Stupid Shop and Save.

The name of that store should be "Shop and Then Have to Return Stuff Because it's Expired/Rotten/Moldy Off the Shelves". Every fricking time I shop there I have to take stuff back because I notice once I get home that something is wrong with it. Today it was english muffins, all moldy. I bought them 2 days ago and the date on them is March 16. Last week it was tri-color peppers. I bought the bag of 3 because I was in a hurry. They looked fine. The one in the middle was moldy around the stem, and strategically placed where you couldn't see that one through the label they stuck on. The week before that it was coffee creamer. See, I grabbed one that felt too light. I discovered it was open and half gone, on the shelf! I took the time to go back and give it to an employee, grabbed 2 more and was on my way marvelling at the fact that a half used coffee creamer bottle could be stocked. Get home. Discover that the 2 I bought had expired *2 MONTHS* before I bought them. They had the nerve to "require" a receipt to return them. The look I gave that girl must have changed her mind because she just looked at me back and told me to go get another 2 bottles. So, every single shopping trip has netted a return visit to replace something in the last month. That's not a good track record. I think I'll call corporate. Maybe they'll give me a gift card for my time.

The dilemma here is that I have 2 choices. I can 1. not bother to take it back and waste that money or 2. take it back and waste my time. I don't have a lot of money, so option 1 isn't a good one. I also don't have a lot of time (probably less time than money these days, but both are tight), making option 2 a problem as well. So, I'm stuck in "being pissed that I have to make the choice" land. Today, the english muffins were going to be lunch. This means that not only do I have to waste my time returning BOTH bags, but I also have to spend precious time coming up with an alternative for pizza. My option is to make my own dough, which as most of you know, takes time. And, before you suggest making something other than pizza for lunch, YOU tell the kids, cuz they were all at the table ready to make them when the mold was discovered. Grrrr.

The weather men, not to change the subject, have apparently gone off their rockers. The high today, as of last night at MIDNIGHT, was 53. We woke to snow on the ground. As far as the eye can see there is nothing but thick, gray snow clouds. I'm doubting it's going to be in the 50's. I'm guessing we won't make it out of the 30's. And so goes this bizarre weather year, although it seems I say that every year. I'm not complaining about the snow, I actually like it. I would, however, like a bit of notice. I had planned to wash my windows today. Not gonna happen, lol. The bbq frito pie in the crock pot will be great with the cool weather though, so at least one thing has gone right today.

I also finished the dreaded first observation paper in astonishing time. I sat down to get started last night and it fell together so fast I was done before I knew it. the instructions were a tad confusing and I hope I did it correctly. It was almost too easy. I had literally been dreading it for 3 or 4 weeks. It's due today (well, I'll turn it in tomorrow since I'll see her, instead of mailing it). I enjoyed the project and look forward to the next one now. I am learning a lot in this class. I really like my teacher and feel good about the path I'm on in that program. The next hurdle is to actually get some of the spec ed classes in. They keep cancelling them on me which is frustrating, but they have to offer them sometime, right?

And so, here I am today, feeling frustrated about the day not going well but just rolling with it instead of freaking out. It is what it is, right.