For the Man who Loves Cheese More than Life

I thought about you today.

A lot, actually.

I thought about how important your cheese must be to you; that's the only explanation I can imagine.

It had been a rough day for me, for all of us in the office, but you didn't know that. How could you have? You had much more important things on your mind, and you had no time for niceties and pleasantries.

While I was taking a phone order from a very kind woman, one of my coworkers came to my side. A problem, she said. He's furious, she said. I had to put the kind woman on hold so that I could answer your insistent call.

"I'm sorry, Ma'am. Can I put you on hold for a minute?"

"It's okay. Take your time, Honey," she said, not knowing that I was leaving the sweetness of her voice for the harsh impatience of yours.

"You people need to get your act together," you spat. "We've been ordering for years and this is the second time you've screwed up our order!"

You didn't see the irony in this, I'm sure.

"I'm sorry, Sir," I responded, thinking of the teachings I give my children, how I instruct them to show respect to their elders. I believe that people can be won over by respect and kindness, that behavior breeds behavior. I don't think you share that philosophy. Still, I showed you respect. I'm to do unto others as I would have them do unto me.

Not AS they do unto me.

"I was supposed to get two cases of cheese, and you only sent one! This is unforgivable!"

"Sir, I apologize, and I'll gladly send your order tomorrow. You'll recieve it by Friday." Most people would find, at this point that the situation had been resolved. I think you just wanted to be angry. Maybe your day had been worse than mine.

"You screwed up my order last year, too, and you said you'd replace the cheese for free..."

"I understand, Sir. Did we replace your cheese?"

"Well, yeah, but...that's not the point. The point is, your company needs to get its act together."

"Sir, I'm willing to do whatever it takes to make this right. What would you like me to do?"

"Well, I...well, you can.... Well, just send the cheese, but this is ridiculous. I don't know what's wrong with you people, but you need to get it fixed."

"Yes, Sir. We'll send that cheese out tomorrow, then. Is there anything else I can do for you?"

I heard a disgruntled "harumph." I could feel that you were attempting to conjure more reasons to be angry. I don't think you found any.

I will send your order. I will not charge you shipping. I will send a complimentary wheel of cheese to you, and I will include an apology. "We forgot to ship your cheese. We're very sorry. Can you ever forgive us?" You will probably open the box, smugly, and applaud yourself for being a Man.

Honestly, I don't even remember how the conversation ended. I just wanted to be rid of you. Is that your general affect on people? I do hope you were just having a bad day. Then again, I remember how angry you were last year when we only sent you one case of cheese. Maybe you were having a bad day, then, too.

I hung up the phone and saw that line one was still blinking. When I picked it up, that dear woman was still waiting, patiently.

"I'm very sorry about that, Ma'am," I said, trying to focus on her while mentally processing the conversation I had with you.

"Oh, that's alright, Honey. I'm sure you're very busy..."

And I went on taking her order, listening to her pleasant voice and her polite demeanor.

But all the while, I was still thinking of you.

Homeschool Blogger Awards

Spunky over at Spunky Homeschool is hosting the Homeschool Blogger Awards. If you have a favorite homeschooling blogger you'd like to nominate or vote for, head on over to Spunky's place and check out the information.

A Circle of Quiet: Remembering

I love to read as I eat. I don't know if this is a learned characteristic, or if it's genetic, or programmed by eating in front of one-too-many cereal boxes, but when I sit down to take in a meal, I almost always have to have some kind of reading material in front of me, generally a magazine, catalog or other fru-fru type media because I can't concentrate completely on both words and food. So, here at work, I've just sat down to my desk to eat my lunch--an Amish Butter Cheese sandwich and cheese fries--and I decided it would be a good time to catch up on the lives of my favorite bloggers.

One of my very first blog visits is always A Circle of Quiet. Her blog is a feast for the eyes and the heart, and I always feel encouraged and warm after visiting her, taking a glimpse through the window that she provides.

Today, I read her post titled "Remembering" and it struck such a deep chord with me. I have much to think about over lunch now and many tears to hold back as I eat and sit within the semi-private local of my office.

Thanks, Circle of Quiet, for a very thought-provoking post.

Country Football

Bo gathered the kids, some visitors and a few neighbors for a game of fall football. The field was literally a field, complete with horses and their emissions.

Our kids don't really play football; they didn't know the rules and Bard complained the next day of being very sore.

But it was fun to watch. 

The Baby

 

On Being Appreciated

When I walked through the door yesterday, they all waved and smiled at me. "Hello! We've missed you! We're so glad you're back!" A big hug, a pat on the back, an offer of a cup of coffee.

It almost makes me feel like they like me. Like they appreciate me. Like I'm actually wanted here--needed.

This is what greeted me on my first day back at the cheesehouse for the holiday season.

Okay, so it's a little different from the greetings I heard when I returned home.

"What did you bring me?"

"I was only trying to do my lessons! And he just came up and--WHACK!--punched me in the face! For NO REASON!"

"Can I have something to eat?"

"Finally, you're home. Can I leave now?"

To be fair, there are some similarities, too. I did get big hugs. They did tell me they missed me. And I think my husband even offered me a cup of coffee. Or maybe that was on Monday.

I also have to be honest. I didn't really want to work this season. Our lessons at home have been going so well, and even though I'm organized, having printed weekly schedules for those who need it and creating a balance between everyone's precarious schedules so that an adult is always present, and all chores are covered, at least theoretically, I didn't really want to add the big rush of leaving for eight hours a day to my home life.

But this is such a great place to work that I do truly enjoy it. From here, I can hear the clip-clopping of horses' hooves on the pavement outside my window, and the bell-tower chiming lovely, peaceful music. I get a Christmas bonus and a very, very nice Christmas banquet.

And, of course, there's always the cheese.

I wouldn't want to do this all the time, I don't think; work away from home, though it's not that far away.

It is, however, a nice change of pace.

For those of you SAHM, do you ever enter the work world?

Do you remember what life was like in your pre-SAHM world?

What are the biggest differences?

Do you miss it?

Sign me...Cheese Girl

It's CHEESE, Gromit!

It's around this time of the year that I get a bit peckish, longing for a nip of garlic cheddar, montery jack or even a bit of horseradish cheese. You can find me raiding the cooler for a baggie of cheese tidbits, tasty morsels that will sustain me throughout the day and and give me fodder for my daily dose of Dr. Pepper.

It's Christmas at the Cheesehouse again.

Every year for the past five years (except for the year I was pregnant with The Baby), I have been working in the mail order room of one of our local cheese manufacturers. This is a great fit for me. I LOVE cheese. I've often said that I could exist on bread, fruit and a little smidgen of something dairy--gorgonzola, harvarti, gruyere, smoked cheddar, baby swiss, sharp cheddar. I could even, if I had to, forgo my Dr. Pepper if I could keep my sour cream, Double Gloucester and my real butter.

So, this season, I'm delighted. Cheese all around me. Completely at my disposal. On a whim, I can sample some of the world's finest cheeses. I can even order a hot sandwich--thick bread with Amish butter cheese, a patty melt dripping with butter, thick-cut steak fries smothered in sharp cheddar. Isn't it sinful?

I have to admit that my intention today was to avoid the temptation of all that extra fat by bringing in a bottle of ice water and a lunch bag of almonds, trail mix and fruit. After all, I just sit here all day. Sit, talking on the phone to people from all around the globe who love cheese. Who order cheese. Who talk about cheese.

I made it all of seven hours today before caving. I simply must...have...my...tidbits.

To offset the impending damage, I'm hoping, planning, determined to walk to work. It will definitely be a challenge during these Ohio winters, but I think it's going to be necessary. There's a spiral staircase leading up to my little corner of cheeseworld, and if I'm not careful, I may not fit. Could be a touch painful upon reentry.

Over the next few weeks, I'll be grabbing a moment here and there to blog about life in the cheesehouse, what it's like to be a SAHM tinkering around in the working world, and what the damage is when I return home.

In the meantime, will you join me for a taste of fondue? Maybe a cracker with a smidgeon of Boursin? Or how about Mirabo Walnut...?