Thanks again for all your comments -- I'll get to answering them/commenting back, hopefully later today! While I do write the blog for my own sanity, I also enjoy sharing it and if it inspires, motivates, or amuses others, then that's a bonus.
This story I'm about to tell you is disturbing and I know that some of you are going to say, "I told you so!" Don't yell at me and don't tell me NOT to shop there. Yes -- this is a story about Bulk Barn. The last time, I caught some teen girls helping themselves to some candies or chocolate. This time -- well, it's even worse.
So I'm browsing around, looking for hemp hearts which I couldn't find so I had made the rounds a couple of times. Of course, store staff is rare or so new that they don't know everything. No problem and I did find someone to help me and NO, they are currently out of hemp hearts.
As I was scouting around, I spotted a woman wearing a bright blue pair of pants and a bright blue purse. It was hard not to notice her because of the intensity of that color. The pants almost looked like athletic wear? But a NICE quality of athletic wear. She was nicely groomed and on her own, without the bright pants and purse, you wouldn't even notice her.
So she walks into Bulk Barn with TWO kids -- a girl about 3 and a boy who was about 5. The girl IMMEDIATELY starts shouting CANDY! I saw them go down an aisle and then I didn't notice them. A few minutes later, I spotted the woman (again -- very hard to miss) standing outside the store with NO kids. I glance down the aisle (I'm at the cash now) and the girl was trying to put the scoop into the container to get something.
That wasn't working, as she was about as tall as the container. Then she slips her hand into the container. I glance at the Mom who doesn't move. At least she wasn't on her cell phone. My unfiltered mouth couldn't stop! I said to her, "did you see your daughter has her hand in the container?" She looks at me -- like a deer in headlights. Seriously??? Then I said, "that's pretty unsanitary!" She says, "oh you're right" and proceeds to go into the store to get the kids.
I was fuming and I don't think the cashier heard what I said because they are usually pretty good about going after people, especially kids. Then I followed them out of the mall -- that was NOT intentional. I overheard the little boy say, "you took that and you didn't pay for that - why did you do that?" The Mom just kept walking.
It so happened that their direction in the parking lot was the same as mine. I had to walk through the parking lot to get to the sidewalk -- NO -- I did not drive my car there! As Mom loaded them into her BIG SUV, either her or the boy -- it was hard to tell, says, "you took that and you didn't pay for it!" I wanted to go over and shout at the Mom both times. What is her problem and what lessons is she teaching those kids?
This is where you want to know where she lives and put a big sign on her lawn saying "I let my kids steal from Bulk Barn and I'm OK with that." Seriously -- the world is bad when she has ZERO clue that putting your hands in those containers is bad, stealing is bad, and not disciplining your kids is bad. And intentionally taking them into the store with zero intention of buying -- that's a serious offense in my book.
I thought of other things I could have said - like, "I hope you kid gets sick from germs in that container", or when we were in the mall -- "go and pay for what she stole". But I didn't. Do I regret saying what I did? Nope -- I wish I had said it louder so more people would have heard! But she's so UNSELFAWARE that she probably wouldn't have been embarrassed. But the employee could have done something.
Now I know you're going to ask why I was buying there when I know what happens. I'm buying the most boring stuff in the entire world -- the kids don't even go down the aisles where the ground chia seeds and ground flax are located. I feel safe!
Good things happened at my house yesterday! First, I got a customer quilt done. And not just any customer quilt, but a Boho Heart!
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Customer quilt - DONE |
I used a heart and loop pattern on it and it looks stunning.
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The back of the quilt |
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The Handi-Quilter van |
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The backing for my Boho Heart |
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My Boho Heart quilt |
So while it was a good day and technically this next story is good -- I may have put my foot in my mouth. We had a family reunion 10 years ago and my cousin put together a history book. While the book contains loads of information, I wanted to do something a bit more professional, especially for our family and I want to do it digitally. You know me -- so competitive -- it has to be done and done my way.
I had gathered some information from my Mom and there it has sat in the office (but all in one drawer) and nothing has happened. Everyone is now 10 years older and if I don't get myself to do this book - it'll be too late. I asked my parents for stories about the various family members -- their parents and grandparents. The next thing I knew, my Mom had pulled out photos and dates and all kinds of stuff. Some of which I think I already have, but I didn't have the heart to tell her. Did she forget?
If my Mom would have had a day job, she would have been amazing as a librarian or a historian. Anyway to my SURPRISE, she called me yesterday. I think that is the FIRST or SECOND time that she has called me in the decades that I haven't lived at home. My first thought was someone died! Anyway, we had a discussion about the family history books. And she will now be like a dog with a bone and won't let this go. After all, I did PROMISE her to get it done. Oh boy!
But that may be what I need to finally get this done -- I keep saying I'll do it and nothing happens. So I "stole" a book that I found at their old house and this morning I dug out these books from my personal library.
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Books on creating family history books |
So in addition to my therapy weeding, I'm reading about creating heritage books. I'm going to do it digitally and I have to create some sort of map or outline or whatever before I get started. I have to check the digital book publishers to see what they offer. I've done several books before and I would imagine that they all have similar offerings.
Has anyone put one of these together? Any tips? I've decided to make several books. One will contain all the information about my Mom's family from the earliest we know to her parents with the five siblings. I am NOT going into further details about the sibling's families. If they want to do that -- that's their choice. But the grandparent book will cover all the history that we have and so others could purchase that book. Then I'll do one for my Dad's side of the family. Then I'll take our family and work on photos and stories. If my brothers want to do something on their own -- they can, but it's really for me and to have something to pass along to M.
It'll be a nice diversion from quilting, I have some time right now to get started on the project, and sending regular updates to my Mom will keep me on my toes. I don't want to start getting nasty phone calls from her which she will do, now that she has called once!
On that note, I'm out of here! More quilts to quilt, our Mixed Media group with great show and tell, and then more reading on the history books! And NO -- I am not borrowing any books from the library on this subject. The ones I have are enough. Once I'm done with them, I'm donating them or if anyone wants them, they are yours!
Have a super day!!!
Ciao!!!