The Old Folks Home

[superchemicalgirl]

I still get weird looks up here for the ma'am and sirs that I dole out. It's just been ingrained into my head, that if someone outranks you (ie teacher to student), or is unknown to you, then they are a ma'am or sir. I called a housekeeper at work "sir" last week, and you would have thought I was wearing a bonnet, girdle and hoop dress. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to be, but it's just so impractical at work.

I try to compliment all the wonderful and polite people I meet through their direct or district manager. Unfortunately, I run into them less and less.

I have a tech that works for me now that gives people a hard time at our pickup window because she thinks she's being funny. She answers with "what do you want?!" or (and I can't make this up) "GO AWAY!" instead of "how can I help you." I cringe every time I hear her (and counsel her frequently, but of course it's never her fault "Oh I know them" [yeah, so do I, and I would never treat them like that]), and no amount of counseling has improved it. Next week I get to do her yearly performance appraisal, she's going to wish she'd learned a few ma'am, sir, please or thank yous. She's also 30+ years my senior, which makes this even more fun.

 

[mickey328]

There's a time and a place for wise cracking, and a smart person knows the difference. I've been in customer service for 30+ years and know that you need to take your lead from the person you're dealing with. If they make a funny, then you can join in, but you never start with such a comment!

Not being from the south, we didn't do the "ma'am" and "sir" thing, but as a child I was taught that if someone was old enough to be a parent, you called them Mr, Mrs or Miss unless invited to do otherwise. That has stuck with me all my life and even when invited, there were some folks I just couldn't call by their first names. I'm old enough now that I feel comfortable with it but in my dealings with customers, if one refers to themselves as Mr or Mrs, I use it as well.

 

[Arielle]

Manners? I'm old fashioned to some folks . . . . I just see it as good manners. I teach my kids good manners. Back when my kids were in preschool the very wonderful teacher complimented me on my kids manners. I was baffled--why did she mention their manners. ( In my house manners are so commonplace that I almost don't think to say "please" or "thank you", even to my children.) Well, when I started subbing at the school, I quickly understood why Mrs. D made that comment. THe kids have NO manners!!! It is about as rare as hen's teeth. Which of course really made me feel old. lol

Mickey-- I'm not one for joking anyway but totally makes sense to let the customer take the lead. I'll have to remember that kernel of advice.

Soup is on. Two homegrown boys roasted and in the stock pot with garlic salt and rosemary. ANd broken up lasagne noodles for a change on pasta. Smells so good.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

Wonderful weather for soup. We were just out getting rid of some trees, and it's so cold and windy, it finally feels like November should.

With the time change, the biddies will be going in to the coop tonight at 4:30. Another month and it'll be dark when I leave work at 3:30 PM.

 

[ronott1]

Wonderful weather for soup. We were just out getting rid of some trees, and it's so cold and windy, it finally feels like November should.

With the time change, the biddies will be going in to the coop tonight at 4:30. Another month and it'll be dark when I leave work at 3:30 PM.

Wow! I woke up at 6:30 this morning and there were already a lot of posts. With the time change and going to be at 10:30 my time, some of those posts happened just after I went to Bed!

Manners are rare. I taught mine manners, but probably not as strictly as I was taught them. Spare the rod and all...

It will be over 70 degrees here today. California is in an Indian Summer again. Last Thursday I drove to work with Tule Fog and in the Afternoon The sun was glowing and brightly lighting the West side of the UCD Building I work in. The weather will not stop me from making Carnitas today. I am in the middle of making a Doberge cake now.

Ron

 

[superchemicalgirl]

I had to google that cake but it looks delicious. You should post a picture when you're done. I love deserts.


It was 46 degrees out for a high today and windy. BF wore shorts and a t-shirt, I wore ear muffs, a puffy winter coat and gloves. I sometimes wonder about us.

 

[ronott1]

I had to google that cake but it looks delicious. You should post a picture when you're done. I love deserts.


It was 46 degrees out for a high today and windy. BF wore shorts and a t-shirt, I wore ear muffs, a puffy winter coat and gloves. I sometimes wonder about us.

I will post a picture! It is half way done not. The last three cake layers are out and cooling. The Lemon curd is spread on the first three layers. The last hing for me is to make the Cream Cheese Frosting.

I will post the recipe too.

Ron

 

[superchemicalgirl]

Thanks!

 

[Stumpy]

Manners are definitely not rare here, thankfully. Lots of children here are still taught "ma'am" and "sir." I was reminded of this last weekend, which I spent at a two-day barrel race in Mississippi. I was helping out with a photography business. Lots of young people approached the table to look at proofs and all were polite except a couple. My 20-something nephews still reply "ma'am" to me. It's just considered basic manners.

That cool weather sounds nice. It's shorts weather again today.

 

[Stumpy]

Shucks, Stumpy stop makin' me laugh!

When I first got here to Maine people would ask me if I was from Alabama. Now, there is NOTHING wrong with being from Alabama, but even *I* (little ol' mid-atlantic me) know those folks talk funny. I don't sound like that. (Do I?)

Funny?!?

Where is Wisher when I need her?


Arielle, I guess I have started a little chicken collection myself and my niece surprised me by including me with a family birthday cake recently. My half of the decorated cake contained an adorable toy chicken which I kept.

Cynthia, Peachtree City is lovely.

I think I might enjoy “Spelling City.” There are some fun quizzes at the Merriam Webster website.