11/21 - Cheap Date and big surprise!

25/33 = 76% - Almost there!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Monday, November 21, 2005
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was son #3’s Saturday, and I wasn’t quite sure how to tell him
that I had to go in to work for a couple of hours. We have a
clinic that moved from one building, to another, and they needed
help moving and setting up their computers. I thought about taking
him to work with me and spending some time with him there, but I
could see that he would get board pretty easily. Then I had an
idea. Maybe if I paid him something. We sat down and talked, and
negotiated for a couple bucks an hour. (After all, it was overtime
for me, so I could probably afford it.) While we were there, I
kept reminding him that he was ‘on the clock’ so he actually
helped out quite a bit. He’d crawl behind desks and plug in cables
and hand me different things while we set up the PCs. After a
couple of hours I was getting kind of tired and ready to call it a
day. I said, “You about ready to go?” His eyes got big and he
said, “No way dad! Let’s make some more money!”

Hmm. That’s one way to get your kid to work.

Tonight we went to see Charlie and the Chocolate factory. The 9
screen dollar theater was pretty much empty. When I went to pay I
said, “6 please” and he said, “That will be $3.” Wow. I guess on
family nights, it’s only 50¢ a person. I felt a little guilty
because we snuck in popcorn for all of us. (Yeah, tell me you’ve
never done it!) Anyway, I felt guilty enough about the ticket
price and the ‘free’ popcorn, that I ended up buying two drinks to
split with the family. Seven bucks for soda(!) and $3 for the
movie. There’s something a little wrong there. Anyway, it’s a
wonderfully funny movie. We were all in a strange mood, and it
made the movie even better!

Then, when we got back from the movie, there on our front door was
a 21 pound turkey, and 3 bags of groceries. There was everything
for a Thanksgiving feast. There were rolls, whole potatoes,
pumpkin filling, sweet potatoes, marshmallows, and all the works.
And all there was in there was a note that says “We love you!”

Now we’ve always helped with the church farm, donated to the local
food bank, done Scout service project galore, and have done pixie
week forever. I guess we’re just used to giving service over the
years. But, it’s hard to describe being on the receiving end of
someone else’s service and love. With all of the meals the Relief
Society brought in, everyone helping out, and now this. Finding a
Thanksgiving dinner on your front porch (especially since we don’t
really ...‘need’... it) gives you an indescribable feeling of
thankfulness and love for all of our neighbors. We sent several
thank you prayers out tonight.

We suspect someone in the ward left it for us, but I don’t think
we’ll investigate further. I know I wouldn’t want to be ‘found
out’ if I left it. There are just some really neat people in this
world.

For those of you who get this as email...
Enjoy today’s Jokes!
Marty

=-=-=-
Reader Comment Section:

Not all children's stares are bad... it can be a teaching time.
I had polio as a pre-teen and while still able to walk, I was very
bent over and had a bad limp when I started High School, To make
matters worse we moved across country and I was in a new school
with kids who didn't know or care about me. I found the little
kids much easier to cope with then the teens and adults. The
little ones stared then asked why I walked so funny. I explained
and they said they were sorry about that and forgot about it and
excepted me. The older kids and adults tried to act like nothing
was wrong. They tried to ignore my disability and never could
accepted it. They would glance at me then away. It was easier to
just ignore me then accept the fact I wasn't 'normal'. Only when I
took the bull by the horn and asked a teacher to allow me time in
class to tell my story did I finally find friends. Surgery
corrected a lot of the deformity but I still remember the kindness
of the babies who loved and accepted me for what I was, a girl
with a bad back, but nice anyway. When confronted with a person
with a noticeable difference I usually briefly comment on it
explain my childhood experiences and then forget the problem and
make a friend.
~Wanda D.