The Case of the Missing Zip-Loc Bag

Rush, rush, rush. From 5:30 AM to 9:00 PM, we're on the go. Not much down time these days. Occasionally, I remember to pull some kind of protein out of the freezer for dinner. Yesterday morning I was actually on my game, I was able to remember to grab a bag out of the freezer and have a tentative game plan for dinner. I always leave the protein on the counter during the day to thaw (it takes all day to thaw because it comes from our deep freezer).

Half way through the day, I remembered Child #1 had a basketball game. 5:00 PM rolls around and I'm running late coming home from work. Thank God, the coach volunteered to take my daughter to the game that started at 5:15 PM (In the past, I might have shown up almost late to a few games. I was never technically late because I always made game time). So I rushed home to pick up Child #2 and #3, running inside to use the home facilities I realized that the protein was on the counter, making a mental note to put that in the refrigerator. Then we rushed to the game. We were only 3 minutes late to game time. See I'm almost always on time.

The score was 5 to 0, we were losing. Child #1's team was playing the hardest team in the league. Within the next two minutes, we pulled ahead 6 to 5. We actually had a chance. This was so awesome. The girls and I were cheering, it was an intense game. Coaches screaming, crowd grumbling about fouls and missed fouls, players were getting rough. It was the best game ever. Between the time outs, the fouls (one of our girls fouled out), and the ball going out of bounds, the last quarter took 25 minutes.


Last Quarter we took the lead:


Child #1 scored 2 pts and got a 2 pt foul, she scored 1 of the free-throws
18 to 14
22 to 14
One of our girls just fouled out (uh-oh)
22 to 20
22 to 22
3 minutes to go
22 to 24
They took the lead
The other team 2 pt free-throw 
22 to 26
Tons of steals and break-aways but no scores
One of our girls gets 2 free-throws, makes 1 point
23 to 26
Last twenty seconds, we try for a three-pointer.
We missed

What an awesome game! I was so proud of the team. They played their hearts out. It was so much fun for the parents too.

After the adrenaline rush, we stopped at Cousins to get subs. Then headed to the grocery store. We were out of bread and apples for school lunches. Though I provide the choice of hot lunch at school, Child #2 and #3 prefer making cold lunches. Yay, we are saving money.

Finally we're home. We rush around to get ready for the next day and it occurs to me I need to put that protein away. I completely forgot. Oh well. I look on the counter and it's gone. I ask the girls if they threw it away or moved it. Shoulders shrug, puzzled looks appear, and replies of no are said. I check the refrigerator. Maybe in all my rushing around, I forgot I put it in the frig. Nope. Literally, there is no evidence of package or of meat (it was ground up venison meat packaged in a freezer zip loc bag). No bag, no pieces of meat anywhere to be found. It was literally a mystery.

Then it occurred to me to check the dog cage. We found the evidence. The dog ate a half a pound of nicely thawed raw meat. Wow! Child #2 even fed her dog food before we left for the game.

She never touched the meat all day. Yep. She was mad we left. It was a break from routine. We have a very crazy dog or a dog that acts like our 4th child. She is good during the day when we are away, but expects someone to be home with her in the evening (which we normally are). Even though, Child #2 and #3 played with her for an hour before we left for the game. Any break from routine and she needs prozac. Oh well. So far she hasn't gotten sick, but she hasn't eaten anything since either. We'll see how today goes.

Down for the Count

I'm down with the sickness.  

 

It hit me hard last night. I ache all over. Even my teeth hurt. The chills attacked me trying to cool my feverish head. It was a vicious cycle. The chills would shake my body vigorously trying to bring a slight cooling tingle to my head. Only to be over ruled by the incessant heat radiating from my face and ears. Up all night with no relief in sight, I was constantly turning my pillow to feel the cool underside for a brief moment before the heat took over the surface again. The barky cough didn't help either. Hopefully this will be short lived.

I'm working from home today to save energy in order to make the Christmas dinner for the in-laws later tonight. The Handyman may have to pull us through this one as my status definitely is questionable at this point.

Can You Guess What Store?

It's been awhile since I've been able to write. The excuses are unlimited, but the main reason is my job sucks the creativity out of me. Don't get me wrong, I love everything about my job. There's just only so much thinking someone can do during the day. At the end of the day, the last thing I want to do is write something else.

Today is a new day. I've been able to muster some energy from irritation, which is a big motivator for me as most of you know.

It all started with shopping online for Black Friday. My rational was to order online, ship to the local store (free shipping), and pick up avoiding any big crowds. Simple as 1, 2, 3. Right? Right. It was all good until I had to interact with customer service in the store last night.

 Step-by-step process to pick up merchandise:

1. Wait in line. 5 minutes.
2. Ask: "I would like to pick up my order that I ordered online."
3. Customer Service 1: "a;dldfj ja;sfj adjf;lajf saj;ff;"
4. I couldn't understand a word the CS1 said. 
5. CS1 moved to another counter. I followed. 5 minutes later.
6. I handed my phone over with the email receipt. 5 more minutes later
7. CS1 asked for my ID. At least that's what I thought the gesture meant. 5 additional minutes later.
8. The sound of keys clacking continues for another 2 minutes.
9. Then CS1 disappears. 2 minutes later she reappears.
10. CS1 comes back empty handed. She picks up her radio and speaks into it. Clearly my nerves are starting to tingle with irritation at this point. 
11. From all of this behavior, I gather I need to wait for them to bring my order from the back part of the store.
12. CS2 appears from somewhere magically behind the counter. 
13. Ask: "Should I bring my car around to the back to load?"
14. CS2 says, "No they will bring it up front, but you could pull your car up the front doors if you would like."
15. Continue to wait.
16. Another customer pulls in line behind me. I move out of the way. 
17. Customer asks:   "Can you check to see if this toy is in stock?"
18. Silence. CS1 is dumbstruck. Glassy stare.
19. Customer asks again: "Can you look up to see if this toy is in stock in this store?"
20. CS1: "Um, no, we can't, um we can't do that."
21. Silence from customer with a distorted face. I'm not sure what my face looked like, but I know my mouth dropped open.
22. CS2 asks:"Did you look in this isle?" He pointed in some non-directional space behind us.
23. Customer: "Yes, but there was none in there. I just want to know if you have them any where else."
24. CS2: "No we wouldn't have access to any of that."
25. Since I've been waiting so long, I couldn't allow for this to continue. 
26. Me suggesting to CS Duo: "Couldn't you look it up online?"
27. CS2: "Well that's not always accurate."
28. Me being pissed. I whip out my phone. Pull up the store website. I ask the customer, "What is the product you are looking for?" It was some foreign toy in the Monster High realm, but they spelled it for me and with two clicks later I had it pulled on my phone. Identified for the customer it was out of stock in the store, but was available in Franklin. "Would you like the phone number?"
29. Customer declined and quickly grabbed her daughter's hand.
30. As customer was walking away, I raised my voice and said, "Thank you for shopping at _________. Have a great day!"
31.  By this time I lost track of the amount of time I've been waiting so you can only imagine how overly dramatic my customer service hat was while helping this customer. 
32. I walk away from the customer service counter. Hovering around the front door area. Finally my merchandise is being carried by another young gentleman. I'm ready to grab and run, but he walks me back to the customer service counter. Ugh!
33. CS1 asks for my name again. I think. Clacking on the keyboard continues. 
34. Nope she needs my order number. I had her my phone again with the order on the email that was sent to me to tell me my order was ready. 
35. Clacking away. 
36. More dialogue I can't understand. 
37. Receipts are being printed. She wants me to sign the receipt, but walks away. Clearly she doesn't have a pen. 
38. I whip out my handy pen in my purse and sign.
39. Grab my receipt and merchandise and run for the door.

The sad part of this whole experience is that my order wasn't complete and I will have to go back and do this all over again.

Can you guess which big box retailer this was at?

My only hint is this:

Note: I was a sales/customer service rep for three and half years that financed my college education. I respect the hell out of the job. It is a hard job. I have a high tolerance for bad customer service because I've been there, but I stop the line when the customer is denied a simple request.

Lucky in Wine

When I actually made it home after a full day of work, a Target run (in desperate need of the household paper products), and soccer carpool (both ways), I was able to sit down. Since it was nonstop for me, I missed dinner with no leftovers. With no energy left, I poured myself a glass of wine and had a bowl of Lucky Charms (on sale at Target, I hadn't had them in years). It doesn't get any better than this. Though it did get better when I found an image of wine and a box of Lucky Charms. Who knew this meal was so common.

Dollar Mix-up

Text from the cleaning lady, "I think you left me the wrong check. It was made out to Land*********"

Me at work, "Oh Shit!"

My text, "I'll be there in 10 minutes."

Cleaning lady's text, "K"

Once I made it home in lightening speed, I was thrilled to see that the bills were still in the mailbox. I was able to switch out the cleaning lady's check for the actual house mortgage check. That was a close one. I'm sure the mortgage company wouldn't have been too thrilled to have received that dollar amount. Funny how things can get mixed-up.


I know you're probably laughing that I still write checks, but that's what I do and will continue to write checks for certain bills.  Apparently, there are days when I shouldn't be writing checks. Oh well, some day I will be delightfully bored and will have enough time not to mix up checks.