Black Friday fun times...

One of the good things about the Thanksgiving holiday is the day *after*- no, not when your family goes back to the rock from whence they came home; I’m talking about Black Friday.  The time of year when you can get a lot of stuff for about half the price- if you’re willing to get up at or not even go to bed after your dinner in order to get the “perfect” gift for someone for Christmas- and save yourself some money- but your trade-off is usually a big headache.

Now, I’m a fair-weather fan of Black Friday personally.  I have partaken in the insanity event for a few years now;  but only to buy a single item each time later in the day- a bigger ticket item that we’ve been wanting, but not willing to spend the money (okay, I’m a tightwad with money, but I figure a  good deal isn’t worth passing up, right?).  This year was different.  I had a total mission, due to money being scarce and not wanting for my kids to have a crappy bleak Christmas.  I had a plan.  I mapped out which stores had the #1 item on Cutie and Junior’s list- and was prepared to hit the stores (because of course they are at different places and across town from each other) and brave the crowds to get the item for them.  Lucky me, Junior’s gift store opened their doors at 10 pm Thursday night.  Sweet!  I don’t have to cut into my beauty sleep to get it by getting up at 2 am.  Cutie’s store however didn’t start their sale until 5 am Friday morning.  Oh well, at least I should get about 6 hours of sleep, and who am I going to impress with my sleep pants and slippers at 5 am?  So, the plan was set and I was ready.

Since the sale started at 10 pm, I was going to get there around 8pm.  I figured 2 hours of waiting in the parking lot is *more* than enough time to wait sipping my coffee to get his gift.  Like I said, I’m a fair-weather fan, so Bill and I head out to the store.  Imagine our surprise to see a line formed around 3 sides of the not-so-small building.  Now, when I say a line, do you think I mean a single-file line?  No.  I’m talking 5 people wide, tents (not kidding), little bonfire portable pits, and police directing people where to go.  Are you shitting me??  *and* there were more people coming in droves behind us with headlights lighting up the otherwise dimly-lit roadway from the mall.  So, this fair-weather fan of Black Friday is now distraught on what to do.  There is no way in Hell, I’m going to be able to get Junior’s #1 gift now, because I’d be lucky to get in the doors by 3 am with the limits imposed by the police department for the health and safety of the public *and* I run the risk of not getting Cutie’s gift now either if I wait.  Shit. (More expletives said here, but to be fair to those who I might offend I won’t list them- but seriously if you’re offended by expletives quit reading my blog.)  Now what?

We head back ‘home’ dejected in desperate need of a new plan.  A light from the heavens came from above, oh wait, that was the police helicopter looking for delinquents in the area that happened to shine on me and I came up with a *new* plan.  A big name store does price matching *if* you have the ad fully stating the price of the item and they carry it.  They have their big event happening at 5 am, so we’re going to go there and get our shopping done *before* the crowds get there around midnight.  I grab Bill lucky him and have him come with me on my new quest, so he can enjoy live this experience with me.

More expletives uttered from both of us as we turn into the parking lot only to see it looks like a car dealership’s lot on delivery day.  Literally the strip mall this place is a part of, the *entire* parking lot is full, and people are circling like vultures for a spot.  Normally, this place has people bunched near the two entrance/exits and the outskirts are empty, but not tonight- 5 hours before the event even happens.  We find a parking spot easily enough because we aren’t afraid to walk the extra 1000 feet to the door like some of the people around here.  Park the car, get out and get to the store a little before midnight. 

The parking lot should’ve given us an indicator of the insanity we were about to witness.  It didn’t- not even close.  I would like to call the entrance to this place a mixture of “the calm before the storm” and “musical chairs.”  If you remember playing musical chairs when you were younger and when there was only one chair left, how you circled around the chair with your hand touching it so you could yank it away from the other person so you could win? That’s what the pallets of “deals” looked like in the main aisles of this place.  These pallets were 6 feet cubes of crap stuff for less than 50% of what they normally would be.  No biggie, not going to fight Grandma Bluehair to get that casserole dish or crock pot.  These people in here were literally uttering primal growls over that damn crock pot.  Bill and I look at each other and figure we must’ve missed the memo on this, and are quickly realizing we should’ve stayed ‘home.’

Wait.  We had a mission.  We have to get Cutie and Junior’s Christmas gifts and get the hell out of there as soon as possible.  So, we haul ass to the toy section (in the back of the store of course) and grab our stuff in seriously less than 5 minutes.  We are power shoppers at this point.  We want to get out of there 5 minutes ago type of thing.  All of a sudden, we hear it.  An explosion of sound and screams mixed with yelling and clashing of carts.  Damn.  We’re too late.  We’re screwed.  We’re stuck in this hell until we can fight our way out of it.  We’re making our way to the front of the store to pay for our gifts.  A lady is carrying her 3-4 year old child crying because he got ran over by a cart. An old lady rams in to my ankle and I silently curse her to fall and break her hip because I don’t want to go to jail over her being an asshole by beating up an old lady.

We get to the checkout line.  We’re about 20 people back.  We should get out of here sooner than I had hoped based on the crowds.  The end is in sight.  45 minutes later, we are paying for our stuff- they accepted the other Black Friday ads and price matched.  We got what Cutie and Junior wanted for their #1 and their #2 gifts.  We are rock stars.  We did it.  Executed the plan (with some hiccups) but finished the mission.  Christmas will be good for Cutie and Junior this year.  How was your Black Friday?

Similarity to any real person other than myself is purely unfortunate for them coincidental, this is my story so please don’t be an ass and copy/use it as your own.

A Time to Give Thanks

Thanksgiving is a time to stop and be appreciative of all that you have and to be thankful things aren’t worse than they could be.  I’m thankful for many things: my children, my husband, my health, my family, my friends (or family that I have chosen as I like to think of them), my country and my freedom.  I am thankful for the soldiers that have fought for me to have the freedom to live the way I want to.  The ability for me to write this blog and for you to read is in part because of the sacrifices of many so we can live free.  

Would my life be better with other things in place?  Would there be less stress and strife in my life if things were different?  The answer to those questions is; “Hell yes they would!” Unfortunately, things aren’t perfect- not even close.  Life is chaotic- at best.  I pray every day that things get better for us, it isn't a selfish thing- it’s a reality.   The lives of my family have been changed and not for the better either.  The relationships between family members have been irrevocably damaged and for that I’m not thankful.   So much animosity, resentment, and deceit all for nothing; yet continue on a daily basis. 

I wish I could do more, I wish I could thank more- because truly, I do have much to be thankful for it is just a few things that seem to shadow over my gratitude today.  What do you have to be thankful for?

Similarity to any real person other than myself is purely unfortunate for them coincidental, this is my story so please don’t be an ass and copy/use it as your own.

Part 2 of 2

So, now for part 2…

Another one of my dad’s anecdotes: “mimicry is the height of flattery.” I prefer to think of it as; “I can’t think for myself, so I’m going to copy your idea.”

Now, that seems a bit harsh right?  Well, how soon you forget, I’m a nice person until you do something to cross me or my family and then bring it- you have unleashed the spider monkey  bitch inside of me and it is hard to put her back once she has emerged toward you.  Well, I shouldn’t say hard to put back, more like; she is dormant and waiting for you to piss me off so I can rip you to shreds.  Anyhow… what to do when a family member person related to you does this?

I’ll tell you- a stream of expletives that makes the most seasoned sailor turned construction worker blush like a church lady, give you high blood pressure, loss of respect, instant rage and the desire to cause you bodily harm.  Whoa, whoa, whoa!  What the hell happened?  I mean, I know that I’m living in Hell, and I know that people around me are causing my life to be Hell, but you’re a thousand-plus miles away and you’re making it worse- you’re fanning the flames to my Hell and dousing the flames with gas!

As you may know, (if you don’t read my bio here) I run a small business.  The business is nothing massive- not going to put any big name stores out of business any time soon- but enough to keep my head above water and the business operating in the black for now.  Another thing I picked up from my dad was independence- I like being my own boss; make my own hours, etc. So… back to the story here, enough back story…

My side of the family primarily lives a thousand-plus miles away.  I don’t get to see them even close to as often as I would like to, so for birthday/holiday/just because gifts to get to them, I have to send them to them.  No biggie- usually.  Well, this last package that was sent to them arrived with gifts for several people- 3 birthdays and a “just because” gift- which was actually a prototype for the recipient to try out and give me feedback.  The package arrived and was left in the nasty weather ruining the box, and the person (addressee/recipient) wasn’t going to be home for several days and had another family member (a gift for them was also in the package) pick it up so the contents weren’t ruined as well.  Again, not a big deal- usually.

A family member opened the box (wasn’t addressed to them) and doled out the gifts to the people but the addressee was the only person not around (and wouldn’t be for 3 days).  Starting to get annoyed, but I understand that’s how my family is and just grin and bear it.  Fast forward to two days after the package arrives, and one of the recipients asks me where I got it.  Tell them, I made it- which they knew already; it’s not a secret what my business is and does to them and anyone that knows me.  They proceed to ask me specific directions about how to make one (the gift)- kinda thinking; “what the hell?” at this point, but give them general directions.  Then for the sucker punch to the solar plexus- wants to know exactly how I made the prototype because they are going to sell them too!  Now, it is full on WTF?!??  They then proceed to tell me they are going to make the exact same thing as me and sell them around there.  WTF!??!  Are you kidding me?!?

I’m all for fair competition and understand that is how commerce works- but when it comes to family why would you even think it is okay to compete?  Bear in mind, my family has several businesses within it.  I would never even think to start up in one of those fields- but I could easily if I wanted to because they are unable to sell their product (homes and other construction trades) in the same state as me because it is a physical impossibility and I wouldn’t even dream opening up shop with the same product next door to them if we lived closer.  My business however, isn’t geographical specific like a home is- I can ship anywhere to anyone at anytime- if a polar bear wants what I sell- they pay for it and it will be on its merry way to them.  So, to me, this whole “mimicry is the height of flattery” is total bullshit- they are taking money out of my pocket and it isn’t even slightly acceptable. 

Oh, and the icing on the shit cake- this family member has a job of their own, and makes decent money and is married *and* has two incomes for their family- as if that wasn’t enough influx of green backs- they receive child support too.  Right now, I have only one income and it is the one from my business.  I feel that this person is a complete and total douche bag- that is the nicest thing I can post honestly- as I see it, this person is taking away from my kids and you never ever mess with my kids.   All of this right before Thanksgiving… so what do you have to be thankful for? 

I’m thankful that I don’t have to look at that person across the table tomorrow.

Similarity to any real person other than myself is purely unfortunate for them coincidental, this is my story so please don’t be an ass and copy/use it as your own.

Part 1 of 2

Ah, yes, it is that time of year when the weather finally begins to turn colder… alright, I guess for most people that happened a couple of weeks ago; but here in hell, it has happened now for a couple of days, and who knows it might be warm again in a week.  Crazy weather we have here in Hell.  So… how have you all been?  Hopefully keeping warm with a nice cup of coffee, tea or hot chocolate, so grab a cup and get ready for today’s installment part 1 of 2 of a day in Hell.

I remember growing up my dad telling me different little anecdotes to make me feel better, you know the ones like; “sticks and stones will break your bones, but names will never hurt you” and “mimicry is the height of flattery” among a few others.  First off, the “names will never hurt you” is a bunch of crap.  Whoever came up with that one obviously was never bullied to the point of having to leave schools, dreading the alarm clock going off in the morning to go to class, and in current times having the *entire* world able to see the tormentor torment/humiliate you on the web with the thought of “names will never hurt you” mentality.  Bullying is wrong any way you look at it, and it is one of those things that shouldn’t go by the wayside of “kids will be kids” and have no parental involvement. 

If your child is being bullied, learn to recognize the signs of it; DO something about it.  You all know your child, and you know if something is wrong with them- or I hope that you do- and get involved.  Your kid might complain that you’re making it worse and you’re “embarrassing” them by going to the school, etc.  Who cares?  It is your job as a parent to protect your child, and remember they are the child you are the adult.  Do the right thing.  Your child will thank you for it later- maybe not while they are experiencing the bullying- but when they’re older and realize you were doing the best thing for them despite their best effort to thwart your involvement.

Conversely, if your child is the bully- look into why your child is bullying.  What is the root of the problem?  What is the catalyst that set the bullying into motion?  Again, get involved with your child to remedy the problem(s). 

Now, this post originally was going to be about 2 different topics; but because I’m such a wordsmith longwinded I’m going to break this post into two different ones, and because edit is a great thing, I added to the beginning of this one to let you know this one is part 1 of 2.  How considerate! So how was your day?

Similarity to any real person other than myself is purely unfortunate for them coincidental, this is my story so please don’t be an ass and copy/use it as your own.

Start 'em young...

Today was the last day of the soccer season for both Cutie and Junior, and the teams they are on, give each of the players a trophy for all of their hard work during the season.  Which, honestly, I grew up in a time, where trophies were for “winning” and were a big deal to get, and now they are giving them out like candy.  I am not entirely sure how I feel about this philosophy- the whole giving them out to everyone- all the time- because I personally believe that if you keep “gifting” kids stuff, they will never learn to “work” for something and that is bunch of crap and honestly gives them an entitled attitude later in life.  Whatever though, because the trophy people are making money, the leagues are making money, parents are spending money- and ultimately, it is a parent’s job to teach/educate their own child on the importance of hard work- not a coach or sport team.  Climbing off the soap box now…

So, with that being said, here’s today’s issue: Junior’s trophy. 

Now for the back story: Junior just became old enough to play in a recreational league after watching Cutie play for several seasons (5) and has been *dying* to play for a l-o-n-g time.  Any of you that have kids know that whatever the older sibling is doing, the younger one wants to do it just as bad and is chomping at the bit to get the chance to do whatever they older one is doing.  Well… like I said, today was the last day of soccer, blah, blah, blah, and he gets a trophy (like everyone else) but this is his very *first* trophy ever because he has never been able to play on a team before. 

The team that he is on is coached by a guy- let’s call him Doug and he has his own kid on the team who we will call Paul.  I am going to give you a bit of a background on this league.  Other than the trophy thing- the league for Junior’s age bracket is one that: 1. doesn’t keep an official score 2. each child is to play at *least* 50% of the game 3. have lots of fun.  Pretty simple- gets the kids in there to learn to enjoy the sport and have fun in a non-pressured atmosphere.  Which is good, because I think that kids should learn to have fun in a sport at a young age for several reasons (not going to go in to them) - just my opinion.

Throughout this season Junior has been really good at this sport, like I said before he’s been watching Cutie for nearly 3 years of play now, and playing with her, etc. combined with the kid’s natural ability to run like the wind- he is the best kid I’ve seen at that age- and he’s even better than some of the kids on Cutie’s team that are 2-3 years older than he is.  No, this isn’t from an over zealous mom that thinks her kid is awesome- it is from a mom that has seen her kid score an average of 10 goals per 30 minute game- but he isn’t even in the game for 30 minutes, he’s in for a max of 10 minutes, before Doug yanks him out.  Quite literally telling him that he needs to not score so much and he can sit out for a bit.  Doug has also held on to Junior’s jersey to prevent him from running to get a loose ball, told him to stay put (which he does) so the other team can “score a goal” he has even been so bold to scoop the ball up away from Junior and throw/toss it to the other team so they can score. 

Now- I understand that kids at this level have *never* played before in a team setting, but like in life, there are going to be some kids that are amazing at something and kids that aren’t- just because a kid is good at something, you don’t need to penalize him/her and make them feel bad (especially when they are 4 years old) for doing a good job; which is what happened with Junior.  He wanted to know why Coach Doug keeps taking him out when all he wants to do is play, but he won’t let him.  Do I sound like a bitch yet?  Probably, because I’m now appearing to be the bitter mom who thinks their kid should have more field time.  No.  Not even close.  You see, Coach Doug’s kid Paul, is also a good player.  He scores quite a bit himself, yet he is in the game for about 85% of the time and he pushes, shoves, kicks other kids and not a thing is said to him because his dad is the one out there.  There is also a girl on the team (the team at this level is co-ed) and she plays about 85% of the time (she’s an average skilled player for this age) and she is friends with the coach’s family.  Now, something isn’t quite right.  My kid is yanked out because he scores too much and plays less than 50% of the time, yet the coach’s kid plays more than his fair share.  There are 9 kids on the team, which would make it very easy to sub in 3 new for the 3 old throughout the game- yet he never did.  Okay, okay, what about the damn trophy- I think my kid is about to graduate from college now after reading this…

So… today, like I said, they got trophies.  Whoop-de-doo and all of that usual crap hoopla of you did great, thanks for playing, etc. from Coach Doug.  After that was all said and done, the girl’s mom (that I mentioned earlier) wanted to get a group picture with all of the kids and their trophies.  Junior gets up (since they were all on a blanket) and is like, where’s my trophy (he had put it down to get up- like I said, he’s only 4) and Paul takes his foot and stomps down (intentionally) on Junior’s trophy and BREAKS IT while saying “There!!”  Junior is now crushed because his first trophy ever is broken in half.  I don’t even know what to say to this asshole of a child punk ass kid, and before I open my mouth- I don’t say a word- shocking, right?

Isn’t that the grown up thing to do?  Not say a word, because the dad/coach is a total douche bag and why is it a surprise that his offspring is equally a douche?  I also know that *if* I did say something, it wouldn’t end up nice and I honestly don’t have the extra money to get bailed out of jail.  At least my Saturday mornings won’t be spent with him or his offspring.  Now Saturdays can be used for what God intended them for- sleeping in chores around the house.  What do you have planned this weekend?

Similarity to any real person other than myself is purely unfortunate for them coincidental, this is my story so please don’t be an ass and copy/use it as your own.

Good customer service?? Yeah, right.

Good morning to all of you!  I don’t know about any of you, but it honestly seems like a little garden gnome comes in at night and changes my alarm clock to go off a little earlier each morning.  I swear- I feel like I haven’t had a good night’s sleep in ages.  With that being said, here is today’s edition of Hell… well, yesterday’s version posted today.   Still waiting for my hot caffeinated beverage to kick in…

Rewind time to last Thursday, I was doing the normal morning routine and went to unload the dishwasher.  As I pulled out a plate, I noticed it wasn’t clean.  Not unusual because the cheap p.o.s. appliance dishwasher leaves at least one dish dirty and needing a second go ‘round.  Move to the next plate, it is dirty too.  Again, not unusual, but kind-of since they were next to one another.  Third plate- same thing.  Damn.  I must’ve forgotten to run it last night because now I’m noticing the dishwashing soap tablet is still intact.  No biggie, I’ll run it while doing laundry, go grocery shopping run some errands and come back to finish this up later.  Close the dishwasher, run the laundry, run errands, come back to unload the dishwasher- that’s a typical morning for me.  Excitement in Hell- living loving it every day.

So… going to unload the dishwasher for the second time today, and imagine my shock to have same said plate dirty *again*.  It was like a vicious cycle of “rinse and repeat” except there was only the “repeat” part.  Now I’m kinda pissed.  Check the silverware- dirty.  Getting pissed now.  Check the glasses on the top rack.  Dirty.  WTF?  I know I started the damn thing before I left.  Then again, I have been forgetting things lately, maybe I just *thought* I started it.  The damn thing is so temperamental.  Replace the plate I originally took out, close the door, and program the load, press start… nothing.  Silence.  Huh?  Open the door again, close it and listen for the “click” indicating it is indeed closed properly- done.  Program the load- done.  Press start- still nothing.

Officially pissed off- this p.o.s. dishwasher was bought in MAY of this year!!  That’s right, only about 6 months ago (actually it will be 6 months the *end* of the month) and it decides to give up the ghost?  Really??  Really.  So, Millie calls up the company it was bought from and they don’t service their own appliances they contract it out.  Okay, whatever happened to standing behind your product? If I sell something with my business, and something goes wrong- I fix it.  To me, that is good customer service and unfortunately, the thought of “good customer service” has gone the way of the buffalo; but I digress… Well, they give the name of a contractor to come out and see it.  She calls the contractor and they can’t come out until Tuesday and can’t nail down a specific time so be home all day.  What the hell?  Are they the cable company now?  Do people have nothing better to do than to sit around all damn day waiting for them to come and fix the p.o.s. that is less than 6 months old?  Breathe in, breathe out… it will be okay… lots of pizza and paper plates, etc. at least Cutie and Junior will be happy.

Now someone will have to be here for the repair man’s huge-can-fit-an-elephant-through-it window of arrival.  Millie is off to get something to complain about- gallivanting around bitching and judging the whole time so she can’t be here.  Phil has a follow-up appointment that he has to go to- and has informed us he will be gone “all day” so he obviously can’t stay.  I forgot I was in both Cutie and Junior’s classes today (Tuesday) and so that leaves Bill.  He’s not too happy about that but, he will do it. 

I come back from the kid’s classes and ask Bill how things went with the repair guy.  He said he isn’t going to be here until 2-4 pm.  What??  That’s crazy.  Wait.  Millie will be back by then, her latest time of arrival is 1 pm, and Phil should be home by then too… Sweet!  We’re going to leave them here to deal with the repair guy and get the p.o.s. fixed to run errands for dinner tonight and come back after picking up Cutie from school.  Come back only to find out the repair guy said it will be 2-3 weeks before the dishwasher can be fixed because of the holiday.

Two to three weeks?  With all of the advancements in technology, shipping, manufacturing, it is going to take 2-3 weeks to get the part and then you’re going to schedule a time to come here and fix the p.o.s. dishwasher *after* that??  Are you having carrier pigeons take your order to a sweatshop in the Arctic for translation to the penguins so Santa’s elves can make it and send it back on a slow kayak with holes in it via the Orient?  Something is not quite right here on several levels.  In short your inability to provide “good customer service” is going to ruin our damn Thanksgiving.  It’s not like we called you at 4:59 pm Wednesday afternoon the day before Thanksgiving to say it broke- that I could understand you not being able to fix it due to not having the part.  You were called two weeks before Thanksgiving and you looked at it a week and a half before Thanksgiving- ever heard of expedited shipping?  Better yet- remove and replace this p.o.s. dishwasher with another exact same model and exact same brand.  That would be “good customer service” and go a l-o-n-g way- but then again, the cheap comes out expensive and in your case, I’m going to let anyone who asks me about appliances (and believe it or not, is quite often shockingly enough) *not* to go to your place of business.

Thanksgiving is one of the biggest stuff your face and your family’s face with food times of the year- that means tons of dishes.  Now you’re going to say there will be no dishwasher to clean them and if that part doesn’t fix it maybe Christmas before it is fixed?  Customer service my ass!!  Then again, Millie and Phil don’t cook unless it is heat and serve from a microwave, so to them it isn’t a big deal.  To me- it is.  I enjoy cooking (like I said in a previous post- I can be like one of the Martha Stewart/ Bree Van de Camp psychos) and it is something that I can do that reminds me of being “home” with my family (even though they are far away).  I am not looking forward to using paper plates and tin foil pans for cooking, but I will adapt.  Things will get better- they have to.  I don’t know why this is so upsetting to me, the inability to prepare a Thanksgiving meal the way I feel it should be prepared and not do the clean up afterwards.  I guess it is only fitting it should be that way.  Life in Hell will now have Thanksgiving in Hell.  So, how has your week been going?

Similarity to any real person other than myself is purely unfortunate for them coincidental, this is my story so please don’t be an ass and copy/use it as your own.

Sick as Hell

It has been one of those weeks here in Hell.  You know, one of those that just grate on your nerves and make you sick and tired of being sick and tired.  How on Earth?? Why don’t you just quitcher (pronounced quit yer)  bitchin’?? Anyway… this is how the week has gone since your last installment of Hell- and I'm only sharing *some* of what happened (or this post would be entirely too long) the past few days. 

Phil with his infinite wisdom continues with his addiction to soda and fast food- in case you haven’t read what is going on with him, you can read it here or you can get the gist of it by knowing that he had major organ failure about a week ago.  He continues to eat like crap and drink crap yet wonder why his health is crap.  No wait, he doesn’t wonder- he doesn’t care and I don’t know why I do [care] but he’s Bill’s dad and yeah.  No words here, and for me to be at a loss for words is saying something; because normally can articulate how I am feeling quite well.  I guess I should say, the words that I can say, I won’t because it would fall on deaf ears anyhow and I'm sure you don't want to read even more of a rant.  If licensed medical professionals can’t change his behaviors and actions, what makes me think that he would listen to what I have to say?  Frustrating.  Wasted time, effort and energy on that lost cause.  Moving on now…

The other part of Hell this week  happened on Wednesday, someone at Cutie and Junior’s school remarked how their family had just got over the worst virus ever and proceeded to ask me and some of the other parents if any of us had got it yet.  I stupidly said, “Nope, not yet, thankfully.”  Now, if any of you know Karma please put in a good word for me, because I have somehow pissed him/her off and things just have not been going the best for us here in Hell.  The very next day Bill woke up feeling like crap.  Great, whenever he gets sick, I’m usually the next one to get sick- and since Junior and Cutie were off of school that day, it was unusually difficult to keep them contained.  Not sure if cabin fever hit them after a couple of hours, but we ended up going to do some errands to help keep the house quiet.  Bill still didn’t feel too well that night, but he thought he’d be able to kick it the next day.  Nope.  The next day was even worse than the first.  Hello weekend of sickness- at least the kiddos won’t be home sick from school, so maybe Karma was smirking instead of pissing on us. 

Then yesterday (Sunday), got off to a wonderful start, because now I’m sick with this wonderful blessing of nastiness and phlegm- when I get sick it is business as usual- no sleeping in, no laundry taking a break, dinner doesn’t cook itself, etc. - if you’re a mom you know what I’m saying.  However… yesterday was a bit different.  Bill let me sleep in, Cutie and Junior tried to play quietly (but they’re kids, and quiet isn’t always in their vocabulary), and Millie tried to cook dinner using only the microwave.   Whatever, at least they tried.  Can’t fault them for trying, right?  How was your week?

Similarity to any real person other than myself is purely unfortunate for them coincidental, this is my story so please don’t be an ass and copy/use it as your own.