...what kind of impact someone has on your life until they leave.

It's amazing really. How come it takes a going away party to realize the impact someone has had in your life and the lives of others around you. Today at the Caribou Coffee in Bemidji we said good bye to one of the finest servers our store has had since we opened...and she has been there since day one. That person is Stephanie Kirk. I can't remember a day going by at 'Bou where a customer hasn't asked "where's Steph?" or "is Stephanie working today?" One of our regular customers, Dan, even said he was going to stop coming to Caribou because Steph is leaving. That says it all. She will be missed.



I baked cupcakes for Steph's party, but I didn't want to just bake any ordinary cupcakes. Luckily on the back of the box of Betty Crocker confetti cake mix there was a photo of ice cream cone cupcakes. They were so easy to make, well, except when it came to frosting them. I ended up waiting until I got to 'Bou to frost them.



I know that where ever Steph and her husband end up going in their lives, they will have the same impact on the people they encounter there.



I'll miss those days opening up Caribou with Steph, sipping a cup of French roast and reading the newspaper...just to dig out the Target ad.

Good luck & God bless my friend! I'll just have to visit you at your new Caribou Coffee in Lino Lakes.