>What’s your return policy?

>It isn’t wordless, so it’s not Wordless Wednesday. It’s definitely not an illustration of dedication and unconditional love, familial or otherwise, so it’s not a Love Thursday. I see this sign every time I take La Petite grocery shopping, and I finally had to take out my cell phone and snap a picture. Taken literally, it just doesn’t work. Come to think of it, the sign doesn’t really click in the figurative sense, either.

I still think it’s crying out for a caption. But maybe, just maybe, the label stands on its own. Perhaps I should say it parks in its own…never mind.

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>Mother’s Day? Already?

>But it’s only Cinco de Mayo today! It can’t be Mother’s Day — oh, I give in. I’ll go shopping tomorrow night after school. My mom, Husband’s mom — they each need something as special as they are. This always takes a little thought.
Me? You wanted to know what I need or want? Oh, that’s harder.
I already have a new purse, a unique and timely clutch.
I’m pretty well stocked on clothing.
My bike needs a new seat, but it’s already purchased and sitting in the garage waiting to be installed.
The cupboard has plenty of coffee in it. Chocolate is always welcome, but really.
I’ve hinted (directly) to the family that they could pick up the garden supplies I need and I’ll be very, very happy. Simple pleasures work for me. Okay, kiddos and Husband, here’s the list. I already have quite a few of the seeds I need; I mainly need seedlings.
Tomatoes — cherry and Big ‘Uns (Early Girl grows well in our soil).
Peppers: Green, Red, Chili
Broccoli or Cauliflower to grow and share with the bunbuns.
Herbs! Seeds or seedlings, either works for me. Basil, rosemary, thyme, at the least. Oregano grows nicely, too.
A new watering can, unfortunately. The old one cracked last fall. Sniff.
A small sprinkler to replace the one I stepped on and destroyed the day Tiny Bunny died. I was a little distracted.
That’s about it, family. Any or all of these lovely items would make me very happy. You know how much I love to dig in the dirt!

This blog blast suggested by Parent Bloggers Network and Johnson’s, sponsors of Johnson’s Baby Cause, a charitable organization supporting mothers and children worldwide.

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>That’s My Bag

>It’s the end of the solo-ensemble festival season, and I cleaned out my Judge’s Bag last night. This is the bag I pack in February and leave packed until early May. On those early Saturday mornings, I just pick up my bag and hit the road, knowing I will have everything I need when I get there. A quick stop for Jo to Go coffee, and I’m on the road.

I took out:

  • Twelve sharpened pencils (with assorted logos of music stores and universities)
  • One pen (with a University logo on it)
  • One lip gloss
  • One sample sized tube of hand lotion
  • One small bottle of hand sanitizer
  • One package of peppermint Tic Tacs
  • A handful of cough drops
  • A small package of hearing aid batteries
  • A reusable manila envelope, 9 x 12 size

These will get redistributed between my purse, the medicine cabinet, and my desk at school. The pencils will probably end up with students who need them.

But the bag is not empty. For next year, I left:

  • Two empty folders (from music stores)
  • The binder containing my Adjudicators’ Handbook
  • Two thank you notes, one from a student and one from a parent group
  • My Master Adjudicator name tag
  • My name stamp for “signing” 40-50 ratings forms every festival
  • And one pen and one pencil to get me started next winter.

And in other “bag” news, I knew there was a good reason I didn’t buy a new purse when my other one broke. Check out the MOMocrats! I may bake cookies, but I don’t stay home and have teas.

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>Footwear, footwear

>Shoes!! Scribbit’s latest Write-Away contest, the one for May, has a great topic: Shoes. Being one of the female persuasion who has always enjoyed the quest for footwear, I knew I’d have a few posts in my archives on the topic. The question will be: which one is the most appropriate for the contest?

Green Bay Packer fans must have the right shoes.

We called it Mort, short for Morton’s Neuroma. It’s healed nicely, thank you, but it did mean limiting my shoe selection.

The perfect location for some Mother-daughter bonding.

Maintaining the rainbow collection

Procuring the rainbow collection — oops, I entered that one in Scribbit’s contest last August. The topic then was “Collections.”

Hmm. Shoes. I can think of something, I’m sure. I am Mama; hear me roar!

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>You just can’t leave me home alone.

>I bake bread when I’m home watching a sick teenager. Doesn’t everyone? Well, maybe not. I cheat, sort of, and use the breadmaker. My breadmaker has a timer, but I rarely use it. I’d rather be home to smell the odors, I mean the aroma of the rising and baking bread. Today I made Margalit’s Oatmeal Honey Wheat bread recipe. It’s delicious!
When I’m at home and I’m healthy, I pack my schoolbag with paperwork. I get some of that done without the pressure of watching the clock for the next bell.
Sometimes I spend money online. This worries Husband a little. Today I registered for a 3-credit graduate class. It’s a bargain, and I hope it’s not a “cheap” class in its quality. I’ve talked to other teachers who have taken classes from this source, and they all felt it had been worth their time. I certainly hope mine is.
I have a wishlist of books sitting by me, and an Amazon gift code waiting to be used. Hmmm. It’s really easy to overspend on books. That’s what’s stopping me. Before I buy any more, I’d like to talk to my coworkers about establishing a book exchange. We had one at my previous school, and I contributed and borrowed frequently. In fact, I think I bought more new books than I had in the past (rather than second hand) because I knew I’d be able to borrow several others, therefore saving money in the end. If enough teachers want it and the principal approves, it’ll be a great sharing opportunity for our staff.
I also read a lot more blogs than usual. In the evening, my normal “surfing” time, I’m often tired and sometimes moody from the day’s struggles. By day, with a little more coffee, er, energy, I can surf the political blogs and make reasonably intelligent comments.
Housework. Yes, I get a little more housework done while I’m caffeinated and have a bit of discretionary time. Bunny cage gets cleaned, wastebaskets emptied, and more.
No, you just can’t leave me home alone. I clean, I bake, I read, and if this keeps up, I might spend money — on books.

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