It’s a nice truely medium roast coffee. It’s almost buttery tasting, with a sweet undertone. It’s really has none of the bitterness you get with some other medium blend store sold roasts. It’s very different than all the other whole beans I’ve bought, and almost I daresay it’s better than Seattle’s Best. It’s very smooth, very tasty and has a slight carmel smell. When it brews the whole kitchen smells good it’s so fragrant. If you get a chance try some!

What posesses people to take not only a full cart full of groceries to an express but 2 carts? What ARE people thinking? These express lanes aren’t set up to take more than 20 items at a time. The space to put your groceries is small with no conveyor belt, the area we place the bags can litterally only hold 4 bags, not the 20 it takes for a full cart. I see people stack 3 or 4 items high on these tiny spaces, just to get their groceries scanned. In fact once I had a stool fall on my hand. I’ve seen tons of bottles of soda or jars of pickles fall because people stacked items there or the bag carousel. It’s a proven fact that these lanes can’t scan your items as fast as on a belt non express lane. So if getting out fast is your excuse for piling up 50 items on a 20 item or less lane, you’re out of steam.

Not only is it dangerous, takes more time and not set up to take more than 20 items, it’s completely defeating the purpose of having express lanes. Express is there for people who only have a few items that we can get through quicker. It’s not for people with 21 items, wic checks, hand keyed ebt cards. It’s suppose to be SPEEDY. If you have a special need for gods sake go to a belt equiped lane where no one is standing behind you trying to get to their son’s soccer game or mother’s funeral or cousin’s wedding. The express lane is to get people with FEW items through fast.

And the excuse “well you don’t have a customer now.” is complete bull shit. It’s like saying “well I only speeded when there was no one around.”. Rules are rules. Besides that consider murphy’s law of express lanes; If I take someone with over 20 items within 15 seconds of rining the first item up there will form a huge angry line behind that person.

Now the CFH of express lanes. Wic checks and EBT cards that don’t scan. You folks KNOW it takes longer for wic checks to be confirmed, scanned and rung up. If you have a special need like with wic checks, take it to a belt. Normally I have no problem with ebt cards, but anyone who works with them knows that they lose their magnetic charge a lot and have to be hand keyed in by the cashier. If you have one of these cards don’t even look at an express lane. Not only do I have to hand key in the 15 number card twice, I have to wait for a supervisor to come and approve it, which during a busy time I’ve seen take up to 15 minutes. Just go to a belt for farts sake.

I had this lady once come up to me when I was at a express lane that is known to be THE busiest express lane. We weren’t slamming busy but busy enough to where I always had a customer or one approaching the lane. Then this big, fat, sweat clad lady comes pushing a full cart up to my lane and I politely tell her “I’m sorry ma’am but I can only take 20 items or less.” She starts ranting about how I’m refusing her service and since when have we been able to refuse customers. As I’m trying to tell her that it’s been like that since I started working here she keeps interrupting me with angry remarks. I offered to take her to a belt that could accomodate her. She stomped off, turning to a man behind her pushing another cart and headed for another express lane. She not only had 1 full cart of groceries, but 2! And she expected service at a 20 items or less lane?

That’s it for now, rant off. But there have been plenty more CFH at the express lanes and there will be plenty more. Boggles me that people expect special treatment.

There were several different brands, but I bought the one that I see sell the most, “Cruz Garcia Real Sangria”. It’s in an interesting triangular shaped bottle with an orange, gold and white label. I think I’ll save the bottle.

As for the taste, it’s a nice fruity, not bitter at all flavor of wine. It doesn’t give you that “fuzzy tongue” feeling that red wines do but it’s not as clear tasting as white. It does have more similar characteristics of a white wine than a red or blush. It is sweet but not oversweet, just a bit sweeter than a zin I’d think. It’s very fruity.

Like I said I’m not much of a wine connoisseur but this is one that I do find nice enough to try again one of those few occassions when I do drink.

My hubby spoiled me for mother’s day. I woke up to coffee made and waiting for me, a card and 2 packages of my favorite, expensive Seattle’s Best coffee. When my son stumbled into consciousness he gave me a nice card minus it’s envelope. My husband also did a LOT of the chores on my list for me, and the last few weeks has replaced blinds that I hated. Overall hubby’s rating is up there with the pope imo.

I did have to work for Mother’s Day. Not a biggie, though it’s the first year I’ve missed our annual Mother’s day fishing outing. They did manage to drag themselves without me though. (=p) I worked a long shift, 10 to 7. “THE STORE” put out roses for us working mothers which was nice. The first half of the day was explosively busy, one customer after another, fraught with problems and issues. (more…)

Now for all you daddies and kids out there trying to figure out what to do for mother’s day. #1 rule is DO NOT LISTEN if the mommy says “aw, don’t worry bout it, I don’t need anything.” We’re programmed to not ask much, it’s the mommy nature. If you want to get your mom or mother of you kids bawling happy tears then do something big, celebrate all she’s done for you.

Here’s some simple tips and ideas on what to do for her.

Handmade cards rule over store bought ones — take 10 minutes and make her a card using a few sheets of construction paper and colored pens.

Bring her tea/coffee in bed. Even if you have to set your alarm to get up before her. It doesn’t have to be a full breakfast, just something you know she normally would have.

Do the dishes without being asked or any other chore she normally does daily. (IE vacuum, dust, bathe the dogs.)

Skip the flowers and buy her her favorite candy bar, coffee or other extravagent item she normally wouldn’t buy herself but always wants.

Clean out her car! Vacuum, wipe down and windex it all. Don’t let her lift a finger!

Tell her you love her and really appreciate all the things she does every day to make your life easier. Hug her and tell her she’s the best mom!

Happy Mother’s Day!

On an average 4 hour shift I see a minimum of 150 customers. Sometimes more, hardly ever less. In an 8 hour day I get to ring up at least 300 of you folks. I’d say out of every 5 customers, 1 of you has a special need, request or issue. The majority of you are absolutely wonderful, happy folks who are a pleasure to cashier for. But every once in a while I get a Customer from Hell. (Henceforth known as the Cfh.) (more…)

(more…)