What Comes Around  Goes Around Or Gets Lost

And Forgotten

Be consistant - Be Observant - Be Ready To Change

 

Some people start preparing for the Holidays as soon as the Ball Drops at Midnight on the year before. Some people start preparing even sooner, such s hitting the sales the day after Christmas.. Others, start on that dreaded Black Friday. You know, the day after Thanksgiving. They love the hustle and bustle of fighting off the crowds, digging out those hidden treasures that someone thought they were being slick, and hit it behind another something or other.
I'll admit, the times I do got out into the real world and do that nasty four-letter word called shop, I am the one looking for those so called hidden bargains. I love shopping the clearance sections. Or finding that one or two items that are inadvertently marked 90% off.  I hate to rush shopping because that is how you miss those hidden treasures.  But I hate shopping. So how can you get in and get out, but take your time searching for the deals?
To me the best way to shop is from the comfort of your own home.  Searching out the hints from various forums from members who have already done much of the leg work. This year, I can honestly say that I did 90 % of our Christmas shopping from home. The other 10% was from Flea Markets, Dollar General, Big Lots & Walgreens. 
I absolutely refuse to step foot in that other over rated W word store! They have gotten too big for their britches and have forgotten about the word Customer in Customer Service.  And it is not just me. There are other Family members, along with friends and a vast amount of online friends who feel the same as I do.
My thoughts are this, it follows the same principle of standing true to yourself. If there is a President in Office that you don't like, but you did not vote, do you have a right to complain? No, you don't. If you have a child you are trying to discipline from something. yet you break down and give in to them when they start throwing a fit, are you ever truly going to break them from that habit? No, you are not. That follows through to when they become teenagers. They will say, I know Mom is going to freak out and go nuts, but eventually She will get over it and life will get back to what it was. I know this because i have raised 3 Children of my own, and a total of 6 additional step children, and now 5 Grand kids. You have to remain consistent in what you stand for.
So if there is a place of business that has really agitated you or just is not doing the kind of business they way you would want done, then do NOT go there again ever!. Don't gripe and complain, yet still return week after week. Don't complain about the way a Music artists behave yet still listen to them. Don't complain about how these tabloid magazines and shows are so wrong in what they do, yet you still stand in line, read their magazines, occasionally purchasing them. Or occasionally watch the show on TV or share a story on the Internet.  It all goes right back to that child saying, well maybe not this time, but I will get away with it the next.
We are wishy washy when I wanna be's!
 Stand around and gripe, yet do nothing about it unless it is convenient. If, someone, someplace, something is sub standard or just plain wrong, do SOMETHING about it. Complain, go to a higher up, keep on going, but hit them where it hurts the most, in the wallet, the pocket, their profitability, their likelihood...
As long as business is doing good and they are making money, NOTHING will change.  But when consumers stop using their services, those antenna go up and they will listen if they want to survive? But the Consumer has to remain consistent. Otherwise "It's a slap on the hand and a little freaked out but they will get over it mentality".
Those who "listened" succeeded and not only succeeded, but they thrived. Those who didn't or don't ...  Wonder how many young people have heard of Woolworth, Shoney's Big Boy or Sears & Robuck & Co,,,,, Not so sure that even  Sears will be remembered by my Grand kids? 

Live the History, Escape Modern Life at the Lady of the Lakes Renaissance Faire, Near Orlando Florida

Live the History, Escape Modern Life at the Lady of the Lakes Renaissance Faire, Near Orlando Florida:

'via Blog this'

Sumter County Beef and Boogie Festival, Nov. 4-5, Webster, Florida

Sumter County Beef and Boogie Festival, Nov. 4-5, Webster, Florida:

'via Blog this'

Our New Grandson

Christian Shane Mansfield, born to Chris & Katie 9-26-11

7.25 lbs

20 1/4 "

4:41 PM

Halloween is Coming!!

Sweeter than candy - Get your Halloween Party Supplies, Treats, and Toys at Century Novelty!

quirky ideations | Wheelbarrow Caddy: Add-on storage for the wheelbarrow. Utilize the space between your wheelbarrow's handles to store/transport supplies!

Great ideas.. Have a place to go when you have come up with an awesome idea, but no where to go with it...
Nowo


quirky ideations | Wheelbarrow Caddy: Add-on storage for the wheelbarrow. Utilize the space between your wheelbarrow's handles to store/transport supplies!

Here is a cool idea!!

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Back To School Blues

To others this may not be funny, but those of us who have gone through it, will definitely find the humor among the chaos. Between my own and Step Kids, I have raised a total of 9 Children. That is a lot of "Back to School Moments" of Craziness!!

 Especially, when just a few days before the start of school, that is when they hold their Orientations. Not only would we NOT get a supply list until that time, every School in the County is pretty much on the same schedule.  This result is everyone in the county is making a mad dash at the same time for school supplies. To deal with this, you had to almost be a Magician yielding a Magic Wand, or have the ability to twitch your nose so that you could be in multiple places at once. You know this best when you have more than one Child in School at a time. Even more so if they are in different Schools, such as Elementary, Middle and High School. Sure as years went on, schools tried to compensate by creating so-called Orientation Day Schedules. This would mean, the Elementary School's time slot would be, 8-11, Middle, 10-12, and High School, 12-2.

Ok, now, each Child wants to, first, look their very best because their sole purpose is to see who they are sharing Classes with. But also to seek out that cute Guy or Gal they have had a crush on for weeks, even Months (Yes, to a degree this does even happen in Elementary School). Ok, so now each Child wants to be at their School the exact time it starts, and stay till the very end. They might miss something or someone. These thoughts are shared along with the rest of the entire world, so it seems by the Parking lot outside.

School Parking goes something like this: Wait, sigh, and wait in line to get in. You move at a slow roll, if you're lucky. As you inch in, you see some poor Parent going against that invisible track that all vehicles are supposed to be traveling on. So, you stop and wave her to proceed in front of you. She smiles, waves and you, return the same. You finally make it on to School grounds searching to find an empty spot. Again, you see another wayward Parent wanting to cut in front of you, "Not this time, Sister! You're on a Mission to find a parking spot. At this point, Your Child is now in panic mode because she heard the Bell ring 15 minutes ago. You say to heck with it, because by now, you are just looking for any opening to park in. You find a small space beside the Garbage Dumpster. It has some fencing around it, no one will even see you're parked there, you hope. Because of how you had to park, you hope like heck that it isn't garbage day? Oh well, you don't have time for that now.

Ok time to regroup, take a deep breath and, the hunt begins. First, you must find the office, then; find the paper containing the Class List, on the wall. Next, find the Grade of Your Child. Now read through 200 plus names. You have to inch inward as close to it as possible because you cannot read that fine print, because, of course, you forgot your glasses.

 Ok, got it! Now you have to find where THOSE particular groups of Buildings are located. They could be inside, outside, or Portables. Thank goodness there is no upstairs or downstairs, at this School anyways. Finally, you find it, and Your Child's name is not only posted on the door, but it is also listed in the teacher's book. Luckily, you dodged a bullet this time and didn't have to go to the Guidance office to find out why Your Child was switched?  OK, so now you wait for your turn. Do you try and sit in one of those very tiny desks next to where your Child found theirs? No, you decide standing would have its benefits in the long run. You finally meet the Teacher, go through all the niceties and get that so important School Supply list. You glance at it, do a double take. Every year that list gets longer and more complicated. You try to think what things you had already picked up. Of course, there are at least 10 more things on here you had no idea you would need. Especially, those 5 boxes of Kleenex and 5 bottles of unscented Hand Sanitizer, why do they need so many?  Oh well you shrug it off saying they'll get what they get.

Almost done, now, you do fly-by lookie loos in the directions of last year's Ms. So n So's Class, the Music Room, Library and, finally, the Cafeteria. You open its door, and let out a large Gasp, followed by a deep sigh. More lines! Lines for Locker Locks, PTA Memberships, before & After School Care, & the extremely long Bus Schedule Line... Oh my goodness, you feel your Face getting flushed. Red Bus, Blue Bus, 701 & 702 Bus!? What is happening? your Brain is being Dr. Seuss-ified... Time to go!

You find your way to the secret dumpster spot. Now you're partially blocked in and you realize you have to do it all over again in reverse just to get out of here. Can you go home now? Nope, you have the next School to go to, Middle School.

 Same routine as before except this time Your Child will walk 5 steps ahead of you at a pace you know does not exist once School starts when they are going from Class to Class. When Your Child finally locates each of their Classes and hugged a thousand people, they inform you "THEY" are ready to leave. Repeat the Parking Lot pandemonium.

Now, you get somewhat lucky at the next stop. Not only is this the High School, IT is the last School. This time, they don't really care if you even leave your car or if you find a Bench somewhere to sit. Preferably you do this in the shade because while they are looking for Homeroom, they visit with every Guy, Girl, Teacher, Safety Officer, Coach, Office Worker, Custodian, and Lunch Room lady they have ever met. You continue to sit until that time comes when you are extremely important. That is IF, the Checkbook needs to make an appearance, or if some sort of Permission Slip needs to be signed.

Finally, the day is over and you can go home. That is if you can talk your Child into postponing that trip to the Store to get those damn additional School Supplies!

 OK, now, here comes the "Funny" part of this "Back to School Story". Time has passed about 20 years from THOSE days.  Now I can sit Home and grin from ear to ear as I write this article. Why, because now it is My Kids that are doing these Contortionist Routines with THEIR own Children. A feeling of contentment rises up inside. 

I Love being a Grandma!