I would buy one of those combo kits of tools, like one that you could get like a screw gun and a drill.
Erica Thompson:Because you're going to need a drill anyway on certain things, and it does.
Erica Thompson:And instead of buying them piecemeal, let's buy them in combo packs because usually you're going to save a boatload of money, especially now around holidays.
Erica Thompson:And I know right after Thanksgiving, you know, that was a time where in Black Friday where Home Depot had all these pallets in the middle of the aisle wrapped in black plastic.
Erica Thompson:They had signs on it.
Erica Thompson:You know, black Friday items do not peak.
Erica Thompson:Yeah.
Erica Thompson:Do not peak.
Erica Thompson:So, but they're all, they're all out now.
Erica Thompson:But I would suggest it.
Erica Thompson:And sometimes some of these things, the sales are seasonal and you get some really great pricing on some of this stuff.
Erica Thompson:So I, you know, tools are always a good gift.
Erica Thompson:A good gift.
Ginger Martin:Always.
Ginger Martin:Actually, there's a link in my YouTube and on the school for a.
Ginger Martin:It's not a big box, it's a smaller store where people can buy tools if, you know, if they want to do that.
Erica Thompson:Right.
Ginger Martin:I always tell people, if you're just getting started, you may not, you may not want to invest in the most expensive tools, but if you find that you're getting hooked, then you're going to want good, quality, lasting tools.
Erica Thompson:Exactly.
Erica Thompson:Yeah.
Erica Thompson:And there's plenty of places out there that have.
Erica Thompson:They have cheap tools.
Ginger Martin:I have a story.
Ginger Martin:It was while I was still an apprentice and I was cleaning wood.
Ginger Martin:Back then, you pull the nails out of the wood.
Ginger Martin:You clean the wood.
Ginger Martin:And I had a wooden handle hammer and I would pull the nail out and the hammer would snap.
Ginger Martin:And I went through like three or four hammers that week until my dad said, that's enough, we're going to go get you.
Erica Thompson:Yeah.
Erica Thompson:Really good to say.
Ginger Martin:Yeah.
Ginger Martin:So the quality, if you're going to do this for a while, if you, if it's something that, like a commitment, I do suggest getting good quality tools.
Erica Thompson:Absolutely.
Ginger Martin:Rather than, you know, a little something that you're going to have to buy over and over.
Erica Thompson:Absolutely.
Ginger Martin:And there is, I think I do have a video on there.
Ginger Martin:I think it's like the top five tools that's needed.
Ginger Martin:Hand.
Erica Thompson:Yes.
Erica Thompson:Yeah, there is, there is a video on there.
Erica Thompson:I saw that.
Ginger Martin:Yeah.
Ginger Martin:So it goes over everything you need just to, just to get started and function properly.
Erica Thompson:Right.
Ginger Martin:Yeah, Right.
Erica Thompson:And I.
Erica Thompson:And I agree with you.
Erica Thompson:I urge all of you to go out to your favorite store and go buy yourself a five in one tool.
Erica Thompson:Because they are, they are so good and they've got.
Erica Thompson:You could use it for a whole bunch of different things.
Ginger Martin:Screwdriver, if, you know, like to tap.
Ginger Martin:I wouldn't call it a hammer, but if you just have something to tap in place and just so many things, they call it a five in one.
Ginger Martin:But I think the video that I did on the five in one tool, I actually said there's 10 uses for this tool and maybe more that you can think of.
Erica Thompson:Right.
Erica Thompson:And for those of you trying to visualize what we're talking about, the best way I can explain it, it's similar to maybe like a 2 or 3 inch putty knife that's got a whole bunch of different cutouts in the sides.
Erica Thompson:You could use it to pull nails.
Erica Thompson:You could use it to scrape for hard to reach stuff that won't come off with a regular putty knife.
Erica Thompson:It just has so many different tools and it's definitely one that you should have in your tool arsenal.
Erica Thompson:No doubt, no doubt.
Erica Thompson:But, Ginger, tell our listeners how they could find all these good things that we've been talking about online.
Ginger Martin:So you can find me on the crafty carpenter on YouTube.
Ginger Martin:The channel is the Crafty Carpenter.
Ginger Martin:And then there's a school community, which is spelled S K O O L community.
Ginger Martin:And when you get to that website, there's a search bar and if you type in the Crafty Carpenter, I'll come up and you can always tell it's me because there's a black house with a turquoise roof for on both channels with some tools surrounded.
Ginger Martin:And the school channel is called the Crafty Carpenter DIY Academy for Women.
Erica Thompson:There you go.
Erica Thompson:All right, Words of wisdom from someone who's been there and is trying to give back to the community.
Erica Thompson:And Ginger, thank you so much for being on Boxcar Universe today.
Erica Thompson:We really appreciate it.
Ginger Martin:I thank you and I really appreciate it.
Ginger Martin:And you have a very merry Christmas and happy holidays.
Erica Thompson:All right.
Erica Thompson:You too.
Erica Thompson:All right.
Erica Thompson:That was Ginger Martin from the Crafty Carpenter DIY Academy.
Erica Thompson:Again, all our women listeners out there who are interested in checking out and becoming more crafty, more handy, as they say, please make sure you check out those links and we'll have that also on our Facebook page, too.
Erica Thompson:So I want everybody to stay tuned.
Erica Thompson:Don't go away.
Erica Thompson:More coming your way from Boxcar Universe.
Erica Thompson:Improve your home's energy efficiency by calling I foam your comfort and efficiency insulators they are the premier foam and bat insulation specialist serving Phoenix's residential and commercial community.
Erica Thompson:As a proud sponsor of Boxcar Universe and part of the Ideal Energy team, IFOAM is here to keep your home or business cooler in the summer, warmer in the winter, and save you money all year long.
Erica Thompson:Our advanced insulation solutions seal every crack and crevice for maximum comfort and energy savings.
Erica Thompson: -: Mr. Electric:Hi, I'm Sean with Mr.
Mr. Electric:Electric, and I have a tip to help make your life better.
Mr. Electric:One important reminder is to call a qualified electrician when you have frequent problems with blowing fuses or tripping circuit breakers.
Mr. Electric:When a circuit breaker trips or a fuse blows, it's indicating that you have a problem with some other part of the circuit.
Mr. Electric:If your breaker trips more than once, you should have a qualified electrician come out and take a look at it.
Mr. Electric:Contrary to what may be acceptable, you really shouldn't try to continuously try to reset the breaker because there may be a problem somewhere else down the circuit, and you could be causing a fire hazard.
Mr. Electric:There could be a loose connection or.
Mr. Electric:Or some other form of problem on the circuit, and every time you reset the circuit breaker, it could be causing a spark at the other end.
Mr. Electric:We recommend having a qualified electrician come out and check on the condition of the circuit and make sure that the circuit does not have any problems.
Mr. Electric:And it could just be a bad breaker also.
Mr. Electric:But you definitely want to have a qualified electrician check that out.
Mr. Electric:To have someone come out from our team may only take a portion of a day, but it could potentially save you a lot of money or your life.
Mr. Electric:And that's just another way Mr.
Mr. Electric:Electric has the power to make your life better.
Erica Thompson:All right, the train is coming down the track.
Erica Thompson:And on the train in the boxcar, we have our resident chef with us, Mary Heitmeier from Chef de Jura.
Erica Thompson:Mary, how are you?
Mary Heitmeyer:I'm doing well.
Mary Heitmeyer:How are you doing?
Erica Thompson:You know, it's just peachy here in the valley of the sun.
Erica Thompson:And, you know, and it's sunny and, you know, sometimes we forget that it's.
Erica Thompson:It's almost Christmas.
Erica Thompson:Especially when you hear all these temperatures, that any storms that are coming to the Northeast and the Midwest this weekend, it's like, I think there was something on the news this morning from North Dakota, said It was like 12 degrees.
Erica Thompson:I'm thinking better there than here.
Mary Heitmeyer:Oh, absolutely.
Mary Heitmeyer:I hear it's 46 degrees in Tempe.
Erica Thompson:Yeah.
Erica Thompson:Today it's not bad at all.
Erica Thompson:Not bad at all.
Erica Thompson:Well, Mary, tell us a little bit about.
Erica Thompson:I mean, you know, with your vast experience and obviously with, with what you've done in having.
Erica Thompson:Having hundreds and hundreds of satisfied clients with your business.
Erica Thompson:Tell us a little bit about what, what, what could we make for the holiday season in the way of cooking, baking?
Erica Thompson:What have you got on your plate for us today?
Erica Thompson:No pun intended.
Erica Thompson:Right.
Mary Heitmeyer:Well, the one I have today, it's a little bit of putting together, but it's not difficult.
Mary Heitmeyer:It's really festive looking and it's absolutely delicious.
Mary Heitmeyer:So no, there's a little bit, there's a tiny bit of baking, but it's just to crisp up some French baguettes.
Erica Thompson:Okay.
Erica Thompson:Should I, Should I get it, Should I get in the car now and make a strafing run for fries before all the crowds come or what?
Mary Heitmeyer:Oh, absolutely.
Mary Heitmeyer:This goes over really big.
Mary Heitmeyer:I did it for a opening for a new office and I made tons of them and they were gone.
Erica Thompson:Okay, so what is this wonderful thing called?
Mary Heitmeyer:Well, I made the recipe myself.
Mary Heitmeyer:I didn't give it a name, so we're just going to call it, I guess a fig and prosciutto bruschetta.
Erica Thompson:Okay, that works.
Erica Thompson:How about something simple?
Mary Heitmeyer:You know, it really is.
Mary Heitmeyer:You don't have to buy any figs.
Erica Thompson:Okay, well, tell us how.
Erica Thompson:How does it all come together?
Mary Heitmeyer:Okay, you just want to get yourself a nice baguette, and then you're going to slice it at an angle, maybe about a half inch thick, brush it with a little bit of olive oil, and then just put them in the oven just long enough to get a little crispy.
Mary Heitmeyer:They'd like about 350, but keep your eye on them because you don't want them breaking people's teeth, so you just want them brown.
Mary Heitmeyer:That's how my son got a tooth to come out.
Mary Heitmeyer:We went to my friend's house.
Mary Heitmeyer:She made Mac and cheese and some kind of toasted bread.
Mary Heitmeyer:And her husband says, oh, I can get you to get it out.
Mary Heitmeyer:Take a bite of this bread.
Mary Heitmeyer:And it worked.
Erica Thompson:Oh, my gosh.
Mary Heitmeyer:So just get them lightly browned, and then you need to let me give you ingredients.
Mary Heitmeyer:That's probably the best way to do this.
Mary Heitmeyer:First, a French baguette, a little bit of olive oil, mascarpone cheese, fig jam, prosciutto, arugula, and already made.
Mary Heitmeyer:Gosh, I can't think of the word.
Mary Heitmeyer:A pre made balsamic reduction.
Mary Heitmeyer:And all of those things can be found like in a sprouts or who else has them?
Mary Heitmeyer:Trader Joe's.
Mary Heitmeyer:Then sprouts has a really good price on the fig jam.
Mary Heitmeyer:And I have found it at regular grocery stores, but not very often.
Mary Heitmeyer:So now that you know what the ingredients are and I'll email them to you with the recipe.
Erica Thompson:Okay.
Mary Heitmeyer:Once you get your baguettes nice and toasty, you put a nice little smear of the mascarpone cheese and then you put a little bit of the fig jam on top of that.
Mary Heitmeyer:And then you put a piece of prosciutto on top of that.
Mary Heitmeyer:And then very pretty, put on some arugula.
Mary Heitmeyer:So now you've got the sweet and the savory and the spicy.
Mary Heitmeyer:And then you take your reduction.
Mary Heitmeyer:You can make it yourself, but you can buy it and it tastes just as good.
Mary Heitmeyer:And you just drizzle it really, really pretty.
Mary Heitmeyer:It makes a really festive dish.
Mary Heitmeyer:It's very tasty.
Mary Heitmeyer:It's a finger food.
Mary Heitmeyer:I'm not a big fig person and I.
Mary Heitmeyer:These are delicious.
Erica Thompson:Really?
Erica Thompson:Yeah, I'm not a big fig person either, but it sounds, it sounds interesting.
Mary Heitmeyer:We have the different.
Mary Heitmeyer:You got your sweet, you got your salty, you got your savory and then you got your spicy because arugula has that spice.
Mary Heitmeyer:The jam has a little bit of sweet.
Mary Heitmeyer:The mascarpone is your savory so it kind of fit.
Mary Heitmeyer:And then the, of course the prosciutto is your salt.
Mary Heitmeyer:So it hits all the things that.
Erica Thompson:Make a good recipe that you could and how long.
Erica Thompson:And you said this, you, you created this on your own?
Mary Heitmeyer:Yeah, brusquetta.
Mary Heitmeyer:And I thought, it's the same way all the time.
Mary Heitmeyer:I'm going to try something different.
Mary Heitmeyer:And so did some, you know, test kitchen stuff and this one came out and it just turned out really well.
Mary Heitmeyer:My son made it for Thanksgiving for his soon to be fiance and he said they ate half of them before they even went to her parents house.
Erica Thompson:Funny how that happens.
Mary Heitmeyer:Yeah, he was being a little selfish.
Mary Heitmeyer:He asked for the recipe, he said, I know they really like it.
Mary Heitmeyer:And then he sent me a text.
Mary Heitmeyer:He goes, kind of did it more for me.
Mary Heitmeyer:That's not very cool.
Erica Thompson:That's amazing.
Erica Thompson:That is amazing.
Erica Thompson:But how is.
Erica Thompson:What, what do you got?
Erica Thompson:What are you doing for, for Christmas?
Mary Heitmeyer:Well, as you know, I'm moving back to Arizona.
Erica Thompson:Right.
Mary Heitmeyer:So we are going to be moved out of our apartment a block from the beach.
Mary Heitmeyer:I'll miss that.
Mary Heitmeyer:And since it's Christmas time, the Moving people are a little bit behind because it's a corporate move.
Mary Heitmeyer:So first we're going to move somewhere around here to be put up in a hotel.
Mary Heitmeyer:And then I believe they're putting us in corporate housing in Chandler while we look for a place.
Mary Heitmeyer:So it's going to be difficult.
Mary Heitmeyer:Steve knows, Dan doesn't.
Mary Heitmeyer:But down.
Mary Heitmeyer:I've had like four balls in the past year and a half.
Mary Heitmeyer:I got Covid and then I got long Covid.
Mary Heitmeyer:And apparently it can affect your balance.
Mary Heitmeyer:Yes, well, yes, it does affect your balance.
Mary Heitmeyer:So right now I have a hairline fracture in my left ankle, a broken right ankle, two breaks in my right fibula, and a torn ligament.
Mary Heitmeyer:So I'm just a gimp some.
Mary Heitmeyer:I'm glad it's a corporate move because there's no way I can be out before then.
Erica Thompson:Yeah.
Erica Thompson:Really?
Erica Thompson:That makes me.
Erica Thompson:That makes me sound kind of selfish after falling out of an attic about a year and a half ago.
Erica Thompson:Boy.
Erica Thompson:Yeah.
Erica Thompson:I mean, these are things that, like anything else you got, you.
Erica Thompson:You got to be careful.
Erica Thompson:And you never know.
Erica Thompson:You never know.
Erica Thompson:You know, you could be like Mary.
Erica Thompson:I know some of the injuries she had were where.
Erica Thompson:I mean, she just was just going about normal, normal day to day stuff.
Erica Thompson:And then all of a sudden something happens and it's just like you got to.
Erica Thompson:I guess if you, if you walk, you got to be careful.
Erica Thompson:If that doesn't.
Erica Thompson:It doesn't have to include a ladder either.
Erica Thompson:Yeah, you don't need a ladder for it.
Mary Heitmeyer:You know, Eyes up.
Mary Heitmeyer:I was down.
Mary Heitmeyer:I actually have probably injured everything but the bottom of my feet in the past year.
Erica Thompson:Oh, my God.
Mary Heitmeyer: careful because my goals for: Mary Heitmeyer:Because when you're laid up in the hospital and then you're laid up with different injuries, this is just my latest.
Mary Heitmeyer:So it's just hard to get out into your exercise.
Mary Heitmeyer:And I was so excited.
Mary Heitmeyer:I was doing soft sand walking and it really, really gives you a workout.
Mary Heitmeyer:And then after about two weeks, had this fall and it was just walking back from the beach, I was just on the sidewalk.
Mary Heitmeyer:Next thing I knew, I was on the sidewalk.
Erica Thompson:You got to watch those hard surfaces, right?
Mary Heitmeyer:Yeah.
Mary Heitmeyer:I didn't bounce, I didn't hit nice and softly, but I'm healing.
Mary Heitmeyer:That's all I can do.
Erica Thompson:Well, you know, had.
Erica Thompson:Just have some more arugula.
Mary Heitmeyer:Oh, I can eat arugula right out of the.
Erica Thompson:Oh, I know, I know that you had me when you said that, it was like.
Erica Thompson:It just.
Erica Thompson:His stuff is really good.
Erica Thompson:Mary, thank you so much for coming on the show.
Erica Thompson:And when you get back, we'll have to have you in studio.
Mary Heitmeyer:I know you want me to bring food.
Mary Heitmeyer:That's.
Erica Thompson:I want you to bring Valentine's Day.
Erica Thompson:Yum, yum.
Erica Thompson:Valentine's Day.
Erica Thompson:Yeah, sounds good.
Erica Thompson:I think that's coming up really good.
Erica Thompson:Now, Mary, you always just.
Erica Thompson:She was.
Erica Thompson:She's the perfect guest.
Erica Thompson:She always came with.
Erica Thompson:With stuff, which is great, and we really appreciate it.
Mary Heitmeyer:I don't know if they wanted information for me to interview me or they just wanted some food.
Erica Thompson:Yeah.
Erica Thompson:Hey, your information is so valuable.
Erica Thompson:You know, no one, no one could.
Erica Thompson:Could argue the fact that, you know, if we wanted just food, he could have ubered food in.
Mary Heitmeyer:Okay, well, I'll take that as a compliment.
Erica Thompson:There you go.
Erica Thompson:All right.
Erica Thompson:That was the way it was.
Erica Thompson:All right, Mary, take care.
Erica Thompson:You have a merry Christmas and give my best to everybody out there.
Erica Thompson:And then we'll see you soon on the way back.
Erica Thompson:And keep me posted on your.
Erica Thompson:On your move.
Erica Thompson:And if we could help you find any place here when you.
Erica Thompson:When you get to that stage, just, you know, just give us a holler.
Mary Heitmeyer:First place I'm going is get a Cornish pasty.
Mary Heitmeyer:You're not pasty, pasty.
Mary Heitmeyer:Okay, so it's so nice to talk to you and I'm looking forward to seeing you guys.
Mary Heitmeyer:I shall be out there beginning of January, so.
Erica Thompson:All right, we'll be here waiting for you.
Mary Heitmeyer:Okay, everybody, take care.
Mary Heitmeyer:Happy holidays, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, whatever you celebrate, right?
Erica Thompson:There you go.
Erica Thompson:All right.
Ginger Martin:Holidays.
Erica Thompson:Mary Heitmeyer from Chef du Jour.
Erica Thompson:Always a fountain of information.
Erica Thompson:Obviously, you know, not just creating good, good dinners and stuff for people for their homes, being a personal chef, but she's.
Erica Thompson:She creates food now.
Erica Thompson:I want to thank all our listeners for listening to Boxcar Universe.
Erica Thompson:Remember, we are your source for cutting edge information on container homes and container pools, plus remodeling and renovating your existing home.
Erica Thompson:You could always email us @Steve Car universe.com Remember, Boxcar Universe can be heard weekly on any podcast player.
Erica Thompson:And always remember Boxcar Universe remodeling and renovating your world.
Erica Thompson:Have a great weekend.
Ginger Martin:You're a great American.
Ginger Martin:I love.
