Coffee and...for Monday, February 13, 2006

Here's the daily continued from
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/575778/
Have a great day,
Susan
=^..^=

This message was edited Feb 13, 2006 10:50 AM

Oh my goodness, where is everyone? Are you all snowed in or having power outages?
We officially got 3/10 of an inch or something like that, of snow. I went to to calling hours for a friend's Dad, who was like a second dad to me when I was in high school, and today is the funeral. I'm glad for their sakes there isn't a blizzard to add to the stress.

I got kids out the door and I'm breathing easier, so I guess I'll get cleaning!

Susan~Prayers for your daughter's quick recovery...I'm glad you have an answer, it should help relieve some of the worry.

defoecat~glad too to hear that DMIL is breathing easier, poor thing, with all she's going through! I hope you can keep your eye on the light at the end of the tunnel, your kick back and relax weekend!

Maria~wow the palatchinken is wonderful!! LOL at Samson swimming in the snow. He almost needs a periscope.

McCool, how much did you end up with? I'm so bad, I envy daisyruffles putting in sweet peas, but I actually envy you guys your really great snowfall. It still makes me feel like a kid to be all snowed in. We haven't had enough this year to be really sick of it yet.

suzieq~neat photos, the dutch girl looks like she has a muff! Beautiful sunset. Love the smoke house.

sarv~ouch on the taxtime headaches!

VAnn ~ what is OCO? Sounds like a lot of scheduling conflicts for you. Are you going to post pics of the afghan? Perfect project for this time of year. Hope you cold is on the mend.

Hi to everyone I haven't caught up with...off to see what else is going on on DG

Good Morning! Snow day for the kids here today! I got a call early from DGS asking if he could spend the day here instead of at school day care. They are housed in a gym and have to sit on plastic chairs all day with little to do - I wouldn' t want to stay there either! But that means no huff/puff (oh too bad!) He's busy eating breakfast and reading (apple doesn't fall far from the tree!!) We'll have a fun time together.

I took an allergy tab after midnight and slept wonderfully all night long. DH said he could hear me snore from his room LOL paybacks....

Maria - have you dug out yet??? We didn't much at all and I am surprised they closed the schools. Three local districts are closed. DIL said they must not have used their quota for the year (I know that isn't the reason, but won't argue with her!) Wonder why the email won't go thru???

9Kit- glad your daughter only has a kidney stone, but ouch....good luck to her straining! LOL

Time to go play games.

Good morning,

Woke up just before 3 and didn't get back to sleep until after 4. Then I slept right through the radio for over an hour this morning. Thought that the 8 am news was the 7 am news. Still have a cold. Too early to tell how I'll feel during the rest of the day.

defoe, hope that DMIL is feeling relief from the procedure yesterday. It certainly has been a long time for her and for you.

Susan, let us now how your DD is doing.

dmc - OCO is Ottawa Chamber Orchestra - it's a smallish amateur orchestra which has been around about 12 years. Takes its music quite seriously and has improved a lot since I've been with them. A few years ago, after I'd had a serious shoulder injury, I decided that if I wanted to keep up with OSO's marathon style rehearsing and breaks of several weeks that I needed something else to keep me playing regularly. They generally rehearse every Sunday evening.

OSO is much closer to a professional group (they pay) although they still are considered a "community" orchestra. But it's tough to get into the group now. And there is just 2 weeks from the first rehearsl to the concert with the bulk of the rehearsing done on the weekend before the (usually) Monday concerts. The rehearsal conflict yesterday was alleviated when the OSO viola sectional was cancelled because too many people had conflicts. I DO have an OSO string sectional tonight and better have a good look at the music today.

Thinking of all of you who got snow and wish we had more here. There is snow on the ground but with a hard crust due to the warm weather we had. Not good to get out on snowshoes.

Hope you all have a good day.

Ann

Maria, your snow looks wonderful. They also got some snow where I lived last year, but just 4". Bud sent me photos and it's quite pretty. Our current night temps are about as cold as yours but warmer day temps ... we were 20º last night, and forecast to be colder tonight.

Ann, wish I could attend your symphony. There is one here at the University but I don't drive well after dark anymore.

We got short shrift on the snow too but the outlook is for more snow later this week. Probably on the day I have to go somewhere. My car looks like heck covered with salt streaks and splotches, but I'm not washing it.

MaryE, I can relate to the sneaky dust bunnies, Sammi's always coming out of somewhere with cobwebs or dust bunny residue on his whiskers but he won't tell me where he found them and I'm not hunting them down. The new addition to our living room *decor* is a yard stick for retrieving jingle bells and other toys from under the furniture. Sammi has doubled in size and can't squeeze underneath anymore.

Last night's entertainment was a big brown paper bag, he and Souky actually played together without hissing or puffing up. Should have done that before. They were so funny. Mini looked rather put out at the athletics, since she wasn't involved.

FC, all three are now sharing the bed with us, having staked out clear territorial lines which are not to be violated. Samoa is making real progress at bonding, a good sign that she came to sleep with you.

Ebay! About two weeks ago DH asked me to bid on a car door panel for him, wanting to make a max bid at the last few minutes of $160. My computer was at the fix-it place, so I had to use his. I had Sammi on my lap, the keyboard was up on the table, so I was reaching over the kitten and couldn't see the keyboard well. To make a long story short, I hit the comma instead of the decimal point and ended up bidding $160,000 for it! Naturally we won the auction. I immediately panicked and emailed the seller telling him my DH was going to kill me and lucky for me the guy had a great sense of humor and cancelled the auction. But he's got a great story to tell his buddies. I'm telling you, I went hot cold sweaty dizzy in the space of a minute or two. Don't think he'll ask me to bid on anything in the foreseeable future!!

9kitty, friend and I picked up the meezer and he's in his new home. Poor thing looked like he'd had a hard time, but he was docile and didn't complain about the car ride. He'll need lots of TLC. Thinking of your DD and hoping that kidney stone gets gone fast! Better to know what it is and deal with it than be in pain and not know why. We wish her a speedy recovery.

Maria, Samson is getting plenty of exercise in that snow! I'm going to call my friend in MA when I get off the computer. She broke her tibia a couple months ago, so I doubt if she is shoveling either.

Sarv, your tax solution sounds much better than slogging through that paperwork. I would hate to do ours. It's way over my head.

Elaine, I can't tell you happy I am that it is cool down your way. In a day or so you'll know why. I'm having grits with my breakfast this morning, they are simmering away at the moment. YUM

Dcat, we don't have a Smoky Bones up here, sounds pretty tasty, Glad your kids were available to join you, and that they enjoyed it. If they were able to aspirate the fluid without putting tubes in, it bodes well for your MIL. Poor dear, she's had such a rough time.

Ann, we need to see that afghan! I don't have any partially done projects at the moment, but I do have a list of to-dos that I should tackle before the weather gets warm enough to go play in the dirt.

Hello to everyone else, I need to get myself moving before I grow roots into this chair....have a great day!

Sheila

M5, the story about the ebay bid is too funny! : )

Meezer, I did the same thing a few years back the bid was $ 30.00$,
I bid 35.00 not only did i put in a coma I put it in after the first 0, lol but did not check it properly and forgot about it till I was notefied i was the winner, I went into hysterics, lol, asked the seller to cancel but she insisted payment for $300.00 ...your kitty is so cute and full of play.

Sarv, yes I am dug out it is very pretty today sun and no wind, Samson thinks I am going to throw balls for him, no way, to much snow, he would be losing all the balls, snow is very fluffy and sinking down fast, perhaps later I can do it. New York City got 26", never had that much since the 18 hundreds, imagine! That is how much we had last winter after one storm.

DMC, Samson is like a human kid, can't wait to get out there and horse around in the snow, LOL

Darius, I do not like to drive in the dark either, but it is inavoidable having to sometimes when leaving in day light and having to come back home in the dark.

What with my typing I do not touch Ebay. can only imagine what would happen.

Morning All,

M5,
Glad you had an understanding seller,,,,that is too funny,,,little stinker Sammi,,,

Susan,
Glad to hear DD has an answer to the problem,,,now lets hope for a speedy passing.

sarv,
Have fun with DGS

Ann,
Hope you're feeling better today.

dmc,
wow,,,you got lucky,,,can't believe you only got that little snow.

darius,
I thought FL was supposed to be warm,,,??? LOL

Have been busy with bookwork so haven't taken the time to keep up that much,,,I'm getting there though,,only 6 more months to go,,,lol,,Have a Dr. appt. today at 2:30,,,I think I'll go a little earlier and hit the store first.

Well, better get some more bookwork done, Hi to all who haven't checked in yet.
Kelly

Maria,
Ouch,,,what a nasty seller,,,,That is terrible.

It was a very small, about 4", antique Mary Gregory cranberry Vase , worth about 90 to 100 but never 300. 00

have to get to my bills and should vacuum

Maria- they really made you pay that much!!! Oh man, now I know I will never be able to do ebay. Although there are some quicKutz things there that I would love to buy. I'll probably end up paying the high price... Oh m5- that was a good one. I've had those 'I wish I were dead' feelings a couple of times.

DGS is here playing - he just got off the computer. Gosh, that kid knows way more than I do about them!! I've been trying to tempt him into going to Hobby Lobby with me - he hates shopping, but he doesn't want to go. I even offered to give him some Valentine cash to spend. But it's a no go so far. Maybe along about lunch time I'll suggest eating out....

I am so tired I could just nod off. Got out a DC to see if the caffeine would help. Gotta go for now!

Good Morning Guys - We got almost 2 ft. give or take a few inches here and there. Really busy at work today not much time to really catch up. Hope your all doing well.

Maria, I would only have had to pay what the highest bidder had bid, plus $1, bbut even that would have been too much. I had a nice understanding seller and he relisted the panel and sold it to someone else. Your seller should not have gotten $300 unless no one else had bid on the item. Some sellers are downright nasty, I usually go check their feedback to see how they treat their customers. I had one bad deal last year, and the seller was lying on every complaint, saying she hadn't gotten emails etc. I was stuck with the product but she is now on my Never Again list. Fool me once, etc.

I know what you mean, M5, but since then I have been very carefull, I always checked the sellers, she had no problems, I blamed it on my typing since I do not know how and am quite dislexic using it though I am not. in the least otherwise, thank goodness.

What am I doing here suppose to pay my bills am already late and the floor is not vecuuming by itself, probably should get one of those robots, what do you think???

Hi everyone,

Obviously I never made it back yesterday, but have read everything up to this point. (Please don't ask how much I've retained of it, though!)

Susan, very glad that your daughter found out what the problem was before having to go through any more anxiety and uncertainty. The pain is bad enough, but at least her mind (and yours) must be more at ease. Hope it's over with very soon.

Maria, we're shoveled out now too, due to someone we pay and to DH's efforts. I used to shovel and so did my mother, but we've finally convinced her that she is not to even think of picking up the shovel. She's already had one heart attack and doesn't need to bring on another! She's spent about 2 years verbally fighting me on that one though. ("My doctor didn't tell me not to shovel snow.", etc., etc.) Sheesh! I have carpal tunnel syndrome in both hands so they go numb after about 30 seconds when I try shoveling. Too bad our big fluffy cat doesn't enjoy the snow like Samson does. He's mad at the world right now because his outdoor kingdom has been invaded by that awful wet, cold, white stuff.

DH has been buying on Ebay for a few years and has just started trying to sell some stuff for one of our customers. I've never had any interest in it since the only thing I'd likely look for would be expensive jewelry making tools and I'd rather get something like that with the warranty than take a chance on a used one. I'm afraid that I'd also be all too likely to make the kind of mistake that M5 and Maria did.

Dmc, I'm not sure what the official amount for our area's snowfall was. I'm guessing just over a foot. It does look pretty out there --- especially since we don't have to go anywhere today. The sun is out and everything is glistening.

D'cat, at least it sounds as though things are looking up for your MIL. I certainly hope so. I'm sure she's extremely sick of being sick! Glad you still got to go out for that meal. Your getaway weekend sounds great. Enjoy it to the fullest!

Hi darius! Seems like they're keeping you too busy at Molly's to post here much anymore. All of you are doing a wonderful job there.

GG, good luck on the paperwork. I've only got January's half done ---- just enough so that I can calculate the sales tax check that I need to send off tomorrow. It's probably just as well that I'm on the monthlly schedule or I just might put things off all year too.

Everybody's pictures were great. I know what you mean about the sunset looking better "in person", but I thought that the picture was still pretty neat. I've been talking about posting a picture of "Slim" the cat and DH managed to get a pretty good one yesterday. So here he is and you can judge for yourselves just how much of a misnomer that name is!

dmc, I hate to go to funeral homes, but it is good that the family is not having to contend with a blizzard at this time. So glad you didn't get much snow.

Sarv. I don't blame DGS, I wouldn't want to spend a day sitting in a chair and not getting to do anything. Well, pay backs are hard, snoring indeed! Glad you slept well though even if you provided some "background noise"

VA glad you slept well. I took a nap yesterday afternoon, and slept so hard that when I woke, couldn't figure out where I was or what day, or what time of day. I hate to do that. Have fun reviewing the music today.

Darius,Florida is supposed to be warm 20, sounds like maybe the north has invaded.

Meezer, I don't blame you for not hunting those dust bunnies. Miss Boots sometimes comes out with cob web residue on her whiskers. Don't even want to know where she has been!! Gosh, I would have had a heart attack over that bid. Glad you had an understanding seller. Story of cats playing with the paper bag is cute.

Maria, your mis bid didn't turn out as well as M-5's. I would check the figures real close from now on. Samson, is a kid, he likes to play just like a human kid.

oz LOL

Heitzenn HI

Mccool, I really don't think the name fits the face!! How much does he/she weigh? I am glad that you don't need to go anywhere today, what with all the snow. Do they get it cleared up right away?

kittymom, glad to know that the DD's problems were diagnosed. Now to get rid of that stone.

101, Where are you today? Sending the long johns to you, hope it warms up.

To all others, I am waving!!

Had a Dr. appointment this morning, so was mia for awhile. I have to have the "dreaded" colonoscopy, scheduled for March 7. Since I had polyps removed 2 years ago, wants to take another look, then if everything is okay, won't have to have another for 5 years. DH is still at the hospital. His middle sister was supposed to relieve him this morning, but she didn't get to the hospital until 12:00 grrr. That man has been there since 6:00 yesterday morning.

Well, I have some things to get done this afternoon, so I will go and get productive. I will be back later I WILL KEEP UP!! I WILL KEEP UP!! I WILL KEEP UP!!.

Morning Gobs and 'Ettes!

Really really long post follows, read at your own peril, lol.

I have been keeping up with the daily posts and I will continue to pop in with a post every now and then. But I have to start cutting back on my computer time. I have been letting everything else around here slide way too far and now I'm in a real heap of trouble. One of Nathan's caseworkers made a comment recently that made me realize just how lax I have been with my housekeeping and I have never been all that great with it to begin with. She wasn't being nasty or anything, she understands my medical conditions and was concerned that I was getting overwhelmed and wanted to try to help me before everything was too far gone. I guess it is just way to easy for me to become immune to the mess and hide on the 'puter.

Susan, has your daughter talked to her doctor about Lithotripsy? It sure saved me from alot more pain. Altho my stone was a bit more complex, I would highly recommend finding out if she is eligible. Did she have a CAT scan done to find out if she has more stones too?

Kelly, have you ever "fired" a client? I still do some grooming in my home, and my clients are great about working around my limitations. I have had all of them for over 4 years. But the last 6 months I have had more problems with one "mom". Her dog "Babe" is a Bichon and I absolutely love him. He is a dream to groom, very well behaved and has a decent coat that shows off my work. But his mom is becoming a PITA. I raised my rates $2 last fall and she fussed. She refuses to schedule an appt in advance, stretches my 6 week recommendations to 8 or more weeks and then calls me wanting to get him done tomorrow. Two weeks ago she called me on Friday wanting me to do him on Saturday. I told her I don't groom on Saturdays and I could get him in during the week, so she settled for Monday. But since DH bowls on Monday mornings I told her she would have to drop him off around 9 instead of me picking him up like I normally do. Then she didn't show. I called at 10 am to see if she was coming and got her machine. She finally called at 2pm to say she was sorry and on her way. I told her it was too late in the day for me to start him as it takes me 4 hours to groom him on a good day (and sometimes 6 hours on a bad one, lol) and I would have do him on Wednesday. She wasn't happy with that, said she didn't mind waiting for him to be done that evening. When I told her *I* minded working that late she kind of got huffy with me. I told her I could do him on Wednesday and I would come pick him up as usual. When I got him here he was a mess. It had been 11 weeks since the last groom and she obviously wasn't brushing him at all. This is a lady I spent over an hour with showing her how to brush and comb him at home. She had always been better about brushing and I was really surprised at his condition. She wasn't at home when I picked him up (I use the hidden key) so I called her cell phone to find out what was going on before I ended up shaving him down to skin. She told me she was just sick of brushing him, but she wanted to keep his coat long. I asked her if she was going to brush him at home at all and she said probably not. I gave her some options, clipping his coat shorter, bringing him in weekly for a brush out, bringing him in bi-weekly for a bath and brush out and keeping him on a 6 week schedule for sure. She said she would do every 6 weeks with a bath brush out in between. I told her I didn't know how short he was going to end up since he was so badly matted, it would depend on how he tolerated de-matting. If he protested too much or it was painful for him I would have to clip him short since I have to get the clippers under the matts. I also told her that de-matting runs $10 for every 15 minutes. She fussed about that, but wanted him kept as long as possible, so go ahead and de-matt if I could. I worked on him for 6 1/2 hours and of that I spent 90 minutes de-matting. He was pretty good about it, and I used enough products on him to get thru the matts that he ended up having 2 baths. But I saved his coat and he looked good. I called her to come pick him up and told her the total bill was $75.00. By all rights I could have and should have charged her $97. $37 for the regular groom and $60 for 90 mins of de-matting, but I was trying to be nice. She flipped out at the $75! She came and picked him up and I tried to talk to her but she said she was in a hurry and would call me later to schedule the bath and brush out. I told her it would be nice if she could call a week ahead from now on and she just blew that off and sort of laughed and said, "Well, you are home all day anyway".

Now to make everything even more complicated, she is Liz's mom. For those that don't know...this is a whole 'nother story. The reader's digest version: Liz and I were very good friends for 20 years, so good in fact that when she got married last August I made her wedding cake. I bragged about that here: http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/538868/ I don't know what happened, but Liz quit talking to me in October. The last time I talked to her she was supposed to bring her son's Boyscout popcorn order form over so I could place an order. She didn't come, and she won't return the many phone calls or emails I have sent to find out what is going on. I have gone to her house twice when her car was there, but the first time her new hubby (who I thought I liked) said she was sleeping and the second time nobody answered the door. I didn't feel right using my key to go in, so I left it in her car with a note practically begging her to talk to me. She hasn't. Her mom refuses to discuss it, says it is between Liz and me. When she sent my Christmas card back marked "refused" I gave up. I have absolutely no idea what happened to make her so upset with me. I called one of Liz's other friends and she doesn't know what happened either but Liz is still talking to her but not as much. I'm seriously thinking it is the new husband, but I don't know for sure.

Anyway...I'm ready to wash my hands of the whole family. Liz's mom (Babe's owner) should be calling me this week to schedule Babe's bath and brush, but I doubt she will. If she does or when she calls in a month or 2 for his next groom, what should I tell her? Should I call her first and just tell her to find another groomer? Send her a letter or a card? Not answer the phone if I see her name on the caller ID? It's just not worth the hassle for the $37 every 2 months or so, and she never tips me either, but she did used to bring me a plant or something in the Spring. No compliments on how he looks anymore either. If something is going on with Liz or something and it has her worried or upset I might be more understanding, but she would have to tell me about it, I'm not psychic!

Wow, I'm sorry about the length of this post. I'm not going to edit it down tho, lol, I guess I needed to get it off my chest.

I have to run over to the school and give Jenna some more cold medicine. You guys will love this one: She was trying to tell me her nose was only stuffy on one side, so she said "But only one nozzle is plugged mom!" Nozzle! I was rolling and laughed so hard I had tears running down my face. Gotta love that kid.

mg

ps. Here is a pic of "Babe" from 2 weeks ago, before:

And this is 6 1/2 hours later.

mg

Edited to add: I did clean up his eyes after I took this pic, lol, but forgot to take another pic. He looked spiffy in his Valentine bandanna, red with pink and white hearts on it too!

This message was edited Feb 13, 2006 12:47 PM

Just had the best orange for luch. Sweetest one I've had in a while. As Nancy said above, we got about 18 -20 inches of snow. Roads were terrible getting to work today. Sis is lucky, she gets to work from home, She knows how jealous I am. LOL

defoe - Hope this does the trick for MIL. Will still keep you all in my prayers.

Susan - Glad you know what is going on with DD. Still hard when she is so far away. Will keep her in my prayers as well.

Sarv - Boys just don't like the shopping thing. My son is WORSE than his father about shopping. Enjoy your day with him.

VAnn - Hope that cold goes away soon.

M5- That "Oh S***" feeling is the worst. Lucky you had a nice seller to deal with. I have bought and sold a few things on e-bay. The first thing I sold was a Pontiac LeMans for DH. That was nerve racking. I would have rather started out with something a little less $$. Turned out ok in the end. I have found some great buys on there.

Maria - That seller was not a very nice person. Hope you gave her an unfavorable feedback. Glad you are dug out of the snow.

Kelly - Get that bookwork so you can get back here!

Elaine, Elaine... Where are you?

McCool - What a pretty kitty!

Hope everyone has a good afternoon

mg- use your caller ID - you don't need her $$ or the PITA she is!! Leave yourself open for nicer clients!! As for her daughter, you have tried - the the ball is in her park. Cute one about the nozzle!! LOL

DGS and I went to Hobby Lobby and bought 4 stamps for cutting paper. He's been playing with them. Then onto to Wendy' for lunch- cost me 12 bucks!! Fast food- high prices!! But we had fun. Then had to go to the bank as I had never received some tax info. Gal said - oh ya - we had a glitch...Sheesh - I had a migraine yesterday worrying about what I had done with the papers!!! Anyhow, when I got home, in the mail was the info...

Defoe - I had the hose up the arse thing and they found and removed two precancerous things - I don't love getting it, but it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. Two more years and I have to do it again.... Where is that sister??? Couldn't you just bean some people. At least they help out. In DH family not one person would go with MIL for her hip surgery. She finally got one daughter to drop her off. I felt bad, but I was dealing with my mom at the time - not enough of me to go around (and there's 9 kids in their family - go figure)

Anybody here do scrapbooking? I want to get a letter cutter - either a sizzix or quicKutz. Need someone's opinon.....

Wendy's is not sitting well - trip to the john coming up!!!

Hi all
I don't know what's wrong with me today. I slept okay, but I have one more major headache today. The DH called this morning around 11:30 and said who were you talking to on the phone this morning and I said ... I wasn't talking to anyone. He said oh yes you were. He said he was getting ready for work and heard me in there just a talking away. Said he could hear me all the way from the bathroom chattering away. Went in there and pulled the covers back. Said I was smiling and saying ... okay, I'll talk to you later. Said I had a real long conversation with someone. LOL All I know is he's suppose to take me out for supper tonight and I have one doozy of a headache. :-(
Will check and try to catch up later.
... Elaine

mg~I second the opinion, use the caller id and forget her!! That is awful, to put you through all that over and over and begrudge you the fee. Who needs it? The thing with the daughter is kind of scary sounding. Can't imagine why someone would have to write "refused" on a Christmas card even. How could anyone be so hostile? (Maybe you should just write refused across the dogs's forehead and send him back ungroomed?)
I hope you check in here more often, too!!

sarv~I wish I were scrapbooking, I like cutting out pics and rubberstamping but usually just do greeting cards.

And where IS Elaine? I hope all is okay

Oops posted while you were!!

LOL @ dmcdevitt...." (Maybe you should just write refused across the dogs's forehead and send him back ungroomed?)"

I like your style!!! LOLOLOL
Pati

Elaine, that is what I must do, go into the bathroom, look into the mirror and have a very long conversation with her, perhaps some smart answers will come back that I cannot come up with by myself, solving problems is not my forte so I just put them in the cornerof my mind pretendng they do not exist, but they do wake me up at times, sheesh, am I in trouble then my heart stops singing

MG, sometimes I wonder why people have pets if the can not take properly care of them and if they can not afford and complain the cost of upkeep why do they have them? I think I would tell her to find some one else, some one who probably does not do a beautiful work as you do.

by the way, where is everybody?

This message was edited Feb 13, 2006 8:37 PM

mg- I third the recommendations above. Interesting how much your grooming, Kelly's hair dressing, and teaching music lessons have in common in terms of dealing with inconsiderate PITAs. If you continue to let her get away with treating you that way, then it becomes YOUR problem. As to your relationship with her daughter, it MUST be something with the new husband. Hope he's not being abusive and cutting her off from all her friends.

Just in. The Aquafit group had a Valentine's lunch and collected food for the FC. Then they had an auction of all our junk with all the proceeds going to the FC as well. I left a bit before the end, but I bet they raised $200 or close to it. Interesting to see our junk recycled among friends. LOL!

gotta go.

Ann

My goodness cat must have our tongue tonight! I even got caught up before bedtime!!

Thanks to all who keep this thread going, I'm kinda in mg's shoes in that I was ignoring everything else in life to sit here and DH and family were being neglected. Now I catch up as I can and still laugh, cry and sigh with all of you. I do pray for you and your loved ones as you go through trials. I also love the furbaby pics, McCool, my Pounce looks like your Slim but short haired. You gotta love them!

Pic of Pounce if I can find it.

night all,

--Joy

Well, somebody posted while I was looking at other threads, but I couldn't believe that nobody posted all evening. I've had dinner and been out to a three hour rehearsal. And allow travel time each way as it was near downtown Ottawa.

Anyway, since there's very little new to comment on, I'll just wish you all a good night.

Ann

Hi again all,
Well, went to my appointment with my Behavioral Therapist,,,nothing new,,,said I have to get used to the idea that I have debt to pay off,,,can't keep obsessing about it,,,won't stay sane if I do that,,,,,ummmm hello,,,on Antidepressants and Xanax and the depression and anxiety is rearing it's ugly head Again,,,,, I wish I could turn back time and never had gotten involved in that whole mess of a business!!!!!!,,,,2 other family members (Bill's) Bankrupted out and I'm left holding the bag,,,,GGGGRRRRRRRRRR,,,,,I go to see Dr. shrink on March 3,,,gonna talk to him about med change.

Well, enough of that,,,,

mg,
I have not had to actually tell a customer Not to come back,,,although sometimes certain people don't get in right away,,and eventually they go somewhere else,,,,I used to have this lady come in and get a perm once a year. She got haircuts Occasionally in between. Anyway,,,she drove me Absolutely insane. The first time she called for her perm appointment, she told me that she was low on money and asked if she could post date a check for 2 weeks,,as she only got paid every 2 weeks. I thought well, I'm always willing to help a person out so yes, that would be fine. From that time on this happened EVERY Year,,,,meanwhile I come to find out they are remodeling their house. That year when she called and asked for her perm appointment, I set it up and she asked again,,,I said I don't do that anymore. I have gotten burned a couple of times and I wasn't willing to do it any longer,,,,she said but I've always paid you, I said I knew she did but if I did it for her I would have to do it for everyone and I really can't afford to do that. Haven't heard from her since~~~~~Thank-You Lord~~~~~

You told her the prices Before you started working on her dog, ,,,,,which looked fabulous after you got done,,,,I can't believe people would let their dog look that bad,,,,Ach, yes I do,,,,'cause people let themselves get that bad,,,,LOL I guess it depends on how much you think she would hurt your business,,,if you don't think she would,,,tell her in a nice way she would probably be much happier with a different groomer. And if your really in a snippy mood that day tell her your tired of hearing her complain about your prices and having her push the schedule 2 weeks,,,,it's more work for you when she does that,,,tell her if she insists on pushing it 2 weeks over,,,you will charge her more.

Customers do that with their hair all the time,,,,sometimes I cant help but giggle when someone who hasn't gotten a haircut in like 3 months comes in and is just stunned that it grew that much,,,"My hair grows soooo fast" I tell them, not really, average is 1/2" per month and if they want to keep their style clean and neat looking they should come in every 4 weeks.

Colors,,,When I first start coloring someones hair, I tell them right out if they are not willing to be back in my chair in 4 weeks don't bother starting to color it. The heat zone around your scalp only extends about 1/2 an inch,,,anything beyond that will band,,,,be a darker color,,,they'll look stripped,,,,,,,Or, go with a semi-permanent color that shampoos out gradually. One of my customers said well, my hair really doesn't grow that fast,,,6 weeks should be o.k.,,,,I said you'll start getting that banding I explained to you,,,so we compromised on 5 weeks,,,we agreed to see how it went and if we saw the banding,,, she'd go to 4 weeks,,,grrrrr The joys of working with the public,,,especially in a town that has such a depressed economy.

Sorry for the long winded post,,,tell her to go to someone else. As far as her daughter goes,,,write her off,,,if she's not willing to let you know why she's upset with you,,,you don't need her.

Kelly

MG, my first thought when the new husband was mentioned was that he was trying to create a chasm between her and her friends, if you remove the support system, the newly wed wife is much easier to manipulate and control. Can't explain what's with the mother...but it's a common scenario. Make up some kind of insult or disagreement rather than rat out your new spouse....she could have repeated something like that to her mother thinking it was true.

Maybe I'm not much of an optimist, but I've seen this play out before. My ex was a pro at this kind of thing, he'd make up something or tell me that a friend said this or that to him about me, in an effort to create a problem. I caught on to that early on, and always went back to the friend and said what he said, and found out the truth. You don't want to turn your back on a friend but I don't see much of an alternative.

When DD first started grooming she printed a brochure with a price list for her clients, and included information regarding the need for regular grooming, and charges more if they procrastinate. If they follow the schedule, they get a discount . She tells them up front about extra charges, as you do, and she charges much higher than you for mats and tangles. She has only one client who she will pick up and deliver the pet for as she is disabled, and a regular (timely) customer. It's very hard to deal with the public. There's a saying that if you meet someone who seems to hate everybody, they probably deal with the public in their job.

Just popped in for a minute to catch up and thought I'd just throw that in before it slips my mind in the morning. Time for nitey nite for me ...

Sheila



This message was edited Feb 13, 2006 10:13 PM

Well, I am back. Did get several things accomplished this afternoon, but still have several more things to do. Tomorrow, DGD wants DH and me to come to her Valentines Day party. This is 90 miles away. But since she is our "only" of course we are going. She asked me to bring brownies, they are making ice cream sundaes. Wow, I really don't need that. DMIL got to come home this afternoon!!! Of course home is with a daughter for a few days/weeks depending on how she gets along.

mg, yuk, I think I would say that I was cutting back, and she would have to find another groomer. People always push the limit. Why have an animal if you are not going to take care of it. Tell her to get a low maintenance dog, something that can be washed and dried, or drip dry if you please!!! I once had a friend who did something similar, I tried to find out what was wrong, and after awhile, I just wrote it off. I had done everything I knew to amend the friendship, but 1 person doesn't make a relationship/friendship.

Susieq, sorry about the horrible commute to work. That is one thing I do not miss in my retirement.

Sarv, since I had polyps 3 years ago, they are doing this one to check things out. If all is clear, won't be scheduled again for 5 years. One of my best friends was just diagnosed with colon cancer, so that is why I responded to the letter from this dr that it was time for the test again. DH didn't leave the hospital until after 12:00. I guess help is better late than never. This sister will be late for her own funeral, probably looking for a purse she has taken somewhere and left. What a scatterbrain.

101 Sorry about your headache. Hope it's gone by now. Do you think we were talking in your dream? LOL. Or maybe you were talking to your tomato babies. LOL How was your supper out?

Patischell, Hi, drop in more frequently, please. Waving frantically.

dmc, I don't have any hobbies except gardening. I couldn't keep up with anything else. I do think scrapbooking would be interesting, but until somebody invents some extra hours in a day, I will refrain from adding anything else.

Maria, I second your thought. Why have animals if you are not going to take care of them properly? Sheesh, although there are some mothers like that too.

VA, Valentine's lunch, sounds good. I have plenty of junk, do you want some to put in an auction?

Joyous, Cute pic. Don't stay away so long in the future.

GG I agree, people can be a PITA. I don't think I could deal with the grump/cheap or thoughtless person. Maybe once in awhile but not on a daily basis.

Well, I am going to check out some more forums, may be back later, but if not, everyone have a good restful night.

Hi Meezer, Just wanted to let you know that I did come back, just for a minute. Have a restful night.

The daily for tomorrow is up at
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/576186/
if you want to put a watch on it.

Good night everyone,
Susan
=^..^=