Sunday, November 22, 2009

Shopping sucks

Well, I just have one question...If you go and apply to work at Walmart, is it a prerequisite to be miserable if you want to be a cashier there?

Ok..let me backtrack and tell you what happened.

My mother and I went to the store to get a few things. I needed some different groceries and whatnot and she did too. So we figured we would head to Walmart because it's closer, cheaper and a necessary evil.

So, we get all of our goodies and head to the line. Now, I don't know how it is in every Walmart but the one here makes you want to punch a kitten when you go in to it. Don't get me wrong, not everyone that works there is incompetent. Actually most are just fine..but it's the few that ruin it for everyone.

That being said...we got one whopper of a cashier. Now, my mother and I were both in bad moods anyway. She didn't feel good and I was tired/cranky. You know those days where someone just looks at you and you want to be like "What are you looking at, huh? I'll cut you". That was the day we were having. So we get in line behind some old lady with oxygen sitting in her Rascal that had no clue how to use the credit card machine and couldn't comprehend when her transaction was over. Hell, she couldn't even tell when her stuff ended and mine began. It shouldn't have been so hard, I highly doubt she was buying anything with Mickey Mouse on it or anything else a 3 year old would want. She wasn't the real issue though, she's old..I get it. They woman she was with and the cashier was the problem.

The woman she was with was too busy talking about bingo with the cashier to move ahead(it was my turn) so the woman in the Rascal just stayed there. So there we are, half way down the register waiting to get up to pay..the cashier had already started ringing my stuff and they just stood there. My mother, being the ray of sunshine she was that day(it was hilarious..she was so crabby..but so wasn't I) decided to make a comment to the woman. It was something to the effect of "Come on old lady, I don't care about bingo and I don't have all day..get your Rascal moving." They didn't budge, or get the obvious hint. The cashier had to tell the woman like 3 times that this wasn't her stuff and her transaction was done. I even said like 5 times, "That's my stuff." Again..she didn't move. I was ready to hot wire her chair and push her up a little so I can pay. But no..Bingo talk was going on all while this was happening.

Finally, after about 10 minutes(I'm not kidding, it was at least 10 minutes of this) they moved up ever so slightly so I could pay and get my crap. Now, the lovely cashier was just Suzy Sunshine. She was all rainbows and candy, really...she just gave me a tooth ache because she was so sweet.

You catch that sarcasm there? Good.

She was an older lady too..and I swear I have no problems with old ladies, but these three took the cake.

Ok, as I was saying. She was the most miserable person ever. She didn't greet us, rude when she did talk, never once looked up and never told us our totals. Oh..and when I went to scan my card she was rude about the amount and said some stupid comment. So..I snapped back(because, I too can be Suzy Sunshine at times..I know, hard to believe..hehe). She was the same way with my mother when it was her turn.

Now, this is what I don't understand. If you are that unhappy working where you are or are that miserable then why are you working in retail? Retail sucks, especially big retail places because you get tons of people. Maybe she was having a bad day, fine..don't be miserable to me. I didn't take your last Ensure or make you run register. Neither my mother or my self were rude to this woman, she had no reason to be like she was. So, when we left we made sure to give her a big thank you and have a great day. I think I might have even called her Suzy Sunshine. Don't get me wrong..I don't hate older people..not at all. I just don't like rude, inconsiderable morons. Young, Old...I don't care. If you're a jerk, you're a jerk. Being young or old doesn't change that fact.

The store here in particular have a lot of cashiers like this. There is another one, she is younger..younger than me I think and she is one of the rudest people I have ever met. I want to kick her every time I get in line and she's the cashier. I usually avoid her line completely..but hers is usually the short line. With good reason too. It makes the whole experience in the store a bad one. I'm never was the world's best cashier or anything, but there is a thing called common courtesy. You are working with the public, be friendly..or at least be decent. Tell the customers their total, give them their bag, say hi...something. Don't just stand there like a miserable lump of poo. If you hate your job that much...quit or transfer to another part of the store. I have a hard enough time finding someone to actually help in the store, you can never find a worker and if you do it's "Not their department" or "Uh..I don't know". You never get a "I don't know, but I can find out for you." On a rare occasion where you do hear that...they leave, disappear and let you wait there forever..never to return.

Am I the only one that notices this? Is it only at the Walmart here? I just don't get it..they really need to up their standards on (most) employees. Again, not all of them are horrible..but for the 3 good, helpful ones you get 10 useless ones.

If you don't want to work with people, get out of retail or go work in the backroom.

There..I'm all done my rant about shopping in that store...I'm sure I will go back, again, the necessary evil thing but I will be biting my lip and hating every moment of it.

Oh and this day only got better..but that will be another post. It deserves it's own..trust me.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Little creatures are no friend of mine

Well...I feel I need to declare something.


I HATE SKUNKS!


There, I said it. Now I feel so much better. Actually, I would feel even more better if there were no skunks at all, especially the skunks that are attracted to my porch.

Wait, let me back up a minute...

In my last post I mentioned quickly about a skunk smell that we were trying to get out of the house. That's because in two weeks time we got sprayed three times and it reeked. Like, drive you out of the house reek. We caught one little skunk but figured there must be one more. So, the live trap was set up again and we caught a cat. A stupid black cat that lives around here somewhere and loves all things garbage. Not a big fan of the scavenger cat, but I let it go after calling it a few names. So again, we set up the trap for that night and we got another skunk! This one was HUGE, like a small child could ride it huge. Ok, maybe not THAT huge, but trust me, it was biiiig. If I had to guess, because I didn't get that close, I would have to say it was like the size of small fox. Seriously, one big skunk. One big, smelly, soon to be dead skunk. Everyone was working so I called my mother to tell her we got another one and she said after work she would come over with my step brother to take care of it. Meaning, he would take care of it while she held a large piece of cardboard in front of her. It was quite funny to watch. Long story short, he got the skunk and it was the most foul smelling skunk I have ever smelled. I mean, like rotten garbage can juice on a hot day kind of smell. It was the kind of smell that stayed in your nose for a few hours.

So far, no more skunks. We're going to set up the trap one more time...actually, we did that once and caught the stupid black cat again. So, it is going up one more time and hopefully I will get rid of all the stupid skunks that like to taunt me. I have to admit, I felt all victorious after catching the second skunk. Like I was the "Skunk Hunter" or something. "The Skunk Hunter: Ridding the neighborhood of stink, one skunk at a time..." Not a name I think I really want though. I just want a skunk free porch.

Now, apparently we have a new friend. I think. This summer was a woodchuck, then the skunks and now...I think we might have a mouse in the ceiling. Last night I heard something that I haven't heard before and it made me sick all night thinking about it. So, today I am going to the store and getting traps, De con and whatever cleaning products I can find. This weekend, it's on! Granted, I have slacked with some household things. Not that I'm miss spic and span anyway but I'm not "Ms. Let's leave cereal on the floor for later" either. I'm sure with Gage there is a little of this or that here and there. I get it the best I can, but I can't deal with a mouse. If that is what it is. It taunts me, it's taunting me now without even knowing it. I'm all itchy and want to check everything for little turds. I have never seen anything in here and last night was the first I've heard a noise. So, that's good but still...the only mice I like are dead mice. If you haven't noticed, I'm not a fan of woodland creatures. I think I need to get a cat...

Alright, all critters and such aside...

I went to the doctors yesterday for my thumb. I have been waiting a year to go to this appointment and I get there and they want an x-ray. I guess because I shouldn't still have tightness/pain this long after surgery. So the doc orders an x-ray but I get to the x-ray place(right down the hall) and asked if it's ok for me to have one if I'm pregnant. Which, I kind of already knew it wasn't but still..I asked. So, as expected I couldn't get one. Now I have to wait until after I pop this baby out to go back and get things started. Fun times.

Well..I'm getting closer to the end of this whole pregnancy. I must say, I can't wait! I feel like complete crap. I'm tired, sore, can't breathe and hate heartburn. Oh...and I would like to be able to not have ginormous boobs anymore. I mean, they were large and in charge before..but now..the need their own zip code, seriously. It's scary. I've gone from "Look at the chick with big boobs" to "DAAAAAAYUM!!". I'm like a circus freak. They need to go.

Other than the crazy chesticle growth, things are good. I'm still not gaining any weight but the baby is..I think I really started to pop now. I go in two more weeks for my appointment so we will see the damage on the scale then. I have a feeling that this no weight gain thing is coming to an end. I had a good run, but it's time to play catch up I think.

I have pretty much everything I need, except a few more packages of diapers, another set of bottles, a pack and play and random little things that are easy to get. I should have stuff from Gage, but stupid me either sold or gave it away. Not all, but enough of it.

Speaking of my lil' old man, he is such a turd! He had a new word...Walmart. Yep, Walmart. He saw a commercial when we were visiting my cousin and he pointed and said "Malmart". Now, this made me think that we go there way to often. So I'm thinking that I need to cool off on the trips with Gage there. I hate going there, but it is a necessary evil because I'm too lazy to go to three stores for the things I need to buy. Although, I do need to go there today....crap!

Alright, lunch is calling...actually screaming my name. So it's off we go!


Wait! I forgot some really good news! Duh! ::slaps forhead::

We got the results of Gage's blood work from the genetic center. He has no chromosomal abnormalities, fragile x, the one gene for Autism they can now look for(I guess, some kids on the spectrum have this gene) or anything else! He is completely chromasomially good. :) Which is good news.

Ok, now I'm done.

Monday, November 2, 2009

H-A-double L-O..W-double E-N spells Halloween!

So, my favorite holiday has come and gone and this year I wasn't really into it. I usually dress up and have my costume planned months in advance...but I had no motivation. I wasn't even excited about going trick or treating..well, I mean I was excited for Gage and curious how it would turn out. I was unsure if he would even like it.

Wait...let me back up a minute.

Let me start with pumpkins and the pumpkin patch. This year we had A LOT of pumpkins, mostly because they were free but also because I had the oh so brilliant idea to paint the pumpkins instead of carve them. Then we wouldn't have a goopy pumpkin mess. Sounds good in theory, right? Well...being the brilliant idea comer-upper that I am, I figured let's paint all of the Little Einstein characters on the pumpkins! Of course, I procrastinated and didn't actually do them until oh...a week before Halloween. I will say though, I am pretty happy with the result and the fact that Gage knew what each one was made it a success in my book.

Here is a picture of all of the pumpkins on the porch.


My favorite pumpkin, Leo


Rocket


Quincy


Annie and my least favorite pumpkin, June.


So..over all, not too shabby if I do say so myself. I did like that it gave me something crafty to do. We also went to the pumpkin patch a few times this year, which Gage loved.

Gage attempting to pick up his pumpkin


Gotta love that smooshy face


The mall had a little trick or treating event, like every year "Mall-O-Ween". We've brought Gage in the past, but this year I think he actually got the concept that he was getting candy. Of course, he got to do it the lazy way...he stayed in a cart. He did get out a few "treats" and "thank you's" to the people handing out the candy.

Treat or Treating the lazy way..


Not wanting to keep his hood on..it was warm in the mall


He got a decent amount of candy, but I don't think we will be able to keep it. More on that in a minute.

So...for actual Halloween night Justin and I were planning on bringing Gage out early, but of course, we were running late. By the time we go to where we were going, around 6, Gage fell asleep in the car.



We figured we would get him up because it was way too early for him to be sleeping and if he slept he would be up all night. So we get him in the stroller and start off to the houses. Gage did awesome! He walked to each door, knocked on a few of them, said a few "treat's" and a few "thank you's". I think he might have melted a few hearts when he signed thank you to them.

Heading up to a house with Daddy


Walking with Daddy again.


We finally left, after getting a little lost and got home around 8ish. It was good, Gage got a lot of candy and had fun.

Here is from the beginning of the night, isn't he adorable?


Ok..so on to the other fun news. So for the past two weeks we have been playing a tug of war with a skunk that decided to make a home under our porch. We got sprayed three times in two weeks! The first time, I was alone thank god because the smell was so bad that it woke me up at 6:15 am but I stayed home because it wasn't that bad. The second time, poor Gage was here and again..it was 6:15. Justin was heading to work and it woke me up. I woke up and Gage was up too, laying with his blanket over his nose. Poor guy..we ended up leaving and going to my mother's. We stayed there for a few days because it was so bad. The third time I was alone again..Justin's parents were keeping Gage overnight. I was on the phone with Justin while he was doing an overnight, so it was around 1:30am. I could smell it again and it wasn't long before I was heading to Justin's parents. Needless to day, it was a long night and even longer next day. We finally caught a skunk in a live trap we borrowed. I still think there might be one more...but we will see. I'm still trying to get the rest of the smell out, it seeped into some stuff and it's a pain to get the smell out.

ok...

Now, on to baby update...

Everything is going good, I'm getting that round baby belly. I still haven't gained any weight, but the baby is getting bigger. I don't get why I am not gaining, I eat. As long as things are going good though, that's what matters. I go in a few weeks for another sonogram. Less than 100 days left! I better get to cleaning!

Oh and I forgot to add..Gage is doing awesome! I started to keep a count of what he says and I lost track. He is at at least 200+ words. He just is absorbing and repeating everything, it's nice to hear him talk but it's hard to figure out what some of it is. A lot of times when he says something, because a lot of it sounds similar I go through the list until he says "yeah". Horrible, but it's the only way to figure it out. He should be starting school soon..but we'll see how that goes.

Alright, that's enough for now..the grape juice Gage spilled is calling me to clean it.