On Saturday, K- and I went to Lowe's for the building clinic. We make it 97% of the time that they have workshops scheduled. This week was a monster truck. It was nice and heavy. It rolls very well. A rather lovely project.
We got in, built the truck, got the patch and certificate and headed out through the parking lot. There was what I presume was a grandfather and his granddaughter having a discussion.
"You know, the cars for the truck to run over, I don't know how long those will actually last." (They were paperboard cars that you build, the car runs over them and you refold them.)
"Well, I'm not so certain about these stickers. I just don't know." (The medium weight slick stickers to decorate the outside of the truck with.)
Really? I'm surprised that they didn't complain about the design on the patch that you get free after having built the project.
I know that at work, we give out a free ornament to each FAMILY (though there are folks who abuse that) and people have complained. One year, they tried something new. They gave out something different. Of course, we had a few complaints:
"If you are going to be giving things out like this, I'm just going to stop shopping here."
It is a free ornament. It is thoughtful. We don't buy ugly, funky stuff. Get over it.
For the folks who complain about free items, they are free. Your taking advantage of them is purely optional. You do not have to fill your home with them. You do not have to enjoy them. You can say, "No thank you." Please keep your ungrateful comments to yourself.
There are plenty of times that I have declined free items that I would not or could not use. We declined a load of brown mulch this weekend from the neighbor. He got a little over zealous on ordering mulch and got way too much. We declined for several different reasons including the biggest reason-- we have black mulch. We also have mulch that is chunkier and not shreds that just won't last. See? It was a thoughtful gesture and as we thanked profusely for being asked, we respectfully declined the load of unmatching mulch. It isn't that hard. (By the way, this was the other Mike, not the Mike who gives us all of the electronics. We have Mikes that lives on either side of us.)
There are more examples that I could probably talk about, but oh. my. heavens.
Question of the day:
Have you run across someone completely thankless for something that was nice and free? Do tell!
Smiles in my day:
- All the rain that we are getting makes up for the watering that I haven't been doing. I've been watering the plants next to the house, but I've left the perennials to fend for themselves. They've been just fine and my water bill thanks me for it. Our rain gauge measure 2" in the last 24 hours.
- K- and Hubs went bowling today. What a riot. She went all prepared with a turquoise tank top, matching terry cloth shorts, a fabric headband on like a sweat band around her forehead, knee high socks and worn out brown shoes from school. Ah yes. She is a fashion plate. And yes, she won.
- The Amish gentleman was here replacing a lifted board on K-'s swing set tower when I arrived home. Realizing the time, I quickly packed him a dinner to go. Thankfully, I had turkey tenderloin, carrots and potatoes in the crock pot. It was 6:30 PM, he still had probably about an hour and a half before he arrived home and he was very thankful! We were grateful that he did a board replacement.
- I GOT A RAISE! It has been a long time, since my boss' have been a bit more conservative due to the economic environment all of us have been experiencing. I was so excited! I still am!
- My boss' decided to make Monday, July 5th a paid holiday. I will be painting part of our kitchen and getting paid for it. HOORAY!!!
Have a great day!
Have a great day!
4 comments:
Congratulations on your raise!
The saying used to be "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth." I guess that concept isn't taught much anymore. I think that your gracious no thank yous are the way to go if you don't want something.
My examples:
Lately a city employee has been criticizing the garden club and me in particular, the two times I have seen him recently. In front of other people, including the City Manager. We are volunteers for Pete's sake! I clearly need to go talk to him and find out what his problem is.
One year when the Garden Club was planting, a woman came up to me and said that with all the problems in the world it was terrible that we wasted time planting flowers! I was so stunned I couldn't think of anything to say. I wish I'd had a snappy answer. But even now I can't think of one.
Sunday before Memorial Day this year, when I was cleaning the beds and planting flowers in front of the soldiers memorials so they would look nice for the ceremonies the next day, a man came up to me and said I should be in church, not planting flowers.
Funny that they are all garden club examples.
Your post is a good reminder to me to be more gracious too!
Kathy
I am so sorry that you've taken flak over city gardening. Our city garden spots? People have been stealing bushes and flowers. In fact, they've found that they can't put red or white out and have had to switch colors altogether.
Thank you for all of your hard work. Just like I tell Hubs, you can give someone a free car and they'll be people who complain about the color.
ARGH!
Woo hoo! Congrats on the pay raise!! :o)
I've had children be ungrateful for little items I've given out at school. "I don't like *that* kind. Don't you have *this* kind?" Um, excuse me? I'm giving you something *I* purchased with MY own money and you're ungrateful? No "thank yous" or anything? It makes me INSANE!
Concreteprimroses, you have GOT to be kidding me? Where do people get the chutzpah to come up to a complete stranger and make such remarks? Good grief.
Amy, they STEAL from the city?!? Really??? Man. :sigh:
congrats on the raise! yay! and that Mon is now a paid holiday for you - awesome news! Happy 4th!
Post a Comment