Our precious son Alex recently asked if we could have a small family cookout to celebrate his leaving for college. In a weak moment, we agreed. He said it would just be the grandparents, local aunts and uncles and his cousins, along with some of his friends. No big deal.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
We're Up for Family of the Year (and lots of pictures)
Posted by Cindi at 2:41 PM 6 comments
Monday, August 17, 2009
Postage Update and More
As far as my last post about postage is concerned, we have been purchasing the Forever stamps for a while, but had these stamps. I thought that perhaps they were Forever stamps, but just didn't say FOREVER on them because we all know how the postal system doesn't think like the rest of us.
I have NOT received any of the things I mailed back. I know for a fact that the invitations I sent out did NOT arrive postage due. As far as the other things, I have no idea. No one has contacted me about it, if they did. I had a return address label on everything I sent out, so things could have been easily returned.
I still think that the situation shows that the USPS is, at the very least, incompetent.
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My calendar shows that today is Monday, August 17.
This is not at all possible, as it has only recently become hot and humid. Additionally, I still have the list of books I want to read this summer and it is not yet completed. I also have an even L O N G E R list of things to accomplish around the house this summer. That, too, is not started finished.
Rumor has it that our younger son is leaving for college in four days and his things are not only still not packed, BUT still not completely purchased.
Have I ever mentioned that August is my absolutely favorite month???
No?
Maybe that's because it's NOT.
Posted by Cindi at 2:27 PM 3 comments
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
And They Wonder Why They're Losing Money
Over the past week and a half I've had to mail a bunch of things. Ted takes care of the bills, so I don't pay a lot of attention to return address labels or stamps. I know where they are (in a small basket on one of the counters) and use them when I need them.
I've sent out a variety of things to different departments at the university Alex will be attending. I'm part of a group of people who meet for breakfast a couple of times each summer, and occasionally during the school year. Sunday night I sent out 9 invitations to breakfast. In addition to these things, I had to send a couple of payments for different things (I don't pay ALL my bills online, just some of them) and a few other miscellaneous items too.
This evening I was getting ready to send out some belated birthday cards (I've mentioned many times that I'm a severe procrastinator), I noticed that the stamp roll was getting low. I asked Ted if we had more stamps anywhere. He told me that he keeps all the stamps in a basket with the bills. I told him that the smaller basket had the stamps and return address labels. Then he said that those were OLD stamps and he had no idea what their value was, but they certainly weren't current. I told him he must be mistaken because I'd been using them. He said he was sure they were old.
So...I got online and finally found out that the stamps that I've been using for the past week and a half are only worth 39 cents. It now costs 44 cents to mail a letter.
I've not received a single mailed item back, and to the best of my knowledge, nothing arrived at its destination postage due. I know that the invitations were received because I had a few calls about them.
I did NOT purposely deceive the United States Postal System. However, is it not their responsibility to notice if the wrong postage has been attached? Everything had a return address label, so they could have returned everything to me. But they didn't.
Had the cost been printed on the stamps, I would have known their value. After a 10 minute search online, I discovered that I needed to look on the flagpole on the stamp. At the bottom of the flagpole "2007" is imprinted. Now I was just at the eye doctor's Saturday morning for an exam and my near vision is 20/20, HOWEVER, I was not able to see the "2007" without a magnifying glass.
Do I feel bad about this? Nope.
To me, this situation reinforces the ineptitude of the USPS. And they wonder why they're losing money.
Posted by Cindi at 8:52 PM 2 comments
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Four Years
Today I reach the four year mark of a cancer diagnosis.
WOW.
It was a challenging time for all of us. We had just broken ground on our new home about a month before. I was getting things ready to start the school year for me. Alex and I were back-to-school shopping for him. Joe was about to begin his first year of college.
BOOM!
Out of nowhere appears a five day horrendous stomachache, a trip to the ER, testing all night long, then being admitted, more testing, discovering a tumor in my colon, then surgery to remove it.
Then there was a hospital stay of almost a week, adjusting to a colostomy, relying on the visiting nurse to teach us how to change the colostomy appliance, then thanking GOD for such a fantastic husband.
After that I dealt with not being able to start the school year, seeing our oldest son start college at a local university branch, then a fall outside the orthodontist's office, in which I cracked a couple of ribs.
Throughout which time I had begun meeting with oncologists, and discussing chemo.
Yes, it was a busy time. I can remember saying, "I just wish I could fast forward a few years and have this all behind me."
Now it's definitely a few years later and things are going extremely well. I'm ready to start the countdown to the almighty five year mark.
No matter how old you are, please consider having a colonoscopy!
Posted by Cindi at 12:22 PM 4 comments
Friday, August 7, 2009
The Dorm Room
Several times this summer I've told Alex that there will be two single beds, two desks, and two dressers all in a room the size of his bedroom when he's at school. He kept telling me that he understood, but I really don't think he did until he actually saw his dorm room. At least he has a nice view out of his window.
Apparently the desks are fixed to the wall and attached to each other. I'm not crazy about that, but there's nothing I can do about it.
Posted by Cindi at 2:20 PM 1 comments
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Marina
If you're not a pet lover, then just skip this post and check back in a couple of days.
If you ARE a pet lover, you'll totally understand this.
The other day I was cleaning out the refrigerator. When I opened up the drawer where we keep deli items Marina just about went crazy. See, she likes turkey breast. I mean she REALLY LIKES turkey breast. She will sit on the tile floor in front of the refrigerator, waiting for someone to open the door, hoping that they will toss a small piece of turkey her way. Afterall, she's withering away to nothing, as you can plainly see. She jumped up on the counter across from the fridge and leaned toward it so much I thought she was going to fall off. (Yes, I gave her a little piece of turkey.)
After her little belly was satisfied, she jumped up on the other counter, then on top of the fridge, then on top of the cabinets to her perch. When she gets up there, she likes to watch what's going on around the house, and she can do so without being bothered. We wouldn't bother her if she weren't so darn cute and cuddly though. That's what she gets for being adorable and loving.
While I was cleaning out the fridge, I noticed that we had some Pillsbury Crescent rolls that were about to expire, so I decided to add them to the evening menu.
I fixed dinner at the normal time, but Ted was working late. Alex and I were ready to eat, so I began to get things out on the table. After I put the crescent rolls out (you can see just how fancy we truly are here...I baked them on a foil covered cookie sheet and didn't even bother to put them in a bread basket) I turned to take the chicken out of the oven. When I turned back around, a little head popped up in Ted's seat. Now the cats had already eaten, but Marina just likes to be socialable. No, she did NOT get a crescent roll and was moved to the floor after I took the picture.As Alex and I finished eating, Mimi (Marina's nickname) decided that she wanted to eat with us. I hadn't finished my risotto and just moved my plate aside as Alex and I were talking. Mimi must have really liked how it smelled because she was ready to climb into my plate. I put a little bit down on the table and she went to town with it. Somehow I was able to get a shot of her as her tongue was sticking out.
Is she not just the cutest thing?
Posted by Cindi at 2:47 PM 5 comments
Monday, August 3, 2009
A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words
I was going to go, but I had gotten pretty sick the day before and after a discussion it was determined that I would be a detriment rather than an asset, so I stayed home. However, I was able to give explicit instructions as to what I wanted pictures of (the dorm room from all angles and a shot of the view outside the window) and various measurements.
Posted by Cindi at 2:04 PM 4 comments
Sunday, August 2, 2009
I Don't Get Out Much
After eating, we watched Carrie open her gifts. She received so many nice things, and they were useful too. She didn't get things that will be shoved in the back of the closet, only to be seen when the closet gets cleaned out.
As she was finishing up with the gifts, the dessert came out.
My cousin Davene had just finished telling me about her upcoming trip to South America. She's been to Africa twice. I keep telling her that when I go on vacation, I want HOT and COLD running water, flush toilets, a shower, air conditioning, maid service, and restaurants. She insisted that they had all those things in Africa.
Yeah, right.
Here is Anna again, with Carrie, the bride-to-be, and Carrie's mom.
BUT, I'm so glad I went...I had a great time and enjoyed seeing everyone.
The wedding is in September, and it will be yet another opportunity to get together with all the cousins and have a wonderful time!
Posted by Cindi at 11:50 AM 4 comments