Winter Break and the Prospect of Heading Back

This break could most accurately be summed up in one word --- movies.  

Now I should mention that I am not a huge movie person. I like them ---not love them.  Honestly, the prospect of getting dressed and fighting Orlando traffic to go to a movie theater is sometimes not as appealing to me as popping my TV on and selecting Amazon Prime with my remote. 

BUT---last spring my son talked me into buying MoviePass and gosh darn it, I'm going to squeeze every last dime (and more) out of that thing. It's been a roller coaster ride with MoviePass but I don't regret buying it - I definitely got my $100.00 worth even if they've changed the parameters of the system a half dozen times.  

 I've seen Bohemian Rhapsody, Mary Queen of Scots, Favourite, Bohemian Rhapsody again, and then last night C.J., Zack, and I went to see the Spiderman movie. Plus we went over to C.J.'s twice to watch movies - You Better Watch Out and Don't Breathe. 

And just like that - we are headed back to school on Monday. I loved the break but I am more than ready. I feel so unproductive and useless when I just sit around day after day living a life of leisure.  I was not meant to live that way. 

I cannot wait to jump head first into this academic push that will lead us to the FSA and a new and improved school grade.  It's going to require commitment, solidarity, hard work, and communication but I know we are capable of accomplishing it. 

So one more day to rest and then we jump in with reckless abandon!!!

Starting the Year Off....

So my one and only reader - my son - is upset that I never update this blog anymore and so, for him, I am going to try to make an effort to post a couple times a month. 

So let's start with what we've been up to recently....

On the first Friday of December (7th), C.J. and I walked across the street to Sea World to see the Christmas lights. 

Because I STILL don't have an acceptable camera, I could not get pictures of the actual lights but I took the following pictures from Google.

Cannot believe this has been the 4th year doing this.

Friday the 14th of December we headed to City Walk to see Bohemian Rhapsody and then finished off the evening with a milkshake from Toothsome's. 

From Google

This was one of the coldest Decembers I can remember and certainly the coldest since we moved here four years ago.  There were days Ollie didn't even want to wake up in the morning but instead stayed buried under his blanket. 

And - just because he's so darn cute. Especially with that curly hair on his ear.  And he's begging for pizza here. 

Our 3rd through 5th graders did some testing right before break and my most of the students showed great growth but my students absolutely rocked it!!!  While we are looking for a 5 point growth this time of the year, my Reading student's averaged an 11.3 point growth and my Math student's averaged a 9.6 point growth.  

It's nice to get recognition once in a while. 

For Christmas, we went to my parent's house for a couple days. We had a great time, great food, and made great memories with family. I had a nice dress on that day but had already changed into comfy clothes for the drive home. 

Then I spent the next three days putting in time at Universal Studios.  

Unfortunately, Sadie was sick when we left and I was not aware of it.  Her food was on the counter (which is where we have to keep it because otherwise Ollie would eat it all) and she was too sick and weak to jump up and get at it. So she was in pretty bad shape when we got home.  I have tremendous guilt over it. She was so weak and malnourished (on top of having a cold) she didn't move for three or four days. We had to bring her food to her and syringe feed her water. 

This was her a couple days ago when she still not feeling well. Her eyes were watering and difficult to keep open.  

Today, she has been a pretty spunky monkey and for that, I am grateful. 

Finally, yesterday C.J., Zack, and I went to Volcano Bay for a couple hours. We had so much fun. 

I'm not usually big on water parks but I love Volcano Bay.  I love that the water is heated. That makes it so much more enjoyable.  

I guess that brings us up to date!

Wonderful End to a Depressing Streak

One of the toughest things the past few years has been listening to Zack lament, "why can't we (Gators) beat Florida State at anything?"  

And had you asked me at the beginning of football season, I would have said, "this year wouldn't be their year either." If someone had told me the Gators would end this season at 9-3 and be playing in a New Years Six Bowl game and that FSU would end the season at 5 - 7 thus ending their bowl streak (which probably should have ended last year, but that's a different story), I would have laughed in their face. 

However, as the season played out, Florida looked better and better each game while Florida State was just crazy undisciplined, inconsistent, and unmotivated.  So, going into the game today, I was somewhat confident in a Gator victory but was in no way expecting a 41-14 blowout and complete and utter domination!  

Needless to say Zack is giddy with happiness tonight. 

Happy Thanksgiving

We forgot to take out the trash before we left for the movie.....

Oh Christmas Tree or No Christmas Tree

I'm in the midst of a strong internal debate on whether I am even going to put up a Christmas Tree this year.  

I know...bah humbug! 

I have a beautiful tree but, after six or so years, all the pre-lit lights that came on the tree have burned out. I had planned to just go to a store and buy new lights to replace them but then...I started thinking maybe not. 



First of all, it's an expense right now that I just don't need.  And while I am still trying to dig out of the hole created when I went all summer without a paycheck, even $10-20 makes a huge difference. 

But really, the bottom line is...I just do not spend any time in my living room at all! I would rather spend money on a string of lights to hang around the window in my bedroom where I can enjoy them. 

So I am leaning toward no tree this year.  At least I won't have that post Christmas stress of having to take it all down!

The Carl Black Saga Cont.

Last entry ended with FINALLY getting my car in to the shop after waiting for FOUR WEEKS.  

I picked my car up on a Wednesday and 12 days later, my air conditioning was not working AGAIN!  

I called Carl Black immediately because when you pay a small fortune to get something fixed, you expect it to last more than 12 days, you know!  Plus, I wanted to be sure the cooling system was not broken again and driving the car would not damage the engine.  The "wonderful" lady in customer service told me I could bring the car in two weeks from that date.  

I calmly explained the situation again (I mean, maybe she didn't hear me correctly the first time) saying I just wanted the car looked at briefly to verify that it was just the air conditioning that needed fixing and not the entire cooling system. Her response was the same --- two weeks. 

So, that night I took it to one of those fast service places and it took them all of two minutes to look under the hood of my car and tell me the cooling system was fine! 

The next day I talked to the customer service manager who was kind and (at the time I thought) helpful and said he would move my name "up the list for a loaner so it should only be a few more days."  

One week later, I call back....two weeks later....three weeks later...four weeks later (on a Friday evening) I was beyond over it and again asked to speak with a manager.  I got the same one who, not surprisingly, repeated almost word for word what he said to me four weeks earlier (he did not know he was talking to a person whom he had already talked with). I accused him of giving me lip service because "this is exactly what you told me four weeks ago when I talked to you."  At this point, he told me he would call me back.  He did --- about 15 minutes later, and told me to bring the car in the next day and a loaner would be available.  

On Saturday I brought my car in and, once again, there was nothing in the computer system so they were not expecting it or expecting me or knew anything about a loaner but they signed off on the papers and sent me to the loaner department anyway. 

And this is where I felt like I was in one of those hidden TV shows that do crazy things to record your reactions.  It was here that the guy behind the counter said to me these exact words, "oh yes, Dave did ask me to set aside a loaner for you but I didn't put it in the computer system because I have so many of them, I thought I would let you pick which one you wanted."  

EXCUSE ME!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have been waiting for four freaking weeks for a loaner and you are telling me you have all these loaners available?????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    I kid you not, he gave me the choice of five different cars!!!!!!

Fast forward four days and

........... the little patience and good humor I currently had, completely disappeared when they told me I needed a new condenser and hose to the tune of $1000.00.

Even if I had the money to fix it right now, I would not have it fixed there.  I have no way to prove they did anything to purposely cause this problem but I have my suspicions.  AND, if they didn't sabotage my car, then HOW DO YOU MISS THAT condenser repair when I just had my car in there for an air conditioning issue??? 

Needless to say, I picked up my car right away and did not look back.  Luckily we're heading into winter and having air in my car is not a pressing issue.

Come spring when it is, I will be going somewhere else!!!!! 

The Carl Black Saga

Before I begin....just a little back story.

You can read this post if you prefer, but I'll try to condense the story here ---

Three years ago, I needed  new engine in my new(ish) Chevy Aveo.  I had already had it towed to the dealership I just bought the car from 3 weeks prior and was treated so poorly!  I then had it towed to the nearest Chevy dealership, which was Carl Black. My experience at Carl Black was so amazing (including them calling me and offering me a loaner while my Aveo was being fixed.  

So, when my Chevy Sonic started having issues with the cooling system, I knew right away that I would go back to Carl Black.  This, however, has been anything but a positive experience. In fact, it's been a 3 month nightmare!!!! 

I want to reference this by saying the people in the service department and loaner department have been wonderful but the customer service department ranks among the worst I have ever dealt with!!!!!

My very first phone call to Carl Black was on July 10. I assumed  that, like last time, they would have a loaner available right away.  They did not.  The following, in bullet points, is what occurred. 

• On July 10, I was put on a "waiting list" for a loaner and was told it would be 3 or 4 days. 
• One week later, I called and was told it might be another 5-7 days. 
• 10 days later, I called again and was told that, indeed I was on the list. That I started out the middle of a 3 page waiting list and was now in the middle of page 1.  I mentally calculated it might be another 5-7 days or so
• 10 days later, I called for a third time. This time, I was angry and most likely pretty rude to the lady on the phone.  It was a Friday evening and she told me to bring to my car in the next Wednesday and a loaner would be available for me.  
• Wednesday morning I have AAA tow my car to Carl Black, got a ride to school for the day, and my friend took me after school to pick up the loaner. 
• Only, when I got there, they told me they didn't even have my car!!!!! 
• Call AAA who assures me the car was towed to Carl Black...except Carl Black is telling me it's not there.  I begin thinking I am going to need to call the police as 1000 scenarios are going through my mind, when a guy walks by and says, "are you talking about the white Sonic, it's out back."  Come to find out that the gal I talked to on Friday (you know, the one who told me to bring my car in and a loaner would e available) never even entered the information in the computer so the service department had absolutely no idea who I was or why the car was towed there!  AND...surprise...there was also NO LOANER available at the time.  
• I lost my mind!  And this is where the service department is the complete opposite of the customer service department...they found me a loaner in just minutes!  

I had the loaner for a total of two weeks while my radiator was being repaired.  

I wish I could say that was the end of the saga but less than two weeks later, the air conditioning quit working again. This was 5 weeks ago and today I was FINALLY able to bring it in.  

So...part two of this nightmare will be for another time. 

I'll end the post on a good note

After making rolls for dinner one night, I left the cookie sheet on the stove to cool.  Someone found a nice warm place to sleep. 

Goofy girl...