My Christmas Memories

Attended the monthly Lunch Bunch at my daughter’s school on Friday.  In the hallway leading to her room hung papers written by each child in her class called My Christmas.  She told me that her teacher typed whatever each student said, word for word.  Here is Jayme’s: (had to take two pictures of it in order for you to read it)

Not Quite The Same

For Father’s Day this year, I made my husband something he had been wanting for a while.  You can see what it looked like then by going here.

But it looked a little different this morning – covered with snow.  Somehow it has lost its tropical feeling now. . .

Humbled

My other blog, Chat with the Chamber, made a great list – check it out here.

Holiday Tipping Guide – Ouch!

Quick Guidelines for Holiday Etiquette Tipping 

Many of us want to show our appreciation to those special service people in our life at holiday time via etiquette tipping. However, trying to figure out what we should tip them is sometimes puzzling. No one wants to be a cheap skate, but over tipping can put a dent in our budget. Then there’s trying to figure out who we should tip.

According to Peter Post, director of the Emily Post Institute and author of Essential Manners for Couples, “You tip the people who perform services for you year-round, who are there for you when you need them and whom you have a valuable relationship with.”

Etiquette tipping experts generally agree that cash is the best way to say thank you during the holidays. However, you don’t need to break the bank to show your generosity. “Forget about what you ought to do. Do what you can, and do it in the nicest way you possibly can,” advices Post.

To make planning your tipping budget easier, here’s a quick holiday tipping guide:

CHILD CARE

Babysitter – 1 evening’s pay and small gift from child

Au Pair – 1 week’s pay or a gift and small gift from child

Nanny- 1 week’s to 1 month’s pay and small gift from child

Daycare Providers – $20-$70 each and small gift from child

Child’s Teacher – Gift (but first check school’s gift giving policy)

Coaches/Tutors/Music Teachers/Ballet Instructors, etc. – A small gift from child

HOME/CAR CARE

Housekeeper – 1 week’s pay or more (depending on length of service)

Trash Collectors/Snowplow Driver – $15-$20 each

Parking Attendants – $10-$35 each or up to half a month’s parking bill for the group if they regularly provide extra service

Gardener – $20-$50 (tip your gardener in the fall if the last job is a fall clean up)

APARTMENT SERVICE

Doormen – $25-$100 each (those who provide the most service for you should get more than those who you barely see)

Superintendent/Custodian – $50-$300 (tip if there’s no doorman and service has been very good, tip less if you tip throughout the year)

Porters/Handymen – $10-$50 each

Elevator Operators – $15-$40 each

PERSONAL CARE

Hairdresser – Cost of 1 haircut (or $20-$100); also small gift if you’re a regular

Manicurist – Cost of 1 session (or $10-$50) and small gift

Personal Trainer – Cost of 1 session (or $25 to 1 week’s pay)

Massage Therapist – Cost of 1 session (or $50-$100)

PET CARE

Dog groomer – ¼ or ½ the cost of 1 session and small gift

Dog Walker/Sitter – Cost of 1-2 week’s pay (small gift optional)

DELIVERY SERVICES

U.S. Mail Carrier – Gifts under $20

UPS – Gifts $15 or under

FedEx – Gift with value of up to $25 (no cash)

Paper Carrier – $15-$25 for daily delivery ($5-$15 for weekend delivery)

World’s Tallest Glass Christmas Tree

In Venice – Murano Island

The Last Pirate

Last weekend when we were in Naples, we stopped by the Sanibel Harbor Resort and Spa.  I checked out the gift shop and ended up buying a book written by a local author, Wilson Hawthorne.  It was called The Last Pirate.

It is a fiction book written about pirates, the Gulf Coast, and Hurricane Charley.  We were actually in Naples during Charley, so when I read the first page, I knew I had to buy it.  Here is part of the first page:

Diddies.  That’s what Salt called his pirate stories.  I used to think he made them up.  That all changed the week his diddies came true.

Unfortunately, something else came that week too – a category four hurricane named Charley.

Now, I don’t consider myself a narrow minded kid, but what I am about to tell you seems too crazy to be true – even to me.  If somebody started yakking to me about treasure maps and lost gold and the sea rising up to swallow an island whole, I’d probably tell them to check their head for bats.  The problem is it didn’t happen to somebody else; it happened to me.

Salt always said we make our own history just by living life -best to live it well.  I really don’t know if I lived it well or not, but I figure what happened that week was big enough to at least put down on paper.  So here’s my diddie, from the top.  And for that, I have to go way back.

I just finished the book.  It was a cute book, one that probably is better suited for teenagers, but it was a nice break from all the business stuff I read everyday.  Plus I like to read books from local Florida authors.  I like reading about places we have visited which are in these types of books.

I will now go back to my reading list, and finish Rich Dad Poor Dad.

The Party Menu

For the party tonight, I only had to bring a salad and dessert.  Kroger made my desserts:

But I did make my salad – Baby Greens with raspberries and honey roasted walnuts:

Pretty Packages

Tomorrow is my husband’s office Christmas party.  There are only three families, including ours, so it isn’t very big.  But we have six daughters between the three families.  No boys.  Must be something in the water at the Hottinger office.  The gifts are wrapped and ready to go!

Proud Mom

Congratulations to my middle daughter, Heather, for being selected as Student of the Month for December for Liberty Middle School.  We are very proud of her!

No Sun In Naples

Just returned from a short four-day get-a-way to my favorite place – Naples.  But I have to tell you, it wasn’t the same Naples I have been to many, many times over the past ten years.  I only saw the sun for about 10 minutes during those four days.  I can honestly say that it was the worst weather I have experienced there, and I have been through a hurricane.  At least the sun was out after it was over!

But even though the skies looked like Ohio, gray and all, we had a great time.  We did just about everything we wanted to do and even added some new places on our list.

But next time I return, I want my sun back!