The customer's always wrong (in her world).

Last weekend, I went to The Dollar Tree. I love that store. There aren't many places I can go, load up my cart, and only be out twenty bucks!


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So, I was there with my husband and daughter, specifically to get a gift bag and a few other odds and ends.


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We went to check out, and I noticed the clerk seemed particularly cranky. I didn't think too much about it really, but decided not to give her my usual perky "hi!" She didn't look like she wanted any part of perky.

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I went to swipe my debit card, and as I was doing so and loading my bags into the cart, I realized that one gift bag I'd bought was completely crumpled across at least half of it. Not a little folded, not bent. Crumpled. And it honestly looked intentional. There wasn't anything in the bag that was squishing it; instead, it looked like it had been shoved into the bag with a vengeance.

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Calmly and pleasantly (honest!), I said, "Oh...um, could I please get another bag? This one got crumpled." Notice I didn't place blame--not "YOU crumpled it" or anything like that. I was continuing to be as polite as possible.

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The clerk gives me a death glare (not even exaggerating here), and then slowly takes out the bag to examine it--I suppose to see if my request was warranted. She then tosses it behind the checkstand and curtly says, "I guess. If you want to walk all the way across the store to get another one!"

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I looked at her, blinked a few times, and said, "Oh, really?" (GAME ON, baby. You just crossed the line.)

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Then I asked Erin if she wouldn't mind going "all the way across the store to get another one." She happily took off to retrieve a bag.

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I finished my debit card transaction, then looked up at her and, again in the most polite (albeit semi-disgusted sounding) voice said, "You know, you were extremely rude to me just now. There was no reason to act like that when I was being reasonable and polite."

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She glares at me once again and then comes up with this: "Well, you didn't say you wanted the bag folded."

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(Whatever had I been thinking?! How could I be so foolish as to not request these things?!?!)

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I actually chuckled outloud and said, "You're kidding me, right? I had to SPECIFY to please not damage my merchandise? Seriously?"

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I waited. No response.

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I then said, "You know, you are really something. Thank you so much for that professional, heartfelt apology."

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And then I wheeled away, cussing under my breath.

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And I may have even wished on her a bout of chronic diarrhea for the remainder of the day. Just possibly.

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Apparently, I'm just hell to live with.

In regards to the post below (which you need to read first before this one):

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Just talked to my husband a few minutes ago, and this helping out stuff wasn't exactly the kids' idea. Apparently, Joe told them last night that they need to step up to the plate and do more housework. He told Erin that she has to vacuum/dust every other day, and that Chad has to do the laundry/wipe down counters every other day, and that they need to keep the house generally picked up (trash emptied, stuff put away, dishes in the dishwasher, etc.).

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So, I said to Joe, "How nice! I really appreciate your supporting me like that!"

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He replied, laughing, "Well, I'm not THAT nice. I'm just tired of listening to you rant & rave when you get home from work every night, saying that no one's helping you out."

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Umm... love you, too???!

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Who needs a housekeeper?

This morning, my husband returned to work for the first time since March--and since his back surgery. I've talked to him twice today, and so far, so good. He's an engineering technician for a government contractor who normally goes out "in the field" and sets up ordnance tests (I could tell you more, but then I'd have to kill you), but right now, they have him learning calibration. Whatever that is. (Shh, really....ignorance is bliss. I don't want to clutter my brain with that kind of knowledge. I'd rather clutter it with seemingly useless things, like millions of song lyrics or rare disease symptoms which no one whom I know will ever exhibit. But if they do, buddy, I will be able to diagnose them faster than a speeding physician's assistant!) Anyway. Ahem. So, he's back to work and feeling so-so physically but great mentally. It's hard on a man to sit at home for that many months in a row!




Okay, so I'm getting to my point. Honest.




This morning, our kids (13 & almost 10) stayed home all morning by themselves--their usual summer schedule--while we worked. The plan is that I then run them in to the base's school-aged care and teen center at lunchtime, which works out great for all of us. They have some time to sleep in a little, be lazy, not rush out the door first thing in the morning... and I save hundreds a month in childcare! We did it last summer without a hitch, so I'm confident this summer will go just as well.







Before I left, I told Chad there were whites in the washer, and asked if he could just throw them into the dryer at some point. He'd worked hard at home all day yesterday while Joe was there, so besides just transferring the clothes over, I didn't want him to do anything but relax all morning.







BUT... when I came home at lunchtime, I was greeted with, "Guess what, Mom?! Erin and I put the laundry in the dryer, folded it and put it all away, washed/dried/put the sheets on my bed, vacuumed the whole house, dusted the whole house, wiped down the kitchen counters, emptied the dishwasher, and made your lunch!"







I tell ya: Sometimes those kids drive me absolutely crazy (2% of the time maybe), but the other 98%? I swear I have two of the nicest, most thoughtful children on the face of the earth. I am so blessed...so grateful.







Also, thank you for you ongoing thoughts, prayers and well wishes these past few months while Joe has recovered. It's been tough, and slow-going, but I'm confident you guys are what helped him get to where he is today.


Well... you & God, that is.