This morning I watched CBS Sunday Morning with Jane Pauley. I really enjoy watching this morning show! Jane Pauley has such a calming voice and the stories the show reports on are quick, informative, current and I learn something new each time I watch! Today's show they reported on the lessons learned from the 1918 Spanish Flu Pandemic and if there will be any lessons learned from our current Pandemic. The people they interviewed who's families were touched by the 1918 Span

I have been thinking about this question for some time now! Just like our cars need a full tank of gas to work properly, we need our emotional tanks full too, to work properly! What is our fuel? We are all aware that a balanced diet of fruits, vegi's, lean meats and dairy are the perfect fuel for our bodies! As many people say, "Everything in Moderation" don't overindulge! What about our minds and souls, how do you fill them? These past two years have been so stressful

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday Football Day in America! The games played today will determine which two teams will be going to the Super Bowl! The Bengals vs. The Chiefs and The 49'ers vs The Rams - which two teams will make it to the Super Bowl? Early predictions are favoring Kansas City Chiefs and LA Rams to be the big winners of todays games! You'll have to tune in to see - if these games are anything like last weeks playoffs, just tune in for the last 4 minutes! This past

This year marks the 10th year that Suzy's Swirl will be raising funds for the American Heart Association. It is our great honor to do this in memory of my husband, Joe and father to our four kids Jen, Joe, Jim and Julie. On October 1, 2011 Joe suddenly passed away from cardiac arrest! It is in this sudden tradgedy that we learned how grief and joy can coexist. Joe left us with so many gifts or as I call "tools in our tool chest." Our family continues to enjoy fishing, gr

For this weeks blog I am going to gleam a few thoughts, comments, and quotes from other writers and professionals in regards to the Pandemic that we have all been living through these past two years! But before I begin, please note it is not lost on me the gravity of this virus. My family too, has been touched by this virus and all of its saddness and complexities! A writer for The Atlantic, Helen Lewis, worte an article today about her personal thoughts and experiences liv

I thought it would be fun to research on how the celebration of a New Year came to be. I found it interesting on how far back this tradition actually goes. The first day of the new year dates back to the emperor Julius Caesar deciding to solve the problem of the ancient calendar. Caesar introduced the Julian calendar and institiuting January 1st as the first day of the year, honoring his namesake, Janus. This day was celebrated by exchanging gifts and decorating homes. Th

All of us at Suzy's Swirl would like to congratulate our General Manager Caitlyn, on her amazing 7 year run at Suzy's Swirl! Caitlyn began her career with us in May of 2014 when she was just a young teen looking for a job! Upon graduating from high school, Caitlyn began working fulltime at Suzy's Swirl and taking more interest in a leadership role! Wow - how she flourished in that position! Caitlyn enrolled at CLC to pursue an Accounting Degree and we also benefitted fro

Count Your Blessings As we wake up this morning let us take a moment and count our blessings! This past Friday night six states, including Illinois, experienced a devastating and deadly tornado. In the dark of the night towns were ripped to shreads and so many lives lost. News like this makes me stop and count my many blessings! I pause and look at all of the people and things that are important to me. So many of us are in the hustle and bustle mode of the holidays. We ar

For years, there’s been a debate over whether gift cards gift cards are a good gift or a bad gift for the holidays or other times. The main argument for them being a “bad gift” has been the fact that gift cards don’t have that personal touch. I think gift cards can actually be a great gift that is very thoughtful. Do not worry, the recipient of the gift card will most likely be thankful that they can treat themselves to an experience or something that they don’t have to pay

Halloween is a holiday that is always celebrated on October 31st. The tradition originated with an old Celtic festival called Samhain, when people would light bonfires and dress up in costumes to ward off ghosts. Soon after Pope Gregory III proclaimed that November 1st was a day to honor all Saints. After that, the day before All Saints Day would be known as All Hallows Eve with the blurry idea of the one night the worlds of the living and dead would mingle. The symbolic m

For the past 17 months we have been overly cautious to not bump into anyone or anything! We have been told to keep our distance from others and really not have any contact with others outside of our bubble! It’s been tough and isolating! These past two weekends I have had the pleasure of bumping into old friends and family! It’s been a great and unexpected gift! Let me set the scene, you’re walking through a crowded restaurant/bar following the person in front of you, the

Who is a Founder? A Founder is someone who creates something out of nothing. A Founder is creative, innovative, determined, intelligent and has a sense of fearlessness! Founders are people who establish the company, take on the risk and reward of creating their vision. The ten-million-dollar question is, “How do you work with a Founder?” The answers are in an amazing book titled, The Ultimate Employee Guide FOUNDERology, Succeed with any Boss in any Workplace. This brill

Patience, Patience and More Patience is what is so very much needed from customers, employees and employers! At least 64% of all Americans have at least one Covid-19 vaccine. This means that many more people are out and about shopping, working and eating compared to last year! Restaurants are crowded, airplanes are packed and things seem to be getting back to a new kind of normal! With one huge exception – not enough employees to work! In an October 8th article published