Labor day weekend

We decided to have a three day weekend and closed the shop Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Sundays are normally closed. We let our customers who called during the week know that we would be closed and changed the voice mail saying that we would be closed. We can no longer post a sign on the door, because the area has gone downhill. The last time we posted a sign on the door, that we would be closed, the place was broken into. As a matter of fact, that was a year ago. They smashed in our front door and tried to take the cash register. The register was plugged in behind a set of desks, so wouldn't come out. They broke it open and took the cash drawer which had $60.00 in it. It cost us $500.00 to replace the door and cash drawer. Fortunately, our insurance covered most of it, minus the deductible. We no longer have a cash register and placed the cash drawer in a different spot, so is not visible to customers or passers by.

So Saturday night, Father and I are relaxing and watching “The Efficiency Expert”, a 90s movie with Anthony Hopkins and a young Russell crow and even younger Toni Collette. Father had just poured himself a scotch when the phone rings at 10:30 p.m. and it is our security company for the business. According to them, the alarm is not armed. One of our employees went by the shop to pick up his pay check and supposedly didn't rearm the alarm. Father was spitting mad and called R to go back to the shop to reset the alarm. However, we couldn’t get a hold of him, so Father had to go to the shop. Turns out, the security company’s computer glitched; the alarm was set. Father ends up arriving back home around 1:00 a.m. because he ran into a friend outside the shop and chatted for while. Of course, he called to let me know, so I wouldn’t worry. So much for our romantic evening….

Father decided he was going to give me a Nikon Digital SLR camera for our anniversary (belatedly) and spent the rest of the weekend researching kits and lenses. I wanted a D80 (thank you, Ree) and after a bit of research, he agreed that it was a good one. He was going to try and give one of our local brick and mortar stores our business, but was put off by poor customer service. One shop employee basically told him “I’m busy with customers, go look it up on the internet.” Another shop didn’t know anything about the D80 and couldn’t help him. So after he spent the better part of Monday morning on the internet at fotoconnection.com pricing out the camera and lenses, I told him to call and buy it from them. Invariably, when I do research on the internet, the local stores don’t have what I want, so is simpler to buy off the internet. He called and spoke with a very knowledgeable young man and purchased the camera, some lenses and various other accessories (some of which came with the camera). He ended up spending twice what we had planned, but it will be worth it in the end. I am looking forward to finally receiving my anniversary gift (or should I say our anniversary gift) and learning all about photography.

Monday, we completed lessons and after that had a lazy afternoon. While father was on the internet, I continued reading “Eye of the Oracle” by Bryan Davis. It is the prequel to the Dragons in the Midst series. James played Jumpstart for a while, after father was done ordering all the camera stuff. In the afternoon, James complained of a sore throat, then after a while sore feet (odd), then a little while later a headache. He had a fever, so gave him some Tylenol and he lay on the couch while I read.

He went to bed early and Father and I watched Columbo. I was feeling off myself, with a scratchy throat, achy body and tired. I went to bed early, but slept lightly. James usually spends a night throwing up when he doesn’t feel well, so was listening all night for him. He actually slept through the night. So, today decided to send Father to work (Tuesday are my day) and James and I have been relaxing and drinking plenty of water. No lessons but he is playing Jumpstart 2^nd grade, having fun while learning new things. Time for lunch, then a nap.