Some People Just MAKE Your Day!!

I have commented often on the exciting and glamorous job of Newspaper Delivery Person.(HA!) I will say that it suits my situation well right now, financially and time-wise, but it is a rather thankless and labor-intensive job! Christmas tips last year made a BIG impression, but for the most part, the only other time we hear from our customers is when they have a problem -"My paper was wet because I don't know how to turn my sprinkler system away from the driveway &/or sidewalk." or when they have a special request - "Could you please put my paper on the porch, with a pretty bow, pointed south, each morning before 4:00am? If it's not too much trouble, of course! (which it is!)"

Our Discover Richmond 5 part paper last Sunday weighed in at 8.5 pounds each. I loaded those papers into my transport cart, rolled and bagged each of them, loaded them into my van and delivered them to my customers, all before 7:15am. My Sunday route is 320 papers. I figure I lifted about 8160 pounds all told last weekend. Again, not a particularly cushy position, but it will (I hope!) pay off in tips later in the month and at Christmas. I was pleased to get done early and still be able to walk later Sunday afternoon, though I didn't get much accomplished that afternoon!

Well, this morning, I had finished delivering my regular route and was throwing some free sample papers in one of my subdivisions when a 40-45ish year old gentleman who was walking his 2 Bassett Hounds while holding a baby girl waved me down. I figured he was 1) going to ask if I had an "extra paper" he could have (FYI-we don't have "extra papers - I PAY for EVERY paper I throw, and then make my money from the people who pay me for them. I only get the papers I need! We get paid 10 cents per paper for throwing free sample papers, but usually have set addresses those are supposed to got to!) or 2) a customer who had a complaint about his delivery. When I stopped, he asked if I also delivered the Sunday Times Dispatch, and I told him yes. He told me his address, and as I was picking up my route book to note his request or complaint, he pulled out a money clip, and said "I don't know if you actually see the tips I add when I send in my payment, but I want you to know I appreciate what you do. Thank you." He handed me $20, said "Have a great day!" and headed back down the road. I was stunned, did manage to mutter "Thank you so much!" and drove on down the road with a smile on my face! After throwing 320 papers in 80 degree heat at 5:00am, it was so nice to be encouraged so!!

Not much too exciting going on in our world lately. It has been too hot to be outside, so errands get run quickly, then we come back home to hibernate in the AC some more.

My big accomplishments the past week or two have been working out Thomas' school schedule for this year, choosing all his curriculum and pricing it, and getting ready to order it today. I have been asked by a number of people if we are going to "really DO school" this year, as we pretty much unschooled last year. I have to be careful as to how I answer, so as not to sound defensive or put off. I, personally, prefer the unschooling approach we took last year. Thomas passed the 9th and 10th grade Standardized Test as required by Henrico County. The Virginia Code says "The parent who elects to provide home instruction shall provide the division superintendent by August 1 following the school year in which the child has received home instruction with evidence that the child has attained a composite score in or above the fourth stanine (23rd percentile) on ANY nationally normed standardized achievement test." 23rd percentile?!?! That is sad, in my opinion!! Such low standards! Thomas' overall achievement was 86th, and even in his lowest scoring subject, he scored in the 52nd percentile. All while actually "doing school" probably 30 days last year.

I have become more educated and am learning that SO much more education takes place in everyday life than in sitting at a desk, trying to factor polynomial equations. While I understand the value of the process of learning how to solve quadratic equations, I am much more imterested in Thomas being able to figure out 20% of a restaurant check, or how to grocery shop on a set budget while providing a balanced diet. THOSE are the kind of life skills and education that are sorely lacking in this day and age! Anyway, all that to say we will be a bit more schedule and book-oriented than we were last year, because I think Thomas does better with a bit more structure than we had last year, but we are NOT doing an iron-clad, sit at the desk, bore you to tears bookwork kind of schoolwork approach. We will just wait and see how it develops!


Well, I have done menus and my shopping list for the next 3 weeks, so the boys and I are headed off to Wal-Mart to do grocery shopping, then we will come home, do dishes and laundry, have lunch and (hopefully!) naps, then Thomas has a basketball game tonight at 7:45. Oh, and we need to squeeze in a trip to the library, and the dog needs a bath, and I have baby clothes to sort, and....it just goes on and on and on......