A Walmart Produce Cart Rammed Me As I was Shopping

 When I go shopping, I usually like to go early to beat the crowds. Well, I've been very sick with the flu and I have not been up to going anywhere. My husband started feeling sick with the flu as well and we still had not gone shopping for the week. Well, I decided to go, it was mid morning. I left the house around 10am Saturday morning. 

As predicted it was busier than I like, but I needed to get the shopping done. The produce department was a zoo, it was busy with regular shoppers, there were lots of pallets around from Walmart associates stocking shelves and there were many personal shoppers racing around with their carts. I was taking my time trying to navigate through this trying to get to the lettuce and other vegetables. It is really frustrating, because the isles with most of the fruits and other vegetables, are catty corner, rather than straight. It is really not conducive to large crowds of people and carts. Not to mention there is no room for more than one cart at a time in any isle. 

I finally got to the vegetables I wanted and had my cart in front of me as I was trying to find what I wanted. 

Suddenly, a produce cart rammed into my cart, which then hit me nearly knocking me down. I was actually teetering on one foot and my knees were buckling. The cart had hit my right arm and elbow, and I was knocked backwards. I don't know what saved me from going down onto the floor. I was surprised and in a panic afraid that I would fall. 

I looked up to see this huge produce cart with an older Walmart Associate pushing it, he peered out from the side of the cart, he couldn't even see over it, from what I seen. I told him, you almost knocked me down. and he just looked at me trying to get passed me. He did say, "I'm sorry," but it wasn't very sincere. 

Tears sprung to my eyes and I became angry. I stood there for a moment trying to gather my thoughts. I don't like to cry in public, by here I was, in the produce department trying to avoid peoples stares, which also made me mad, because there were a lot of witnesses who must have seen what happened and not one person stopped to see if I was okay. I know if I had seen something like that and I was near, I would have supported the person who had been hit like I have. I had a few choice words for the associate who rammed into me. He looked at me without remorse and continued on.

I looked around and and there were three must have been four personal shoppers among the heavily populated isles from shoppers who were trying to get their shopping done too. Not one manager was around. I asked a few personal shoppers if they had seen a manager around and no one could answer me. I finally made my way to the produce refrigerated area where they come out with the huge pallets of food. Someone was coming out and I stopped her. The pallet she had was huge. I didn't care. I asked her for a manager, I was still in tears. She said she'd have to find someone with a phone to call the manager. I said okay. She looked at me with compassion, she did seem to care. She disappeared for a few minutes then came back and said that someone was coming, but it would be a few minutes. 

I waited and watched, keeping an eye on the produce associate who had rammed into me. He'd look at me from time to time. 

Someone came flying by me into the back room, then immediately came out and looked at me. I asked him if he was the manager, he said he was Coach Michael. The equivalent of a manager, I guess. 

I explained to him what happened and pointed out the associate who had rammed into me. He profusely said he was sorry and that he'd pull the associate aside and talk to him about what happened. It didn't seem enough. Looking at the the produce department it was still a zoo, with carts and them zooming around getting in the way of shoppers and I was very frustrated. I told him that I'm at the age, that if I'm knocked down, or fall, I don't bounce, I break and I'm afraid. Fresh tears came unwittingly. He looked at me and laughed at my comment. He said he'd use that comment in his next meeting, where he'd bring this up to all of his associates and would tell the personal coaches they needed to talk to their people. He promised that he'd have the produce department cleaned up and that he'd talk to his associate. Though he didn't say this, it was obvious that Coach Michael of course could not promise that getting rammed with a cart would not happen again.

I told Coach Michael, that this was not acceptable at all, he said he knew this and agreed. He said something about customer service and the personal shoppers where trying to shop for others. 

I told him, I have worked in customer service my whole life and the customers, shoppers like myself need to be first, we are the customers in the store first and foremost. What happened to taking care of the regular customers in the store first? The carts that zoom around the store getting in the way of regular shoppers is unacceptable. He told me that yes, I was right, that regular customers should be coming first.

 A lady who was nearby heard out conversation and contributed her own story. She agreed, that she had a recent experience of shopping for a book and was reading a forward and a personal shopper with a cart had to stop, because there was not enough room to get around her. The personal shopper was snotty to her and told her to get the book and get out of his way, because he was shopping for someone and was on a time limit. The lady pointed out, that his time limit didn't have anything to do with her. The lady told Coach Micheal that she had many stories like the one she told him that something needed to be done. 

I expressed my opinion that the carts like that had no place in stores like this, because there just wasn't enough room. 

Coach Michael had nothing more to say, he made his excuse to go and that was it. It would have been nice if he had offered a discount of some-kind for being rammed by his employee.  I hope he checks the cameras to actually see what happened. I know that Walmart has many cameras for shop lifters, why not for checking for ramming into innocent customers who just want to get the weekly shopping done. 

In my opinion, shopping at Walmart has become dangerous. I see people having to dodge the personal shoppers carts and other store carts with associates who are trying to stock product on a 24 hour basis.  They zoom around getting angry at those who dare get in their way. They zoom around not caring about anyone else, because they happen to be on some time limit.

 Walmart in my opinion has lost their way with customer service for the regular shopper who just wants to go in and do their own shopping. In today's world it really adds insult to injury that we are paying for over priced groceries and we have worry about our personal safety at the same time.

Praying for Uvalde TX

 As my husband and I watched the horror unfold on the television about the school shooting in Uvalde TX on May 24, 2022, there were no words as shock and disbelief invaded us. Watching the children being evacuated and parents and family members rushing to the school to find out if their loved ones survived, is beyond heart wrenching. 

My husband and I looked at each other heartbroken, and in that moment we both felt the helplessness, hurt and confusion that any parent, or human being would feel as we watched what was happening and could do nothing about. Thinking of what those parents and family members must be going through is unimaginable. 

Both Russ and I are praying for every child and teacher murdered in cold blood by the evil man who did this. We pray for the children and adults who witnessed first hand the nightmare of friends being taken away from them. We pray for what they will live with the rest of their lives. We pray for the family members who will never see these precious lives again. They will only have their memories..., their precious memories. 

We pray for all of the first responders who rushed to the school with the mission to try to protect the innocent lives in danger. We pray for those people who were faced with the job of processing such a horrific scene and for the investigators who will try to get to the bottom of why this senseless massacre happened.  

Dear Lord we pray for the courage and strength for everyone. We pray for everyone to unite to find the answers needed.

Adopting Fur Babies

Since moving to Kingman Arizona we have wanted to adopt a cat or two. We would like to get a dog, but we just can't take care of one at this time. Dogs take more care and definitely more constancy. We travel a lot still and the places we go don't allow dogs. We will probably get a dog later on when things settle down. 

My husband is pretty handy when it comes to repairs, building things and an all around fix it person. We looked at outside catteries to have for our cats we would like to get. We have a dog door that goes through the wall by the slider and there is plenty of room for a large cattery outside so they could go in and out when ever they wanted. 

We would only consider indoor cats, because we don't want anything to happen to the cats if they get out. 

To make a long story short, my hubby built a nice three story cattery and we found out cat bowls etc. We went to the Mohave County Animal Shelter who are filled to the brim with kittens and adult cats, puppies and adult dogs. Most all of the animals had been given up by their owners for a lot of reasons. We were told that most were given up because people were starting to go back to work (one of the effects of COVID) and could not keep their animals, or have moved and did not take their animals with them. This is so sad and heart breaking for the animals who are now homeless and are scared. Loosing their family has a traumatic impact on them. 

We were introduced to a handful of cats who were ready for adoption. Most of them had to be evaluated and fixed and needed shots.

There were two cats that came to the shelter together, but had been separated because they didn't have a cage large enough for two cats.  We were introduced to Binx a male cat who is almost three years old and who is as black as coal and Nala, who has the coloring of a bangle, black white gray with strips and spots. She is six years old. Their family moved and did not take them with them and gave them up to the shelter. They had been there almost a month. 

We had wanted adult cats as they are harder to adopt out. We fell in love with Binx and Nala and adopted them. 

It has been six days since adopting them and they are getting acclimated to our house and the new cattery.  They are both very loving and have such different personalities. I will write more about their adventures in future posts. 

Please if you are reading this, you can donate to your local animal shelter, they are always in the need of pet supplies and if you can, please adopt an animal who needs a home. 

If you want to donate to the Mohave County Animal Shelter, please click on the link and you'll find the details on their website. 

 

Feeling A Little Down

 I'm feeling a little out of it. Here is my thought for the day.

Unexpected things happen all the time, impacting how we live and how we perceive the world around us. The challenges we face make us who we are. You might say, all of us have scars from life that have molded and shaped us as individuals. 

Vickie Treadway

Be Nice to People Who Are Willing to Work

In a world where people are actually working and trying to help you, please, please..., BE NICE TO THEM. Don't go off on them because you are frustrated.

I work with a wonderful woman whose name is Kathy. She bends over backwards for people and is exceptional at her job. Her experience, longevity and patience cannot be replaced even though she could be replaced by a newbie. She does not have to work as she is in her retirement age.

When you go off on a person like this wonderful woman, it pronounces the fact that she doesn't have to work and wants to go into full retirement taking all of that experience and willingness to assist you with her. I really can't blame her if she decides to leave, but if she decides to fully retire, this is one less person who will be there to help you.

Think about your actions and how you treat people before you say and do something to those brave enough to work on the front lines willing to assist you.

What The Pandemic of 2020 Has Taught Me.

All of us has been taught valuable lessons from the Pandemic of 2020 and the stories will be told for generations to come. 

Life is short, as I get older I find myself looking back on my life and realize on a deeper level that family is everything. I missed a lot as I put work first trying to make money to pay bills. Don't get me wrong, paying bills and daily living is important, we must pay our own way and be a productive part of society. 

The sad part for me is that my husband and I have worked very hard our entire life and when the pandemic happened, we had the rug pulled out from under us and everything financially we have worked for, especially for retirement has been taken from us. 

I'm tired and sometimes don't know if I have it in me to continue working so hard. Starting over is difficult, when your older and starting over, it is even more difficult. Good jobs are hard to come by and jobs with health benefits are even harder to come by. Now working difficult hours are expected and now we have to do it without health benefits.

Working as hard as we have we missed being with family, for important occasions and just being with them.  I missed the last Thanksgiving in 2018 when my mother was alive. I'll never get that back. My job at Blue Nile, told me I had to work. I was afraid of loosing my job, so I cried through the whole shift and the supervisor on shift told me without any feeling, I should just leave, because this was obviously a job that didn't fit my lifestyle. Explain to me how being with family during the holidays is a life style. Even the customer's who called in asked why we were even there, most thought they'd get to leave a message for a callback. I politely would say, because as long as people called in on holidays, the company would remain open making us work. 

Most people don't realize when they are home during the holidays, that corporations stay open, especially retail, and people have to work, because companies won't let their employees off because of the almighty dollar. Company's only look at their bottom line and forget about the people who they expect to work their awful hours.  Most people who have to work those very difficult hours/ days/ nights, have husbands, wives, daughter, sons, mother's and father's and other family members. Why would companies expect their employees to miss important holidays and have to celebrate at a later date, if they even can that is not the actual holiday.

Being home during the pandemic and spending time with other family members has been an unexpected blessing, even though I had to quite my job because my husband was laid off from his job. It would have been difficult financially, but I should have quite the job at Blue Nile instead of trying to hang on because of a good paycheck. Companies like that are not flexible about taking time off.

I should have made the choice to leave it behind. I will never get that time back with my mother and my other family members. 

The pandemic has forced us to slow down, to isolate and to spend time with family when we could. We got to know our family again, for us this has been a blessing. A blessing I don't want to let go. 

I find myself at a retail job again and I truly resent this. I have to force myself to leave my home to make money so our bills can be paid. I swore I'd never let a job take me away from my family like it used to be. 

I have changed and I don't know how much I can take if I can't take off when my family is here visiting, or we need to go be with family help them. 

I didn't realize how tired I really am. Being forced to stay home has really magnified it for me and now that I have to work again, I don't want to go back to the way it was. 

I pray to God constantly, for a miracle. 

Change Is Difficult AMIDST OF COVID-19

 I really miss writing stories. I hope that one day soon I can actually start writing again. As any writer knows, the journey of writing includes the journey of life. I laugh in irony and am trying to catch my breath. The curve balls just never stop coming.

These last few years, life has taken my husband and I on an unforgettable heart wrenching journey we never expected and it has still left us reeling like we are in some alternate universe and twilight zone.

Even though it has almost been three years, I'm still grieving the loss of my mother. Watching her decline over the last few years of her life and finally standing by her bedside, holding her hand and watching her take her last breath on Thursday May 10th, 2018 at 4:08 pm has left me broken. I'm still trying to move on from the grief, but it comes back in waves at the most unexpected times. 

My husband Russ was laid off from his job at Boeing in June of 2019 as a direct result of COVID-19. We couldn't stay in Washington State to live and pay our bills. We had to make some life changing decisions when we realized Russ would be laid off. 

We needed to find a place to live with a lower cost of living and we decided to move to Kingman Arizona. We put our house up for sale and it sold in one weekend. I quite my job and we went to Arizona to find a house. We found a small home with a lot of potential, went back to Washington to pack up. My sister and her husband came up from California to help us get packed up and move. We drove to Arizona in a small caravan with all of our belongings.

We had to stay in a hotel for almost a week waiting for our house to close in July. Luckily, even though the house is 15 years old, it was clean enough to be move in ready. It was miserable because we were trying to move into our home in the midst of a heat wave. We were doing what we needed to do to survive. My sister Kathy and her husband Wade were such a great help and I will never forget the time they gave and their generosity as we got settled that first week. 

After Kathy and Wade went back home to California, Russ and I worked hard, cleaning and working on our little corner of heaven, our forever home. We couldn't really meet people, because of COVID-19. We stayed to ourselves and just familiarized ourselves with our new surroundings when we needed to go out to get the things we needed. Even our neighbors stayed away, introduced ourselves from a distance. We live around some very nice people, most are retired, other's work and are gone most of the time. I really love our little community. 

I really don't mind the loneliness at this time. We are trying to deal with all the change that has happened. I miss my mother and talking to her, I miss my brother in Washington state and I am afraid of what the future holds. We have a chance at a new beginning and wonderful things. I just hope things work out as we want them too.

I'll talk about jobs and looking for work on my next post...