Total Music in Glenview has it all: sheet music, lessons, instrument rental and sales. And when an instrument needs to be fixed before a big concert, they turn to skilled repairmen to get the job done. Total Music owner Gary Karner handles woodwind repair. However, if a bass breaks down, a cello crashes,  or a violin gets run over by a car, he turns to William Hoffman. A Glenview Native, Hoffman has dedicated his life to repairing all shapes and sizes of string instruments. He's even built a few himself.  Odd Jobs had a chance to sit down with him to learn more about it. 

Ever wonder who plows your streets, trims village trees, hangs holiday lights or fixes burst pipes? Meet your Public Works team. They are on-call 24/7 to ensure Glenview runs smoothly. Here, check out the most recent installment of Odd Jobs and see why keeping a village running can be hard work. The next time it snows, give a wave to the plow driver and remember, when he finally heads home for the night, he still has to shovel his own driveway.

Patch visited Susan Barakel on the job at Wagner Farm to see what it's like to be a full-time farmer. While a Master's Degree in American History and a dozen years experience in human resources may sound like an odd background for a farm worker, Barakel's love for animals, hard work and twelve-hour days, makes it a perfect fit.

Editor's Note: This feature is the first in a new column series, "Odd Jobs." Justyne Scott Reeves is a fourth-generation funeral director in a traditionally male-dominated profession. Her great grandfather started Wm. H. Scott Funeral Home in 1912 and when that became corporate her father broke away to maintain the family business by opening N.H. Scott & Hanekamp Funeral Home in 1980. Today, the business remains one of the oldest on the North Shore. Reeves is among a growing number of women entering the funeral service business. Thirty years ago, women made up only five perent of mortuary …