bellatrixx

2010-07-13T15:18:10Z

Voice Mail Faux Pas

2010-05-12T14:55:31Z

So, On Monday, I called Lily's counselor to have her signed up for a group that she recommended Lily attend.

I left a voicemail about whether or not she would be able to attend, etc. Since I had to re-arrange my work schedule, this is especially important.
I was assured by the very nice Kaiser recording that my message would be returned in 24 hours.
I had also left a message with her psychiatrist. Which called me back that evening.

On Tuesday, I received another check in call from the psychiatrist's office. And then I remembered, Hey, I hadn't heard back from the counselor about Wednesday's group. I proceeded to call her office again while driving to get Alex with Lily in the car. (yeah yeah, stupid CA law)

I left the following message: "Hi Paula, this is (blah blah, you know who I am and who my kid is if you're reading this...)I called on Monday and left you a message about Wednesday's group. Did you get that message? Is she signed up? I re-arranged my work schedule, no easy feat, so I'd really like a call back to let me know if we should attend."

I then pushed the end button, tossed my phone down into the cup holder and proceeded to say, "Yeah and you were SUPPOSED to call me back within 24 hours, so you SUCK!"

then I glance down at my phone, which proudly displays "connected" on it's face.

SHIT

really? the one time a cell phone actually STAYS connected? WTF!?

I calmly pick the phone up and tell Lily I apparently was still on that call. to which she replies, "well, I doubt she'll call you back in 24 hours now!"

**sigh**

I'm sure she wrote THAT in Lily's file, to reference later as to why my kid is so messed up. fabulous.

Goodbye 2009 (or 2009 in review)

2009-12-31T17:06:14Z

Well! Here we are at the end of another year. I would like to begin this by saying, "Wow! SO much has happened this year", but really in 365 days alot WOULD happen. Anything momentous? hmm let's see...let's go month by month.

In January, my husband bought me a new car. A much needed, wanted, anticipated new car. He took me to the lot and said pick out what you want. I wanted a PT Cruiser so bad, but once I drove one, I hated them. I wound up getting a Suzuki Grand Vitara and I love it! It so cute :)

In February, Allen and I went wine tasting at a local vineyard in West Sac. We met up (perhaps reluctantly?) with some members of our Meetup Group and followed them to the next place, which was a really neat old building with several vintners inside called the Sugarmill. It was a nice afternoon.

In March, We did a culinary event for St. Patrick's Day and I made my "Famous Corned Beef". Everyone loved it and as usual, there were NO leftovers. I also decided to try and make a sculspted cake, and with the help of Denise, made a pot of gold cake that was awesome! My birthday was at the end of March and we didn't really do anything for it, The meetup group had a disastrous b-day party for me that they insisted on having. It was horrible. Afterwards though, we all had a good laugh about it. And by "all" I mean my personal friends who attended. hehe The hostess got drunk and was rubbing herself on her neighbor who came over because?? Umm yeah I wasn't sure either. She climbed on his lap AT the table where people were eating! Then the neighbor guy left for a 'drive' with the organizer of the group and hostess lady got pissed off, so she jumped in her minivan (yes that's right) and drove off looking for them. She almost ran over my friend and Allen in the driveway on her way out! (ok that part wasn't funny)Then she came back, and told everyone to leave, just GET OUT! wtf? There were also 2 guys the were brought to the party, one of whom kept hitting on my friend Denise and he was yuck, I mean purely Ewwwww, get away!

In April, we went to Las Vegas!! My first time ever! We took the kids too. Our friend has a time share and rented the super big one and we all stayed in a 3bd condo in a hotel. It was awesome. The kids went swimming alot, due to the pool being open 24 hrs. We saw SO much STUFF.. really that's what it was, stuff. We all got to ride in a huge limo, too. Best part, going to Serendipity 3 with my kids and Allen. My mom and I always said we had to go there sometime, problem was, when we said that there was only 1, in New York. The DAY we arrived in Vegas, was the first day this location was open!! We went later in the week, but wow, I felt great!! It was the beginning of feeling normal again after my mom died. I don't know why, but it was really great. The vacation, the kids, Allen, our friends, everything. The girls had their b-days, L turned 14 and A turned 7. My baby turned 7!!

In May, Swim Team Started, so that's all I did until July. Really, it kept us So busy. 5 days a week practice and a meet on Saturday. Alex and Nick did very well and learned how to swim really well! Lily graduated from 8th Grade.

In June, We were pretty much still doing swim team. *Yawn*
I spent hours with Denise on her B-day, which was also the 1 yr anniversary of my mom's death and we had wonderful conversation. We talked alot about what had gone wrong with our friendship the year before and cleared the air. My 6 yr wedding anniversary also came and went this month. I'm so glad I have Allen!

In July, that's our BUSY month. Chelis left for the Army on July 1st. We have our 4th of July party and two weeks later we have SLIDE PARTY. It's so great to see all our friends! We had quite a crowd for the 4th, and Slide Party was a hit as always. Ian and Angie came with Connor. William and Chanda came out again, I love them! I miss them so much! Chanda is shorter than Lily and Nick now. They got a good laugh over this. At the end of July, Jake and Jessica got married. I made the wedding cake. I will probably never make another cake that size again. (at least while I still hold a full time job)

In August, we were still recuperating from July. lol
N turned 12, C turned 19 (in boot camp). School started for everyone. Nick went to go live with Martin during the week for school. The Jr. Highs down here suck. Amador County is OK, but definitely better than here. With the boys out of the house during the week, it is MUCH quieter here. almost eery. hehe

In September, It was pretty much day by day. Allen had to go to Vegas for a conference, and I got to go with him!! I got to sleep and sitesee and take pictures and walk around and party at nightclubs, whew! It was very exciting. I tried to meet up with my aunt Natalie (again) and nothing. I do not understand that side of my family (I should say that branch of my family tree) They talk about wanting to see each other, but then they just simply flake out.
I made a cake for a friend's daughter to practice my cake skills. I wish MMFondant would be more consistent. It seems almost anything can make or break it.
We, as in some of my dearest friends, who by the way have become so much to me this year. Hard to believe alot of us just became friends THIS year isn't it? Seems like we've always just fit this way. My old friends and new friends like each other and it's always a blast when we get together. oops, tangent, Anyway... we attended a French Cooking Class at a french cafe in Septemeber, (can't believe I almost forgot this!)The guy who owns the place is hilarious and weird. The coolest thing was, when we were done and I was paying him, he asked if all the people were friends of mine and I said, 'Yes, we get together every week' and he said, Wow, you have great friends, what a nice group of people! Yes sir! I know that!

In October, we decided to get into our culinary adventures again. We hosted Oktoberfest again this year, at our house this time. We had about 25 people come for a HUGE German Potluck style dinner. Allen was bartending at his best, and everyone had a great time. Later that month we did an apple event. That was fun too. Then on to Halloween. Becky came up in October and we thrift & dollar store'd our way into halloween greatness. I decorated more than I ever have for halloween and we had our annual halloween shindig (so called because I refuse to say "I'm throwing a halloween party") Alex's two buddies decided to dress up as Mario & Luigi for Halloween and they tried and tried to talk her into dressing up as Princess Peach, so they could go as characters from Mario Kart. She kept refusing, but then finally decided that she DID want to theme her costume with theirs. She deicided on Princess Daisy (from Mario Kart)because Princess Daisy is cooler than Princess Peach, she doesn't have to be rescued, she has all the weapons the boys have, so says Alex. FYI, they don't SELL a Princess Daisy costume. So guess who got to make one? yup, me. They won the costume contest at Day care and were VERY PROUD of themselves. Sadly, Jake and Jessica could not attend, Jessica was hell-bent on having her baby that day. She finally got him out on Nov. 1st.

In November, WOW what a busy month!
As previously stated, Jessica had her baby. We drove to the hospital on November 1st to see the new arrival. Tyler Jacob FINALLY graced us with his presence that morning. Took pictures and then let them sleep. I went to their house the day they came home and took Lily to see him, she loved it! Alex of course went too and kissed ont he baby. Allen did a site visit to Chumash Casino down near Santa Barbara and not only did I get to go, we took Lily and Alex along too! We met up with my cousins Dena & Sarah and spent the day with them. Oh my god, how awesome!! I haven't seen Dena in about 20 yrs! I had never even met Sarah. On the way home that day, we stopped at Pismo Beach, HAD to!! So Cal beaches are so different than Nor Cal ones. The girls MUST see this! I told Allen, and he stopped for me :) The culinary group had a November b-day party again this year and we attended. Mostly I think angie does this as it is an excuse to get her picture taken with Allen (whom she lusts after...eww) (eww that she lusts, not eww Allen is gross..lol)Allen and I made the birthday cake. It was huge! about 7" tall and a 12"x 12" square. It was just like Jake and Jessica's wedding cake, vanilla buttermilk cake, with chocolate ganache and cheesecake filling. It's becoming my signature cake, because no one will ever get anything like it.(except from me) Thanksgiving was GREAT! Zoey came over on Wed. and stayed the night and she and I made all our family recipes together! In attendance: Jake, Jessica, Tyler, Irene, James, Steven, Zoey, Craig, Chelis, Lily, Nick, Alex and of course Allen and I. Our table JUST fit everyone.

And now December,
Whew! what a ride is all I can say. I tried to keep December as mellow as possible. I think I've earned it, right? I took Alex to the Santa Train and one of the guys there asked if we were related to Red, when I told them our last name (for the picture)I told the guy that Alex was his grandaughter. :) My father in law is somewhat of a celebrity in the train circuit here in Sacramento. Alex knows her place, she is rightfully the princess of trains. lol
Christmas came and went, the kids were very pleased with their gifts and everyone has been kept busy with them. Zoey came and spent Christmas week with me. She was babysitting Alex and we got alot of organizing done (YAY!!) it was very nice! Becky came up for Christmas Eve/Christmas Morning as always and we wrapped presents after dinner and watched Clerks II Our favorite xmas movie!! ( I know it's not REALLY a xmas movie, but hey, it IS at MY house!!)
I spent alot of time on Facebook this year, connecting with family and old friends. alot of people posted comments about how 2009 was such an awful year and they are glad it's over, I don't feel that way, I think 2009 was just as busy and full and happy as ever. I know some of my friends lost jobs, couldn't find jobs, there were deaths and births, isn't that the way it is every year? Maybe not to you directly, but everywhere in the world, it's just life. At least we ALL couldn't look back and say, WOW, NOTHING happened!
Looking forward to 2010.

And so to wrap this up, here is a year of status updates from Facebook:

funny sighting

2009-11-06T17:27:45Z

So this morning I'm driving to work and I see a SMART CAR turning left across the intersection in front of me. I notice that the person in the car is rather small and muse to myself, "huh, those cars ARE small, they even make the drivers look small"

Then I notice that I am not seeing the DRIVER, I am looking at a KID (about 10 or so). The driver has the seat so far back, he is practically sitting in the (non-existent) back seat.
His head is nowhere in the side window of the door, but rather in the rear side window.

HA!

Pregnant Friends...please read

2009-10-14T21:47:27Z

I have a very good friend who is pregnant and due ANY MINUTE!! Notice I say any minute NOT any day now.. because I am keeping positive thoughts that she will deliver sooner rather than later!!

So, she is cranky because, well she's very pregnant. Also, people keep asking her when she is due and then offering "helpful" comments such as, "wow..your gonna pop..."when's your due date?"..."oh you've still got a while then" or simply (ha!) re-living THEIR own childbirth story...right there!! wherever she is!! and she doesn't even know them! Causing her to feel, well, like this: "I will hit some old lady, I will annika."

haha

I told her she could have a great time with this if she just relaxes and has some fun with it, so I started typing out responses she could give these "do-gooders" (I prefer evil-doers)Mostly to make her laugh, but really, some were pretty good.. so then I said, "OMG, I could totally post these as a sort of self-help for women who are DUE...so here they are:
next time someone asks,

Q: "when are you due?"
A: "I'm not pregnant! how DARE you!
are you calling me FAT?
ARE YOU?
Bring it!!

Q:"when are you due?"
A:"Well, I JUST found out I'm pregnant, so it's awhile to go yet."
(smile sweetly)

Q:"you're ready to pop"
A: "god I HOPE not! I thought they came out the butt, wait, babies come out the butt right?
(10 points to whoever can identify that line!!)

Q:"How far along are you?" OR "When are you due?"
A: "Well we had a lil trouble, so the fertility treatments FINALLY worked and now we should be welcoming lil' Abby, Grace, Tyler, Aiden and Zach sometime around Xmas"
(feel free to insert any nearing holiday that is CLEARLY farther than your due date)

Q: "Should you be drinking that coffee?"
A: "look, its been hard enough, I changed from regular budweiser to bud light for pregnancy....giving up coffee, I just couldnt do."

Q:"Wow you are Huge!!!"
A:"I know imagine if I were pregnant!!!!"

Q:"Are you having twins?"
A:"Yes, would you like to see them? They're in here!"
and I'd start to open my bag

Q: "You're only seven months pregnant? You look farther along than that."
A: "I know. The worst part is that I think that my husband may be cheating on me, so I am not even sure the baby is mine."
*starts crying and leans on said person's shoulder*

Q: "You look ready to deliver"
A: "Yeah, funny you mention that...I am actually 13 months pregnant. I have no idea what's going on..."

and to round this off..(pun intended)
"I KNOW! I'm huge. You should see the ultrasounds. The kid's got a head like an Easter Island statue."

"Why ever would you say something so inappropriate and hurtful?"
and just wait there with dead silence.

"Yeah, we're not skimping with this one. And I'm really enjoying myself."

"Yeah, I'm fat, but I was hungry and that dwarf was freakin' huge"

:shrug: "Well, they said itw as an all you can eat buffet"

"Twins, not sure, but the real question is whose?"

"Yes, I'm having twins, can you buy us lunch?"

"Nope, it's black hole and will soon engulf us all. Sorry."

:cock eyebrow, with a sly look: "They didn't look everywhere for those WMDs"

"Na, just stealing office supplies"

What happened to the radio?

2009-10-08T18:36:56Z

I live in Sacramento. Over the past year or two, radio stations have really gone downhill.

It started with 107.9 when they had that contest where some lady died from drinking too much water. Dumb contest, yeah...but I would never have thought a person could DIE from drinking too much water! And apparently neither did they. So they fired the DJ's, toned down the morning show to a step above completely boring, aimed it toward nitwits (read: teenagers, about 13-14 yrs old) and called it a day. I seriously can only stand about 10 mins of the insipid chatter that these DJ's THINK is humorous (which is thankfully about how long my daughter is int he car for every morning). This morning for instance, the had their "confessions" segment, where they disguise the person's voice and no names are given and they can call in and 'confess' something that's been nagging at them for awhile, years maybe!
Today's was: Some guy called in...He said when he was 7 yrs old he wrote a letter to santa and asked for a specific toy. Well Xmas came and went, and no toy. So the next year, santa was making the rounds and when it was his turn to sit on santa's lap, he peed on him. Turns out it was his own father dressed up that year. I don't know about you, but maybe I'm lacking the adolescent humor required in finding this funny.. I simply find it annoying. I was listening to this hoping the confessions were going to be something good, juicy even! But no.

Then this year, KWOD 106.5 went off the air, well KWOD as we knew it, anyway. They are now a 90's station "All 90's ALL the time" blech. Sure there was some good music, but compared to the 80's, ehh I could take it or leave it. I miss KWOD. I miss Shawn and Jeff in the morning, then when they changed to Adam Corolla, I was sad, but then I came around and now I miss that too. *sigh* No more witty banter of funny DJ's you felt you KNEW. No more good songs that were pretty much right in the middle of the heavy stuff they played on 98 Rock and the watered down modern rock of 100.5 the Zone. Plus you could always count on them to play some good ole' Cure or Depeche Mode.

Some stations play more music, less talk and that's cool, but their selections in music are just so-so. I find myself listening to Jack FM more and more, which I like to refer to as the "Rock Band" station.. since every song I hear EVERY FRIDAY NIGHT is pretty much played on Jack FM AT LEAST once a day. ok..that's all for now.

Bible Studies

2007-01-23T19:07:45Z

You know the Bible 61%!

Congratulations! You know a lot about the Bible - the books, the characters, the events. You are able to remember a lot of what you have heard and read!

Ultimate Bible Quiz
Create MySpace Quizzes

Is this funny?

2006-10-18T16:31:29Z

Have you ever seen a commercial where a person calls a 'hotline', describes a situation and then asks, "Is that funny?" Well consider this my 'hotline'. Today, on the radio, there was a brief news story about Chris Rock's mother. Apparently she is suing The Cracker Barrel restaurant for racial discrimination. She claims they wouldn't take her order, were rude to her when she tried to get their attention and she finally had to leave and never got helped. She alleges that this all occurred because she is black. Does anyone else see the hilarity of this situation? she's suing the CRACKER BARREL???? HAHAHAHAHA Why'd she even go there? Sorry, had to put this in here.

Stupid-Funny

2006-10-04T15:20:22Z

You know when you hear something really stupid (joke, saying,etc,) and it is so funny that you keep laughing every time you think of it for days afterward?

But... you don't tell too many of your friends about it, cause you KNOW they'll think YOU or IT is stoopid...lol

Ok, I just HAVE to write this down so I don't forget it. That way if I am having a bad day, I can always read this and smile...maybe even laugh. If you think it's stupid, I don't care.

So, I am listeneing to the Adam Corolla Show on KWOD the other day and he and his co-horts are going off on how 'gay' football announcing has gotten.
Comments like, "He really took that one in the ass Bob" and so on.
Anyway, Adam starts off on how he has noticed this phnomenon too...and how even the Green Bay Packers fans have gotten into the gig. Here is his schpiel:

"Apparently, Packers fans are starting to wear brown wedges of fudge on their heads instead of the usual cheese ones"

" I mean you're only a can of spraypaint and a bedazzler away from REALLY making a statement!"

OK, so I am totally laughing at this point, cause all I can think of is: 'Fudge Packers' damn.

disclaimer: I have gay friends, I have NEVER used that term in any derogatory fashion, I don't look at this as making fun of gay people...AND I once owned a bedazzler. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

I do however laugh a really good laugh at the thought of Packers fans wearing fudge on their heads...cause that's just too funny...sorry

I am evil-like the froo-its of the dev-eel

2006-09-27T19:00:18Z

You Are 68% Evil

You are very evil. And you're too evil to care.
Those who love you probably also fear you. A lot.

How Evil Are You?

How bored do I get?

2006-09-15T16:14:04Z

So, I have a really boring job. I sit here and wait (anxiously)for the phone to ring. I type reports and quotes and other than that I pretend to look busy. I cannot read a book, play solitaire or anything else mind-numbing when my boss is in the office. I have to "look" busy. As a result, there will be more posts in this stupid thing, that I swore I would not write in/on whatever.
I have "surfed the web" on most interests of mine and have found that while there ARE some interesting pictures to be seen...hehe, there's not much reading. I was hooked on a Fan Fiction site that had Harry Potter knock-off books for awhile, and now that I have finished the 4 very long "books" I am trying to stay away from that site as I would like to be away from the computer at some point during my day and they were VERY addicting (sadly).
There were several things that actually bothered me about those books though. While they were entertaining and the main characters were actually more like 'normal' teenagers, there were some nagging things about them.
1. If you have THAT much time on your hands to write practically full-length novels online, why don't write something that is NOT stolen from someone else's ideas and actually make some money off the writing?!?! What a colossal waste of time!
2. She has talent, but she has flaws...
a. She uses certain words/phrases too many times in the stories.
Pillowed: as in; "She pillowed her head on his chest" GAG ME. And while your at it, find a REAL word to use!! PILLOWED??? WTF?
Copse of trees: I understand changing common words into more sophisticated ones to sound intelligent, but come on, when you use them 37 times in one book, it's just pathetic. What ever happened to 'group of trees, circle of trees, gathering of trees' and of course in some cases, it's fine to just say 'there were trees' for crying out loud!!
But I digress, I get so bored at work that I rant on and on about...well....NOTHING!
SAD, SAD, SAD

Internet Scams

2006-07-05T21:27:19Z

Recently, I was bored at work and decided to browse the classifieds at Sacbee.com. As I made my way to the 'pets' section, I saw an ad for a Yorkie Puppy-up for adoption. I thought..."what the heck, I'll send the advertiser an e-mail" this can be done rather easily through the Sac Bee website, at the bottom of the ad. So, I sent them a message asking the price to adopt the dog. (I think yorkies are the cutest damn things I have ever seen.) I continued browsing and saw a few other ads that I also sent messages to. I received 5 e-mails back concerning my interest in the dog. All of them, yes ALL of them had basically the same story. The one below has the most detail, although one of them I received included an address to send the Western union to. Most of them referenced a company that ships animals. I contacted them and informed them of their cooperation (albeit unknowingly) in this scam. I also called Sac Bee classified ads to inform them of these 'stories'and they are pulling all the ads. In the meantime, I think I am going to reply to these 'Missionaries' and tell them that; " I think I have changed my mind about getting a Yorkie , as it seems that most people who own them get sent off to Africa on some mission!!"
All in all, I think this is one of the most creative scams I have heard or read about recently. Kudos to the person who thought this one up.

Below is a sample e-mail of the responses I have received about that dog.

Hi..
Thanks for your interest in my puppy,i want you to know that my puppy is still available,she is still for sale,she is fully AKC registered with all shots up to date including all necessary health document and certificate ready for shipment,she is lovely with kids and wants to meet her new family.At full grown she will weigh 3.5-4lbs,her dad weighed 3.7 lbs and her mom weighed 4lbs at full grown.She is 11 weeks now. She is a pure breed yorkie.

Actually my wife and I are in West Africa on a Christian mission in Nigeria to be precise,we are here for missionary trip from the united states.We used to live in Sacramento CA with our lovely puppy,but since we left for the missionary trip we have to leave our puppy with a shipping agent located in Houston Texas,we could not bring our lovely puppy here in africa due to the harsh weather conditions here,so that is why we are looking for a good home for our lovely puppy named Kiss.

If you are interested in our lovely baby,get back to me with your full
name,address,contact and direct phone number we can reach you ,and the nearest airport to your home so we can proceed shipment on this puppy to your home,the puppy will be shipped by Express pet delivery.I am giving her for free,for you to get this baby,you only need to pay shipping fee of $300 because we really need a good home for my baby.I will only accept payment via Western union or money gram,that't the only way i would be able to receive payment here.If you are interested,get back to us as soon as possible.You can reach me +2348027484176.Get back to me as soon as possible..

Hope to read from you soon.

Hurricane Assistance-yeah right

2006-06-13T22:34:03Z

SO we all heard on the news and also read about how FEMA's funds were misused. Well, I ran across an article today that warranted a read. I have posted the link in case anyone is interested in reading the entire article not just my section that I am going to make fun of.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060613/ap_on_go_co/katrina_fraud;_ylt=AptyBjd_08FZ2ZHvCiPPF5es0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA2Z2szazkxBHNlYwN0bQ--

FEMA also could not establish that 750 debit cards worth $1.5 million even went to Katrina victims, the auditors said.

Among the items purchased with the cards:

_an all-inclusive, one-week Caribbean vacation in the Punta Cana resort in the Dominican Republic.
WHOO HOO!!! GOOD JOB!

_five season tickets to New Orleans Saints professional football games.
WE ALL GOT TO HAVE PRIORITIES RIGHT?

_adult erotica products in Houston and "Girls Gone Wild" videos in Santa Monica, Calif.
THIS IS THE BEST ONE!!! HOORAY FOR PORN!!

_Dom Perignon champagne and other alcoholic beverages in San Antonio.
A LITTLE EARLY FOR NEW YEAR'S-BUT WHAT THE HEY!

_a divorce lawyer's services in Houston.
SEE BELOW

OK, the only thing on this list that I DON'T think they should try to get retribution for is the divorce lawyer's services. Finally government aid went to something worthwhile!!
You know it was probably a woman and her only thought when she did it was, " My god! to think it took a National Disaster to get rid of that piece of shit!"

Whoever you are, divorce-lawyer-FEMA-aid-spending-person...I am glad you are rid of your baggage. I hope you truly get a new start!

I HATE people who beg for money-this is a long RANT-watch out!

2006-05-02T16:03:41Z

So this is my first entry EVER in this thing...and it is a rant. I feel my friends should know, that when you feel you've been 'duped' by a beggar, YOU HAVE!!

Now, I hate people who beg for money.. I don't care what their excuse is, I will not give them money. Except this one.......There is a lady with 3 kids that lives near my house. Last summer, she was begging for money to buy her kids a Jamba Juice 'cause it was so hot'. My feeling was, if you're so hot, go back to the hotel you're living in, and turn on the A/C. Anyway, I was going into Jamba Juice with my oldest daughter on the way to cheerleading practice (as was our ritual) And i felt bad for those kids... sitting out there in the heat, begging with their mom, knowing that if they had anyway to be ANYWHERE else I'm sure they'd rather be there. So, I bought a JJ gift card and gave it to the kids and told them to go in and pick out a jamba juice. **chalk one up for my karma..** hehe

Plus, I looked good on front of my kid...which is also a good move.

Flash forward to December. I lost my job in November so money was tight around Xmas. I took the kids (all 3 of them) plus my husband's brother out to go shopping. We stopped off at Starbucks and who do you think was wandering around the parking lot?
Yes it was her. WITH her 3 kids again. This time I was no mood. I sighed, looked at her and just then ALL the kids walked around the van to see what was keeping me. She took one look at all the kids, immediately stopped her story and said "Nevermind, I see you have your hands full...Merry Christmas". HAHAHAHAHA Apparently since I had more kids than her,
SHE didn't feel right asking me for money! Who knew she had standards? oh by the way, her story that time was that they were going to be kicked out of the hotel...and she was trying to raise 37.00. blah blah blah...whatever.

This brings us to last Friday, April 28.
I was in Safeway with my little daughter (who's 4) and we were doing some light shopping. As I was getting cough medicine for my kids, I hear someone come up behind me and shout "excuse me...EXCUSE ME" (in case you couldn't tell, I was ignoring it) I turn around, and GUESS WHO?!?!

Oh my god, does it NEVER end?? I swear I am a magnet for these people.

Anyway, her story THIS time was "She only has 5.00 until Monday when she gets paid, and her kids are hungry...(yada yada) and could I help her get the sandwich (a very large sub)so her kids could eat."
I told her I'm sorry I don't have any cash. To which she replies..."I'm not asking for cash, I just need someone to buy this sandwich."
OK, so now I'm thrown off, that's my standard answer for this kind of thing. DAMN
I said I'm not going to buy your sandwich. And, I then added: "I've helped you before, not that you remember, although you should at least TRY to remember people who help you out. I bought your kids Jamba Juice last summer. (she didn't seem to think that was all that great, and although it pales in comparison to buying her kids dinner, she's lucky she got THAT out of me) and by the way," I asked, "How is your new place?" so she proceeded to tell me that it was good and that she has a job, only 20 hrs. a week, but at least she's working. I said good luck and went on my way.

I passed her again and she had found someone to buy her some food, basic groceries and such so I was glad for her kids.
I do not like this woman...and as I was checking out my intuition proved CORRECT. (sadly)

While I was checking out, she was at the next register with her kind samaritan. After her groceries were purchased, she and her daughter (just one kid this time) put the bags in a shopping cart and headed for the door. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a Safeway employee watching her VERY closely. I proceeded to watch him now, as I was intrigued. I figured he wouldn't be watching her that closely if she hadn't been here before and tried something shady. All of a sudden he bolts for the door.
OK, so here's how it went down...she tried to steal some corn oil..that's it. Now, unless she has tried this before how would he have known to watch her that closely? Also, as I left the store, she was nowhere to be seen... and her daughter was waiting by the door with groceries. Did they call the cops? Did they take to the office? I don't know, and I don't care.
OH yeah, I forgot to mention...if she traipses all over town with her kids begging for money, and her standby story is that she needs to feed them... why are her kids so fat? And I don't mean a little chubby...I mean FAT. I don't really think those kids are starving. And they don't seem to be getting thinner... on the contrary, they are getting FATTER!!!!!
I will NEVER help her again!!!!!!!!!
But I will say this, I STILL feel bad for her kids.