The Apple doesn't fall far from the Tree

A few posts back I mentioned RT's napkin hoarding tendencies.  You can check them out here .

RT says that he is trying to reform. (ha!)  He says, "Sometimes I don't take extra napkins."  Of course, judging by the number of napkins in his car, well, let's say, it's a tiny  itty bitty  small  baby  step in the right direction.

Nick was having car problems and asked me for a ride to work.  We got into RT's car and Nick says, "He saves plastic ware?"

There were two plastic knives on the seat of RT's passenger seat.  He is either saving them or using them as a form of protection.

I said, "That's new.  He usually saves napkins."

I opened the center console and showed Nick the "stash."  Nick says, "I do too!  In fact, I have a lot more in my car than he does!"

With all of the napkins that my family has stockpiled, we should be the cleanest, most prepared family around.

Or, maybe just the craziest.

Pyramid Scheme

I'm sure you have heard about these pyramid schemes.  Where I sign up to sell things then I recruit people to sign up under me.  I make a percentage of what I sell and a percentage of what the people under me sell.  There are several companies out there that get you to sell their products.  You can sell jewelry, soaps/lotions, cleaning products, essential oils, food products, etc.

Well, over the years, I have witnessed quite a few moms joining the ranks of direct sales in an effort to supplement the family income.  It's great if you are purchasing and using the product and you know a lot of people that will buy from you (and possibly have a party to expand your customer base and business).

Recently, one of my Girl Scout moms signed up with one of these companies and is now selling jewelry.  She had a party to kick off the start of her business.  I had to work that day and wasn't able to make it, but I did purchase something, even though I did not attend.  I saw her regularly at softball games this summer and she would casually mention her business and how she is trying to figure out how to grow it.

I guess this is where the business side of my head wants to jump in and say something.  I mean, did you have a plan when you started this business?  Who is going to be your customer?  Who will have parties for you?  Are there any shows (craft fairs) you can do?

I keep my mouth shut.  Afraid I might get asked to do a party.  It's nice jewelry, but, I don't want to make my friends feel obligated to purchase jewelry.

I did get a text from her telling me someone did not use their coupon from the party.  I politely declined.  I felt bad, but, I could not justify purchasing jewelry when money is needed for other necessary things at the moment.

Have you ever signed up with a direct sales company?  If so, how well did you do?  Have you been approached by friends selling stuff?  How do you react?

Paper or Plastic

I guess it's only fair.  Here I am telling you about RT and his napkin hoarding and I forget to admit my plastic bag collection.

Yes.  Collection.  It sounds much more pleasant, doesn't it?

So does, supply.

Reserve?

How about stash?

Or, even better......Treasury!

It started long, long ago.  I started out using plastic grocery bags as garbage bags.  Hey!  I'm a Girl Scout!  Make the world a better place.  Use resources wisely.  Plastic bags at the time were just being thrown out.  Why not give them another job before getting rid of them?

Take a look around and you will notice that a lot of things come in plastic bags.  Bread.  Tortillas... and, guess what?  I use those bags for other things!  Need a garbage bag when in the car on a long car trip?  I've got one for you!  How about a "clean up" bag when walking the dog?  I've got you covered!  How about a bag "just in case someone gets sick?"

I saw a tutorial on how to make a bed or mat for a homeless person using plastic grocery bags.  People even turn the grocery bags into a long chain and crochet it and make bowls (or containers).

There are so many extra uses for these bags.  I mean, why not reuse them?  Do they really recycle all of the plastic bags that people return at the grocery stores?  If they did, don't you think they could stop making new (plastic bags)?

I will continue reusing finding a new life and purpose for each and every plastic bag that comes into my possession and consider my "stash" a "treasure."

Now, about my paper shopping bag stockpile......

Don't Drink the Water

I know I have written many posts about my weird dog.  And, I guess we will just have to add this one to the ever growing list....

As you know, Pippen likes company when he eats.  In fact, it's gotten to a point where he stops eating if he can't see me.  And, if I leave the laundry room, he will sit and wait until I get back.  He's also a very messy eater...getting his food all over the floor and doesn't clean up after himself (wait!  That sounds like my kids!).  But, that's not what I'm here to talk about....

Pippen has two water bowls (in the house).  They are either completely full or completely empty.  He will go long periods of time without drinking water then realize he is thirsty and drink half to an entire bowl of water.  If he gets too hot outside, he will come inside the house, look at his water bowl and just walk away.

When walking him on the trails, there are some (kind) people who put out water bowls for dogs.  It's great on hot days.  Your dog can stop and have a drink of water.  Of course, Pippen will not drink from these bowls.  He would rather die of the heat than taste test the water from these bowls.  I have a feeling he thinks that someone is out to poison him.  So, instead of getting a refreshing drink, he would rather suffer and foam at the mouth during his walk.

I notice if I fill his water bowl he will look at me, look at the bowl and walk away.  He likes to let the water sit for 24 hours.  This way, if it's poisoned, the bowl will disappear (disintegrate).  If it's still there the next day, he might drink from it.

Nick's answer to all of Pippen's quirks is, "natural selection."

Yea, I have to agree.  I don't think he would make it very long if he lived somewhere else.

Musings

I have watched quite a bit of baseball and softball this summer with both Alex and Bella playing.  The one thing I notice is the comments from the spectators (parents).  It's usually the same lines.

Be ready to hit.

Um...they are in the batter box and holding a bat, I think they know that they should be ready to hit the ball.

Be ready out there!

Said to the infield and the outfield players right before the pitch is thrown.  Again, they have their mitts and are ready to play ball.

and, my favorite...

Good Eye!

Every batter seems to have a "good eye" when the ump calls it a ball (instead of a strike).  Up to that point, the parents are yelling, hit it! hit it!

F is for Full

Awhile back I wrote the opposite of this blog post.  Click HERE for the story.

As you know, Alex is driving now.  We have been sharing my car.  Most of the time he is my personal Uber driver.  There are also times that he just uses my car for work or fun.

At first, I was a little worried.  I didn't want to be providing all of the fuel and be left with a car that is on empty.  It's not fun when you are all ready to go somewhere and you get in the car and realize there's no gas so now you are trying to figure a route with a gas station.  I had a lot of these problems when Nick would use my car.  Apparently, re-fuel the car before returning home was not in his plans.

Now, I have the opposite with Alex.  He told me that we can take turns filling the car up with gas.  The only problem is, when it's my turn, he is using the car and just fills it up on his own.  So far he has filled it up three times in a row.  I'm not complaining.  In fact I love to see that he is thinking things out and just does what he feels is right.  I tried to pay him for the last fill up bus he wouldn't take the money.  I figure I owe him for a couple of fill ups.

I know...I know...don't complain.  It could be worse.  I could be writing about how my car ran out of gas and I was stuck on an abandoned highway for hours.

Back To School

Let the count down begin.

16 more days until School starts.