Sunday, April 25, 2004
And so ends the birthday madness...
Why do I EVER host events? It makes me crazy, but I think I am actually getting it down to a science.
Saturday was my daughter's 4th birthday party. It was a princess party. 11 princesses and 4 princes. (Yes, that's right: Fifteen 4-year olds!)
Friday night I spent the late evening blowing up party balloons & putting up crepe paper in the kitchen & living room. I got a little nuts with the stuff. My husband walked in & just started laughing. So I said "OK, maybe I went a bit overboard", to which he replied "Oh, really? What was your first clue?". Ha, ha. I took about four hours out of my day on Friday to create a Disney Princess Castle cake (found a super-cool kit on Ebay!). I am not a cake decorator, but I bought the Wilton bags & tints & tools & pretty much winged it. I'd say for a complete amateur, it came out pretty darn cute. My daughter was thrilled & that was the whole goal.
The kicker was Mother Nature. Weekly forecast: Sunny, sunny, sunny, sunny, Saturday? 80% chance of THUNDERSTORMS, on and off. Why care? The giant princess bouncy castle I rented. I talked to the purveyors about 4 times between Friday night & Saturday morning. Should we or shouldn't we? Finally, I said "screw it", let's go for it.
On a side note, let me say mention that the guys were an HOUR late to set the thing up! When I say an hour late, I mean an hour after the party started. There were plenty of phone calls during this period, mind you. First and foremost, I wanted to know what my adjusted cost was going to be due to their "violation of our agreement". I got a whole $25 bucks off. Better than a sharp stick to the eye I suppose.
So anyway, when it finally came, it was lightly sprinkling. Just enough to make the floor of the thing feel as though it had been Crisco-coated. (picture 4-year old melons knocking off of one another). So we had a cake & present break, during which my tireless husband went out there with about 8 beach towels & dried the thing out on his hands & knees. God love him. Then we issued socks to everyone to reduce slippage. Finally! No rain! Success! The kids bounced for about 45 minutes, then all the random invitees left, and our core group stayed & played longer, during which time all of the adults had their turn. (On another side note, what is it about jumping on that thing that challenges the bladder muscles so?). It was great fun, and we were very relieved that our only planned activity finally came off without another hitch.
Next year: Burger King playland? Maybe not, but at least we'll have the photos of the Grand 4th Birthday event to reflect on for years to come.
Why do I EVER host events? It makes me crazy, but I think I am actually getting it down to a science.
Saturday was my daughter's 4th birthday party. It was a princess party. 11 princesses and 4 princes. (Yes, that's right: Fifteen 4-year olds!)
Friday night I spent the late evening blowing up party balloons & putting up crepe paper in the kitchen & living room. I got a little nuts with the stuff. My husband walked in & just started laughing. So I said "OK, maybe I went a bit overboard", to which he replied "Oh, really? What was your first clue?". Ha, ha. I took about four hours out of my day on Friday to create a Disney Princess Castle cake (found a super-cool kit on Ebay!). I am not a cake decorator, but I bought the Wilton bags & tints & tools & pretty much winged it. I'd say for a complete amateur, it came out pretty darn cute. My daughter was thrilled & that was the whole goal.
The kicker was Mother Nature. Weekly forecast: Sunny, sunny, sunny, sunny, Saturday? 80% chance of THUNDERSTORMS, on and off. Why care? The giant princess bouncy castle I rented. I talked to the purveyors about 4 times between Friday night & Saturday morning. Should we or shouldn't we? Finally, I said "screw it", let's go for it.
On a side note, let me say mention that the guys were an HOUR late to set the thing up! When I say an hour late, I mean an hour after the party started. There were plenty of phone calls during this period, mind you. First and foremost, I wanted to know what my adjusted cost was going to be due to their "violation of our agreement". I got a whole $25 bucks off. Better than a sharp stick to the eye I suppose.
So anyway, when it finally came, it was lightly sprinkling. Just enough to make the floor of the thing feel as though it had been Crisco-coated. (picture 4-year old melons knocking off of one another). So we had a cake & present break, during which my tireless husband went out there with about 8 beach towels & dried the thing out on his hands & knees. God love him. Then we issued socks to everyone to reduce slippage. Finally! No rain! Success! The kids bounced for about 45 minutes, then all the random invitees left, and our core group stayed & played longer, during which time all of the adults had their turn. (On another side note, what is it about jumping on that thing that challenges the bladder muscles so?). It was great fun, and we were very relieved that our only planned activity finally came off without another hitch.
Next year: Burger King playland? Maybe not, but at least we'll have the photos of the Grand 4th Birthday event to reflect on for years to come.
Tuesday, April 20, 2004
Great service for my money! NOT!
The best way I can describe my grocery store experience this afternoon is to share the letter I promptly wrote to the General Manager upon returning home. And a caveat: I know I'm not totally guilt-free in this situation, but SERIOUSLY!
Anyway:
Dear Mr. XXXXX,
I wanted to take a moment to share an experience I had at your store this afternoon. I came in with my daughter about 5:30 p.m. to grab a few items and it was raining quite hard. Knowing I wouldn’t be long, I pulled under the grocery pick-up awning, over to the far left so I wouldn’t block the way and cars could easily get by.
When I was almost done shopping, a large, masculine older woman with dark hair approached me. She had seen me pull up (apparently outside smoking) and informed me that my car was “totally blocking the drive through” and that I needed to “move right now” while she held my cart at customer service. I was actually speechless, but did manage to tell her to leave my cart where it was. I almost felt bad for pulling in there until I went outside and saw that there were no other cars anywhere! I was expecting a 10-car pile-up based on the tone she used with me.
Granted, this is not traditional parking, and I’m not the type to use a handicap space, or even somewhere clearly marked “no parking”, but telling a customer with a small child to quit shopping, go out into a downpour (again, with small child) and move her car for no reason is absolutely ridiculous. I am in your store 2-4 times a week and spend hundreds of dollars. Perhaps I’m not your largest customer, but a regular one nonetheless. I came back to Price Chopper after your owner transition and stocking difficulties, but if this is how good customers are treated at your store, I will gladly give my business back to Hen House.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
_____________________________________________________
Am I wrong being ticked here? I mean, if I HAD caused a problem that would be a totally different story. For those of you who know me, love me and possess my email address, feel free to comment. Hen House has better discounts anyway....
The best way I can describe my grocery store experience this afternoon is to share the letter I promptly wrote to the General Manager upon returning home. And a caveat: I know I'm not totally guilt-free in this situation, but SERIOUSLY!
Anyway:
Dear Mr. XXXXX,
I wanted to take a moment to share an experience I had at your store this afternoon. I came in with my daughter about 5:30 p.m. to grab a few items and it was raining quite hard. Knowing I wouldn’t be long, I pulled under the grocery pick-up awning, over to the far left so I wouldn’t block the way and cars could easily get by.
When I was almost done shopping, a large, masculine older woman with dark hair approached me. She had seen me pull up (apparently outside smoking) and informed me that my car was “totally blocking the drive through” and that I needed to “move right now” while she held my cart at customer service. I was actually speechless, but did manage to tell her to leave my cart where it was. I almost felt bad for pulling in there until I went outside and saw that there were no other cars anywhere! I was expecting a 10-car pile-up based on the tone she used with me.
Granted, this is not traditional parking, and I’m not the type to use a handicap space, or even somewhere clearly marked “no parking”, but telling a customer with a small child to quit shopping, go out into a downpour (again, with small child) and move her car for no reason is absolutely ridiculous. I am in your store 2-4 times a week and spend hundreds of dollars. Perhaps I’m not your largest customer, but a regular one nonetheless. I came back to Price Chopper after your owner transition and stocking difficulties, but if this is how good customers are treated at your store, I will gladly give my business back to Hen House.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
_____________________________________________________
Am I wrong being ticked here? I mean, if I HAD caused a problem that would be a totally different story. For those of you who know me, love me and possess my email address, feel free to comment. Hen House has better discounts anyway....
Monday, April 12, 2004
Mfthfmph!
Oh, sorry. That's how the title comes out when your mouth is jammed with Easter chocolate. Ok...these holidays are killing me! I'm just grateful for the nice, long pause between Christmas and Easter. My insulin levels were almost back to normal!
I guess this is where I mention I have a raging sweet tooth. Chips? Nuts? Eh. They're OK, but I can easily pass them up. Sweets sitting there staring me in the face? Fuggedaboudit! Doesn't really matter what kind. Cookies...cake...candy...ice cream. Love 'em all. Maybe THAT'S why I was a chubby kid! Actually, I think it was because I WAS chubby, that I was not allowed lots of treats as a kid and that developed an unhealthy yearning to jam sweets into my mouth until I choke. My mother would buy things like Twinkies and say they were really only from my sister because she was so "skinny" and I really shouldn't eat those things. Hello eating disorder! No, I didn't develop one, but my relationship with food has always been a tenuous one. I reigned it into control, more or less.
In general, I eat very healthy. Fast food, maybe once every 3 or 4 months (not counting sub shops), I DO NOT buy the above mentioned treats to have at my house. I grill chicken, steam vegetables & drink wonderful protein shakes. I work out alot. Why am I not a rail, you may ask? Because of the evil HOLIDAYS! I can "not buy" that stuff forever, but when it is put in front of me...I just can't resist! Just recently I kicked up my workout routine & cleaned up my diet even more in anticipation of my upcoming vacation. Then The Cold hits. No gym for a week+, and eating? Well, whatever. Then Easter comes sliding in to deliver the final blow. Just when I was starting to slowly see the results of my clean-up act, I'm back to square one. Annoying.
I still have four weeks left before go-time, so I feel like I can easily & safely plan on saying goodbye to about 5-8 lbs. It will make me feel better on va-cay, anyhow. Let's see...what's next? Spring! The official "no sugar-swapping holiday zone!" Yippeee!
Oh, sorry. That's how the title comes out when your mouth is jammed with Easter chocolate. Ok...these holidays are killing me! I'm just grateful for the nice, long pause between Christmas and Easter. My insulin levels were almost back to normal!
I guess this is where I mention I have a raging sweet tooth. Chips? Nuts? Eh. They're OK, but I can easily pass them up. Sweets sitting there staring me in the face? Fuggedaboudit! Doesn't really matter what kind. Cookies...cake...candy...ice cream. Love 'em all. Maybe THAT'S why I was a chubby kid! Actually, I think it was because I WAS chubby, that I was not allowed lots of treats as a kid and that developed an unhealthy yearning to jam sweets into my mouth until I choke. My mother would buy things like Twinkies and say they were really only from my sister because she was so "skinny" and I really shouldn't eat those things. Hello eating disorder! No, I didn't develop one, but my relationship with food has always been a tenuous one. I reigned it into control, more or less.
In general, I eat very healthy. Fast food, maybe once every 3 or 4 months (not counting sub shops), I DO NOT buy the above mentioned treats to have at my house. I grill chicken, steam vegetables & drink wonderful protein shakes. I work out alot. Why am I not a rail, you may ask? Because of the evil HOLIDAYS! I can "not buy" that stuff forever, but when it is put in front of me...I just can't resist! Just recently I kicked up my workout routine & cleaned up my diet even more in anticipation of my upcoming vacation. Then The Cold hits. No gym for a week+, and eating? Well, whatever. Then Easter comes sliding in to deliver the final blow. Just when I was starting to slowly see the results of my clean-up act, I'm back to square one. Annoying.
I still have four weeks left before go-time, so I feel like I can easily & safely plan on saying goodbye to about 5-8 lbs. It will make me feel better on va-cay, anyhow. Let's see...what's next? Spring! The official "no sugar-swapping holiday zone!" Yippeee!
Wednesday, April 07, 2004
M.I.A.
Sorry about my extended absence, folks. I've got A COLD. A big 'un, too. There I was, all extra-smug because my husband had been fighting HIS for 2 weeks, and there I was...the picture of health! I gloated too soon. Damnit.
Here's the deal: I get sick ALL THE TIME. And it's not fair. I eat right, I take supplements, I work out. I don't lick public doorknobs. Seriously, what the...?
Some of my friends like to incorrectly label me a "hypochondriac". As if I can conjure up the gallons of snot oozing from my head! And it really ticks me off, because "hypochondriac" implies that I'm making it up! Oh, ya got me! There's nothing I love more than the LOADS of attention that is heaped on me when I have yet another cold! Put ME out! I'M on fire! C'mon, people. I'm not asking for much. Just don't call me a damn liar, for God's sake!
Anyway...this lovely bug has kept me out of the gym for almost an entire week, which sets me back two weeks. I have a cruise coming up in five weeks so I've really been trying to hit it hard. Oh, well.
I even downed an entire bottle of Sambucol Immune Booster trying to kill this thing before it started. Bye, $15!
Sorry about my extended absence, folks. I've got A COLD. A big 'un, too. There I was, all extra-smug because my husband had been fighting HIS for 2 weeks, and there I was...the picture of health! I gloated too soon. Damnit.
Here's the deal: I get sick ALL THE TIME. And it's not fair. I eat right, I take supplements, I work out. I don't lick public doorknobs. Seriously, what the...?
Some of my friends like to incorrectly label me a "hypochondriac". As if I can conjure up the gallons of snot oozing from my head! And it really ticks me off, because "hypochondriac" implies that I'm making it up! Oh, ya got me! There's nothing I love more than the LOADS of attention that is heaped on me when I have yet another cold! Put ME out! I'M on fire! C'mon, people. I'm not asking for much. Just don't call me a damn liar, for God's sake!
Anyway...this lovely bug has kept me out of the gym for almost an entire week, which sets me back two weeks. I have a cruise coming up in five weeks so I've really been trying to hit it hard. Oh, well.
I even downed an entire bottle of Sambucol Immune Booster trying to kill this thing before it started. Bye, $15!
