Really?? REALLY??

My mom wanted a Salad Shooter. We ordered one from Walmart.com and had it delivered to our local store because they didn't have them in the store. They email and text you when your item has been delivered and is ready for pick up. You show them a print out of the email or the text on your phone to pick up your order. Very convenient.

THAT'S where the convenience ended. I went to go pick it up this evening after church. It's all the way in the back of the store. I walk all the way back there and press the button for help and wait. The associate comes and this is the conversation:

Her: Your name?

Me: Donna Chafatelli, do you need to see my text?

Her: No, I need to see your ID.

Me: Oh, I've left my purse in the car. Is it really necessary? I mean how would I know to come and pick up a site to store Salad Shooter order if I didn't order it?

Her: I'm sorry, it's just policy. I HAVE to see ID.

Me: I understand policy but it's all the way out at the far end of the parking lot. Is there something else I can show you? My bank card with my name on it?

Her: No, it has to be a picture ID.

So I go all the way back out to the car, grab my purse, come all the way back through the store to the back to show her my ID....because God forbid I might be a scam artist who goes around picking up other people's Salad Shooter orders in some kind of conspiracy of ill-gotten gains. I show her my ID and she looks at it like she's an investigator searching for minuscule particles of evidence for a crime lab and looks at me and says:

Well, you've gotten your exercise for the day.

At this point I refrain from saying the first thought that pops into my head, which is: Right now, lady, I could get even MORE exercise when I reach over this counter and slap you in the head!!

Instead I just give her a look of disdain and agree.

Me: Can you please do me a favor and page my son? I sent him to get my prescription when I didn't realize I'd need to be back and forth like this and it would take so long.

Her: How old is your son?

Me: 16

Her: Oh we don't page unless it's an emergency or a child under 8. It's just policy.

(Side note here: Why would a child under 8 need to be paged? A child under 8 would be with his mother and even IF a child under 8 was lost in the store, he wouldn't know the layout of the store to be able to find where ever they would page him to...am I right???? I mean really, WTF????)

Me: Wow....such a simple request. Really???? You've been OH SO VERY helpful.

This was in lieu of what I REALLY wanted to say which was: Gee, I'm so sorry I had to slap you silly...it's just when people are being uncooperative for no good reason, I have to smack the living sh*t out of them.....it's just policy.

See ya next time! :)

The Decade Past

Wow this is a lot to think about.

In the past 10 years I grew deeper in love with my sweetheart of a hubby and celebrated 30 years of being a couple and 25 years of marriage. We renewed our vows in 2009 for our 25th anniversary. We're older, we're grayer, we're fatter, we're more achy, but it doesn't matter....we're still us.

I watched my daughter, Kristi, win awards in high school, shine in band, streak her hair blue, graduate high school, give college a try, head off to work and grow into a wonderful, caring young woman.

I watched my son, Michael, overcome ADHD in his own way, win awards, play his trumpet for everything from Christmas carols to funerals, limp into the house after a hard day of skateboarding, graduate high school and grow into a super guy.

I watched my son, Anthony, get great grades and try new things in school while looking for his niche and grow from a kindergartner to a high school sophomore who is now taller than I am and is a loving, helpful young man.

Steve and I, have been so blessed to raise some really terrific kids. In the past 10 years we have moved twice, we've tried to be helpful to family and friends, we've gotten a couple of "new to us" cars, we have changed jobs and we tried to get healthier and we're proud to say we are non-smokers after over two decades of being smokers.

Personally, I have made some really great friends online in the past 10 years. It was only 12 years ago that I didn't even want to LOOK at a computer. I was so afraid of them. Afraid I would delete some very important file that would break the computer forever because I knew nothing about them. Who would have thunk that a decade later I would still be using the computer for my career? Over ten years of being a work at home mom so I could raise my kids and still contribute a little financially to the household. I was so lucky to have found such an opportunity. This year I've also been lucky to get back out into the outside workforce as well. It's been fun GOING to work with other people, making new friends and being part of an office atmosphere again.

The last decade was a good one and I'm looking forward to what the next will bring.

Here's to 2010!!!!!!!

See ya next time!

Our Vow Renewal

Steve and I renewed our vows for our 25th wedding anniversary. It was beautiful. There weren't as many people as we were expecting but it was just beautiful. Mike and his friend took video and he said they did such a great job. Filmed the whole ceremony and went around at the reception and had everyone say a little something into the camera and everything. Apparently, there is a final button you are supposed to push to finalize the recording and no one told him so none of it saved. I was so looking forward to having video of this since 25 years ago we didn't get to have the wedding recorded.

Still, I'm not gonna let that ruin it. It was a really special and wonderful day and the ceremony was so lovely. The kids all looked great all dressed up. Kristi wore a pretty sundress and high heeled sandals. Anthony and Michael were in khaki's, white dress shirts and blue blazers. Kristi walked down the aisle to the alter where Steve and the boys were waiting. I walked down with my brother, Joe to Steve. There were readings about marriage, blessings of the rings and of course, saying our vows to each other all over again. At the end of the ceremony, Deacon John gave us each a rosary that was actually blessed by Pope John Paul II during the Deacon's trip to the Vatican.

Afterwards, we went to the fellowship hall and watched the video. Everyone congratulated Michael on a great job and some even got a little teary.

Then we ate all that food that was prepared the day before, only I had a ton of food left over. And finally we cut the cake.....singing the traditional song only THIS time, I smashed the cake in HIS face. LOL He knew it was coming...after seeing the picture on the video of him smashing the cake in my face at the wedding, EVERYONE knew it was coming. LOL Michael got video of that on his camera.

This is our church. I live in the Bible Belt so this little church is the only Catholic church in the whole county.



Michael, Kristi and Anthony - don't adjust your monitor, her hair really is blue. LOL



Kristi just before walking down the aisle. She has the best smile!



Here are Steve and the boys waiting at the alter. Kristi has just walked down ahead of me.



My brother, Joe, and I walking down the aisle.



This is the best shot of the vows.



Here we are rededicating and blessing our rings.



We did it! We're married again!



Here's the fellowship hall. I think we did a pretty darn good job.



The head table.



The cake was an open book with our wedding picture on it. I think they did an awesome job!



Steve getting ready to show the video.



Kristi and I.



And finally the whole family.



Others in the church took pictures too, so I can't wait to see theirs.

And now after all the planning, it's over. But I will NEVER forget this day.

Here's to the next 25 years!!

25 Years and Counting

Michael made this video for our 25th wedding anniversary. Steve got choked up and I outright teared up. The song was our wedding song and the pics go way back.

Enjoy!

See ya next time! :o)

Our Anniversary Weekend

Last weekend we went on a weekend getaway for our 25th anniversary. It was SOOO great! We got to the cabin about 5:30 and was able to freshen up and change before heading out to dinner. Chateau Morrisette was sooooo beautiful!!
You could eat inside or outside. We ate inside but this was the view from the outside dining area. The sun was just about to set.
The food was wonderful and the service and atmosphere were terrific! They even treated us for dessert when they realized it was our anniversary. We found a new wine that we LOVE LOVE LOVE!!
We drank nearly the whole bottle with dinner. Had two glasses left for the next day. We brought a few bottles home with us, it was so good!

Saturday morning we went out for breakfast at Mabry Mill.
It's an old still working mill powered by a wooden aqueduct system and a water wheel that was built in 1910.
There is a small diner type restaurant there and the park with the old buildings from that time with a blacksmith shop and weaving shop with people working in them.
So cool to see this historical stuff.
Then we went into the two small towns and walked up and down their main streets where they were having a huge yard sale. We walked into all their little shops and antique stores and just had a great time looking and window shopping and had lunch at a small mom and pop type restaurant. That afternoon we went back to the winery for a tour and a tasting. First, the tour where they took us into the winery itself and told us all the steps, showing us the machines that took you from grapes all the way to the bottling and labeling process. Afterwards, we had a wine tasting where you get to taste 12 different wines and then keep your glass. This is the wine tasting room.
We decided that the wine we chose the night before was still our very favorite. That evening we went to a free concert under the stars of a local band and then had a late dinner at a Mexican restaurant. This is a random pic Steve took of me. LOL

Sunday, we had breakfast and washed the towels and sheets we used while at the cabin. Then we scouted more antique shops for roosters. The friend who owns the cabin collects roosters. Her whole kitchen is done in rustic rooster stuff. We found a few things and bought them to thank her for allowing us to use the cabin. It'll be a surprise to her when she goes up there next weekend. We left there in the afternoon and had dinner on the way home. Got home about 7:30 and relaxed.

It was really so wonderful and romantic and lovely.

Here's to the next 25!!!

See ya next time! :o)

Skater Boy

Here's Michael, skate fanatic!! Enjoy!

random compilation


See ya next time! :o)

Meeting Karen Kingsbury

I wrote this in September of 2008 and wanted to share here on Chaffy's World. I went to an Extraordinary Women Conference in Lynchburg, VA with my mom and wrote this when I got back. It was awesome!

I had SUCH a wonderful time!!!! The speakers were so uplifting and terrific. The music was beautiful and spiritual and rockin! I got to meet and hug Karen and tell her characters were so real that I have actually caught myself praying for them in church and I then remember that they aren't actual people! She laughed and when she did her speech she mentioned what I said to her! That she was so flattered by some of the compliments she gets and mentioned a few and one of them was MINE! And I got to tell her that my friends on the Pod loved her and asked if she would autograph and hold this sign that I made:



The singers included Charles Billingsly who was sooooo good and fun! I was online to have my picture taken with him but he ran out of time and had to get back on stage so I waited at the edge of the stage while he was getting up there and then called to him and said, "Strike a pose for me??" He said, "SURE!" LOL



Richie McDonald, who used to sing with Lone Star, sang too. I actually didn't think I knew any of his music because I'm not a big country music fan, but I knew "I'm Already There"



And Mandisa from American Idol sang and she was AWESOME!!!!!! Did a whole medley of old school soul, Aretha, Gladys Knight, Diana Ross, Whitney Houston, Tina Turner..we were ROCKIN out!! 8000 women standing and dancing and singing, "I'm Every Woman" "Respect" and all those great empowering songs by these great ladies. Just awesome!



And here's my souvenir. A Karen Kingsbury shirt...allow me to introduce, Chaffy Baxter!! Check it out, it even has a on it!!!!



It was a terrific two days and I'm exhausted but so happy!!!

See ya next time! :o)