My pick this week is in honor of my sister’s foster son. He is 2-1-2 and crazy about Thomas the Tank Engine and friends. A line of Thomas fabric just went on the shelves today. Here are just two of the fabrics in the line.
Jesse was also wild about Thomas and hisfriends when he was little, so this brings back some good memories.
I stopped at Hobby Lobby this morning to pick up one item. A couple of customers ahead of me in line were two friends. The first one got to the register and she had two packages of stickers. She insisted they were both on sale. The cashier (a girl who was probably about 18) said I’m sorry this one isn’t on sale. The customer wouldn’t accept her word and so the cashier asked another older cashier who said, “only the 3D stickers are on sale today.” The customer continued to argue that the signs didn’t specify, but chose to not buy the flat stickers. She paid and her friend moved to the register.
The friend also had two packages of stickers, one with a clearance price tag. The cashier politely told her clearance priced items were not included in the sale. This customer rudely insisted the signs did not state clearance items were excluded. The manager happened to walk by and the cashier asked him. He confirmed her statement. The customer turned to the manager and said, “The sign didn’t say it, I looked!” The manager responded it does say it. By this time both packages of stickers are rung up and the customer says if they aren’t on sale I don’t want them, than changes her mind and is making comments about false advertising. I finally can’t keep my mouth shut any longer and point out that the posted ad for the week does state all previously marked down items are not included in the sale. She insists that if the sign doesn’t say it, they have to give the discount.
In the mean time her friend walks back to check the signs. As the second woman is starting to walk out the door her friend calls out, ”It does say it.” Without a backward glance they continue out of the store.
I was bothered! They didn’t even offer an apology. In my opinion they had three strikes against them.
I saw the price of the sticker package in question, and they would have saved all of 71 cents. I have to ask myself, isn’t courtesy worth more than 71 cents? Don’t misunderstand, I’m all for getting a good deal. I also endorse correcting mistakes at the register both in my favor and in favor of the store. But there is a kind, courteous and humane way to go about it. My heart ached for the cashier. So as the busy shopping season bears down upon us, I hope I will pause to make retail workers’ days a little more pleasant.
There were 49 comments on the give away this morning. Using my trusty iPod random number generator I input the low number of 1 and the high of 49 and pressed the button . . .
The 32nd comment is the winner . . . so congratulations to Karen Azevedo. I will get that in the mail to you this week.
I’m loving the hardwood floors, but my feet are cold. I haven’t knit in several years, but the cold feet inspired me to get out the knitting needles and a pattern I inherited from my grandmother. This book is copyrighted 1965 about one year younger than me. Notice it is even a store sample book — I wonder how that happened, maybe on clearance?
I remember my grandma making these for my sister and me. I whipped out a pair and my feet are finally warm.
The pattern had pom poms on the top, but I’m not really a frou frou kind of girl so I left them off.
I thought about posting the pattern, but I’m not willing to take a chance with violating a copyright even a 45 year old one. That said, I did find the pattern online — so apparently I’m willing to let someone else take the chance. You can find it here.
Knitting provided time for me to remember, and it brought back memories of my Grandma Minne. She taught me how to knit and crochet. In addition, as far back as I can remember her sewing machine sat on the kitchen table during the week. The only time I don’t remember it being there was on Sabbath. I didn’t even know there was a case for it. I don’t remember her teaching me to sew, but I do remember wearing lots of clothes she made. She was 65 years old when she died and I was 17. A month or two before she died she gave me her sewing machine and I also inherited all her sewing and knitting supplies
This is the sewing machine.
It is close to my age and I’m guessing it was a top of the line machine at the time. I don’t use it much anymore, but I have no intention of ever parting with it. Not only does it bring back memories of my grandma, but I made my wedding dress, my sister’s wedding dress, the dresses for both wedding parties, my high school graduation dress and loads of clothes for college on it. It has seen a lot of fabric.
So as I said one thing leads to another, especially when traveling down memory lane.
I’ve started a new blog. It is going to be focused on the journey to a more healthy lifestyle. At the moment I’m on a “treasure hunt” for really healthy foods that my family will eat. It may expand to more than that. Just about everything else will stay on this blog. If you are interested you can visit here.
Edited: Clicking on the word “here” should get you to the blog, but if you can’t find it that way the url is http://forhealthsake.wordpress.com
This is the sight we awoke to this morning.
View from Front Door.
View from Back door.
You will notice the snow didn’t stick to the roads or sidewalks, but I can tell you the cement was very cold on bare feet.
This was not the first snow this year, that was actually on September 21. However, this was the first snow that stuck. Now before you start feeling sorry for me, you should know it snows more here in the Fall and Spring than during the Winter. October and March can often be the snowiest months. During the winter while many of the rest of you get plastered with snow we have clear blue sky and sunshine.
It doesn’t feel like Summer ever fully made its appearance this year, but according to the calendar Fall begins next Tuesday. Contrary to the calendar Fall has been creeping in for the last few weeks. There is a definite chill in the air on my morning bike rides and geese have been flying over in formation for two or three weeks. Even with those early signs yesterday I noticed things that really said, “Fall is HERE!.”
Picture taken with Nolan's Nintendo DSi
Looking out the classroom window I noticed the leaves were starting to change on this tree. This tree is always gorgeous when the leaves turn. So many colors in one place.
It was rainy and overcast yesterday, but for a few minutes on the way home from school the clouds broke and there it was — SNOW on the Peak. By the time I got to the camera the clouds had closed in again. This morning I took the camera on my early morning bike ride and snapped a few pictures. The Peak always looks better with snow. It still needs more to look really good.
I thank God every morning on my bike ride that I get to live in such a beautiful place. The mountains were the things I really missed the 9 years we lived on the East Coast. For me, it isn’t a mountain if trees can survive all the way to the top.
Finally I couldn’t resist taking this picture. The rain from yesterday was hanging from the tips of the pine needles.
I think it must be almost time to get out those sweaters.
Mama Spark’s is offering a give way on her blog. It is a $50 gift certificate to Bunny Hill Designs. If you’ve been reading here for any length of time you know I’m doing Bunny Hill’s free BOM this year. There are a couple other patterns I’ve been eying so why not enter the drawing? The chances are way better than the lottery. Posting here gives me an additional chance to win — however, that may mean there are more entrants. Hop on over and enter for your chance to win!
It was a toss up whether I called this post “Spoiled” or “Caved.” I already talked about taking a bike ride with Guy on July 5. What I didn’t mention is that he did a good deal of complaining about my bike. It hasn’t been the same since I crashed it last summer. Guy’s complaint was you can hear me coming and going. We had spent a little money getting it tuned up before I crashed it, but didn’t take it back in after the crash. It just wasn’t worth spending more money on it — it is older than both boys. Even before the crash Guy was trying to talk me into a new bike. So after listening to Guy and the bike, plus not being able to shift into the lowest gears I agreed to look at bikes that afternoon.
I really liked this one.
However, it is a 2009 model and the factory was out of them and is moving on to the 2010 models. The bike shop that was checking for us went ahead and ordered one in a different color combination. So this afternoon I went to test it out. What a difference! I still wasn’t keen on spending the money, but Guy persisted. I caved and thus I am spoiled. Here is my new ride. I took it out as soon as we got home for a quick three miles and now the only sound is the tires whirring over the trail.
I’m “old” and I wanted a kick stand. They were going to add one, but came back and told me they don’t recommend it with the light weight frame. So another bike that needs to be propped in the garage.
The heat broke today and we are having a very pleasant day. Which means even though the boys are being typical teens (is there such a thing) and sleeping in we still managed to go on a bike ride. (OK, I admit it, I’ve been staying up too late and managed to sleep in until after 8 this morning.)
Jesse was lobbying for a 3-6 mile ride, but Nolan had a book come in at the library and wanted to ride there. Jesse does not have good memories of a similar ride last summer. I told them we would ride that direction and see how it went. We made it all the way to the library and Nolan picked up the second James Bond book.
A new little shop opened in the library shopping center called Squeak. We had spotted it the last time we were at the library, but didn’t know if it was open. It is a soda shop. I have to assume it is along the same lines as a drug store soda shop in the 50s — I’m not old enough to know for sure. We went in to check it out. I believe they said there were 57 flavors of soda, there were little vials to smell before you buy. The also offered candy by the pound, ice cream, shakes, malts, floats, grilled cheese and coffee. I’m sure there was more. It appears to be an independent store and I hope they do well. The next time I go to the library, I’ll try to get a picture to add to this post. For those of you that are local and are reading this — they are in the shopping center at the corner of Rockrimmon and Vindicator.
(edited to add picture)(another edit — I found this video that shows the inside of the shop)
We took an alternate route home. Good thing because the last mile getting to the library is a fairly steep downgrade and I don’t want to go back up it or hear Jesse whine. We figured out where the bike path connects to the road and came home that way. Let’s not tell Jesse, but the trip was about 12-1/2 miles. That is the longest ride he has done this summer and he did pretty well! Way better than he was doing last summer.
Our afternoon storm clouds are rolling in so we made it just in time. I’m off to see how much quilting I can get in before I shut down as a precaution against lightening strikes.
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