Update on the infamous return
Exactly one day after returning 4 out of the 5 items I had purchased for a baby shower gift, I received this Facebook message from the mother-to-be:
Hey lady,
I soooo want to get together with you! Haven't been to Jolly Pumpkin yet and would love to go! Unfortunately, I am super busy through the end of the year. Man, that sounds super pompous! I am still working three days a week (T, W, Th) so I have to work this week. And am taking Justin to the airport on Wed evening to go to his parents' in AZ. Then off to my parents' house for the holiday. Maybe we can figure out a time right after the New Year???
I currently have no plans of replying to this.
It's That Time of Year Again
The Christmas cards are again rolling in with a few arriving with an incorrect spelling of my married last name. Idiot that I was, when I got married, I purchased really cute Rudolph address labels and decided to let everyone know what the name was and how to spell it via these address labels on their Christmas cards. The name on the address label appears as "The -----s" with the address below it. Plural since there are two of us. There are a couple of people (unfortunately they are all on my side) who now add the 's' whenever it is addressed to me or him. One of these people is my own aunt. Every June she sends me a birthday card addressed to Murf and then the plural form of the last name. Being Facebook friends doesn't seem to help her with that - she still addressed her Christmas card to "Big A and Murf ----s". Every Christmas, I lose my faith in humanity just a little bit more.
On that note...
Happy Festivus and a Merry Christmas to all my favorite blog people who I know would know better than to add that "s".
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Sunday, December 19, 2010
The Big Return
I decided on Saturday to take back most of the baby items that I had purchased for a baby shower and lamented about in the previous blog entry. The catalyst was again a Facebook status update of hers which pretty much said that she was doing nothing and watching Supernanny and, after digging out the receipt from Target, noticing that I had until 1/3/11 to return it for a refund.
That leaves just one lone, bright pink turtleneck onesie that is laying around thanks to JCPenney's return policy only allowing returns 60 days after the purchase date. We are now at about Day 74. I guess I could try. Even a store credit would be better than just having it hanging around until someone conceives a girl (*coughcough*Ed Abbey*coughcough*).
I must say, it felt really good returning those items. I'm hopeful that there will be a day where the mom-to-be sends me a message about when she's free and I can say "Sorry but I returned everything while you were eating chinese takeout and watching Supernanny". I have a feeling that day won't come though.
That leaves just one lone, bright pink turtleneck onesie that is laying around thanks to JCPenney's return policy only allowing returns 60 days after the purchase date. We are now at about Day 74. I guess I could try. Even a store credit would be better than just having it hanging around until someone conceives a girl (*coughcough*Ed Abbey*coughcough*).
I must say, it felt really good returning those items. I'm hopeful that there will be a day where the mom-to-be sends me a message about when she's free and I can say "Sorry but I returned everything while you were eating chinese takeout and watching Supernanny". I have a feeling that day won't come though.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Question of the Day
The friend of a cousin is pregnant. Her shower was back in November but I couldn't make it but I still wanted to get her something. Fast forward 5 weeks and I'm still trying to get with her to give her the gift. Today marks the 3rd attempt at trying to set up a lunch or dinner with her so that I can give this to her.
My philosophy currently is that if nothing comes of this 3rd and last attempt within a few weeks, I'm just going to return the items assuming she hasn't already received one of them which was off of her baby registry.
I could send them to her but I got her some really nifty things that I want to be there when she opens so that's not an option (plus I don't technically know her address although I did look up baby daddy's address and I think she lives with him).
How long would you wait until you just gave up and returned the items?
My philosophy currently is that if nothing comes of this 3rd and last attempt within a few weeks, I'm just going to return the items assuming she hasn't already received one of them which was off of her baby registry.
I could send them to her but I got her some really nifty things that I want to be there when she opens so that's not an option (plus I don't technically know her address although I did look up baby daddy's address and I think she lives with him).
How long would you wait until you just gave up and returned the items?
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Kitchen Appeal
A few months back, I hosted a movie night for a handful of friends. The movie - George Strait's Pure Country. Usually we try to come up with a potluck dinner that goes with the theme of the movie so for this occasion, it was Texas BBQ. There was pulled pork, ribs, cornbread, Shiner Bock (a Texas-made beer), and Texas sheet cake for dessert.
My kitchen is smallish and a few years back, we renovated it to remove the need for a table and instead, built the counter top out towards the middle of the kitchen. This allowed us to now have a dishwasher as well. Now we can seat 3-4 people around this new addition although we only have 3 bar stools.
On Pure Country night, the first three people showed up and claimed their seats in the kitchen. When everyone else showed up, these people just stood in the kitchen. Even after food was served and everyone was eating, they were eating standing up instead of taking it into the living room to sit and enjoy the food a bit more. I was standing there, eating my rib thinking "This is crazy!" Finally, I couldn't take all the standing so I went into the living room, thinking that maybe other standers would follow. No such luck.
Last night I held another movie night to coordinate with the DVD release of the third movie in the Twilight series - Eclipse. Since it's near the holidays and everyone is busy shopping and getting ready for them, I decided to forgo the potluck and just have everyone chip in for the pizza, breadsticks, salad and beverages. In conjunction with making the salad, I also made the dessert which I wanted to be simple handheld items and nothing is more simpler than cookies. I made 2 different kinds of cookies that I found the recipes for in my mom's "receipt" box. Both of these where ones that I vaguely remembered as a kid.
As I was setting up, I thought I would be sly and remove the chairs from the kitchen. I hid them in the computer room. When the first person showed up, within only a minute or two of arrival, she asked where the kitchen chairs were. Big A told her that he was going to "herd" everyone into the living room or in the man cave (yes, we invaded the man cave for an evening) where a table was set up. Do you think this plan worked? No it did not. It was a big bust. The next two arrivals came and just stood around the counter (coincidentally, these were the same 3 that took the chairs at the previous movie night). The 3 more that arrived afterwards also stood and ate around the counter while I just shook my head and enjoyed my pizza in the quietness and comfort of the living room. Eventually one did come out and sit too but the majority of people stood eating and standing in the kitchen.
This just boggles my mind. If it was a large open kitchen/living room maybe I could see it but the kitchen is a completely separate room and with 8 adults standing around, you are pretty much S.O.L. if you need a beverage from the refrigerator. I just don't get it.
On a brighter note though, here's a picture of the cookie tray which was the dessert:
The ones in the middle are store bought since both of the homemade cookies were ones I had never made before. Thankfully all turned out well.
As for what to do the next time I host a movie night, I have no idea other than to just go with the flow and enjoy the comfort of sitting while eating by myself.
My kitchen is smallish and a few years back, we renovated it to remove the need for a table and instead, built the counter top out towards the middle of the kitchen. This allowed us to now have a dishwasher as well. Now we can seat 3-4 people around this new addition although we only have 3 bar stools.
On Pure Country night, the first three people showed up and claimed their seats in the kitchen. When everyone else showed up, these people just stood in the kitchen. Even after food was served and everyone was eating, they were eating standing up instead of taking it into the living room to sit and enjoy the food a bit more. I was standing there, eating my rib thinking "This is crazy!" Finally, I couldn't take all the standing so I went into the living room, thinking that maybe other standers would follow. No such luck.
Last night I held another movie night to coordinate with the DVD release of the third movie in the Twilight series - Eclipse. Since it's near the holidays and everyone is busy shopping and getting ready for them, I decided to forgo the potluck and just have everyone chip in for the pizza, breadsticks, salad and beverages. In conjunction with making the salad, I also made the dessert which I wanted to be simple handheld items and nothing is more simpler than cookies. I made 2 different kinds of cookies that I found the recipes for in my mom's "receipt" box. Both of these where ones that I vaguely remembered as a kid.
As I was setting up, I thought I would be sly and remove the chairs from the kitchen. I hid them in the computer room. When the first person showed up, within only a minute or two of arrival, she asked where the kitchen chairs were. Big A told her that he was going to "herd" everyone into the living room or in the man cave (yes, we invaded the man cave for an evening) where a table was set up. Do you think this plan worked? No it did not. It was a big bust. The next two arrivals came and just stood around the counter (coincidentally, these were the same 3 that took the chairs at the previous movie night). The 3 more that arrived afterwards also stood and ate around the counter while I just shook my head and enjoyed my pizza in the quietness and comfort of the living room. Eventually one did come out and sit too but the majority of people stood eating and standing in the kitchen.
This just boggles my mind. If it was a large open kitchen/living room maybe I could see it but the kitchen is a completely separate room and with 8 adults standing around, you are pretty much S.O.L. if you need a beverage from the refrigerator. I just don't get it.
On a brighter note though, here's a picture of the cookie tray which was the dessert:
The ones in the middle are store bought since both of the homemade cookies were ones I had never made before. Thankfully all turned out well.
As for what to do the next time I host a movie night, I have no idea other than to just go with the flow and enjoy the comfort of sitting while eating by myself.
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