Quiet

After a week of having 2 extra teenage girls around, we have returned to a more quiet household. Mr 19 and the girls have all left. Mr 19 returned to college 7 hours away and Hubby and I delivered the girls to one of their parents for the remainder of their trip home on Saturday. My house, though still disorderly, is very quiet. Hubby is also gone as harvest FINALLY got started. (Only 3 weeks and 2 days past normal)

Last week was organized chaos as Miss 16 and the two extra teens, Lolo and Sissa, had swim practice twice a day. If you know swimmers you know that after swim practice all they can think about doing is EATING, and eating a lot of food. My job was to keep them fed, healthily fed. Each morning before they got up I set out cereals, toasts, yogurts, juice and fruit. (you know nothing about the 2 loaves of monkey bread that I made for them... nothing!) At noonish I made lunch and had that ready and waiting when they got home from practice, and around supper (dinner if you aren't from my background) I made two meals, one for my family and one for the swimmers. They were the same meal, just ready at 2 different times to allow for better kitchen and table access. I washed towels when needed and once had to wash clothes as practice was in the middle of a just rained on football field that resulted in mud baths for all. Don't worry, I kept my family in clean clothes all week, I only meant that I only had to wash Lolo and Sissa's clothes once.

The girls were tired, exhausted at times, but enjoyed each others company immensely. They had friends over each night they were here, sometimes other swimmers, and sometimes, gasp!, boys! They made a mess of Miss 16's room which must have driven her crazy since she is such a neatnic. In fact she had her room cleaned within hours of the girls being gone.

Also last week Mr 19 packed himself up and headed east to start college classes again. I didn't think it would be hard to see him go again, but it was. I said goodbye just before I had to take Lolo and Sissa to meet their ride (45 minutes away) and I cried halfway there. It's a good thing Hubby was along to drive since I had a problem with my eyes, they kept dripping.

Hubby started harvesting today. It's a relief and a stress all at the same time. Last year harvest began on August 1st, this year it began on August 23rd. The rains, cold nights, cool days and lack of sun and heat led to a very, very slow maturing of the crops. In fact many aren't anywhere near harvestable even yet. It will more than likely prove to be a highly stressful harvest season for all of us.

School starts this week, so this gradual quieting of my household is probably good for me. At least it didn't happen all at once. My days are still busy but the literal noise in the house is much less than it has been. I'm not sure it's a good thing. A little chaos in a house is a sign of a busy, happy family.

Selling Something?

Recently we have been looking to update my vehicle. We've been researching (and if you know my husband you know this is a HUGE project: must. research. everything.) and trying to make up our minds on wants and needs, and just plain like-to-haves. Of course price is also a factor, along with color, because I will NOT drive another maroon vehicle, I WON'T I WON'T I WON'T!!

Researching has led us to a few car dealers and with car dealers come car salesman. I have nothing against a salesman, my dad works sales, my husband used to work in sales and friends have worked in sales. Selling and being good at selling things is a job and a talent. Not everyone can be nice to everyone who steps up to their business. Being a good salesman means being a proficient actor. However, in our research I have come across people who I can definitely say are not good salesmen. (Yes, I said Men)

I am getting rid of a van, a mini van. I may or may not get another one, but that isn't the point of this post. Here is the point:

If you are a salesman and a husband and a wife come in, driving a van, and talk about purchasing a van or smaller SUV from you, and it is VERY obvious that this vehicle is going to be a vehicle for the wife, then I would recommend to you that you actually make eye contact with the wife, you should speak to the wife, you should find out what the wife wants, and you should behave as though the wife is actually in the same universe as you are. As the wife I have the power to completely refuse to buy a vehicle from you, there goes your commission. I would also recommend that you don't poo-poo what the wife deems important and not important in a vehicle. Once again, I have the power to refuse to buy a vehicle from you, and I will do it in a heartbeat.

We have a salesman we have dealt with for years, and although he is 120 miles away he has the salesman touch down pat. When he calls or when we stop by, guess who he talks to AS MUCH AS or more than he talks to my husband. That would be me. He realizes that in order to get a sale, I need to be convinced, and I need to know that what I want is what's important. I know he doesn't give a flying fig what my life is really like, he doesn't care how my family is, or what I will be using the vehicle for, but he acts like he does, and he listens when I speak. After I have said what I want/don't want, he doesn't show us things or recommend things that don't have what I want/don't want. Overall he's making me feel like my time is valuable and he's not going to waste it.

So to all you salesman I have dealt with recently who were more interested in Hubby's opinion and his thoughts and to the few of you who were more interested in my chest size, there is a very specific reason I am not buying a vehicle from you, and the reason is you. Get a new job because you are not going to make it as a salesman.