New Year's Eve 2010

Oh my, look at how time flies! I have NOT kept up with this blog at all! Should I make it a resolution for the New Year? hehehe....hmmm Well, I guess it is the story of my life. I have always, since I was a kid, loved the idea of a "diary" or a "journal" and I always start them, but yea, never keep up with them! So, I shouldnt be surprised that as an adult, I have done the same thing. Okay, but let's give it a try for 2011! A TRY I said, no pressure!
So, for the big New Year's Eve around here, this is the plan: Brittany is spending the night out with friends, Jamie is in St. Louis, Christopher will probably be off with friends, Brian will be with his very best friend, Xbox...and Jimmy and I have big plans! Yep, we do! We are spending the day cleaning the house and doing laundry, while watching college football...we will be having Nacho's and Velveeta cheese dip. Then we will settle down for the evening, watching more football, having pizza and popcorn and maybe a few drinks and playing some Yahtzee and Bananagrams! Yes, we are VERY exciting people on New Year's Eve...sorry, but I have NO desire to be on the roads with all of the drunk, crazy people driving. Nope, we will stay home with our Dizzy Dean, cats and kids. And guess what? I LOVE it!
Well, off to pick up Brittany from swim practice and then get started on this cleaning stuff!

A 911 Operator's Take.....

So, today we had "In-Service" training. What that means is we spend part of the day talking about issues that we deal with every day. Part of it is playing back tapes of some of our 911 calls. It can be very eye opening. I am amazed at how we sound. Sometimes we sound downright horrible. Other times, pretty darn good. Now, let me be the first to tell you how difficult it is to take 911 in the City of Richmond. For soooo many reasons. First, we get calls that are absolutely NOT emergency. Examples: "Are the schools closed today for snow"? "What is the phone number for Timbuktu's police dept"? "A man is walking down my street, I know he doesnt live in my neighborhood, ya'll better check him out" "There is a bat in my yard"....you get the idea. Second, the true emergency calls can be tough. If someone has been shot or stabbed...the caller is upset, getting an address can be tough...they are hard to understand because they are screaming or crying, etc. They get angry when you ask details, because they think you are wasting time...they dont understand we have already put the call in, we are trying to get more info to help the officers who are on the way. All very understandable, but makes the job tough. And there are many other examples. Not to mention the fake calls....people who find it funny to call in and pretend they are chasing a suspect, or that someone has been shot...very sick people, obviously.
But, what I learned today, is that I NEVER want to be used as an example in a classroom setting of how NOT to handle a call. So, what does that mean? It means I will work harder on each and every call and try to remember each person is an individual who is trying to get some kind of help. Even if what they need is mental help, whether they know they need it or not.
Well...enough said, just know, that this dispatcher, who loves her job and tries hard every day...is going to try even harder.

I am not sick!

Nope...I am not sick. I do NOT have a very runny nose that is also stopped up at the same time (how exactly does that happen?), I do NOT have a sore throat, I do NOT have stopped up ears....I DO NOT!!!! I can't...I have to work tomorrow and I am part-time and if I dont work, I dont get paid. So, I am NOT sick!
Now the good news is we got 14 inches of snow in Richmond yesterday. If you have ever lived in Richmond, you know that 2 inches of snow, closes down the City for at least 3 days. But guess what? I work for the Police Dept as a dispatcher/911 operator. They will come get you to work in the snow - as they did for me last time. So, although the rest of Richmond will be closed tomorrow for snow...my worksite will be open...and I NEED to be there! So, today, I will stay in my robe and pjs, under my heated throw blanket (thank you honey, 1 of my favorite xmas presents) and take Mucinex, Afrin & Aleeve...to will myself better!
But..I do have to go outside and take some pictures with my new camera, the RebelXS (thank you honey another favorite xmas gift) and I can easily do that, because...I AM NOT SICK!

Snow....YAY!

Today we have about 5 inches of snow....and its coming down strong...supposed to all day long! Awesome, love snow. We havent had hardly any in quite a few years, but we had a big old snowstorm before Christmas and now we are having more! WOO HOO! The only bad part is that the kids are already out of school on Monday, so no snow day! hahahahaha....
Well, I am going to clean the kitchen, make a big breakfast, then strap on my snow overalls and get out there and take some pictures. I will post a few soon!

Grocery Shopping 101

So...today's grocery trip was one of my best ever! About $300 worth of groceries for $100.62...including tax! How do I do it? Well, I play The Grocery Game! No, really it's a game. thegrocerygame.com Me and my friend, Kathy, started playing it about a year ago. At the time I was spending about $160 on a really good week to about $260 on a really bad week at the grocery store. So....I went to Sam's Club one day and saw the book by Terri, The Grocery Game lady. I had heard bits and pieces of couponing mom's on tv saving a TON of money with coupons, etc and decided it was worth it to buy the book and investigate. It cost about $7 or $8 bucks. I read it and thought it sounded good...some things I knew I wouldnt do, but that was okay. So, I told my friend about it and she decided to try it too. I did some reading on the website too and was intrigued. I started out and spent about $160 the first week...so, that was pretty good. But, I got a whole lot more things than I had before. I was beginning to "stockpile" or "invest". The next few weeks was about the same maybe a little higher or lower but accumulating quite a bit of stuff. It was clear we were going to need a freezer. So, we took the money I had saved over those few weeks and bought a small freezer for about $100 dollars. Maybe a little more but somewhere around there. And so began the journey. After a few more weeks I decided to set my self a goal. I think I started at $160 a week...then worked it down to $150 hung there. Meanwhile, I had developed quite a supply of everything and began to notice the kids were really happy, we had the newest of everything out there and for less than I could buy the storebrands. (sale + coupon = super low price) Also, we werent running out of anything! Cool. Well then I began to cruise the internet and found a few really cool websites and realized I could probably do even better. So, I set my goal for $125. And slowly, I began to achieve that. Could I do it for even less? 2010 began with my goal being $100...and on top of that wanting to include a "live off my pantry" week every month or so! So...its the last week of January and I am doing pretty good....not there yet but getting there. Hoping to do a pantry week next week. Also, my goals include a little weekend cooking and freezing of dinners; some making of my own basics, like cream of chicken, mushroom, soups (powder based), taco seasonings, etc; more crockpot cooking (although I do alot now!)...and who knows what else! My true ultimate would be $75 a week...not ready for that yet..but who knows...maybe by the end of the year! My newest book does a lot of talking about "unit" prices and I have learned quite a few new things!
So...thats how I have done it...and will continue to strive to go even lower. And oh, did I mention that we have been eating much better meals since I started all of this? Yep...we sure have!

Decisions

Well, this past weekend was filled with stressed out tummies, hearts beating wildly, tension and worry. The problem? The nation's pastime...yep....baseball. You see, Brian has been playing AAU baseball since he was 9 years old. We were on an awesome team called the Rapids. The team ended last summer after our Cooperstown run. A new team was formed and Brian was one of the few to make this new team. We and he were thrilled. But, sadly, many of his good buddies did not make the team. Brian played with the new team VSC (Virginia Sports Complex) but he never had his heart in it. The team was made up of some very talented boys that just couldnt gel together. Now, it was only a fall season, and I am sure they will gel, in time. But, Brian wanted to be with his friends. He just wasnt enjoying baseball. He wanted to play on the other team...which was a tough choice because the new team is more talented and has a great coach, Ken Harvey. Both teams fought for him but in the end, Brian made the decision to go with the Raiders. We dont know if it was the best decision baseball-wise...but what we do know is this: Brian is 13 years old, he will have many decisions in life to make, some he will make good decisions on..some not. But he needs to know that his parents will support him whatever he chooses. Nothing is forever and change can always be had. We left VSC on very good terms and will be able to continue our friendships that have been made there. But the bottom line is this....after dragging him to practices and tournaments all fall long....last night he came downstairs...smiling and asked when he had baseball practice. Enough said.

Sunday Morning

So, I am all ALONE on a Sunday morning! Kids are sleeping, Jimmy is at work...I am in my jammies, my fluffy pink robe and slippers and sitting on the couch with the Food Network on TV, my computer and my book to read. I have my heated throw blanket over me (gift from hubby for Xmas..LOVE it!) and my dog one side and my cat, Rocky, on the other. What an awesome morning. Now usually, Jimmy would have the Sunday paper waiting for me on the table, but not today, so I am adapting by playing on the computer then going to read. It's all good. Going to make a huge pot of chili for the 2 football playoff games and do laundry all day. To me, this is the perfect day.

What a week!

Absolutely...crazy, weird and so many other adjectives. You know I love my job, I truly do. But sometimes, just sometimes, my officers get..get, well they get RUDE! And, thing is I don't know why. I am dispatcher that says "Thank You Sir or Ma'am", I send a msg to say so sometimes, I always use my "Recommend Unit" button to dispatch a call, but also try to be fair by sending units on calls that havent been on any in awhile...blah, blah, you get the idea. I even make call backs on some of the ones that come thru in hopes to be able to cancel the call so the units dont have to waste their time. Now that being said, I do know my job....am I perfect? NO. Do I make mistakes? YEP.
So, when I dispatch a call, that is a call, please dont tell me it isnt...no, I take that back, cuz maybe you are right, maybe it could be changed to DPR...but sir, it is the WAY you say it over the air! Don't bite my head off, dont be ugly to me....not necessary! And in this case...YOU were wrong and RUDE...and your SGT didnt have the b*lls to call you out on it on the air. Tsk tsk....Well, guess what...now I feel better.
Okay...goodnight.

Part-time?

So at the end of this week, I will have worked 40 hours. Did I mention I work "part-time"? Did I mention I schedule my own hours (and they are then assigned based on staffing needs)? Yea, well, I can't complain cuz I have great co-workers(for the most part), great officers to work with (for the most part) and I make great pay for a part-time job. Most weeks I work anywhere from 20 to 36 hours. I also fill in when people need a day off...I am truly blessed with my job. Ask me tomorrow night though after a 12 hour day!
The kids are doing great. Brittany made her cuts for Far Westerns, which is a swim meet in California the week of spring break. It will cost about $1000. Yea, so working alot of hours will help a ton! I am proud of her and she has 3 more meets to accumulate even more cuts. She really enjoys swimming at Nova, but I gotta say, the girl drama drives me CRAZY! Now, let me be honest, it's not just the girl drama..some of the moms are just as bad! They get involved in all the nonsense and it drives me crazy! I dont want to hear it, let the girls work it out. The girls are mean and nasty (and Britt can be right there too!) and then the moms get involved and you know what happens? The girls make up and the moms are still mad! It is so stupid. One of the worst moms ever is coming back...her daughter had quit...which was good/bad. She was a good swimmer but she was a drama queen as well. So, they are coming back and I look for more drama to fly...but I am staying out of it! I have refused for months to get involved. A mom called me to "tell" on Brittany and basically I believe there are 2 sides to every story and said so. End of that friendship..and who cares! So anyway, yea, that's the swimming stuff for now.
Baseball ... next time!

1st post...failing at this blogging thing!

So, I have tried this blogging thing on another "blog" site..and I couldnt figure it out to save my life! Now, if any of my kids were willing to spare me 30 seconds of their time, I am sure I could do it. But, alas, Xbox and swimming and that pesky homework and stuff keeps them doing their own thing and so I continue to try on my own. Hopefully this one will be easier, but on the off chance that it is me with the issues and not the blog sites...I am not going to write too much on this first, possibly lost forever, blog.