Yay! Randomness! Tuesday! Yay! Randomness! Tuesday! Yay! Randomness! Tuesday!
Wait, there was kind of a pattern there. Crap.
Anyway. On to other random things. I was going to post a summary of random bits of judgement, as Becky the Suburban Matron did last week, but then I realized I had other life bits to say. So I'll judge things tomorrow, or possibly Thursday.
My inlaws have declared this Christmas to be a "kids gifts only" Christmas. Which is awesome, because they are possibly the most difficult people on the planet to shop for. I tried to get creative one year and give them symphony tickets, which they professed to have enjoyed, other than the fact that it meant they had to drive into town on a day they normally wouldn't and go somewhere they normally wouldn't and attend something they normally wouldn't and then drive home in a blizzard.
Now I just get them a book (MIL) and beer (FIL).
Though I've been relieved of the obligation of getting them anything, I remain suspicious that they will pass judgement regardless, because I didn't get them anything.
My own parents usually do a "homemade, consumable, or recycled" gift theme, so we don't all end up with so much Stuff. You should try it - you get a lot of wine and chocolate, it's awesome.
My MIL manages to squeeze a dishtowel for me into every care package she sends for my son. I have NO IDEA WHAT THAT MEANS. I don't do enough dishes? I do too many dishes? I need a dishwasher? The 47 dishtowels I have already aren't sufficient?? What, woman, WHAT?
I have decided I'm going to participate in NaNoWriMo. I know, clearly I have too much time on my hands. Ahem.
Blogging will suffer. I'm sorry, or alternately (if you think my blogging sucks), you're welcome.
Remember the fiasco with UPS and my undelivered boots? The ones they promised to deliver between 2:00 and 5:00, and yet, according to their own tracking, showed up at 12:30? The ones they claim they attempted to deliver 3 times despite the fact that someone was home the entire time? Yeah, that.
Now they've invoiced me for the brokerage fees, invoiced the company I bought them from for shipping them BACK, and have informed that same company that my "front desk" refused the package because it didn't want to pay said brokerage fees.
Guess who's getting a strongly worded letter informing them where they can shove their brokerage fees?
There may be addendums to that letter, also, including but not limited to: copies of the cute little postie notes they left informing me they'd show up between 2:00 and 5:00; copies of their own tracking detailing when they actually DID show up; and a video showing how, exactly, my dog reacts when someone happens to knock on the door of my "front desk", lest there be any confusion as to whether someone might have overlooked their arrival.
Possibly I'll include a picture of my finger, too, if I'm feeling jaunty.
Anyway. Got some judging or venting or random bits of information to get out of your brain, too? Shake out the Hallowe'en cobwebs and smear them on a blog post! Random up!
56 people talked back :
Give UPS hell Keely and take prisoners if necessary :)
I don't know about the dishtowels. I mean that's really just weird. Are they themed maybe? Holiday style? Maybe she has a fetish. I find with MIL you really don't want to know...
and holy crap how did I manage to be first?
Oh that whole UPS would have me wanting to send a picture of my finger, too. If you don't get results with a strongly worded letter, file a complaint with the BBB - UPS will NOT like having a strike against them at the BBB. They'll scramble to 'make it right'. :)
Dish towels? Do you secretly want to collect them or is she reducing her collection? :)
Happy RTT! :)
Whatever you do, don't send the letter UPS...prove to them that another company can carry out a task.
Since you have so many dishtowels...sew them together and give them back to Mom as a beach towel/blanket. That's recycled right?
Dishtowels, huh? Could you make something for her out of them for Christmas? Perhaps a quilt of some sort? Our Christmases have been all about the kids forever. Well, other than getting a little something for my mum and brother who doesn't have any children. I like the idea of consumable Xmas pressies only!
And, that is just crazy about your boots. Hope you get it sorted.
Happy RTT!
P.S. *Thinking* about doing NaNoWriMo too.
You know Keely, I think you need to hire a better door man. Obviously, the immigrant you higher does not speak French and English all that well. That is what you get for hiring an Englishman. ;)
I tried the NaNoWriMo last year and made it to NaNoWriWe and that as it. Good luck. The whole UPS deal would just piss me off and I'm afraid I would have to send them a picture of my finger. My dogs go crazy when someone is at our front desk too.
Each year we try to do the 'kids only' thing ... and each year it never really works. I wish it would. And besides - my mom says that the kids only rule doesn't apply to her, because she's the grandmom.
I clearly get my random rule making for rules that only benefit me from my mom.
Boy i get you with the mail services in general.. and the finger picture.. lol:)
Oh and this Christmas me and my husband decided to make gifts for our families or give them sweets... it's cheaper and we're kind of tight here:P
Anyway..
Happy Random!
*mine's up to:)
We finally put a limit on amount we spend on gifts. We prefer to save our money so that we can go on vacation at Christmas instead of gift giving. I've done homemade consumable gifts. Pralines are the absolute best especially if you have to mail stuff like we do.
Give UPS hell. The company you purchased it from should also.
You can send me some of your dishtowels. I can never find one when I need one.
Maybe your MIL just saw the dish towel and thought of you. It is a small gift so she might just want to include something for you but not spend a fortune. Or maybe she just thinks you don't do the dishes well enough. Could go either way.
Give UPS hell!!
Dishtowels huh?? I think she is sending a message but not sure what...
I can't wait to hear how the saga of the boots turns out! LOL
I had forgotten about the boots but we have had similar problems with deliveries as well. And we have the same practice for my in-laws. It saves money since there are 4 kids to shop for. But I feel the same way about being judged by not getting them gifts.
Oh the boots are back and with a vengeance. I am hoping for a happy ending with all that but it does not look good.
Since you are the Unmom and a super hero and all I do think you will prevail though.
I hate it when they deliver stuff TOO EARLY. It's bad enough that the delivery times are so ambiguous as it is. At the very least, I should get a text message when the driver is en-route, so I can rush home and be there. Or put on clothes and answer the door.
Love the dishcloth bit. That would have me puzzled as well. What's up with that?
Brokerage fees? That's ridiculous!! You give 'em what for Keely!
Happy Random Tuesday!
Raven
We have a drop and run UPS man.I can literally be sitting right there on the porch, they won't even notice, drop the package, ring the bell and run. Idiots. All of them.
We went to a kids gift only Christmas and then we went to just one name, and then we went to white elephant. It just keeps getting easier and easier.
I seriously can't wait till I reach your blog. I never know what I am going to read. LOVE IT!!
I'm all about the consumables... wine and chocolate in mass quantities and I'd be happy.
lol...what fun post!!!
that kids gift only thing is wrong...lol!!!
vent away my friend..
That is pretty funny yet strange about the dishtowel. Things that make you go hmm!
I'll send you my address. Any errant dishtowels should be sent to me. I need them since John keeps taking them for dog messes and then decreeing them dog towels meaning I have to kill a tree and use a paper towel. Argh!
Is it just me or was there no Mr. Linky? Oh well, my blogging buddy and I did RTT together this time around. So come check it out.
http://mamaswithdrama.blogspot.com/2009/10/random-tuesday-thoughts-tandom-style.html
I wish I could get my in-laws to go for the just kids thing. I have asked multiple times and they refuse.
Okay, that dish towel thing is weird. That woman should be a thesis study for someone.
Quite honestly, I'm much happier when we only get kids presents. All my in-laws are hard to shop for and the stuff I get in return really just is not me. I wouldn't even be offended if they just got my dh something he really likes. Hmmm...something to remember for when I become a MIL. I think I will ask my own children if they want cash or really a gift from me.
I hate when people tell me who to and who not to buy gifts for. They usually tell me 2 weeks before Christmas too. duh.
Have a great RTT!
http://iamharriet.blogspot.com/2009/10/woman-scares-off-burglar-by-acting-like.html
Holy shitballs, you have a lot of link ups today. I've got a full day of blog hopping ahead of me!
We need to enact Christmas giving like that, especially this year. Gift giving gets way out of hand for my in-laws. Yes, I'm a crab. Just see my RTT for proof.
I hate UPS too!
Ugh, I hate shopping for the in-laws. Everything is judged. I hate UPS too. Our UPS guy smokes in his truck so all packages have a funk when they show up. It's great.
My mother in law gives me lots of scrap booking stuff (and I don't scrap book) and hand soap and lotion.
I try not to read too much into it, but I often wander what she means with it all?
Late shoes deserve absolutely no mercy. Go get em!!
I get dishtowels too. The last time I went there, I got four.
Four brown dishtowels.
I thought it was just me. :D
the entire UPS event sounds outrageous hopefully a strong letter may help a bit
dish towels. that's so weird. but I love the kid only gift thing. I'm about that. i'm planning to do a judgement post ala Suburban Matron too, I've just been too damn sick.
47 towels = you're a pig and you'll never be good enough for my son.
Or she's re-gifting. Ya, that's probably it.
I'm thinking I'm doing NaNoWriMo too... But I'm not sure about it yet. I don't know how to do it, and I really want to!
My mom wraps everything in dishtowels, including bread. I think it might be a personality flaw (or cute trait, depending on how much you like dishtowels).
We do a swap for adults at Christmas. The only rule is that it has to be something that you'd be excited to take home. That seems to work.
She's telling you something with the dishtowels.
Looking forward to you publishing the letter to UPS.
I'm trying to get my balls up to participate in the NaNoWriMo too. The towels, the towels, it's probably her age, in the olden days women used them to dry vegetables and cover rising dough. She's subliminally trying to get you to use less paper towels (please don't tell her I said it was her age, I'm afraid of what she might send me, gah!)
Holy hell, that sucks about your UPS fees. So on a not really but sort of related subject, there's this ceiling fan I REALLY WANT (we have on in the bedroom and want one for the living room) and it's only avail at the Home Depot Canada site and those fuckers won't ship to the US. WHAT THE FUCK? Sorry, memememe.
I like your parent's consumable gift idea. I have about a thousand dish towels but there is NEVER one around when I need to dry my hands since Jamie thinks they're for wiping up spills on the kitchen floor and it yucks me so I pitch them in the wash and forget to get another. Memememe again. See what two weeks away from blogging does to a person?
I think you should also send them a picture of your ass so that they know what to kiss.
Was that crass? sorry.
And, every year I give my parents one of those calendars that you can make at Walgreens, where every month has a picture of something (like the kids or you or you AND the kids or THEM and the kids or whatever). It's a decent price (around $20) and personal and everyone needs a calendar, right? It's a good gift. Seriously. Try it.
I just somehow (and by accident) linked up for last week's RTT, even though I didn't participate last week. Please don't kick me out of the club.
I love your blog and I love the randomness thoughts. Why does everything have to be on Tuesday though? lol I'm following you now.
Everybody thinks the dishtowels are weird, and yet nobody thinks the fact you don't have a dishwasher is weird? Did I read that right? Trade in the Dell - it'll be worth it. I refuse to do dishes.
I don't think that the Novel in a month is a feasible idea. Too many words in not enough time!
Good grief, why does UPS hate you so much? Is it because you're Canadian??
I like the "recyclable, consumable" Christmas idea. Every year I propose limiting gifting to the kids, but the rest of the fam is not in favor.
I eagerly await your summary judgments.
Hmm...maybe if the MIL decides she wants a gift you can say you sent it UPS? Seems like a win/win. You're covered & she can give them hell for you
I've signed my life away for the whole month of November by way of NaNoWriMo. You and another blog (Writer's Unblocked) turned me on to it. Should be fun!
Your UPS people truly do suck. Our guy is the cat's ass. He puts the stuff in the garage if we're not home and one time he even put it inside the back door I'd left unlocked because there was a wicked storm and it was marked "Fragile". *sigh*
My MIL does not give me dish towels but she sniffs mine whenever she is helping me in my kitchen.
Add the picture of your finger, for sure! It will say more than the rest of the evidence combined... in my mind, at least. Not sure what to tell you about the dish towels. Maybe you could just ask her!
It used to be just one company of delivery that was Canada=$$ but now it's the two big ones? And Canada in it's own country it crazy expensive for sending things.
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