It's been a long summer

Some days you just know you should update your blog, but the heat and humidity fogs your brain and you just can't seem to get it done. Well today it is a beautiful 79 degree day with very low humidity and my brain seems to have come unfogged!!

The summer brought a lot of new things into my life including a new dog for my grandkids, a trip to Philly for the Chocolate Convention (how fun is that) and more and more team members for our DCD team.

We have discovered the joy of White Chocolate sipping chocolate, had a Chocolate Sea Salted Caramel Recipe place in the top 15 on Epicurous.com and met lots and lots of new people.

www.dovechocolatediscoveries.com/daytonchocolaters is our great website and will open up a whole new world of delicious Dove Chocolate Products but my favorites are by far the White Chocolate yummies.

Also discovered is the wonder of the Quarter Auction. This event is the "new bingo" in and around our area.

Here is how it works. A group of direct sales reps form a group, select a charity and rent a hall. Everyone in the group prepares a select number of "packages" of their products to be auctioned off. The public shows up, pays a few dollars to get in, another couple of dollars for a numbered paddle, and buys raffle tickets or door prize tickets (all this money goes to a selected charity). The "auction items" are all on display in the hall and tables are set up in long rows. When the auction starts the auctioneer displays the Package, gives a description and a retail value. Then states a "bid" of 1, 2, 3 or 4 Quarters. This is where the fun begins.....anyone who really wants the package throws their quarters in a bucket that is passed down the table (sounds like a bunch of slot machines) and raises their paddle in the air. The auctioneer then pulls a numbered chip out of the bucket and if you are lucky enough to have the number YOU WIN. YEAH!!!

When you get 200 "mostly women" in a big room with lots of their favorite products and quarters you just naturally have a great time. They laugh, applaud and even sometimes scream....It's me it's me it's me...... By the way if you didn't throw in your quarter snd they call your number....well...too bad..YOU LOSE

In most scenarios the rep for the products get the quarters from the buckets to offset their expenses. Hopefully the attendees will be so intrigued they will order or book a party from the reps and everyone has a great time.

I don't really know how far from the crazy midwest this even has traveled but it is a great evening, raises money for a charity, helps the reps get their info into many hands and is an all around great time.