Shut out by Shutterfly

I laugh out loud at myself. I had collected two ten percent off coupons, received a 20% special offer on my email, Shutterfly books were on sale for 20% off, and I received a 10 free greeting cards special offer by email, so I figured I'd cash in. I spent hours putting together a "Fall" book with pictures from my grandson, Logan's birthday festivities at our house and then a week later at his house, Halloween festivities, and Wendy's triathlon. Then I put it in the "cart". I gagged over the shipping costs and then moved the cursor to the special offer section. I applied one of the 10% discounts and was denied the second 10% discount. I actually had to read the rules for applying discounts to find you can only use one. Shit! Now, I'm deciding to cancel and start over. This time I will apply the 20% discount first and ignore the 1o percenters! I cancelled the order, starting over I decide to go ahead and make an additional "Winter" book so that I can take advantage of the free shipping for over $40 purchases. I spend hours preparing a new book. I put both books into the cart, add the 20% discount -- good so far. I click on the free shipping and it won't come up. After trying to figure out why it's not working and realizing it is now 5:30 p.m., 30 minutes after closing time for Shutterfly customer service, I decide to send an email. My only choice. I write "... if you don't respond to me this evening I will loose all my special offers!" I was in a bit of a panic and a little crazed after spending so much time trying to make this happen for me. I re-entered the cart and "low and behold" the free shipping did apply. So I thinking, "Yeah for me!" I spent some time trying to find a generic greeting card that would be something I could actually use. Woohoo! I found just what I wanted. I applied it to the cart and clicked on the special offer for 10 free cards and it wouldn't register! Shit! Now, it's late. I'm brain dead. I went ahead and ordered the two books with free shipping and an additional 20% off and hoped customer service would feel sorry for me and help me out with my free greeting cards. Dick said, "Call them in the morning!" I had no choice. First thing in the morning, I put in a call to customer service and reach a gentleman from India. I didn't catch his name, but we communicated very well. He reinstated free shipping and I figured I was good to go. After hanging up with him I put the cards into the cart, applied the free shipping and go to check the 10 free cards, but it's not allowing me to do so. I had an appointment and was leaving any moment, so I sent a follow-up email to Sharmilla telling her of my problem. That evening I read the reply and she pointed out that I was ordering the wrong size of card! Shit! The next day I searched for another card the correct size. No small feat. I really didn't like any of them as they didn't suit my need. I finally settled on one, put it in the cart with free shipping and 10 free greeting cards, applied it purchase it --- THEN, dummy me, I cancelled it because I wanted to insert the year to reference the picture I chose for it. Big mistake! Now, the shipping and free cards were no longer available. Shit! In panic, I sent another email. Then I thought, "Why am I doing that?" I got on the phone and pleaded my case. The end. I finally got it right. Was it worth all that I went through? Right now, I'm thinking NOT. Perhaps in a couple weeks, when I get the free cards and two fabulous picture books I will have recovered enough to enjoy them!

CANDY LAND

Along with my good friends, Barb and Claudia, we had a fascinating day at a candy and nut warehouse in El Monte today. It was Barb's first visit -- talk about a kid in a candy store! When you walk in the door you are overwhelmed at the size of the place and the aisles and aisles of floor to ceiling boxes of candies. I'll get to the nut story in a minute. After a minute of getting our bearings we headed toward the Christmas candy section. There was every candy known to mankind. We soon discovered that you could buy some of the individual packages, but mostly, you had to purchase gargantuan quantities. Cases of candy! It's hard to rationalize why we would need cases of candy. We found some fun goodies and purchased a case of milk chocolate and a case of white chocolate drops. Barb and I ran into a old friend that gave us some shopping tips while we were there. She showed us where the cheap stuff was. We found boxes of candy canes for 75 cents! We are all making some yummy treats for friends and family this Christmas. I spent every last dollar in my wallet and had to be subsidized for lunch at McDonalds! We never saw nuts. They must have been deep in the caverns of this warehouse. Maybe next time. Our friend said a 25 pound case of cashews were $190! I think not!

Scrap Scrapbooking

I've been working off and on, scrapbooking my daughters lives. It begins in 1974 and I'm up to 1981. I say I'm Scrap Scrapbooking because I'm using all the paper, stickers, and goodies that I've collected over the years in preparation for this. The funny thing is I'm going to a shop with a friend to scrapbook and they have been at it for years and years. Their finished product is so advance to mine. They buy all the latest and finest papers, etc. to pull together the most incredible pages. Mine pale in comparison. However, my effort is to get the job done and hope it looks good. I think my girls will appreciate the efforts I'm going to. At least, when I'm dead and gone, the photo albums will already be separated. I would love to get Christy's books to her as soon as I can because she can compare notes with her toddlers as they grow up. Fun stuff. The pages I'm posting are from 1981. First a page with us camping at Doheny State Beach Campground. There is Natalie and Christy; Brian; Mitch and Wendy; Wendy, Grandpa and Grandma Clemmons, and Brian; Grandma Clemmons and Brian. The second picture was taken in September of 1981. Note the kids ready for school. I'm having a ball scrapbooking. I'm learning lots of techniques from my friends. It may take me forever, but what the heck, I'm retired!

Shutterfly

Are you kidding? I love Shutterfly and have been a member since 2003. My life is documented in pictures at http://www.shutterfly.com/. I have oodles of photo albums to show for it. I'd much rather purchase a compact, beautiful photo book than scrapbook because it takes so little room to store them. In fact, I found some lovely, fancy boxes that I put on my bookshelves with the photo books inside. I have always received excellent service from Shutterfly and I love the quality of their product. Shutterfly's share sites are wonderful too. You can customize and post your family pictures to share with your family and friends. I have a share site for my sisters that has been great fun. You can see my share site at: http://newellfamily1.shutterfly.com/.

Chocolate Candy Experimentation

I learned about a warehouse in Montebello that sells chocolate by the bulk. My friend and I purchased 25 pounds of it! I've made marshmellows dipped in carmel, chocolate, and topped with sprinkles and nuts. Recently, I made brownies dipped in chocolate and crushed butterfinger. I'm thinking I should have incorporated a marshmellow as well. Can you imagine the yumminess? I've been inspired by http://www.bakerella.com/. Wendy made their cake balls, which have become a big favorite of her friends. Christy made chocolate trains suckers for my grandson's third birthday party. I can't wait to get inspired again.

Brownies on a Stick. Follow directions from a boxed brownie mix. I did use an extra egg to make it more cake-like. Pour into cupcake papers in a cupcake pan about 1/2 full. After baking, remove the brownies from the pan and when cool enough, remove them from the papers. Insert a stick in thickest part of the brownie. Melt chocolate in a high glass bowl. Gently dip into chocolate, or do as I did - butter the chocolate onto the brownie, completely covering it. Immediately dip into a shallow bowl of crushed butterfinger. Wa la!

Shopping Stress

As Thanksgiving approaches I go into a panic. I don't want Christmas shopping left for the last minute. Christmas traffic is a nightmare. I notice that even tonight the traffic is picking up at the mall. I really don't mind shopping for fun incidentals, like stocking stuffers, but the big stuff -- forget it! The crazies are in the stores already. Christy, my youngest, had a hater in her Winco line yesterday while she was juggling a child on her hip and child in the cart. Really people, have some patience and courtesy! I am made even more aware of the traffic since I chat with Wendy, my eldest, on her way home from work each evening. She has the Griffith Park Christmas light display to suffer. Soon as they flick the switch, her traffic multiplies and I hear about it! I also think it is necessary for me to wrap all the gifts (without ribbon) so that I can clearly see who I need to buy for. I now have presents all over the guest bed, soon to be piled in neat stacks on the floor next to the night stand. Yeah! I'm glad I typed that last so that I can feel gleeful after steering through all that traffic nightmare!

25 Random Things About Me

I broke down and submitted 25 ramdom things about myself on Facebook. It was a monumental feat so I think I should publish it here too!

This was difficult -- kinda like hunting for wallpaper, which I'm not good at and HATE!
1. I’m glad to be retired and I am slowly finding my niche.
2. Even though I road on the coattails of teachers, I'm glad my career allowed me to work in an elementary school for 24+ years where we help educate the children of our nation -- lofty eh?
3. I just celebrated my 39th wedding anniversary. Sounds like a lot of years when I say it, but it sure has gone by fast.
4. I met my husband at Itchy Foot Mo's, a Cal State LA hang out (1969). Dick was a fraternity brother with the owners. Dick's come-on line was, “Wan’na go out to my car and count the blue chip stamps in my glove box?” Okay, so the blue chip stamps will date me!
5. One of the first times Dick and I met, he had to break into my ’66 VW because I locked myself out.
6. I am finally attempting to put together memory books for Wendy and Christy of their childhood. Note to all young families: Get organized early with your pictures!!!!
7. We are getting back into camping. We bought a small motor home and we love it.
8. I love family time!
9. I love being a grandma.
10. I wish I’d sprout wings so I could fly up to Oakhurst to visit my grandson whenever!
11. I was a Brownie and a Junior Girl Scout as a child. I was a Girl Scout leader for 10 years. I had far more fun than the girls in my troop. Just ask my co-leaders!
12. I was a PTA president and a union president.
13. You don’t know how bad I’d like to win Lotto! Oh, the things I could do.
14. We dog-sit Riggins (Wendy’s dog) and have visits from Voodoo and Tinkerbell (Christy’s dogs). We are quite happy with this arrangement and don’t think we need to get our own dog – for now!
15. I learned to twirl a baton when I was in junior high and our group performed at Disneyland.
16. For years my mother studied our genealogy. I helped her compile it and had it made into a bound book. The entire family was so proud of her accomplishment and legacy.
17. My dad sat at the picnic table in my backyard where he instructed me on how to build a playhouse -- wood, saws, hammers, and the works! Wendy and Christy helped paint it.
18. I’m storing about 10 porcelain dolls that Wendy and Christy made. Someday they’ll find a place for them in their own homes.
19. I saved a young girl from drowning in Lake Piru. Frightening event.
20. I’m shy. Weird -- I know.
21. Dick and I have been on cruises to Alaska, Ensenada, and up the Mississippi River.
22. We spent a number of years camping at the Glamis sand dunes. First camped with family, then later with friends. We started with a sand buggy and ended with quads. I loved the adventure.
23. I love the desert, the mountains, the beach, and everything in between. I’m willing to go anywhere.
24. I have always modeled myself after my mother… I am MY MOTHER!
25. I haved called my husband "Buggiebear" all our married life. I won't tell you what he has called me. Gotta love him! I do have to pull his is ear on occasion when he misbehaves!