New Music...from the 70's

For my birthday my son and daughter in law gave me an Amazon gift certificate.  I'm using it to load up my Ipod for the trip (what else!).  I discovered you can buy the music from Amazon a lot cheaper than I Tunes.

I had a large collection of 33s and 45s from my 'childhood', but they didn't survive my children's 'childhood' quite so well!  (Once, while we were in Germany, I found them playing...they were basically skiing...using my vinyls as skis on the tile floor!)  I actually still have them in a box...somewhere.

So, my goal was to find as many of the albums and singles as I can afford and put them on my Ipod.  So far I have some old Chicago, Moody Blues, Raiders, and some Phil Collins.  In my research I neglected to find out how the music is different...when technology is involved.  I saw the songs, listened to that brief snipet  of music and got all excited!

When I listened to the music, it wasn't quite 'right'.  See, I've listened to it so many times, I have memorized the subtle changes in tone and tune...some of these songs were just a bit 'off, while some didn't even sound like the same people singing.

So, the next time I download oldies, I will pay more attention to the words, re mastered, re mixed, and re recorded!  They are NOT all good!

Nini

I'm convinced...

... Kids can learn ANYTHING if you put it to music!

Think back to how you learned your ABC's.  I am willing to say there is probably not a single reader who did NOT learn them through that cute little song to the tune of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

My youngest two learned the books of the Bible through a couple of cute songs.  My learning disabled son has learned the lyrics of complete songs after hearing them only once.  My oldest daughter learned the 50 states through a song in , I believe, the 3rd grade.  My Grand daughter (age 3) can sing almost the complete song "Stuck Like Glue"

When my youngest two were little, and we used to spend hours in the car each weekend together,I used to look everywhere for kids CDs that would teach a foreign language.  Never found any, but heard lots of people say it was a good idea.

Kids LOVE music!  Look at all the games they love to play...Ring Around the Rosy...(who cares that it is talking about the Plague!).  The best way to get a short person to clean up their mess is to sing the "Clean up Song".  They learn the importance of continuous love with "Jesus Loves Me".  The Little Einsteins company discovered that as babies children can be exposed to classical music...and they LOVE it!

If I knew how to write music, I would make that my life's mission...unfortunately, I can barely read music...
and see if I can make this a reality!


Nini

35 days and 15 hours

Just a quick note about the darling Cinderella Coaches for the Pick A Pearl in Epcot.  They came in and are perfect!  I really wish I had gotten one for me as well!

I probably won't get any sewing done this weekend, cause I'm having too much fun playing grandma!  I forgotten how much fun it can be to have a little princess running around all day.

She has been her normal self...wanting me to take her to the mall...She is getting a biot sneaky though.  I told her I wasn't supposed to drive so we would have to wait a few weeks before we can go to the mall...and she told me we could go ahead and go...she wouldn't tell anyone!

I think we have most of the planning etc under control...but I still keep thinking I am forgetting something.....



Nini

36 days and 19 hours!

Yes, I know you are tired of the constant Disney talk!  (but it is better than my constant surgery talk!)

There is so much on the agenda for today.  I don't want to do any of it!  ZI am about to go down and work on another t shirt...My plan to have them all completed by this weekend is not going EXACTLY as planned, but pretty close.  I'm guessing as long as I have them finished by the first of November I will still have time to get all of the remaining family's stuff done in time to enjoy those last few minutes of the countdown!

I had all the luggage out, and ready to start packing, but hubby has made me move them from he dining room.  We are refinancing our house and the lawyer is coming over tonight to sign the paper work.  So...they have to leave the dining room table!  They will be back tomorrow morning for the packing to begin!

I am working on a list of last minute purchases, and so far it is still manageable.  My only concern is how the kids have managed to need all new jeans...since the beginning of the school year.  NOT fun!

Now I just need to finalize some plans and make a final list of things to get done before we go.  I love this time of the trip planning! Almost time to go and the final preparations make it seem so REAL!   I truly am ready to leave TODAY!  I think hubby is getting tired of me saying."..If we leave now, we could be at Disney by...."  LOL  (I even half way have him convinced t leave a day early...just don't know how to make that part swing financially!)

So final countdown is ON...and those shirts are going to finish themselves...so I better get started!


Nini

Great Progress today....

Wow, the kids are spending their last day of Fall break goofing off...just like kids should!

I managed to make old fashioned Oatmeal...the kind you have to cook forever (5 minutes), and comes plain.  I managed to make Macaroni and cheese for lunch and managed to get three t shirts finished...and promptly took a 2 hour nap!

So, not so much progress you say...well, I actually moved the walker out of the living room!  Woo Hoo!  Ok, in truth I haven't used it in a long while (I've actually been using it to hang some Disney clothes on ) but I guess it has been like a security blanket.  If I need it ...it is there.  Otherwise I ignore it.

I very much want to get the shirts finished.  I have other stuff I want to get finished, but I will not start until I get the shirts finished.  They have been on my list since the very beginning.  How dare I bypass them for something cool I just discovered!  Seriously, they are coming along nicely.  I managed 3 in the amount of time it normally takes me to do 2.  Having a little helper to iron the fabrics and fetch stuff for me really did help.

...now to find a way to bribe her to do it all the time.....


Nini

40 Days and 20 hours....

Yup...that is how long before Disney!  I am going to try and get a good count for what is missing in the clothes department and get them FINISHED!!!!

Yesterday, I bought the little white gold plated Cinderella Coaches to hold the Pearl from Japan's Pick a Pearl at EPCOT.  Now, I kinda wish I had bought one for myself!

With just a little over 40 days until we go, I'm really starting to feel like it is real.  We have grabbed all the luggage from downstairs and it is now sitting in the dining room.  After my daughter gets back from her weekend trip to Savannah, I will commandeer the piece that she took with her and then I will get started packing.  (well, actually I will start getting rid of the musty smell in them.) I usually put them away with a fabric softener sheet tucked inside.  That way they smell so nice when you pull them out.  Unfortunately, someone else put them away after our last trip and forgot that step.

And in case anyone is worried that I am posting exactly when I am leaving my house unprotected.  I have 2 ferocious dogs and one 6 foot 7 inch guy staying at my house while I am gone. (plus all the deputies in a three county area will be keeping an eye on our house...)

Now, for a few words about my grand daughter.  I found out last week that I 'might' be getting her back during the day.  It is not definite yet, but a high possibility.  It was enough to keep me on cloud nine for the entire weekend!  I could not imagine how much I have missed her!  Having her around during the days will be such a good thing.  I miss my Princess!

We took a short trip to the north Ga Mountains yesterday.  We were hoping to see a bit of fall color, but I am thinking we are about a week too early.We took one of Miss B's friends with us.  It was really cute watching the two of them together.  They were trying so hard not to be 'babies' and yet kept finding things that made them more of a child than they wanted to be!

One of the cutest things we saw was a relatively new shop.  It is called "Goats on the Roof"!  It is hilarious!  Last time we were there it was a quilt shop.  I knew they were going out of business, but I really didn't expect it to be this!!!

They literally had goats on the roof of the buildings!  There was a series of ladders, bridges, and slides for the goats to go from one building to the other and an on the ground fenced in area for them to play.  You could get goat feed for a quarter and put it in a conveyor belt type contraption to feed those goats that were on one of the roofs.  When the feed dropped to them it rang a little bell and the goats came running!  It was hilarious!

The inside was a cut,e normal, run of the mill souvenir shop, while the other building was a snack shop.  They had chairs sitting around a fire pit for relaxing and lots of porch swings.

If you are ever in the Helen, GA area...look them up!



Nini

Customer Service

I guess I have worked all my life in customer service.  I've worked in Food Service Industry, various office staffs, greeter at the USO, and lastly in the insurance industry.

It has always been drilled into my head, that if there is a problem, go to the customer before they have a chance to even know there might be a problem.

In getting ready for Disney, we needed some pettiskirts.  Now, I know we could have made them, but it is such a pain, that we decided to purchase them instead.  That meant research, research, research.  I checked so many different sellers I started to get dizzy.  Some had good prices, but bad quality, some had good quality but bad prices.

There was one site over and over that kept coming up on top.  But she was one of the most expensive providers.

We decided to go with one of the less expensive sellers.  She had been in business for quite a while and had noting but positive, glowing reviews.  She said there would be no problem getting them exactly like we wanted.  So, I sent her the money via PAYPAL.  See, whenever I purchase something online, I like to go through PAYPAL, because they have such a good return policy.  If you don't get your merchandise, you get your money back...no hassle, no problems...

About 2 weeks after I ordered, I started noticing something different about her site.  There were more and more negative reviews and complaints.  More and more people complaining that their merchandise wasn't arriving as promised.  Yet, I wasn't too worried.  I mean you have to expect some delays when ordering something...she told me going in it would be 3 to 6 weeks.

As time went on, I started getting more and more scared.  Nothing in the form of shipping info and nothing but negative complaints on her site about not getting their merchandise.

But, she kept assuring me it would be there soon, and that all was well.  In fact, just before my surgery, I sent her a message and her response was very re-assuring, and calming.  They would be shipped immediately.

Three weeks go by and no pettiskirts.

I start researching (it had now been 59 days and I thought the cut off for filing a claim through PAYPAL was 60 days...) She was still reassuring...

Then the horror...I discovered you only have 45 days to file a claim...not 60.  So I sent her a message...letting her know my great displeasure in her lack of customer service.   I mean if there was a problem, how hard would it be to send me a note to let me know?  If I am expecting merchandise and weeks go by with no information, I get worried.  However, if I am expecting merchandise and I hear from the vendor that there is a problem with the supplier, I feel like they are looking out for my interests and relax.

Well, I do get a response.  She tells me that she shipped it as she told me she had...(well THAT was the FIRST time she indicated that it had been shipped) and she didn't know why I hadn't gotten it!  She promised to look into it and get back to me the next day....well that was a week ago and still no word from her! Imagine that!

Today I ordered the pettiskirts from someone that I should have ordered from right away!  It cost quite a bit more...since I had to have them RUSHED!!!

I am not going to name the offending seller...I don't want this to be vindictive.  I want this to be about Customer Service.

So, to all my customers...I promise that if you order from me and I have a problem getting your order to you in a timely manner, I promise to:

-keep in touch with you as to when to expect your merchandise

-if there is a problem with one of my suppliers, I will let you know and give you the option of cancelling the order

-once the package is mailed (or shipped) I will email you the shipping confirmation

-after a reasonable time, I will follow up with you to 1)make sure you got it and 2)that you are satisfied with it.

-always be quick to give you the bad news...as well as the good news

Customer Service is all about keeping your customers happy.  Sometimes that means your pocket book might not be as happy in the short term, but the long term is always better!

Nini

I want to drive!

Or maybe...I want to Rest!!!  or how about...I want to do...ANYTHING!!!

This past week I found I was taking my 'discomfort' pills more than I wanted to, so I decided today to not take any.  I discovered, that after an hour of sewing, I still was exhausted, the difference was, I could not rest.  I could not find a single position that was comfortable.  I suppose I could have gone to bed, but I really, really didn't want to do that!

I'm not in real pain, just very very tired.  And, the more tired I get, the more difficult it is to hold my head up and the more discomfort I feel.

This afternoon I decided to take a couple of steps towards closing the pool.  I gathered up all the pool toys and brought them inside.  That's it...nothing strenuous.  Took all of 15 minutes.  (three trips to the garage)  I am so tired, I could go to bed and sleep through the night!  This is ridiculous!

How in the world am I going to be able to walk around Disney all day?



Nini

Seven Weeks...49 Days!!!

Yup!  Only 49 more days until I will be in Disney.  Actually at this precise moment, I will be finishing up breakfast and getting ready for the last hour and a half drive to Walt Disney World!

I still have so much to do to be ready, but a full knowledge that it will get done!  I am feeling better than I expected to feel 3 weeks after surgery, and have manged  to get 5 T shirts done this past week.  Right on schedule.

Since 99% of the planning is done, I have been working on our next vacation.  By popular demand it has been going somewhere this summer after school.  Since the school system will not be putting out the schedule for the next school year until APRIL!!! I can't actually plan anything for during the year.  Right now I have ideas for going back to Disney for a short jaunt, followed by a beach trip on the way home; a trip to Washington DC (trying to include a short beach trip in with that); a cruise (Disney of course); a trip to Missouri to visit family; and a vacation that really doesn't suit my planning style...but here goes...NO PLAN!

I am ready to throw the last one out...but there are some people (short ones) that think this might be a good idea.  The whole "be a gypsy" type plan is not in my comfort zone...and I'm not so sure hubby is ready for something like that either!

I have set a budget of $2000 for the trip, and so far I am finding some really good deals.   Of course, this will only work if I plan enough for food!  Hubby will NOT skimp on food on a vacation!  (I guess that is why he loves the Disney Dining Plan so much...plenty of food!)

(I guess now you see why I haven't posted so much lately...not that much to talk about!)

well, I need to go get started on my 49th day activities...translation...sewing!




Nini

Really? Tide? Clean up your act!

This has been bothering me for some time.  There are two current commercials out for Laundry detergents that have me scratching my head.

In one, a teenager is aking her mom where her favorite green shirt is...mom replies that it is not 'her' style, while scenes show Mom clearly wearing the shirt, getting a stain on it.  Mom runs up to the laundry basket, pulls out the green shirt and washes it with their detergent.  Next scene shows daughter wearing the shirt with Mom making a comment about finding it...to which daughter replies, it must have been hiding in her closet somewhere.

In the second, Dad and two sons are about to eat something they know they shouldn't eat.  The boys make a comment that Mom is gonna 'kill him'.  Dad promptly drops something on her table cloth, and quickly runs to the laundry room, with the boys yelling "busted".  Flash forward to everyone standing around a nice freshly laundered table cloth and mom asking whats going on.  To which the dad gives the boys a sign to be quiet!


What are these two commercials teaching us and our kids?  that we should LIE??? Come on now.  How can they expect us to equate cleaning with their product to the dirty habit of lieing?

I try to teach my kids to tell the truth.  We all know that the truth always comes out...isn't it better for it to come from us and not someone else?

Seriously...do we really need Tide telling us it is ok to lie to our families?  Even encouraging it?  Come on now...time to clean up your act Tide!

Nini

Watermelons...whatever!

Here it is October!

As most of you know, we have a pool.  In order to level out the back yard, we had to have some grading done in the back yard.  Besides my much talked about mud pit...we also have a LARGE pile of dirt.  This pile of dirt is at least as tall as I am.  and almost as big around as the pool!

Shortly after the pile appeared, we discovered a volunteer watermelon plant.  The kids like to say it was from when we ate watermelons in the back yard, but truthfully, it was already growing when we had watermelon our one and only time in the back yard!

This vine has completely taken over the pile of dirt.  About a month ago, hubby noticed there was actually a small watermelon growing.  We have been wondering if it would ever last long enough to get ripe.  So, we did what every responsible parent would do.  We didn't tell the kids about it.

It has steadily kept growing.  We checked on it about once a week.  Hubby did everything he could do to hide it from the kids. (including discouraging them from playing in the back yard by not cutting the grass!) It was getting lots and lots of sun and growing like crazy!

A few days ago, we had decided that if we didn't get a cold spell it might actually ripen!

Today...Miss B decided to go into the back yard...with in 2 minutes she was bringing in this gigantic watermelon...unfortunately it is not ripe yet.

Now I guess we have to cut the grass in theback yard!  LOL!

Nini