It’s stinkin’ cold outside.  I really thought they would cancel school today.  Some did, but not L’Anse Creuse.  So being the nice mom I am, I went out in my jammies and drove the kids to school.  I hated to see them walk in this.  Thank goodness today wasn’t one of those days when someone I know comes up to my car while I’m in my jammies and rob sporting no makeup and my Don King bedhead hair do.

I don’t plan to go out again until 4 when I have to take Shelby and Dilly for a haircut at a friends house.  Might have mine cleaned up while I’m there too.  I’m growing it out and I have what I call “in between hair.”  I hate in between hair so it kills me to have anything taken off, but it would probably look a little better if I did.

Sadly tomorrow it looks like its going to be colder and I have to go all over tomorrow.  Getting fitted for figure skates at 11, appointment at the resale shop to unload soem of the kids clothes at noon, then CVS, Meijer and Target, back to the resale shop to pick up my money earned and then back home before 2 when the window people come to look at two windows.  Thankfully the windows are under warranty.  Busy day, cold day both of which equal YUCK.

I had planned to take photos of my photo spinner.  It’s done and I started putting photos in it yesterday.  I had to have some printed so I’m waiting for those and I’m still picking some out.  But, alas Denny took my camera again.  You’ll have to wait till tomorrow.  But while I was looking through photos I came across some from Shelby’s Baptism.  Brace yourselves… I’m going to scrapbook them today.  I planned to go lay in bed for awhile and watch cartoons with Shelby, but after coming in here and seeing them on the counter I changed my mind.

Shelby is sitting here looking out the window talking about the “waterpaul” on the pond and all the “icebergs” hanging off the house.  :p  It’s nice to be three.

~j

I have this illness that keeps me from doing nothing.  It’s good and bad.  I’m a good multi-tasker so at least I get a lot done in a short amount of time.  I do feel that I’m productive generally, so that’s a good thing.  I said yesterday that I was going to sit around and do nothing.  It didn’t work out that way…

I decided while on the phone I should be doing something so I washed the bathroom floor and baseboards, which really needed it.  Then, and I’ve been thinking this for awhile, I thought about how terrible I am about taking care of the marble and granite in our house.  Really I’m bad.  The marble in our big bathroom, which I guess counts as the master, has never been sealed.  So yesterday I washed it with the special cleaner I picked up and put a sign on the door to keep the heck out for 6 hours so that would cover me till after school and the boys would know to keep out!  After that time I can seal it, which is what I’ll be doing today.  I know, sounds like a good time.  :p  But if I wait for Denny to get the time I’ be waiting another 5 years.

I think come around 7:30 last night I finally hit a crash and burn type of thing.  I could have gone to bed and stayed there for a week.  Ugh.  Sadly, that’s not happening anytime soon.  I’m promising to take it a little easier today and give myself the restful catch up day I need.  Right after I seal the marble.

~j

I came home last night after taking Shelby, and the rest of my troop, to dance class and guess what was in my mailbox.  Ok don’t guess, it was my part for my tv!  WOO HOO.  I was pretty confident that this was the fix, sadly there was no way I was opening up that tv to try and fix it.  There are some things that are “Denny jobs,” this being one of them. So the box waited… and waited… and waited… until Denny finally came home and poof the tv works.  It wasn’t looking so good there for awhile and I was really ready to throw int he towel.  But Denny plugged on and, and after about 45 minutes we were back in business.  All just in time for me to watch my tv show at 9.  Makes for a very happy me!

I got up early this morning to get Denny breakfast and warm up his car for him while he took a shower.  He does the whole shower thing at night usually, but he looked like he was still half asleep this morning so I told him I thought he needed one to wake himself up.  He was pretty happy to come out to breakfast and a warm car.  See, proof I can be sweet when I want to be.

Nothing big on the calendar today.  As a matter of fact I might just get some fresh jammies on, run the vacuum and call it a day.  Over the last two days I’ve finished all the laundry and picked up the house for the most part so I really have some time to sit around and do nothing if I really want to.  At this point, I’m pretty sure I really want to.

Andrea… Jana… Michelle… I saw your comments but no one commented about the swap.  Michelle I know you’re in, how about everyone else.  Don’t be a hoarder, lol.

~j

Well the anniversary of my blog is only 11 days away.  I don’t know how exciting that is, but it’s an anniversary just the same.  I’ve been running on now since 2007.   In an effort to celebrate and move on some of the embellishments I’ve collected I’m going to run an embellishment swap.  I haven’t done one in AGES and I think it might help.  Let’s face it, we all buy stuff in packs most of the time and then use one or two things out of the pack and the rest just sit here.  So why not send them on to someone else and get something new back in exchange?

Here is how it will work…

Send along your baggies-o-embellishments to me, along with $1.50 for return postage.  Depending on the number of participants, you’ll get back the number of bags you send.  So send in three bags (sandwich sized) and get three back.  Like I said, it will depend on the number of people that sign up.  If I can’t get together enough bags,you’ll be getting some of yours back.  Please send in a decent sized envelope and I’ll reuse them to send you back your goodies.

I think that covers all the details… sound good?

In other news… I scrapbooked yesterday.  I did a VERY old class kit of Andrea’s from when she taught for me.  I don’t think I had Shelby when she did this class, so it’s at least that old.  Anyway, it’s a birthday tag book.  I didn’t have any photos and didn’t remember how it went.  I figured it out eventually and only messed up on page.    Go me, lol.  Not bad for my swiss cheese brain.

Lastly, if you know me at all, you know that I love to write letters.  Mostly the type that complain about something.  Apparently I’m a natural born complainer and arguer.  I missed my calling as a lawyer, (sorry Ang).  Maybe it’s why I love lawyers so very much.  Anyway, I had a deffective pair of Victorias Secret panties.  Don’t get some hot worked up visual in your head… I’m talking good old cotton ones.  At any rate, I’ve had them for all of 2.5 weeks and they have a hole in them.  I have to say that Victoria’s Secret stuff doesn’t seem to be what it used to be and I’ve gotten a lot of stuff that I’ve paid an outrageous amount for only to have it fall apart shortly there after.  It wasn’t the fact that I spent $7.50 on them, it was the principal.  My own personal statement that they need to go back to making quality stuff.  So just because it’s entertaining to me here is my letter which I emailed to their customer service department last night.

To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing in regards to an issue with a recent product purchase made at your Partridge Creek location in Clinton Township, Michigan. Near the end of December I purchased several of your High-leg brief. Much to my dismay I found one of the pairs already have a hole in the back.

I’ve been a loyal Victoria’s Secret customer for a very long time and lately I’ve come to question the quality of your garments. Not only have I had an issue with the panties, I also encountered a problem with a polyester robe my husband got me last season. Within two months it was showing holes at the seams! In the past I never would have had this problem, and for the money paid for your garments to have this happen is downright ridiculous to say the least.

I look forward to your prompt reply and learning how you plan to rectify this situation. I’m sure your customer service department can come up with some time of amicable solution in an effort to keep a good customer.

Regards,
Jen Dera

Yes, I enjoy a good letter and some witty banter back and forth.  About and hour or so later I got a generic reply about their return policy with a receipt, without a receipt… the unworn run down, etc.  A form letter basically, which in turn irritated the crap out of me.  For petes sake… make a little effort people.  I responded a few minutes later with this…

After having read your reply, I am left wondering if my email was actually read or if I’ve been given a generic response. Clearly, after reading my email, it would be obvious that the garments had been worn. My point was that an unacceptable amount of time had passed to show such deterioration. A pair of Victoria’s Secret panties at $7.50 each should not have a hole 2.5 weeks after purchase and having been worn. Just as a $70.00 robe should not have holes in it at the seams after 2 months.

Unless you are suggesting I’ve been wearing the same pair of panties for two weeks, a hole in the fabric is completely absurd. If Victoria’s Secret is standing behind the value and the quality of their merchandise, I’d assume you’d find it absurd also.

I’m not asking anyone to do anything about the robe. I am however expecting compensation for the panties! Obviously I’m disturbed about my experience enough to have taken the time to contact you, and I’d expect your customer service department to give the attention and effort this issue deserves. As a result of the flaw in this particular garment, I expect to receive a gift card via postal mail that will cover my cost for the panties, including Michigan sales tax at a rate of 6%. The total amount based on my calculations should be $7.95.

I’m certain to you this may be a silly customer service issue. Please understand that it isn’t the money I put out, but rather the point that a company should stand behind their product and if they can’t, they shouldn’t be selling it.

I look forward to your reply.

Regards,
Jen Dera

Well, that must have done the trick.  Exactly 11 minutes later I got a phone call from the customer service gal.  She apologized and let me know that she was sending a coupon worth $12.00 so that I could replace the panties.  She also told me next time to let them know about things like the robe sooner.  I told her I didn’t expect anyone to address the robe, it just went to my point that things haven’t been all the well made in recent years.  At least they don’t seem to be the “lexus” of undies anymore, lol.

I’m pleasantly suprised, and impressed that they came through.  Way to go VS for standing behind your prodcuts and making things right.  (I’m sure they bet on me using the coupon and spending some on top of that, so they make out anyway.  Frankly, I’d bet on it too, lol.)

Ok, enough going on today.  I’ll post photos of the birthday book tomorrow I think.  Pretty sure Denny has my camera with him today… cuz you know it’s easier to pick up mine than it is to take the time to switch out the wide angle lens for the regular one.  Yeesh.

~j

It’s snowing here again today.  I can’t stand all this white stuff.  I had to go out today and make a bunch of stops.  The good part one of the stops was to drop Shelby off for a fun filled day playing with the Herbert family and one of the other stops to drop off Ethan and Dylan to play Wii at my parents.  The bad, by the time I got home I had such a migraine that I had to drug myself.  The good, again, my headache has left the building!

With the weather like it is, it’s the perfect day to stay in, sit in my office and scrap.  I turn my little space heater on and bake myself, lol.  Good times.  Sadly my office is such a mess I can’t find any counter space to work on.  Maybe I should clean.  My office seems like the dumping ground for all the junk in the house.  Can’t find a place to put it?  Put it in moms office.  So, I’ve decided I’m going to use the rest of my peace and quiet and the left over spacey feeling from the migraine drugs to start up the iTunes and clean up the mess.  I know I have a bag of Maya Road stuff in here for Michelle someplace that has been buried, (I didn’t forget Michelle), and considering I have to get Shelby a little later it’s a good chance to drop it off.

Wish me luck.  I could be buried alive by an avalanche of scrapbook supplies. :p

~j

Current Mood: Happy

It looks as if my precious TV will live for yet another day.  After some self diagnostic work by my favorite tv repair guy… a.k.a. Denny, we’ve come to find out the part we need and have it ordered.  (All of 20 bucks.)  So, cross your fingers that all goes well and the part comes quickly.

I signed up for a crop yesterday after getting an invite from Jana.  Both Michelle and Andrea are going to come along with me, so it should be a fun time.  Apparently Michelle is going to Scrap Palace next weekend.  She must have sensed I’d be jealous as she didn’t let me know till today.  Stinker.

I need to go to Meijer today.  Actually I needed to go Monday, but I was sick.  Then I was going to go Tuesday and then something came up.  Wednesday I had the sump pump thing, and yesterday, well I did some running but couldn’t bring myself to make the grocery store one of the stops.  (DO you sense a trend here?)  So now today I really need to go.  Considering it is supposed to get all nasty snowy later, this is something I really should do.  That being said, I haven’t done my list yet, organized my coupons or gotten in the shower and its just after 8am.  Not looking promising…

Nothing else to report really.  I had an apple for a snack yesterday when I really wanted a bowl of ice cream, lol.  That’s my diet progress… apparently I have some self control.

Off to make Dylan his second breakfast before he goes to school.  The kid only eats breakfast it seems…

~j

My day started at 4:30am yesterday with an awful grinding sound which I knew to be the sump pump.  FUN.  (I have a phobia of the hole in which the sump pump sits it, which is an entirely different post.)  Apparently the float thing inside was stuck so the thing wouldn’t shut off.  Denny on his way out beat it back to life but considering that was less than an optimal fix, I had to spent the rest of my morning babysitting it to make sure we didn’t end up flooded.

8:30… man to the rescue!  My Dad came over, told me what I needed, and removed the pump so it would run on the back up.   Babysitting over, crisis eliminated.  By 11 or so I had the new pump and my Dad put it in so all was well by the time Denny got home.  Something both he and I appreciated.

This brings me to a point about me, something I inherited from my Dad.  When something isn’t right I want to handle it right then, lol, no matter what time it is.  Sometimes that’s good, and sometimes not so much.  Denny knows this about me, and frankly I don’t think he cares for the trait all that much.

So last night while he was watching the TV it made a fizzle noise and shut itself off.  Denny of course comes upstairs with me to watch tv saying how he missed me. (Which I later find to be a line of crap… he was just migrating to the next working tv.)  So he sits there for a minute and says, “Oh, your tv just died downstairs.”  Nice.  Considering I was all of about 5 minutes from sleep, this is something he probably should have saved for the next morning.  He knew how I’d react… something like that instantly throws me into what do I need to do to fix the situation mode.  Of course considering the time, there isn’t much I can do.  Frustrating for someone like me.  It’s a 52″ tv… thus not something just easily toosed aside to futher add to my frustration.

My friend Michelle has just informed me that stinky things all happen in 3’s… so I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop.  Hopefully today is better.  Ack!

~j

The holidays are over and now I can officially get back to the day to day real world.  I’m happy to do it.  The kids, well, uhh, not so much.  When I woke them yesterday Dylan asked when he could quit school.   I’m pleased to say that today went a little more smoothly.

Soooo catch up… Let’s see NYE I spent at the Fox Theater in Detroit with Denny and the Barenaked Ladies.  Fantastic, just fantastic.  The seats I was able to snag during fan club presale were in the fifth row.  *swoon*  The band played for ages and there was a balloon drop at midnight.  It was great, just great!

Earlier in the day we did our annual family bowling event with the Herbert family.  The kids had a good time and the adults all got together and complained about the economy and such.  Good times, lol.  I have no idea who won as all I could think about was Steven Page…. see above.

Hmmm, let’s see what else.  I haven’t scrapbooked anything outside of stuff for Michigan Scrapbooker.  Apparently Denny has taken notice as I caught a “it’s not like you scrapbook anymore” comment come out of his mouth the other day.  Maybe that is a sign I need to get back to it.  I’ll work on it right after I get the motivation to diet.  Believe it or not I need to diet even more than I need to scrapbook, lol.  As much as I know it in my head, someone really should tell the hand that keep forcing the ice cream covered spoons into my mouth.

The holiday season also reconnected me with an old friend, and no it wasn’t the ice cream.  You know who you are… nice talking to you again.

~j