Time to Switch Hats...Again

Finished my week at  the mattress store today. It was a busy week. I moved out almost $3400 of merchandise on Tuesday and well over a grand yesterday. I work alone therefore I  move and help load alone. I went in this morning pretty stinking tired but feeling good, it was my best week there by  far. I was hoping to strike big again today but didn't. Guess you need to be grateful for what you have not for what you want.

I had a man come back from yesterday bringing his wife with him this time. He was looking at a mattress for $1099 and I was hoping his wife would like it too. No go. That's okay, you win some you lose some.

Actually I was grateful for the down time, I'm whupped. I had time in between customers to read my book and eat lunch undisturbed. A few more peeps came in and then I had another lull. I got crazy  and decided to install the update for my iPhone.

I've never had an iPhone before and only got this one because it was free. I hadn't upgraded in ten years and when I changed plans got the phone tossed in for free. Well, nothing is free from Verizon but at least they didn't charge me for the phone. Massey had to set it up for me and it took forever for me to even learn how to place a call. I regretted getting it at first but after a few tutorials from my kids learned to like it. I could check my bank account balance or lack thereof, I could check emails and even Facebook. Working alone ten hours a day the iPhone came in pretty handy. You  can't surf the web on the company computer and at any time corporate can log into  your computer or view the history.

So I bit the bullet today and finally hit the 'install update' icon. It made me immediately nervous. It took about forty five minutes to load.  I spent the time tidying up the bathroom and taking out the trash.

Some more customers came in and I gave them my best shot. The first was a young girl talking on her own iPhone as she cruised through the store. I said a friendly hello and asked if I could help her? She totally ignored me...not a good thing to do. I followed her and repeated "How are you doing today, can I help you?" She continued to ignore me and I continued to  slowly follow her around, keeping my distance but doing my job.

She looked at  several mattresses and then I couldn't hold back anymore. I walked right up to her (she was off her phone now) and asked what size mattress she was looking for? She shot me a look and said "I'm just looking." Maybe I shouldn't have but said "Knock yourself out, I'll be right over there if you need me" and pointed to my desk.

When you are fifty three years old working seven days a week, happen to be in the middle of a ten hour work shift and hot flashing most all the time in a store with no A/C  a snotty nosed twenty year old kid can really tick you off, especially when you've extended the olive branch several times.

It didn't phase her but when she walked out once again on her phone I made sure to say "Thanks for coming in!" (and even managed to not sound sarcastic)

My two younger kids are right around the same age this girl was. My kids can wear me out and often do. Sometimes I have to remind them they are talking to their mother and best  remember it. That usually gets the me the old eye roll and they pipe down...but when they are out in public with me are the most gracious and well mannered kids I've ever met.

When Zach went to the nursing home with me last week he was a knight in shining armor. He held doors open, he helped aides with lunch trays and asked every old person scooting down the hallway propelling themselves along by  their feet how they were doing? He put the foot pedals on Frances' wheelchair so her legs wouldn't hurt so much and spoke to every person in the hall again as we left, whether a patient or guest.

Massey is the same way. She can get snippy with me and sometimes does but take her out in public and she's adored by  the masses and with good reason. It's all "Thank you, yes ma'am, no sir or You are quite welcome!"

Here's the thing. Kids turning into  young adults are gonna push you, I know I did my own parents. Momma more than Diddy. My Diddy didn't play (he always had his belt on and wasn't scared to use it) and my Momma died when I was seventeen but was unnecessarily bossy  to her when I didn't need to be. It's one of the things I have always regretted. She died when I was a snotty brat who thought she knew everything. What I didn't know was that she would drop dead on the floor of a store in front of me when I was seventeen fixing to turn eighteen and would never have the chance to grow up and tell her how smart she really was and how right all her unwanted advice and unwanted wisdom turned  out to be.

I know my kids love me even if they don't show or tell me every day. I was unlucky to lose Momma that way but it taught me to read between the lines.

I too, was pleasant and cordial to others when sometimes a snot nosed ungrateful brat to my own Momma.

She knew I loved her. She knew I was a good person. She knew I had learned from her how to be a good person and was evident in the way I treated others.

Unfortunately my  Momma didn't live long enough for me to mature, realize this and thank her and I  mentally kick myself daily.

 She didn't and doesn't mind. She loved me and knew I loved her even if I didn't show it all the time.

That's what it means to be a parent, that's what it means to be a "Momma."

You raise your kids to the best of your ability.  Forgive them their many faults and pray  they remember the lessons you taught them. Then when they finally make their way into the world on  their own realize how very  right you  were.

“To the world you may be one person; but to one person you may be the world.”  (Dr. Seuss)


I gave it my best shot as a parent. I'm extremely imperfect but who isn't? I think I did okay. I hope I live long enough to see all the great things they  can do with the tools I gave them. I gave them love and taught them how to love.

I grew up in an amazing home with amazing parents. I look at this picture and simply think "Wow, I was one lucky kid."

I hope my own kids do that one day.

I was one of the luckiest kids in the world to grow up with these parents in this house.

Yep , we were lucky

and still are...we still have each other.

Lots of families grow apart as they grow older, ours shrank to three but became a tight knot of nuts!

This awesome couple married and although neither lived to see it,  have six grandchildren doing incredible things. Some made mistakes  along the way but have all learned from them. They are what they are  today because of these  two people or because of someone who loved and learned from them.

Yep, I'm one lucky daughter, sister, wife and Momma!

"You are you. Now isn't that Pleasant?" (once again the very smart Dr. Seuss)


 Being loved is a powerful feeling. It empowers you to love others and that's what life is all about.

Til next  time, COTTON