Hello tired!

The sleep over camp out went well, but I was on Mommy Watch, and everytime someone turned, I woke up. After we left my cousins house, we did a few errands, came home, had lunch, tried to take a nap, was unsuccessful, then I went out to garden. I'm happy to say that one full bed is completely cleared, plants have been moves and almost all vegetables have been planted. Here's what I did: Moved the stray Columbine to join its family. Moved a volunteer Forget Me Not away from choking out the Asters and to a happy home of its own. Moved some stray Black Eye Susans to join their family. Moved the Blazing Star so that it wouldn't blaze over top and ahead of something shorter. Planted all of the tomatoes- Jasper's, Yellow Pear and Sweeties (joining volunteer Sungolds and a mystery volunteer.) Planted two mini bell peppers. Planted 5 Ground Cherries. Planted several Marvels of Peru that I grew from seed. Planted onion sets. Planted a couple patches of Little Finger carrots. Seeded several sunflowers. Seeded English Daisies. Seeded Hollyhocks. Seeded yellow straight neck squash. Have I mentioned how tired I am? Oh yes, I did that in the post title. Well, I stand by that statement. Zzz. P.S. Kindle likes to dump this into one huge paragraph. So sorry.

Doh things to give God praise.

I tell you, I've had a day.  Not a bad day.  Not a good day.  It's been-- a day.

First thing that went a weird was that I had the PTA room door close on my hand.  Luckily, my engagement ring (not large, mind you) stopped it from causing injury.  I looked at the prongs, they seemed fine and I pressed on.  Later, I noticed that my ring looked like it had a corner. 

Rings are round, y'all.

I realized that it wasn't slightly misshapen, but totally unround at the bottom.  That is not good.

When I got home, I tried to get it off. It wouldn't come off.  I tried a couple of different soaps and lotions .  Dawn dish washing detergent may save ducks from oil slicks, but it wasn't saving me from my smashed-onto-my-finger ring yet. 

I started to panic.  I did that after my cousin asked if it was cutting off circulation.  It wasn't, but now it had grown to something to obsess about. 

Yarg.

I called the jeweler.  I explained what happened and asked if they could cut the ring off.  "Yes."  I asked if the repair would fall under my warranty.  "No."  Ugh.

I sat with my hand on an ice pack for a good 20 minutes.  I sprayed my finger down in window cleaner (a work trick), started working the ring, doused it in Dawn and kept pulling while chanting, "Come on God!  Please Lord!" 

The phones (yes, plural) started ringing.  I could hear a text coming through.  I had gotten the ring to the point that if I left it, I was cutting circulation off.  I pulled, tugged and pleaded with God some more. 

Thankfully, it finally came off.  That's not before my finger turned into a swollen red and purple mess, though.

I met K- at the bus stop and told her that we needed to take the ring for repair.  I got it up there, and hooray!  Because I was able to pry it off of my finger, the repairs WILL fall under the warranty.  :)!!!  That saves at least $100.00.

I was driving and talking on the cell (yes, I know and you can yell at me-- I don't do it often at all) and I made a left hand turn.  Half way through said turn, I saw a sign telling me no left hand turn there.  I was half way through and had to keep with it. 

Then I saw the police officer.

Then I told Kay that I had to go because I was going to get a ticket.

:whoop, whoop:

Darn it.

I was following everything else, but wasn't going to deny that I screwed up.  "Do you normally take that turn like that?"  "No.  I saw the sign half way through and had to roll with it at that point."  "Ma'am, there are two signs."  "I know.  I saw it."  I handed him my license and insurance.  He was gone for just a few minutes and came back to the car.  "Do you really want to screw up a perfect driving record with that?"  "No."  "I'm giving you a warning this time."  "Thank you!"  "Next time you want to turn, you want to--"  "I know, go up to the next light."  He laughed and said yes.  I told K- that it serves as a good example.  I knew that I screwed up.  I admitted it.  Because I admitted it and was polite, I was given a warning.  He could tell that I've been a good driver.  Every driver, no matter how good, goofs from time to time.  It is what it is.  Would it have been good for me to correct and get into an accident to avoid the illegal left hand turn that I was in the midst of?  No.  I made a judgement call.  Technically, I was wrong.  Still, I was praying for a warning and so was Kay.  I called her right after.  "TELL ME THAT YOU ONLY GOT A WARNING!"  "I did!"  "We were praying!  I promise that we were praying!" 

So, we're thankful to God for helping me to get out of my ring.  I only sustained some bruising done on my own to get the ring off.  I was able to avoid a hefty repair bill.  Because I was honest with the officer, didn't try to dodge the wrong thing that I did, I was given forgiveness.  Not a bad life lesson for K- to be a witness to. 

Now, if God will continue his blessings on me as I go to help supervise a camp out overnight with some young ladies, it would be grand.  It is supposed to be 48 F, but we think it might get colder.  Hubs will be snuggled warm in our bed and house while I sleep in my cousin's back yard.  The girls are truly all great kids, but me thinks that there will be an extra body in my sleeping bag before the night is through.

Dear unsigned credit card users,

I work retail.  I get unsigned cards all the time.  I had one yesterday.  "I need your ID, please," I said to the young man.  "I don't have it with me."  "Sam's Club, university ID-- anything works."  "I don't have one, but I don't sign my card on purpose." 

Really?

"Kind of bit you in the butt this time." 

I cannot understand for the life of me why people CHOOSE to NOT sign the credit card.  Here is something for the non-signers to think about:

1.  You lose your purse or wallet or worse, it gets stolen.
2.  None of your cards are signed because your thought is that someone is going to ID that person.
3.  Most places let you self slide your card now, making some of my point pointless.
4.  Person who stole your wallet or purse looks and your cards aren't signed.  Hot diggity!  When they sign your card, THE SIGNATURES WILL NOW MATCH BECAUSE THEY WERE THE ONES WHO SIGNED IT AND NOT YOU! 

Common sense, people!  If you really want the cashier to ID you to make sure it is you, do what Discover Card suggested that we do.  We sign our signature line, but small and write very large and in fine point Sharpie, "PLEASE ID."  Works like a charm.  Even drive thru people ID me.

Please, for the love of Pete and Pete's brother Pete, SIGN YOUR CREDIT CARD!  Y'all are driving the retail establishments crazy with either being ticked that we ID or being all miffy because you have come unprepared.  Not. My. Fault.

What did I do for the IDless young man?  I took his personal information as he was buying a gift for his mother for Mother's Day, she was in from out of town on a surprise trip and he was purchasing the gift from himself and his sibs.  "Thanks for letting that go through," he said.  "I didn't have much of a choice," I said as I contemplated begging him to sign the freakin' card.

Sign.  Please.  If you don't believe me, call your credit card company and get their advice.  Just don't get mad if your items are lost or stolen and signed in someone else's handwriting.  At least I warned you.

I chased after a customer . . .

To all who commented about my sandal quandary, thank you.  I truly appreciate your feedback. 

I had a group of ladies come into the gallery today.  I was talking with Julia, a lady walked by, I looked down and it was as if God came down, made her shoes glow with flashing neon arrows and I followed after her.  I apologized for following her, but asked if I could ask about her shoes.  She was very kind to share the information and to say, "I bought them in February, so you'll be glad to know that they are current shoes!"

Praise GOD!!

I went online on my Kindle (everyone else can smoke and I don't, so I used "my smoke break" as a quick way to look the shoes up.)  What she had on were Merrell Wonder Gloves.  They are a delightful Mary Jane shoe that go by the theory of barefoot walking.  (Think of the toesy shoes, but these are without the junk crammed between the toes.)  I came home and did a bit of research.  I was sad to see that they are price locked, not subject to any discount anywhere and they aren't at any store within a 20 mile radius, so I did go ahead and order them online.  I bought them from Onlineshoes.com, because they have free shipping both ways, free returns/exchanges and a 365 day guarantee.  I'm curious to see how my currently aching metatarsal will take to the barefoot structure.  I had a city-wide PTA recognition dinner to attend this evening and while I had a cute dress to wear (thrift for a dollar + free alterations from a friend, thankyouverymuch) I had nothing to wear for "legal footwear."  I didn't wear my Teva mush flip flops all day, but I wore them for an hour this AM (had a meeting) and for 2 hours this PM.  Between that and the line of thunderstorms that will be with us for the duration of the evening and early morning hours, my little toe metatarsal joint is speaking to me in aching tones. 

They aren't here yet, but I'm hopeful.  I'll get back to you, as I'm sure that you are sitting on the edge of your seats for this one.  And, for whatever it is worth, I never pay full price for shoes and never pay that much for my shoes at all.  We do not, however, wear cheap shoes in our house.  We'll wear thrift duds, but none of us can rock cheapie shoes.  I discussed the price with Hubs (I did tell him about the Vibram sole) and of course, he was good with it.  He knows that I'm in a shoe bind and wear my shoes for years and years anyhow.  Still, UGH!  I felt so bad!