A Son’s Love

                                 

My children follow me everywhere.  I constantly call them my little ducks!  Well, this morning Matthew, Rachel and I were in my itty bitty bathroom while I was getting ready for work.  And then I farted.

Me:   Excuse me guys.

Rachel:   Ewwww….let me outta here!!

Matthew:    Mmmmmm….smells good Mom!

Library Smackdown

I used to be this sweet, little, shy girl that no one knew existed.  I liked it.  I used to have this huge group of friends.  Not because I was cool, but because I could hide in the crowd.  I ran away from a foster home and got picked up at school the day before Thanksgiving break my senior year.  My friends didn’t realize I was gone til right before Christmas break.  Seriously!

Well having children has changed all that.  I don’t know if it has come from being a mom, or being a mom with special needs children.  All I know is that this lion protects her cubs!

The last time the kids and I went to the library Rachel’s card wouldn’t work.  We went up to the front desk to find out why.  The library aide said that she had a book out since July.  She owed $10 in late fees so the card was blocked. 

Rachel had to put her books on Matthew’s card.  That just devastated her.  She likes things a certain way and having her books on someone elses card was not her way!  She likes to take the receipt that is printed out so she knows the due date, and she can check off her books when she returns them.  She was quite happy that I let her hold onto the receipt even though it was not from her card.

We came home and looked all over for this darn book.  We couldn’t find it anywhere.  Rachel could swear she had turned it in and I was pretty sure she had too.  Finally, I just ordered a replacement book from Amazon.com.  It arrived on Monday.  Tuesday night I went in with the replacement book and 6 return receipts (which can be used to cancel $2 worth of fines each).

This is where the poo hit the fan!  First of all, I had to wait 10 minutes for a library aide to come help me.  Then, she had the audacity to tell me that she wouldn’t take the replacement book.  They won’t take outside books because they don’t have the electronic code they put in it.  Instead, I had to buy the book for $29.99!!  I got the damn thing off of Amazon for $9.37 with shipping!!!  And I know the library gets a discount for their books.  I was pissed. 

I told the aide that there was no way I was going to pay $30 for this children’s book.  I told her that I know the head librarian and I will discuss it with her (I’ve only met her once…lol).  Then, I threw the return receipts on the desk and asked if she could at least cancel the fines that were accrued.  Under my breath I mumbled how ridiculous that price was and I knew my daughter had turned that book in.  The aide said, “Excuse me for a moment” and then trucked off to the children’s section.  She came back 3 minutes later with the book. 

She was so proud of herself but I was still pissed.  She cleared Rachel’s account and ALL fines.  She had like $.20 of fines from past stuff.  The aide looked at me with a huge smile and said, “She is all clear to use her card.” 

I didn’t share her enthusiasm.  I replied, “Do you have a receipt that I can have to prove it?”

She gave me the receipt and then I went and checked out Autistic Planet for Rachel on her card.  She loves it.

FRAXA News Report

Just in…well a few hours ago….from Katie Clapp

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FRAXA to participate in CIBC World Markets Miracle Day 2007

Mark Your Calendars for Wednesday, December 5^th!

On December 5, 2007, CIBC World Markets will hold its annual Miracle Day campaign and donate 100% of commissions less expenses from trades made through the firm that day to children’s charities located in the U.S. FRAXA Research Foundation is a participating charity in Miracle Day 2007. Your involvement in Miracle Day could make such a huge difference in the lives of children in need.

Here’s how you can help:

·          If you are a CIBC World Markets client, please designate FRAXA Research Foundation as the beneficiary of your net commissions.

·          If you know someone who is a CIBC World Markets client, please ask them to do the same and designate their net commissions to Fraxa Research Foundation, Inc.

·          If you are a prime broker, please ask your IT people to run a client list of clients who have traded with CIBC World Markets. Please reach out to those clients and remind them to ask their client rep to designate FRAXA as the beneficiary of the net commissions.

·          If you are an industry professional, please ask your clients if they trade with CIBC World Markets and if so, would they remember FRAXA December 5^th.

Thank you for helping us spread the word that FRAXA is a participating charity for CIBC World Markets Miracle Day 2007.

CIBC World Markets is the wholesale and corporate banking arm of CIBC, providing a range of integrated credit and capital markets products, investment banking, and merchant banking to clients in key financial markets in North America and around the world. We deliver innovative capital solutions to growth-oriented companies and are broadly active in capital markets. We offer advisory expertise across a wide range of industries and provide top-ranked research for our corporate, government and institutional investor clients.

For more information call 212-667-7160, email MiracleDayUSA@us.cibc.com or visit www.cibcwmmiracleday.com

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Katie Clapp
FRAXA Research Foundation
45 Pleasant St., Newburyport, MA 01950
Tel: (978) 462-1866
FRAXA.org