We made it!

We drove to Atlanta, GA today. Man, what a city. I'd rather drive through Los Angeles traffic all day long! Anywhoodles! We made it!

Dh took us to the Ikea store. WAY COOL! If you are in Atlanta, check it out. We started by parking in the parking garage below the store and walking to the entrance. Once inside, they had an escalator to the second floor. Once there we got the new catalog and headed up the next escalator to the restaurant. Dh had the swedish meatballs, I had the poached salmon, Miles had the chicken and Lil Mendel ate mac and cheese with chocolate milk. (A rare treat!) The food was DELICIOUS! Oh yea, and I had a salad! After that, we headed around the store.

It is laid out so you can follow the arrows on the floor and walk through each section. They have bedrooms, bathrooms, furniture, kids, office, etc. And the coolest part was they had little areas all set up as a "house" and each one had a sign "XXX Sq Ft Living". There was, let me see if I can remember, 237, 369, 798 and another one but I can't remember. Those are close numbers anyway. They also had "rooms" set up. Like livingrooms, kitchens, bedrooms, etc and it said how much the whole set up would cost. VERY VERY nice! You must go check it out if you go to Atlanta.

After that, we went to the hotel. We're staying in the Hyatt Hotel across from the huge Suntrust building. When you pull up, they have bellhops, bellboys, what do they call them? The inside is like a HUMUNGOUS hollowed out square with all the floors opening to the middle where you look down the nauseatingly high void to the bottom floor. Can you tell I hate heights. And so my highlight was getting in the GLASS elevator and going to the 20th floor without peeing on myself. I have managed to walk onto the balcony without passing out. It really is beautiful! I'll have to post a picture.

Well, the boys are getting antsy and I need to find us something to do in this huge city!

TA TA!

Dotchi

Family Dollar Stores have lost my business!

I was so excited to see a Family Dollar Store come to Decatur, TN. In fact my friend and I went shopping there not too long after it opened (which was Thursday the 24th of August). I was so happy because now there was someplace fresh and new and with low prices that wasn't too far from us and they accept checks. Well, everyone's checks but mine.

 

1) I have NEVER bounced a check at Family Dollar Stores, EVER.

2) As I type this, my account balance in my bank account is $2707 and some change.

 

So today I grabbed my list and planned an errand day. I paid for my new registration for my van, bought gas for the van and the lawn mower and then headed over to Family Dollar to get what I needed. It wasn't a LOT of things but the total did come to $88.84 so, I am sure you can imagine my surprise when they wouldn't accept my check. I was sure there must be a mistake since I hadn't bounced any checks and my account balance MORE than covers the $88.84 check. In fact, I could pay the $88.84 check 30 times before I would need to worry about bouncing a check. They did not have a number to call so I could find out why so instead, I called my bank. They said there was nothing wrong there and told me it was Family Dollar and the bank.

 

I ended up finding the number on the back of my check from where they stamp the check and I called that number. They gave me a reference number for my account so that if I called again the call would go faster (how sweet). Then he explained that the reason they would not accept my check is because my "recent check writing habits have exceeded the acceptable limits and guidelines set forth by Family Dollar corporation" and then they gave me a number to call to talk to them.

 

At first, I thought it was a joke. But it isn't. I have wrote one check on the 27th of August and it cleared my account. That was for a few things I needed. It was less than $20. I wrote another check there on the 30th of August for $49.08 and it has not cleared my account yet (but with $2707 in the account, I am not worried). And then the check I attempted to write today.

 

I have called and left a message with Dianne at the Customer Service Department and I am waiting for her to call back but I will DEMAND an explanation as to why they won't accept my check when my friend has wrote checks there since it opened equaling MORE than my 3 checks combined.

 

I will not shop somewhere that has these ridiculous "limits and guidelines" and humiliates me in public b/c they don't my check writing habits are "acceptable". The only thing they should worry about is whether or not the check will clear, which it would! But not to worry your corporate self, Family Dollar, you won't have to worry about my "check writing habits" anymore because I will NOT shop there again. I'll take my business elsewhere.

 

Humiliate me? I think not! Publicly defame my character? No thank you, I'll shop at Dollar General from now on. At least they appreciate the business. Excuse me for getting paid and needing soap, bleach and food.

 

Dotchi

Compostin and recycling in the boonies

Compost:Why no meat? Not sure about the rest of it.

 

To be honest, I can't remember the why's and wherefore's LOL. I remember it had something to do with bacteria or killing your plants??? Or something like that.

Do you live in the boonies? LOL No recycling?!

 

Oh no, we don't live IN the boonies. We're about 10 miles past it, to the right and over the ridge, across the creek and up the hill BAHAHAHA... couldn't help it. I had to do it! But no, if we want to recycle we have to drive 50 miles (give or take 5) and pay to drop it off. Go fig! I can't wait to have recycling. I here it is free in San Diego!

Dotchi

Agenda for today!

My agenda for today is to eat chocolate! Then I am going to start a burn pile, mow the lawn, clear out the livingroom and kitchen, clean out the laundry and start on the boys room. That should be enough to keep me busy :) Then around dusk we'll start the burn pile burning. I think that will be easier for now than trying to drive 15 miles to the dump twice a week. Now we can go once a week.

 

I have a system for trash now. Food stuffs go in the bio-bin to be put in a compost heap. Burnables go in the burn pile. Glass and metal go in separate containers. Metal goes to the guys at the dump and glass... I dunno. There is no place to recycle them. Maybe I'll figure something out. And the rest of the trash, whatever is left over, goes to the actual trash can! We should have a LOT less trash now.

 

SO, What can I put in a compost heap. It's not for gardening that we'll eat or anything. Anyone know? I remember no meats. Is that still true? But then too, we feed that to the dog. LOL Basically anything that breaks down?

 

I went no mail on most of my yahoogroups so I can concentrate on this house and not email. Now I miss emails LOL But i need to really FOCUS on this right now. Hey, I'll probably have more time to blog too! Coooool!

 

I'll try to remember to update on my progress tonight.

 

Dotchi

From the mailbag

Traci asked: I am so sorry for your loss. Was this expected?

 

No, this was not expected at all. He died from an accidental gun shot to the head. Thank you for your post.

 

I'm not really sure how to respond to the "I'm sorry for your loss" responses I have gotten over the week. do I say thank you? That sounds to... upbeat... or something. I can't think of the word. I usually just nod knowingly and give them a hug or something. I can't do that on the internet though. What is the appropriate response to that? Is it Thank You?

 

Dotchi