Retainers, the all day book fair, Mumford & Sons, return denial and theft.

Retainers:  We had a 7:30 AM appointment to free K from her palate expander and to have a less mechanical retainer installed on top along with a crescent retainer for the bottom.  We left our house at 7:10 AM.  Ouch.  She's delighted to feel the roof of her mouth once again.

The All Day Book Fair:  The book fair started at 8:30 AM, but I knew how it would go.  I blew into the door at 8:05 AM with $400 in change and found a room full of kids.  We were backed up with kids since the registers weren't actually assembled yet.  So much for starting at 8:30 AM.  We went from 8:30 AM until 6:30 PM.  We had customers until the very last minute.  I ate a school breakfast (ack, but it was free) and packed myself a Garden burger and was able to eat an apple muffin that I packed.  I was so tired once I got home that I ate cereal for dinner.  K was there until 5:30 PM.  Bless her heart. Hubs came to pick her up.  It was a really long day for him, but for a variety of other reasons.

I've been at the book fair previews M-W at 7:30 AM each morning.  Because the new book fair rep sent me half of what she was supposed to send, Kay and I have been scrambling to get enough product sent to sell.  So far, we're down about $1200 in sales from what we typically sell.  She didn't do her job properly and was trying to blame me.  Finally, I very bluntly informed her that, "I don't get paid to do this.  Unfortunately, I'm not curing cancer or resolving world peace issues.  I'll sell what I have and won't what I don't, but I do have to go back to work."  I had to go back to my job that actually pays the bills.

Mumford & Sons:  Because I need to wash the day away and they seemed to be the perfect fit.  Fugazi worked for a while, but 13 songs ran through and I needed a change.  I'm playing Sigh No More for anyone interested.  Dust Bowl Dance has me swaying in my seat.  What wonderfully calming tunes.  :sigh:

Return denial:  Today was return day at the book fair.  I will accept no more returns unless a book is falling apart or a pen doesn't work.  A child bought a book, read it during school and came after to exchange it.  "Why?"  "Because I want the other one."  "Did you read this one?"  "Yeah.  I read it today, so now I want to return this one to get the other one."  It was only owned for a few hours, but looked owned for weeks.  I told him no.  I told him that it was read and used and I couldn't sell it.  I had a kid who had given me a hard time during his book fair visit.  He ran after me during the release bell to tell me, "I want to return this poster!"  "Why?"  "Because I don't like it anymore."  I picked it up and it was rumbled and limp.  I might add that Scholastic's posters are about the weight of the average cereal box.  I told him no.  I couldn't sell it and he would have to keep it.  I explained both of these to the principal and he backed me on it.  Tomorrow and now forever I will have a sign hanging on the register that says, "No returns, exchanges or refunds."

Theft:  We did run into one incident of theft.  A 4th grader stole a classmate's book from their locker.  He was showing it to everyone and acting as if it was his.  The teacher sent the student down to us.  There was nothing I could do other than to keep an eye out.  I sent her to the office to report it to them.  My super sleuth friend remembered that we give a receipt with each purchase.  The child couldn't produce a receipt and then kept changing his story.  He'll probably be suspended over a $6 Minecraft book.  I talked to his teacher later.  She was so upset.  I did confirm that I hadn't seen him at all in the book fair.  I told her that I'm aware of who he is and would definitely know if he had been there.  So very sad.

'Night!  Zzzzz.

A Sponsor's Perk: A run down the Soap Box Derby hill.

Because our school PTA helped to sponsor our school Gravity Racing Team, we were told that 2 of the board members could go for a run down the hill.  I pulled the President of the PTA card and said that I was going to take one slot.  It was a beautiful day.  Sunny, 88 F and a lovely breeze.  At first, they were declining a ride to the sponsors, but because I told them that I'm practically a little human, I'd have no problem fitting into the car.

Hooray for shortness!

My husband did a video on our camera.  He has some mad recording skillz, but Blogger doesn't like it and I can't post it here.  Bummer.

K is yelling in the background, "That's my MOM!"  She yells it over and over.  It makes me happy.

It's a weird thing, but how often do you get an opportunity to take a soap box car down the hill?

1.  The car confirms that you are larger than you think that you are.
2.  It's little in there.
3.  You have tiny steering triangles to use.  There is no wheel.
4.  The brake is at your right foot and since even being 5'1" was pushing the comfort space, I felt like my knee was going to go up my nose.
5.  It goes faster than you'd think.
6.  It doesn't go as fast as you'd like it to.
7.  It is easier to steer than you'd think.
8.  The brakes worked!

:)

Those little slots in the curbing aren't magical vacuum slots.

Photo from Pinterest link.

It's the time of year that drives us absolutely crazy.  You have people far too lazy to do the extra 5% of lawn work involving clean-up.  What do they do?  They use the leaf blower to blow all of their lawn debris to the street or even worse, they blow it down into sewer.  Um, rainwater belongs there.  Lawn debris definitely does not.  Sewers are not dust pans.  Grant you, we do have street sweepers that we are required to pay a monthly assessment for.  They come by once a week.  At least, unless there was a torrential rain, I would think that they might clear lawn clippings from the roadway.  However, when people decide to use the sewer as a lawn debris or leaf collectors, I want to scream, "When they clog and back up, it's because of YOU!"

Please either clean up your lawn clippings or blow them back through the yard like Hubs does.  The bits break down, feed the lawn and then you don't have to put those nasty chemicals all over.  Greener grass and no water pollution!  A win-win for everyone!

I can't wait for June 5th!

June 5th is the day that kiddo gets out of school.  That certainly is a wonderful day to celebrate.  She gets to rock out at work with Hubs the following week at an Advanced Fishing Camp.  What else am I so darned thrilled about with the coming of June 5th?  Hmmm . . .

My time of being PTA President will be over!  

Today was my final meeting to conduct.  It was all OAA infected, so things were a little out of sorts there.  The teachers provided breakfast for us. They cooked wonderful things and we were very well fed.  

We celebrated the retirement of our previous librarian.  She is a super lady and we're glad that she was able to visit with us today.  

We celebrated those coming forward to take board positions.  Though the OAA prevented the kids from coming down to present us with candles, the room was so packed that there wouldn't have been room for them.  I did my annual jaunt to the Root Candle Outlet store.  I'm sorry, but I won't give someone a cheap, stinky candle to celebrate their willingness to come on to PTA board.  My previous candles were always put into the White Elephant at family Christmas. 

Our incoming president is a wonderful woman who stands on her own two feet and assures me that she isn't there for a popularity contest.  She said that she isn't afraid to say no if she needs to.  She is very OCD, so I believe that will serve her well.  I have no qualms about passing the presidency on to Erin.  She's a lot like me in ways, but about 8" taller, so she won't need the tiny step stool that they bought for me.  :)

As the meeting ended, I asked if there was any more business needing to attend to.  It ended up that a few members were irritated that we spent all of the budget and budget extension on popcorn already and the popcorn chair and I decided that cutting popcorn after tomorrow would be fine.  They gave me a whisker lickin' about a budget just being an approximation . . . but if we hadn't already voted on one extension, I wouldn't so much have an issue.  It isn't a fundraiser.  We augment the 25 cents per bag we charge.  Prices for materials have gone up exponentially.  I told them I wouldn't support another vote on popcorn budget when we just voted on it the previous months.  In the end, we voted to transfer some funds, but I hate that people always feel slighted about something.  It's popcorn.  It's the last month of school.  We have 10,000 things going on.  They got their way and walked away happy.  I walked away from the last moments of my last meeting feeling as if I had been run over by a speeding train.  

Then I texted Hubs.  I won't repeat here what I texted.  We'll just say that I was a bit irritated.  His comment?  "1 more month."  "27 days," was my response.

I'm still on PTA board next year, but never again.  I will always support the PTA and their mission.  I have no issue with that, but I would like to reclaim my life at a certain point.  After grade 5, I will be the minimally participative PTA parent.  They have officially burned me out. 

The reaction that customers give me when I tell them that we don't eat out.

"How is [this new] restaurant?  Do you know where it is at?"

"Because my husband has food allergies*, I don't get out much.  I'll ask a coworker for you."

:insert look of horror from the customer:

"WHAT DO YOU DO?"

"I cook a lot."

Her mouth dropped.  I don't know why.  Do people not cook anymore?

"I cook things at home with items that I know are safe for him to eat.  I buy soy or rice cheese, different things like that."

"Oh."

I get this from people a lot.  Actually, I get it far more often that I ever would have imagined.  Here is my blog reaction:

1.  Some people do cook.  I have a crock-pot that allows me to cheat on Soccer Sunday and such.  It's wonderful.  Last week, I made Taco Soup.  It was very delicious and we enjoyed it very much.
2.  Some people like to cook.  Every now and then, I'll hit a clinker.  By and large, things generally work out.
3.  Some people have to cook.  I can regulate salt and spices that I know won't work for us.  I can make otherwise illegal foods such as pizza for Hubs, but only homemade.  Grant you, it does cost more for us to have homemade pizza, but I like homemade better.
4.  *I say "food allergies" not to misinform but because I don't feel like dragging through the whole thing of this makes him ill and that makes him ill.  It's easier, though inaccurate, to say food allergies.  Janeen, I feel you flogging me with a wet, gluten and dairy free noodle as I type.  I know.  I know.
5.  I know that this seems like a simple thing that people don't think about.  Not everyone can afford to eat out at those fancy restaurants that you talk about.  It's not that I wouldn't like to.  I would dearly love to.  I'm not going to dip into the savings account in order to go to a nice restaurant.  We just don't have that extra flow on hand.
6.  We like to eat healthy foods and we find them to be more readily available at the farm market that we visit.  Produce, hummus & chips, and other dinner fixins. Yum.  By going to a small mom and pop, we're helping to support the little guy.  The grocery that I go to is a local chain.  That way, I'm supporting local business.
7.  I pack K's lunch on most school days, Hubs and I always pack our lunches.  By cooking, it gives some of us leftovers for lunch the next day.  (Typically me.)

So yes, there are those of us who cook.  Don't worry.  My people and I won't starve.  We always have food in the cupboards.

Yes, we do eat out-- a couple of times a year.  That is generally a trip to Panera.  Those trips are rare.

Those blasted phone people.

We are not in love with AT&T right now.  The salesperson gave us an public employee discount, but never bothered to tell us that our plan didn't qualify for that discount.  She also stated that tax and all, our bill would be $96.00 for the 4 non-smart phones.  (We have three phones like below and one old man flip phone.)  We're not high tech here with the phones.  We didn't get new phones, so we kept on with the old even though she insisted that we all go with smart phones.  

No. Thank. You.  Do you know how many times I drop this thing?  It still works.  God bless all, it still works after being dropped in a heap of snow, bounced off concrete, Pergo, gravel, parking lots (plural) and even all the way down the basement steps.  Mine is well used, but why fix it if it ain't broke?  You can all agree that an iPhone can't survive all of that! 

I have now spent 2 hours of my life that I cannot get back on the phone with customer service from AT&T.  The first lady talked with me about setting my billing up on autopay and online.  Well, she succeeded in setting up autopay, but I didn't receive a bill this month.  Enter Donna, Friday's customer service lady.  I asked that she check my e-mail address because it could have been entered wrong.  It seems as though Monica didn't enter one at all.  Hmmm.  Could be a problem.  L, the sales rep at the store, misquoted our price.  Our bill is $24 more than she quoted us.  

 Hubs is now on the hunt for a new carrier.  In the meantime, my beat up old phone that everyone makes fun of will just have to continue keeping on.  Someone asked me the other day if my phone was covered in duct tape.  "No.  The pattern is coming off of the case."

At least no one wants to steal it.

"Mom, you can go down to the Name Society and change my name to Pig A. Wiggle."

She had a 1/2 hour clean on her room. She decided to deep clean, then got overwhelmed, hateful and we had a bit of a room argument.

Y'all, it wasn't pretty.

My heart was broken as I saw things of true sentimental value just chucked into piles.  Necklaces that got tangled into knots.  Piles and piles and piles of papers jammed into desk drawers that needed to go away.   I went in with a garbage bag and was rather ruthless.  K was not pleased.

For a long time, I threatened to take her to the Social Security Office (AKA The Name Society to her) and change her name to Hester Pester.  Pig A. Wiggle works just as fine.  Just think of the wedding invitations.  She'll have some explaining to do.