An Anonymous Note

[Artemis Windsong]

Our winter home is a manufactured house that has carpy plumbing pipes. The neighbors who have been here since day one say the manufacturer replaces all the plumbing but, the homeowner had to apply for the replacement by a certain time. The guy who had the house before us didn't bother. One neighbor said the entire plumbing under the house could be replace in one afternoon since they new how long the pipes were and everything was precut. I don't know what happened with the pipes in the walls.

Now, my H. has to take care of it. He's uneasy about going under the house to do that work since he caught his coveralls on something and had to rip them to get loose. If he does this, he can find the pliers he lost.

[Artemis Windsong]

I had pre sensed that I needed to take a container to the tennis tournament where food was going to be offered. I put some chili in my container early on to save for when I was finished playing. I was spot on. I ate my container of cold chili. They ran out of chili. At least 20 or more people did not get to eat.

The host was using our courts and kitchen since their courts were being replaced. I'm sure transporting the food was the issue. At their home court, they usually had enough food for all 3 meals of the day as well as enough for the people serving to take home.

Providing ample food to feed a crowd of 60 players plus others take a lot of experience. And keep the cost down. Our group bring salads. The desserts are bought when there are sales the week before or donations asked for.

As a back up, I carry beef jerky and snack bars.

[NancysSummerSip]

Thank you to the good Lord, the doctors and nurses who took care of my friend as he had back surgery this week. It was a spinal fusion and he sent me a picture of the post-op X-ray. Yikes. Looks awful. But he has been living with increasing pain and decreasing mobility for years, so it had to be done.

Now, if he will follow doctor's orders and rehab slowly, he will not be as good as his 25-year-old self, but much better than his 55-year-old self was before Tuesday.

[Artemis Windsong]

Amazing medical miracles.

[daisylu]

Dear (technically) former coworker,


    I agree that it sucks that you will likely not move up and they will fit my spot with one of their buddies, but I will not allow you to take your shit out on me. You still have a job to do, so do it. Stop asking me to do things that you are capable of doing every 5 minutes, or I will go remote TOMORROW. I do not have to be in this building to continue to assist UNTIL there is someone for me to train. And I know this is because I came in early for training (that you should have also been here for) so I am leaving at 1. I didn't boohoo when you left early 3 days in the last week for "doctor appointments".

[Artemis Windsong]

I had been praying for someone to provide new solutions to the pickleball/tennis fray about court use.  Voila, we got one in a new member of the HOA.  I will avoid this man but he is up to the equalizer role. Then oh then, the succubus becomes the chairman of the community rules committee.  Equalizer is the HOA rep to the rules committee.  They oversee court sign out disputes among other community issues.  This succubus nearly falls apart if the tennis players have not erased the use of a court when in actuality we were regrouping.  The solution to the turf issue is PB needs to stay in their time blocks.

Having lived some life, we have observed people descending in the spiral of dementia.  Her antics and tantrums are red flags.

The succubus/incubus couple will be going after the golf course next.  There is a fray going on there, also.  The short of it is the g.c. mgt. had not been doing maintenance on the water drains on the course as well as other maintenance.  Now begging for money to clean these out.  The g.c. get $300 for every house sold in the resort as well as additional for home on the g.c.

One solution to the green grass is to spray the dead grass green.  Much less costly.  A lot of AZ courses have gone to this.  The greens, of course, are grass.

[ners]

Dear Co-Worker

   Yes, I understand the receptionist made a mistake.   Please be kind to her she feels bad enough without you raising your voice. We are all human.


Frustrated Worker. 

[TheOtherMe]

Sounds liked the receptionist owned her mistake.  It's time to leave her alone.

[azucena]

Dear sis,

You left the workforce 12 years ago to care for your kids. You've never tried to understand my career, so when you finally jump back into work and take a school cafeteria lady job at minimum wage, don't expect me to pity you when your boss treats you like crap. Welcome to the real world. Maybe if you'd use your college degree, you'd get somewhere. But that would be too hard. Working 10 to 2 just to get your husband off your back is much easier.

Also, pls, pls, pls stop calling me during the workday. I won't ever answer because I'm working and you just want to shoot the shit. Every conversation is all about you anyway. Always has been.

I'll continue to handle you in small doses.

Azucena

[NancysSummerSip]

So, dear family....

I am trying not to be a jerk about this.

But why do you come to visit every year, complain about the weather and prices (you cannot change the first one, unless you come at a different time of the year; and you can well afford the second one) and REFUSE TO CONSIDER EATING ANYWHERE EXCEPT THE SAME PLACES YOU'VE GONE TO FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS?

There's hundreds of new places to try. But you are insistent about a fancy hotel brunch ($130 per person!) and dinner at a restaurant where the food's really good, but the noise level is so bad, we cannot talk to each other, plus it's currently in a massive construction zone (likely completion date is 12th of never, but supposedly early next year, according to the ever optimistic city planners).

I cannot eat $130 worth of food; DH and I cannot eat that much between us.  That's a week's grocery money on a meal for one.

And to drive an hour and sit in a construction zone and have to yell at you to pass the antipasti ... nah, I'll pass.

Love you guys, but am I an A-hole for asking for compromise here? I can (and have) sent you a lot of suggestions for new places. You're on vacation when you come here. Think outside the tourist trap box for a change.

[azucena]

Dear sis,

Please stop calling me during my work day and then complaining to our mother that I never answer your calls. I.AM.WORKING. And you know I start working at 6 am so calling at 7 isn't any better - it's still my workday. Fortunately, my mom understands this boundary and often uses it herself with sis.

And, I'm sorry, but I'm not coming to all of your kids' events especially not ones that start at 8 pm on a weeknight and you live an hour away. I do my best to make one of their weekend events for each sport, activity, etc. Heck, we don't even invite you to most of our kids' events because their schedules are crazy and your kids are younger.

Big sis

[TheOtherMe]

I never can understand why people can't comprehend work boundaries on phone calls.

I had one of the church ladies call me when I was working and I had to tell her several times that I was at work and I would call her when I get home.  She also called me at home about church business.  I didn't have access to the church stuff at home so I would have to tell her to call me during the hours I worked there.

[azucena]

Mar 30, 2023 9:56:16 GMT -5 TheOtherMe said:

I never can understand why people can't comprehend work boundaries on phone calls.

I had one of the church ladies call me when I was working and I had to tell her several times that I was at work and I would call her when I get home.  She also called me at home about church business.  I didn't have access to the church stuff at home so I would have to tell her to call me during the hours I worked there.

Now that she's working part-time in the school cafeteria, I really, really, really want to be passive-aggressive and call her right at noon. Repeatedly, day after day, and not leave a msg.

But, le sigh, I'm a better person than that.

[seriousthistime]

Dear ex-coworker, 

I know that neither one of us lives near our former workplace and we never see each other anymore, but that doesn't mean that we need to chat endlessly on the phone.

And I've suggested to you that what you really want is someone to hear you talk, and not have a real conversation where we take turns talking.    

My "listening ear" hurts.  Texting is good for me. 

[daisylu]

Mar 30, 2023 13:28:02 GMT -5 seriousthistime said:

Dear ex-coworker, 

I know that neither one of us lives near our former workplace and we never see each other anymore, but that doesn't mean that we need to chat endlessly on the phone.

And I've suggested to you that what you really want is someone to hear you talk, and not have a real conversation where we take turns talking.    

My "listening ear" hurts.  Texting is good for me. 

A line from Chicago PD - "Do you think I should call him? Calling just seems so aggressive". 

[seriousthistime]

I like it, daisylu! 

I should add that this is not the first person I've put in text-only communication mode.  

[TheOtherMe]

I put one like that in no communication mode (she didn't have a smart phone).  In 25 years, I don't think she ever called me.  I had to do all of the calling.  I heard all of her 30-40 minute stories numerous times.  She didn't even stop to breathe during the stories.

Every call was all about her and mostly the problems I had been hearing about since the mid to late 1980's.

Once I made the decision, it was easy to carry out.  I just didn't call and she never called back.  

Bye Felicia. 

Best feeling in the world to not be dreading calling her weekly.  She had me well trained for a long time.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

DH still gets calls from a customer from his old job that wants him to put in an order for her.  They dropped her because she's not a big time client and she thinks he can get around that.  He explained he doesn't work there anymore "oh but you surely know someone".

She lives in NYC and is apparently loaded.  She is used to getting her way.  I joked with DH that maybe she calls him because she's actually looking for a sugar baby.  He said it's not nice to try to pimp him out to old ladies.   It's a sacrifice I am willing to make.

[skeeter]

Dear makers of Lume Deodorant............

For God's sake, please take your commercial off the air, or at the very least, change the way you advertise your product.

I'm so sick and tired of seeing your spokesperson point to her crotch ( or as she calls it, her "pie hole") and her butt crack and telling people to use it there.

After the dangers of talcum powder were discovered years later, do you honestly believe anyone (especially women) would want to take that risk again.

Don't think I've ever been as disgusted or appalled at any other commercial in my life as I am with yours!! 

[NancysSummerSip]

Dear humanity,

Sometimes, I hate you.

My neighbors have neglected their cat (and we've been feeding her) for two years. Finally very sick at this point, and another neighbor threatening me for feeding the cat (she did not understand that there was nothing I could do to force the idiot owners to do anything), I had to resort to taking her to Animal Care and Control, since she is micro-chipped (no private vet will care for or euthanize her).

Two vets called the owners (and a neighbor banged on the owner's door) and nothing.

Idiots order in food like every night; Uber Eats drivers are their best buds. Neighbor who threatened us just bought a $90K motor home. Neither of them with a spare dollar or an ounce of sense or compassion to do what we did.

I hate people right now. Not y'all, of course. I love my YMAM gang.

[TheOtherMe]

  Nancy

[NancysSummerSip]

May 6, 2023 15:52:29 GMT -5 TheOtherMe said:

  Nancy

I needed that. Well, that and tea while I watched the coronation after my race. I got my bike out for a ride tomorrow. I think it will be therapeutic.

[Artemis Windsong]

A neighbor deeply offended me.  Two separate evenings.  She was talking about the bad school system and kids not being able to read.  She blames everyone but the political party she belongs to.  She not only said the kids are ignorant but added the population of an entire state.  People withholding purchase of a certain beer.  That ignorant comment went by me the night before.  When she included an entire state, I told her I would not debate the education system in the U.S. with her.  She started again.  I said I'm leaving.  My anger switch had been tripped.  Thinking over her asinine comments, I decided to have nothing further to do with her.

Those ex-friends seem to pile up.  I think I am the problem except I have a certain level of disrespect I won't tolerate.  There is no reason to continue with those people.

I came in early from our neighbors evening chat with drinks to avoid her.  I won't see her again until next October.

[Artemis Windsong]

Jan 8, 2023 22:13:02 GMT -5 Artemis Windsong said:

Our winter home is a manufactured house that has carpy plumbing pipes. The neighbors who have been here since day one say the manufacturer replaces all the plumbing but, the homeowner had to apply for the replacement by a certain time. The guy who had the house before us didn't bother. One neighbor said the entire plumbing under the house could be replace in one afternoon since they new how long the pipes were and everything was precut. I don't know what happened with the pipes in the walls.

Now, my H. has to take care of it. He's uneasy about going under the house to do that work since he caught his coveralls on something and had to rip them to get loose. If he does this, he can find the pliers he lost.

UPDATE:  He got a repipe company to call him back.  They arrived a day early and repiped the house.  Snafu, they hadn't pulled a permit from the city but did get one in 2 days.  We hadn't paid the remaining bill.  We also were supposed to get another access panel that we to be put in today.  H. called, was home all day, no access door.  We are gone tomorrow.

The workers were so efficient we were going to tip them today.  They deserve one then the access door delay tarnishes our good feelings toward them.

Relief that the repipe is done.  From visiting with people, this is very common.  A  small house with no ice maker and dishwasher reduced the cost.

[Opti]

I had an incident a couple weeks ago that really confused me. Most of the people I know are good about telling me when they can talk or not, and I or them just hang up if its a bad time for a call. Simple, or so I thought. But my one sister, still seems to have this weird inexplicable protocol about phone calls and hanging up. I called, she answered, and she said she was at work and couldn't talk. I said OK, then just hang up, I'm having problems getting my phone to do what I want. (Still painfully new to smartphones and very often it does not acknowledge when I press on things like pick up a call, end a call, etc.

She wouldn't hang up, just repeated herself.    Luckily I got the phone to acknowledge I wanted to end the call and hung up.
I haven't lived nearby in more than 3 decades. Her current employer is open 7 days a week and there is no way I'd know her schedule.
I don't know why she did not just hang up the phone after I said OK just hang up.

[NancysSummerSip]

Dear race director,

You're a cheapskate and a jerk. Four hundred medal short for today's race, when you knew you needed them? And the late registrants were not restricted?

That medal meant something. It was a race in my parents' hometown, and I did it to honor my late dad, a Navy veteran. And no one on your staff had a word or explanation or apology or the means to get medals mailed or made available for pickup? Just thumbing your nose at the runners who support you will not bring people back to your events.

A nice man at the timing table heard me asking about medals, and insisted I take his. It was meant to be for a higher and better calling. I saw two teenagers, him sad and her crying. Turns out the boyfriend got a medal, and the girlfriend, who crossed the finish line shortly after him, did not. I could not imagine being that girl's parent and try to make her feel better about what you did to spoil this race.

But this old lady had someone else's medal. courtesy of their kindness. And now that very grateful and polite teenager has it. In fact, they were both very polite and nice. A total credit to their parents.

As for you, race director: shame on you, and I will never do another race your company organizes. From the many of us who never see a podium, much less stand on one. All we want is what we pay for. I wanted that medal, because it meant something this time. But the sucker punch to my soul seeing a child cry was far worse.

[seriousthistime]

I once was asked in the finish chute, "Do you want a medal?"  Duh.  Of course I do.  My friends and I all about the bling.  If I didn't get a medal and probably a T shirt as well, I would complain bitterly. 

The least the race organizers can do is get another batch of medals produced and mailed.  But they probably didn't make note of who got medals and who didn't.  

I hope the race benefitted a worthy cause. 

[NancysSummerSip]

Dearest nephew,

I am proud of you. You came out on the first day of Pride Month. At a school board meeting, defending a teacher you did not know, for doing something ONE parent found objectionable. There were TV cameras there. You're 16 years old. This takes more guts than I will ever have.

OK, your family (me included) already pretty much knew. But it's not the same as saying it out loud and proud. And you should be. You are human first, and a fine and accomplished young man second. Your achievements make us proud every day.

You will be a good role model and a hella loud advocate for your tribe. I spent time with them last night at my last 5K for the season. I had signed up for it months ago, but I ran it for you. The fight against hate it a fight all of us have to take up. No one knows who the next targeted group will be. It could be anybody.

I wish grandma (my mother) could be here to see this. Even she knew, and you were a little boy when she died. But she knew back then. And she would be so happy for you.

Love ya, buddy

[Artemis Windsong]

Red flag people.

I was at a sewing group I had not been to since past September. First time meeting V.   Hostess and another friend.  In a back handed bragging about how sea sick this woman/family their many cruises, she did not like me relating my Alaska trip mishaps comments were short and brief. 

When I was standing up to leave, my friend asked about my knee injury and what I was doing about it.  As I turned to head toward the door, I said I was using the internet for exercise ideas.  Miss know it all jumped up saying don't listen to web internet whatever.  My friend walked me to the door then I over heard and realized that woman was going to crab me and shake some sense into me.  2nd friend had stepped in front of her and said you are #4.

Hostess had a few words with her  but I was gone.

The other 3 red flags have acted aggressively toward club members.  I told this to my 2 friends who decided to watch people's interactions at the meetings before and after.  Their findings were like I had said.

I avoid the 4 red flags as much as I can.

[azucena]

SIL,

You probably should not be discussing your child support payment legal battle in front of said child even if she is only 6. She's precocious and listening.

You definitely shouldn't talk about it in front of your 17 yr old son even if he has a different baby daddy.

While I don't doubt that he owes you back support and backpay, no one believes that your ex really makes $800k/yr at his junk yard and selling on ebay. That's just one of your typical exaggerations to add to the drama.

If you can't afford to fix things that break in the manufactured home that you purchased, what makes you think you should buy a house? And bragging about credit scores that get you 12-15% interest rate loans is whack. If you really do get five figures in back pay, then I guess blowing it on a house down payment isn't the worst idea considering other things I've seen you blow money on.

You probably shouldn't home school if you thought Alaska was an island because of the way it's pictured in US maps off to the side like Hawaii. You definitely shouldn't offer to teach upper grade math for your home school co-op. And I don't think a DnD class is really school.

I could barely keep a straight face when you launched into your complaint about how your home owners insurance company hasn't lowered your $500 deductible even after you've been a client for 3 whole years. That's not how this works, that's not how any of this works.

Speech therapy isn't going to help your mom regain her voice. Cutting back from 2-3 packs of smokes per day might. Glad you're certain that smoking has nothing to do with it. Smoke on.

Azucena

PS - thanks for all these teachable moments for DD15. She asked me to clear up the thought process on several of these items after you left.

And there but by the grace of God would I be. It's not completely your fault that so many of these things were instilled by your family of origin. It also makes me realize how far DH has come even if he still has some work to do.