I know we usually participate in What the Hell Wednesday with the ladies from Blue Monkey Butt but I just can’t do it today.  You know why?  Yesterday was my birthday (yes, I am a Valentine birthday girl).  I have had some really crappy birthdays (more than one which has involved the hospital) so for me, a good birthday usually ends  with no one getting sick or hurt (yes, I have pretty low expectations).

This year was so above and beyond that I don’t know if I can ever enjoy a birthday again.  I feel like nothing will ever live up to this year.

First the presents… I know I love to make fun of Small Town Daddy and his gifts.  While he always gets me gifts that I want and enjoy, some of them might sound a little insensitive to others (he insists I am setting him up for a blog post, but really, I’m just not a flowers and jewelry type of girl).

Anyway, my birthday.  I received a Kindle Fire!!!  I can read, play games and surf the Web all on one machine.  That fits into my purse.  Can it get any better than that?  Of course, I actually received my Kindle on Sunday since Small Town Daddy finds it impossible to wait to give gifts.  We ended up getting engaged 5 days earlier than he had planned because the engagement ring was burning a hole in his pocket.

While the weekend was good, yesterday was even better.  The girls tried really hard to get along.  While they didn’t succeed completely, I did appreciate the efforts.

Work was fantastic.  I signed a new client that I am hoping will remain with me for years.  I love new clients and this one is even better because it was a previous client that came back.  This means I don’t need to charge them for “getting up to speed” time.  I am ready to jump right in and start working.

Health was good.  I have been undergoing some difficult health problems (this will be discussed in a future blog post when we know more, I promise.  It is going to take a long time to treat).  Yesterday, I think I found a doctor who can treat me who is actually in-network with my insurance company.

I actually almost passed out when I discovered that if I went with an out-of-network doctor that I was required to pay $2000 before the insurance company would even consider kicking in a couple of bucks.  That, on top of Joanna’s very expensive allergy medication, would have bankrupted us.  But, if this doctor works out, she is in-network so I wont have to spend thousands of dollars every month on healthcare alone.  While she doesn’t specialize in what I need, she is the closest to it in the area that is in-network (I can’t go to any of the doctors that were recommended since they aren’t in-network).

Now, I will get onto my soapbox.  This is why we need healthcare reform (even further than what we have).  I believe that access to medical care should be a right, not a privilege (I know, I don’t talk about politics but since this is the second time we risked bankruptcy due to healthcare issues, I strongly believe this, and I think anyone who has faced expensive medical costs would agree with me).  If you choose to disagree with me, please be polite and respective of others (and me, remember, it’s my birthday week).

Well, I have babbled endlessly about my birthday so I am sure you have heard more than enough.  Let it suffice to say that I didn’t feel the need to say What the Hell at all yesterday (except during my 5 phone calls with my health insurance company but no day can be completely perfect).

How was your Valentine’s Day?

Today is Monday and here in the Small Town, Oreo takes over Small Town Mommy for Meow Monday.  He wants to share a little bit about what goes on in his life (because really, is anything more important than his life).

Last weekend, the Small Town Library celebrated, “Take Your Child to the Library Day.”

There were all kinds of activities including a special visit from Huck, the library mascot.  Here is Joanna with Huck…

Like most locations around the Small Town, the library is discriminatory and Oreo was not invited (even though he thought the name was Take Your Cat to the Library Day).

Fortunately for him, all the librarians at the Small Town library are extra nice (are all librarians like this or just in the Small Town).  While he couldn’t attend the event, they did let him have one of the special packages that the library was giving out for families with babies.  So we got Oreo a bib.

Ignoring the fact that Oreo could really use a bib because he eats like a 15 month old and gets food all over himself, he really wanted to wear the bib so someone would read to him.

Libby complied and read him a story.

Unfortunately, Oreo got a little confused by the story.  Now, he thinks he is Snow White and just keeps staring into the mirror asking who’s the fairest of them all.

Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the fluffiest of them all?

Today is Wednesday, when the Small Town joins The Blue Monkey Butt ladies in What the Hell Wednesday.  This is an opportunity to discuss some of the things that make us say What the Hell!?!

Sometimes, I feel like I am running in several different directions at the same time (it’s amazing I don’t trip.  It must be my superior coordination), WTH!?!  The one disadvantage of running your own business is that all of your clients are the most important so you can’t just pick one.  Fortunately, it only happens rarely but sometimes, everyone needs something at the same time.  Those are the days when I just work continuously.  This has been one of those months (and yet, I still find time for you.  Just not as much as I would like).

I just saw something on the Today Show about dressing your cats in bread, WTH!?!  I have a cat.  I have bread.  I even have an outlet to post photos of my cat wearing bread.  So what do you think?  Do you want to see Oreo wearing bread (I believe it is a slice rather than the entire loaf and no, I will not eat it after it has been on his head).

See (alright, you can’t see since I am sitting here in my pajamas and you are wherever you are, hopefully in your pajamas too), I just got distracted and went off to email a client, WTH!?!  Now I’m back but it really cuts back on my completion skills.  I just like to send out stuff as soon as I think of it so I don’t forget or get distracted by something shiny.  At least I came right back.  There are occasions where I will get distracted by a client and not return for another 2 hours.  That just shows how important Small Town Mommy and our visitors are to us.

So let me know some of the things that are driving you insane this week.  Also if you are a fan of Meow Monday, let me know if you would like to see Oreo wearing bread on his head (I think it sounds kind of crazy but if you want to see it, Oreo is happy to comply).

Happy Wednesday!!!

Last night was the Super Bowl.  I don’t know what number Super Bowl it was because I really don’t care.  Oreo, on the other hand, wanted to show all of you who have insulted his masculinity, how manly he really is.  Since I am from NY, he had to root for the Giants.  He loves me more than anything (except the pricey cat food we sometimes purchase for special occasions from the vet).

While Oreo was depressed that his team was losing at halftime, he did perk up for Madonna (who doesn’t love Madonna).

He wanted to get into the act (okay, maybe not as manly as he originally thought but there were men in togas at the halftime show).

Here he is singing backup for Madonna.

Of course, since I am not a football fan, I fell asleep before it was over.  Oreo was still watching.

All his cheering woke me up when the Giants won.

I complain.  A lot.  I am aware of that.  I prefer to believe that it means I have high standards and expect everyone else to live up to those standards (rather than I’m just whiny).

Since I complain a lot, I thought it would only be fair for me to give credit to a local organization for good customer service (after all, I am sure I would have blasted them if they were awful).

Joanna recently started playing the guitar.  We purchased a pack of 4 lessons for her and she liked them and wanted to continue lessons.  I wasn’t sure about the place where she was taking lessons so I did a fair amount of research to see if I could find another place.

I actually found a place 5 minutes from my house.  In the Small Town, nothing is 4 minutes from my house except possibly my next door neighbor.  So I signed her up for a semester of lessons.

She had her first lesson yesterday.  She absolutely hated it.  She cried the entire way home (5 minutes is a long time if you are trapped in a small car with a screaming 9 year old).

I want to be clear that we have done a number of activities at this organization that my kids have loved.  Libby took musical theater classes and thoroughly enjoyed them.  Joanna had a birthday party there that was absolutely fabulous.  The location is very well-respected around the community and now I understand why.

Since she had sworn she was never returning, I called the place to tell them she had hated her lesson.  I was very worried about what was going to happen.  I had already paid for a semester of lessons and as a small business owner, I know how reluctant I am to return cash (or in this case credit card) once I have received it.

The place couldn’t have been lovelier.  The gentleman I talked to sounded sorry that he couldn’t actually return the money for the lesson we had already experienced (I would never have expected it.  She may not have enjoyed it but we still took half an hour of his time).

This is amazing customer service.  This is the type of response that encourages me to whole-heartedly recommend the Enchanted Garden.  The classes are truly fabulous and the fact that Joanna didn’t enjoy her guitar lesson does nothing to decrease my enthusiasm.

Have you ever had a similar experience?  Did it work out well for you or was it handled really poorly.  Share a good or bad customer service story with us.  Small business owners, definitely take note.  Good customer service can make or break your organization.

It’s Wednesday and here in the Small Town, we follow along with the ladies from Blue Monkey Butt for What the Hell Wednesday.  This gives us the opportunity to share some of the things that are currently driving us crazy.

So lI can’t believe how late in the day it is, WTH!?!  I have had a really busy day.  I know, whine, complain, poor, pitiful me (don’t forget to take out the world’s tiniest violin.

I had a client meeting today, I have a big event on Friday and I have spent a fair amount of time on hold and talking with the insurance company.  Have I mentioned lately that I hate insurance companies (probably not this week).

But I am finally able to dedicate myself to the love of my life, also known as Small Town Mommy (yes, I really am that fond of myself).  No matter how busy I get, I want to be able to enjoy my time with Small Town Mommy and all of the blogs that I read.

Look at that, I got distracted again.  Now it is even later, WTH!?!  Maybe I should just save this post for next week.  Nah, things aren’t going to slow down then either, WTH!?!  I should probably be one of those organized bloggers who writes days in advance but inspiration hits best under pressure (or maybe things just sound a lot less dumb in my mind if I know I have to write something).

Anyway, back to some of the things that are driving me nuts (have we talked about me too much?  Too bad).  I was on a phone call this afternoon and Oreo came by with the latest sweater he is dating, WTH!?!  There I am, trying to sound professional, while in the background is prrr, prrr, PRRR (getting louder with every round).  He has turned my laundry room into his own personal singles bar.  He wanders in, picks out a sweater from the clean (notice it’s clean, never dirty) laundry basket and drags it off to his room.  He doesn’t even buy it dinner or a drink.  He is such a playa and the sweaters around here are a bunch of cheap floozies (mental note to the Small Town girls, never grow up to act like one of Oreo’s many conquests).

Well, I seem to have blabbered on endlessly (but everyone loves Oreo stories).  I am going to head on over to Blue Monkey Butt and see what those ladies have to say.  Meanwhile, leave me a comment and let me know, would you date Oreo if you were a sweater?

Oreo considers himself one of the girls.  As far as he is concerned, we have 3 daughters and he is the favorite.  Of course, this means that he likes to play with the girls.  While they will often play one of his favorite games like chase the cat toy, he understands that he sometimes needs to play what the girls want to.

Yesterday was one of those days.  Joanna was dressing up in one of Libby’s old Halloween costumes.  She wanted to be Little Red Riding Hood.  Anyone who knows the story knows that Little Red Riding Hood needs a wolf.  Oreo agreed to be the wolf (dressed as grandma).

Oreo donned his Snuggie and his wolf ears.  He tried to look ferocious.  He started mumbling, “the better to see you with.”

When he noticed we had the camera out, he started posing.

Then he realized he needed a bath.

Aren’t I cute?

I may have mentioned once or twice that I am an 80s girl.  I was born in the late 60s (ish) so I came of age during the reign of John Hughes, the Brat Pack and Duran Duran.  If you don’t know who any of these people are, you should be ashamed of yourself (and I could have babysat for you).

I love anything 80s.  I recently made my 12 year old sit through 16 Candles.  If you don’t remember it, it really isn’t appropriate for a 12 year old (my bad).  She hated it, even though it wasn’t appropriate (I will never figure out 12 year olds).

The reason I am providing you with all this background information is because of a new video on You Tube.

Small Town Daddy believes it is going to be a sequel to Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (one of the best movies ever).  I think it is more likely going to be a commercial during the Super Bowl trying to exploit my love of the 80s to get me to drink beer.  But if it is a movie, I will be camped out at the theater to see it like some kind of Twilight fan (no, I still haven’t seen the 3rd Twilight movie).

What about you?  Would you see a Ferris Bueller’s Day Off 2 or do you even know who Ferris Bueller is?  Do you have any Ferris Bueller memories?

Thanks to the ladies at Blue Monkey Butt, Wednesdays are all about What the Hell Wednesday.  This gives us the opportunity to share some of the things that are making us say What the Hell!?!

Last week was Internet blackout day to protest SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act).  Unfortunately, the unwitting victim of this protest was the Scottish Organic Producers Association (also known as SOPA).  That’s right, a few Internet trolls went after a group of farmers, WTH!?!  You have to wonder about someone who knows so little about an issue that he would attack a group of Scottish farmers.

Nine years ago, yesterday, my beautiful, wild, emotional Joanna came flying out to meet the world.  She hasn’t stopped moving since.  Yes, my youngest is now nine years old, WTH!?!  We keep trying to tell her to age backwards but she refuses.  It’s frightening to think about but in another year and a half, we will be done with the Small Town Elementary School forever.

Have you ever seen Dance Moms?  I absolutely love that show, WTH!?!  Usually I don’t like shows about people behaving badly but I think I like this one because it makes me feel good about my parenting ability.  I have also started watching Toddlers and Tiaras which has the same effect on me.  On a completely disconnected note, I also enjoy My Cat From Hell.

So do you have any guilty secrets about your television viewing?  What is your favorite television show?

Today is Monday and here in the Small Town, Mondays are dedicated to all things Oreo.  Welcome to Meow Monday.

We got 8 inches of snow this weekend.  Since we haven’t gotten a significant amount of snow since October, this was traumatizing for Oreo.  He hates the cold more than anything except his diet.

I promised Oreo that I wouldn’t allow him to get cold.

We whipped out a fancy babushka to keep his ears warm.

Then I wrapped him in a blanket.

Oreo was happy once he was warm.

What about you?  Do you like cold weather or do you prefer to be warm?