Sunday, September 28, 2008

Would you know what to do?

So I am having a horrible day. It's 1:30 pm and I just want to go back to bed and wake up to a fresh start to the day. It started out well - I slept on the couch last night in the basement to see if it would help my neck/shoulder situation. The results were favorable this morning but I don't plan on doing it again this week. I love my couch in the basement. I have spent many nights sleeping on it over the years due to it's firm yet plushy feel.

I was determined to get tons of stuff done today. I have a list a mile long - most of it school work. But I needed to get errands done first so that I could just spend the rest of the day working on homework. I got a message from my friends that needed me to check their house for flooding and to make sure their cats were ok while they were camping - so I added them to the list.

My morning on the road started at about 9:30. I have been good with my money and diet this week so I stopped for a coffee and breakfast sandwich. Yum. I headed to Petco to get my two refillable buckets of litter refilled (I love not wasting plastic containers). Litter was not on sale but that was ok. I saw some people I know, had some fun conversations... got a new Halloween costume for Dutch - pictures will be up after trick or treat. I then headed to Target where my day started to go down hill.

I purchased what I thought was a great new idea for food storage containers. They are different compartments that fit together with specially shaped ice packs. Fresh & Fit is the brand I believe. Great idea, poor design and testing before they released it to the market. I had purchased 4 different styles to try out and I needed to return 2. One for leaks and one because you can't close it when the ice pack is fully frozen and in place. Well, the girl at the return counter couldn't return them unless I treked across the store to find the same items in the store with a UPC on them. So, I asked what if I can't... she said she couldn't return them. Now, I am a retail manager and so many things started going through my mind at that point. Normally in my store we look up the item number or send a staff member to get one off the floor... rarely do we require someone to trek 3/4 the way around the store to get the info. Mind you I can identify the items on the receipt and the codes are also on the receipt. Hint: cup = cup and bowl = bowl. So, I finally get back up there with my UPC codes and get my return done. Task 1 completed.

I make my way to my friends' house and am greeted by cat B who is super talkative and thrilled to have someone there to pat him. Cat C is just trying to find out what I am doing there and if there is a way he can get out the door. So, I check the kitchen for cat food and water - PLENTY OF FOOD FOR A WEEK! Water is also full. Back to the living room to find what I believe to be kitty poop on the couch. Joy. So, I clean that up (friend says it might just be hairball puke) and the clean up really wasn't that bad. I scoop the litter box and give the cats some love. Task 2 - completed with only minimal gagging due to the couch incident.

Next task: get 3 items at Hannaford's so that I can make dinner for me and a coworker tomorrow. I love making dinner for us on the nights we close together. So, I get there and this particular Hannafords needs a parking garage. The parking lot is always super full. So, I parked at the end of the parking lot which was fine because I need the exercize. I didn't realize that this Hannaford's was under a remodel and it was hard to find 1 of the 3 simple ingredients that I needed. With the help of a friendly associate I spent a mere 15 mintues in the store getting 3 things. On the way out I was part of something that I am never wanting to be a part of again. I walked out the door and there were some people trying to help an old man to his feet as he was colapsing behind his shopping cart in the parking lot. Well, he wasn't tripping... he was experiencing some sort of medical emergency. Noone seemed to know what to do, including a hospice nurse. Finally I was like is anyone calling 911? NO??? So, I called 911. They guy was not breathing, had no pulse... then he took a deep breath. I sent someone in to check to see if they had a portable defribulator in the store but they didn't and the manager said that noone was trained for CPR. Well, did you actually page in the store to see if there was a doc or a trained nurse? NO??? Perhaps you should do that? Well, after that a nurse came running out with her cpr plastic wrap thing and started CPR and then a Hannaford's employee came running out because he knew how to do it too. Yet, according to the manager, noone was trained. Always ask for help if you need it!!! The fire dept. showed up and shocked him but it was too late. They guy had been sick for a while, according to his wife. They kind of continued compressions as they put him in the ambulance but everyone knew he was already gone.

I do not know CPR, noone there did except for the two people who came running out of the store. Do you know CPR? I called my mom and she said that you only have to do "hand on" or just compressions now until help arrives. My sister told me the same thing and gave me a link. I think we are all afriad that we will do more damage than good if we perform CPR incorrectly, but you won't. Just doing chest compressions can save someone's life. If this ever happens to me again I will be jumping in (noone jumped in in this case until it was too late). I think I will consider taking a full CPR course because you never know...

Here is the link about hand only CPR. http://handsonlycpr.eisenberginc.com/

So now I need to start my homework for my class titled "responsible corporate leadership". It is basically a business ethics course - boring so far but I need to get the homework done.

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

I didn't know that peaches...

... grow in NH!!! I have been itching to go apple picking all summer and the time is now upon us. I got Nick to go to Mack's with me and we picked some apples and peaches. Yes, peaches! I have not been peach picking since I lived in VA. Nothing beats a fresh picked peach! We ended up making apple crisp with some of the apples and the peaches are just being eaten away.

The farm stand... get your cider here!
Sometimes the best apples are at the top.
Fresh peaches! Yummy!

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Back yard exploring!

I thought it was too nice to stay inside after work so I took the kids (2 cats and dog) outside for some warm weather enjoyment. We all had fun, especially Fritz who found a baby snake to play with. Not much to talk about, but here are some of the pics I took.

Zee enjoying the outdoors.

There is a bumble bee flying in this pic. Can you find it?

Milk Weed!!

Yellow - bright and sunny!

Dutch just chillin'.

Sunday, September 14, 2008

You never count your money...

... while sitting at the table. There'll be time enough to count it when the dealin's done. (Kenny Rogers)

I went to a casino for the first time today! Nick and Mark went to cash in their coupons from Foxwoods today and I tagged along. I have never been to a casino so I was very excited and had high hopes of winning big and quitting my job. But, I was smart enough to only bring a small amount of cash so I didn't go crazy playing slots. Yes, I only played slots as I don't fully grasp the card table concept yet. I will save that adventure for another trip!

I lost every penny I went down with (minus my bagel and coffee cost in the morning), Mark came home with a nice profit and Nick came home even. Perhaps I will have better luck next time.

This is me about to enter a casino for the first time and kiss my money good bye!
Pretty waterfall inside the casino.
Native American sculpture. I like it!
I love that word... and there was a big sign with the word on it!

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

My brother got married!

I think that most of you were aware that my brother, Bryan, and wife, Katie, have been together for 10 years. Well, the finally got married on Friday 9/5 at the Bedford Village Inn! It was absolutely beautiful! The weather was perfect, the food was perfect, the company was perfect, and Bryan and Katie were glowing! I am not going to post a long blog or post a ton of pictures. Here are some highlights:




Bryan and Katie- you guys are so perfect for each other. I could not be more thrilled for both of you and wish you all the happiness in the world. I love you both and am so happy that I have yet another sister with whom I can bond.