What I learned today at T**g*t

I spent a couple of hours and a small chunk of change at  T**g*t today. It happens too often, actually, but may happen less frequently after a couple of gentle rebuffs in what should have been easy customer service situations.

                                    

I was looking at decorative holiday items, and noticed a display of lighted twigs (more or less) of various sizes and styles. The large box holding individual boxes of the size I wanted was empty. I was a good customer and searched through and behind the other large boxes containing other sizes and styles, but came up empty for the type I was interested in buying. 

The nearest T**g*t employee was several aisles away. She seemed appropriately willing to help even though she didn't know what the item actually was. So, we walked to the aisle with the lighted twig display so I could show her. She stood there looking perplexed for a moment, then began hunting through one of the large boxes of a fancier style than I had in mind. I explained that I'd already looked through all the boxes, and could she check and see if they have more in their storage area? It seemed like a reasonable request, and I was happy to wait while she went in the back to check. 

Without hesitation she said, "No, we don't have any left. I'm sure we'll get some more sometime. You can call and check." Okay. I guess she was too busy to make a sale for T**g*t today, and since I don't really need the lighted twigs, nor have I thought through where I'd put them if I were to come back and purchase them when and if they are back in stock, I've saved myself 12 bucks.

On to front of the store to check out. As the checker was scanning and barcodes were beeping, I realized I might have left my T**g*t credit card at home, as I'd used it to order something online earlier. Drat! It's nice to get that extra 5% discount when I'm buying a hefty load of goods. So, I asked the checker if she'd please look up my credit card number. "No. I can't do that." Okay again. I guess she was also too busy to make a sale for her employer today. I ended up finding the credit card, but rather wish I hadn't because it all seems a bit humbug-y for a retail store during the holiday season, don't you think?

Here's my preferred Target lady!

Happy Birthday to Miles J. Grimmius

Happy 5th Birthday, Miles!

Miles,
We hope that having your birthday on Black Friday means you'll get presents every hour, all day long! Have a wonderful day in Green Bay.
                                                           Love, Gma Jill and Gpappy

Official 2012 HGE Rules and Regulations

Welcome to this year's official site for the Holiday Gift Exchange! With Larry//Dad/Gpappy in charge of the 2012 HGE and related events, it's hard to know how it will turn out. I wish him the best of luck. And best of luck to all of YOU, too, as you explore the infinite possibilities for matching your Giftee's personality and interests with the HGE theme.--Mom/Gma/Jill

The HGE theme for 2012 is:  

Happy Holidays on the Farm, E-I-E-I-O

Do's/Don'ts from your HGE 2012 gift coordinator (LWP)

• Gifts should require neither feeding nor cleaning up after.

• Gifts that require neither feeding nor cleaning up after should not make loud noises or emit foul odors.

• Gifts are not to exceed $35, but don't be cheap.

• In the interest of a civilized yet social exchange of gifts on the chosen date (TBA), each Giftee will be encouraged to make the connection between his or her gift and this year's Happy Holidays on the Farm, E-I-E-I-O theme.  Each Gifter will follow up with a brief presentation, with or without media support, on the relationship between his or her gift choice and proper land use, compassionate animal husbandry, and/or tasty victuals.

This year I am adding an official HGE theme-based slogan, which you may wish to research for the round-table discussion which will follow the HGE gift opening. The slogan, attributed to Miles J. Grimmius, contains words of wisdom related to this year's theme: 

"Bulls have a very important job on the farm."

  
                 FINE PRINT:  Gift cards, gift certificates, gift I.O.U.'s or other promissory notes do not qualify as HGE 2012 gifts.

Birthday party Sunday

November is sailing by. We're lucky to have warmish weather for this time of year and no snow (yet). Makes getting around easier and safer. Speaking of getting around, I went to Otown on Friday, presumably to pick up Miles and Westy and bring them back here for an overnight adventure. However, poor little Westy was suffering from strep throat, so he stayed at home with his mama and daddy. Miles came by himself, and we had a fun evening that included art work, reading, playing, and lots of conversation. 

One of the more noteworthy facts that Miles shared with us:  "Bulls have a very important job on the farm." Oh oh. I couldn't help but wonder what that very important job might be. Turns out that "Bulls 'pretect' the cows." Unless that's a euphemism for something, I think he just means that bulls keep the cows safe from harm. You know--getting pecked by chickens or snorted on by pigs. That sort of thing. Here is Mr. Miles, drawing one of his famous turkeys (another farm animal with an important job).

Sunday was early birthday party day for Miles. It was a terrific party, attended by cousins, an aunt and uncle, a grandpa, and this grandma. We wish the NC cousins, auntie, and uncle could have joined the festivities. 

This is Party #1 of three that Miles will have to help him turn five. #2 will be in Green Bay with (on Black Friday, Miles informed me!) and #3 will be with some of his friends.

Chances are good Westy will be waiting patiently for cake at the next two parties like he did on Sunday. Fortunately, he was the birthday boy himself a few weeks ago and got preferential treatment at that time.

Miles has a special birthday buddy---Auntie Angie! It was her ACTUAL birthday on Sunday, and the two buddies shared a football-themed mud cake. YUMMY!

The next picture will likely appear on a couple of other blogs, but I can't resist. Thanks, Annie, for sending it to me. Look who came to the party! Harpo, Chico, and Zeppo!

Happy Birthday to Angie!

Happy Birthday to you, 

Happy Birthday to you,

                    Happy Birthday dear                          ANNNNNNNGGGGIIIIEEEEEEE,

Happy Birthday to you!

Gone and back again

I'm slow in writing an entry about our trip to NC to see Vivi, Hannah, E, and E. Sorry about that. Part of the delay has been taken up by deliberations over which photos to include. There aren't many to choose from unfortunately, but it wouldn't be true if the reason was that the picture-taking was minimal. I took lots of pictures, but not all of them are blog worthy due to the quick movements of two little girls. More on that later.

We were greeted at the airport by Hannah, running toward us while doing her kindergarten homework. This girl is just like her mommy used to be about getting homework done!  Hannah had some exciting news for us, too. A loose tooth!

And guess what??! The tooth came out while we were visiting! Yes, there was a visit from the Tooth Fairy, which was pretty dang exciting!

Cousin Linda came for lunch on Saturday. She and Dad/Larry/Grandpappy had some good talk time about various relatives in the Potts family, and we all enjoyed conversation on the lovely 70+ degree day while eating lunch on E and E's great porch. Thanks for sharing this picture, Linda.

The big hit of the weekend was the Disney dominoes game Linda brought for Hannah. Grandpappy and Hannah played non-stop, except when Gpappy needed a breather and Elisabeth or I took over for a while. I'm not sure who all those Disney princess are, but they got a workout over the weekend!

 

Of course it's always fun to read with the chicas, in this case "Those Darned Squirrels."  Hannah read to us, too. She's learning so much in kindergarten!

 

I got to go with Hannah, Vivi, and Elisabeth to Hannah's friend Mila's birthday party on Sunday. It was fun to meet some of her friends, especially Mila and James. James and Hannah plan to get married some day, so it was important for me to check him out ahead of time.

We also took a trip to the parque, and to the playground at Hannah's school (what a great playground the school has!). On the day we went to the regular parque, I attempted to get some pictures of the girls playing on the equipment. Here's Hannah getting dizzy on the swing tire.

Remember what I wrote earlier about fast moving little girls? Here's proof. 

Hannah, part 1...

  

Hannah, part 2...

Vivian, face down...

Vivian, disappearing around the roses...

 

Here, they're almost close enough to be in the same shot. 

Notice the abundance of roses-- in mid-November!

Here's my favorite shot of Vivi from the weekend, not because I enjoy seeing a sad little girl, but because she's just "so stinkin' cute", as her Auntie Annie always says about her! In case you're concerned, she jollied herself out of her crabby look within a few seconds. Take a look at the woods in the background... autumn isn't over in NC yet. So beautiful.

E, E, H, and V:  Thank you for a great weekend. We love your house and the new location. Kisses and hugs to the chicas. See you again in a few weeks!

Original 4 heads

Here is the inspiration for some of the cousin photos taken at Westy's birthday party a couple of weeks ago:

Compare: Mike was six, but he and Westy have similar blonde hair and blue eyes. I've been looking for the picture above for years and years. I found it and some other pictures from the same era (Stone Age) in my hunt for a patriotic-ish basket Annie asked to borrow for a project at work. Thanks, Annie, for asking just at the right time for me to decide to look in an ignored box in the storage room. I'll post more of the Lost Photos of the '50s and '60s in future blogs, and explain why they were considered "lost". Fascinating story. Ha!

Another Halloween, come and gone

It's November 1, so get ready to switch gears from Jack-o-lanterns to turkey gobblers. In 2011, all the cousins were in St. Peter in late October for pre-Halloween trick-or-treat practice. We wish that had been possible again this year, but instead Dad/Grandpappy/Larry and I enjoyed bits and pieces of Halloween with all six little twerps either in person or via photos sent by text and email. For the record, here are the kiddos on Halloweeen night, 2012.

Little Miss Cupcake and her sister, superhero Bate Chica, 

roamed the streets looking for frosting and fighting crime.

Spider Man and Super Man fended off the ghosts 

and goblins in our neighborhood.

The Dragon/'Gator/'Crocodile and his Monkey Pal kept watch 

for hungry trick-or-treaters.

Now it's time to dig into all that C*A*N*D*Y!