KFC, I Give You Props!

Yep. I'm singing praises to world-famous chicken extraordinaire, Kentucky Fried Chicken. At least for the one that is right up the street from us. And believe me, I don't do this with ANY business that often. Even the grocery chain my husband works for. That should say something.

Earlier in the day, I decided to get myself and the kiddies out of the house. It was not too hot at that point. And I needed to go to Kmart to shop for a birthday and then to our family-owned (no, not MY family, silly!), local-based pet shop. Seeing as I don't drive, Kmart and that pet store, which I DO favor over PetSmart, are the closest for me to walk to. And actually, I favor walking over driving, in all honesty.

We were all hungry (okay, three of the four, seeing as my son whined per usual about where we are going) and so I suggested going to KFC first and chow down. Which is exactly what we did.

I placed my order with a new lackey trainee (unbeknown to me until AFTER the fact, mind you). Simply it was TWO number sevens, a KIDS popcorn chicken meal and an order of mac and cheese with a small drink on the side.

Well, I don't know if their day before we planted our butts in the seats was just short of shitty in having customer relations. But when the (REALLY) nice lady said it will be a few minutes to FRESHLY cook our number seven meat and the popcorn chicken, for our trouble, she *THREW IN FOR FREE* an order of chicken strips, a large order of potato wedges (three small orders in one) and a couple of FREE single serve mashed taters.

To say I was beside myself I think was an understatement. In fact, it's a wonder I didn't hear "ka-ching!" as my mouth dropped to the floor like a fast-opening cash drawer.

Maybe it's because I didn't go all postal over the fact that we had to do this thing in life called "wait" for our food as it was being *freshly* prepared. Or was it because I didn't go off like a half-cocked bitch because the "newbie" messed up and instead placed the order as a *FAMILY SIZE* popcorn chicken, and NOT a "Kids Meal" (in which the lady gave me back the *DIFFERENCE* of price for on her own!)? Either way, I was (more than) pleasantly surprised.

I have had some pretty low-down and crappy service in my time at different venues. And I have had five-star service inside of two-star places. But today, Kentucky Fried Chicken here up the street from me *REALLY* pulled out all the stops and totally won me over.

Especially the one lady. She never got huffy, rolled her eyes, or even "debated" with me over ANYTHING. She quickly and proficiently corrected my order, gave me back money I was due, apologized and ensured that my family's dining experience was well worth the visit.

And it was.

Product Review!! Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Nail Polish

*Legal mumbo-jumbo*.. The author of this blog is in no way being paid for endorsement of the product, Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Nail Polish. The following is from the author's own experience/usage of said product, and are her words accordingly.

I was in Kmart with my girls. For the longest time I haven't touched a single bottle of nail polish for myself. I just had no gumption to put any on. But when I do, it actually helps with an anxiety/stress related problem I have. Picking at my finger and my toe nails.

After skimming the nail care section and it's many selections of nail beautification polishes, I zeroed in on a ninety-nine cents rack. It had primarily one certain product (shall remain nameless due to it NOT being a Sally Hansen product), but also had a couple of other brands. Including a couple bottles of the Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Nail Polish.

I love the applicator for one thing! It's got a "technological advancement" over most other nail polish applicators/brushes. Their brush separates in a way that you cover the ENTIRE nail. In one stroke!

And speaking of the one stroke, you only need to go over the nail ONE time. No need for another application or to "cover up" the area that the brush missed. BONUS!

So, how fast does it dry, you wonder? F-A-S-T! It goes from wet to dry in LESS time than it takes a Camaro to go from zero to sixty. I used it on my oldest daughter's nails for the initial "guinea pig trials" (note: no animals, especially the guinea pig and the cute little kitty (youngest kid), were harmed during the testing phase, and in fact giggled as I did their toes).

At one point, I accidentally had gotten the Sally Hansen Insta-Dri polish on the side of Hayley's toe, not JUST the nail. And I went right to getting the polish off the toe with my finger. It was ALREADY DRIED!

All in all, I *highly* recommend the Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Nail Polish line. Especially to those that don't have a lot of time to do their nails. It goes on quickly, easily and in just ONE swipe and coat. All the things us ladies are looking for in beauty products.

The average (regular price) cost of this line of Sally Hansen product (per bottle/color) is around $5.25. For more information on this and other Sally Hansen products, please visit Sally Hansen.

My First Product Review

I love desserts. And I love gum. Now, I can have the best of both worlds. All at one time. And that makes for a "Happy" Homemaker in this Diary entry.

Extra brand gum has recently introduced a new line of product that gives you the wonderful taste of classic and popular desserts, without the weight gain that normally goes with such indulgences.

First up is Mint Chocolate Chip flavor.

I love chocolate. I like mint flavor. I love these two in combination in a bowl of ice cream. But sadly, I do not care much for the gum. It's too minty, and for me does not have enough chocolate flavor to appease my palate. All you honestly taste IS the mint. And it's too overpowering.

Next up is the Key Lime Pie flavor.

I'm a fan of Key Lime flavored yogurt. But I was pretty iffy about it being as a gum flavor of choice. But that all changed this past week when my daughter's Kindergarten teacher slipped me a piece of her Key Lime Pie Extra Gum. It was rich and bold with the Key Lime flavor. But not too robust. It truly tasted like I was eating a piece of homemade Key Lime Pie. Decadent!

Now, last, but certainly not least (in the least bit) is the Strawberry Shortcake flavor.

WOW!!! I'd just bought this flavor this evening. I was blown away by how close it is to the "real thing". I loved chewing my Strawberry Shortcake G-U-M. In fact, I had to keep reminding myself not to swallow because in fact, I was chewing on gum, not on a real piece of Strawberry Shortcake (which is one of my other fave desserts, FYI).

All in all, the Extra brand Desserts line is really good. With exception to my disdain for the Mint Chocolate Chip, I can safely say that I indeed will be buying this brand's line of chewing gum in the future.

**DISCLAIMER**

In no way is the Author of 'The (Not Always) Happy Homemaker Diary' being paid, or is endorsing said product for monetary gain. All comments and review remarks are of the ideals, views and of this product is of this Blog's Author.

Death Panels...Since when is one's life "not budgetable"?

Arizona has a Governor without a heart or a soul. Her state's budget cuts are not only "saving" money, but are also COSTING lives.

Now, two people are dead. Thanks to the budget cuts and the insurance's refusal (due to said cuts) to pay for much-needed transplants.

There's now a list of people in the state of Arizona whom will surely die, being that their assurance of insurance has been cut off because the insurer will not "be able" to pay for the transplants.

Including the one this past week who was needing a kidney transplant.

Yes, the insurance I am speaking of is Government-funded Medicaid. The state's funds for the insurance that helps those that are low-income, too disabled to work or meet other criteria for the (supplemental) insurance will be cut by $1.2 million.

Luckily though, the citizens of Arizona have Senate Minority Leader-Elect David Schapira (Democrat) in their corner. And he is asking to have *emergency* restoration of the Medicaid funds to be put in to place. But only for certain types of transplants.

Thus far, 98 patients are on that list.

Patient Mark Price died in November, as he was desperately awaiting a bone marrow transplant.

Read the full story at... CNN.com

As a transplant recipient myself, to see these kinds of cuts made at the expense of human life, is utterly deplorable. Shame on the state of Arizona, and it's idiot Governor, Janet Brewer.

Rest assured though, that in the event that herself or one of family members or close friends (who were on Medicaid, thanks to job loss or lower income status) suddenly required a transplant of some type, she would be fighting tooth and nail to get their insurance to pay for it.

But hey, it's no one special or important (to the dumb hag called 'Governor') so she feels that she can go to lay her head down at night without the guilt of knowing that she (literally) signed almost one hundred of her citizen's death warrants by her actions of slashing the access to their medical insurance, and to much-needed medical care to stay alive.

Sure, it was "just an eye" to most people. But saving my sight, as well as my entire eye was of utmost importance to me as a mother of three children who are all still under the age of twelve.

If my insurance wasn't there to help cover the cost of my (**$23,000.00**) surgery to have my cornea replaced with a cadaver's cornea, then I would not have my sight, let alone the eye its self. And being a mother, it would have hindered (somewhat) my being the mother I am to my children.

What kind of person wishes to slash funding as to let others be there with their children and grandchildren? A thoughtless Government Official such as Governor Janet Brewer, is who! And the scary part in all of this? If one state does something like this to "save the state money", then most often times, even more states follow and institute these cuts as well.

And that's a scary thought in its self! It will go from just under a hundred, to hundreds, then to thousands. Then, quite possibly the "movement" could cost MILLIONS of lives here in America.

Is this really what our country's Government was built to be all about? Money over it's people.

The more I look, the more I view it in this manner. And it frightens me more and more a bit each and every day, that our children and grandchildren's lives will be placed on the front lines as a means to save a few extra bucks for the Government Officials to pocket.

The money NEEDS to be put back in place. At least some it it, anyways. And for the most needful of transplants (heart, lung, kidney). And Arizona's guidelines on insuring transplants needs to be overhauled as well. No one's life is above another's. Or at least it shouldn't be.

I can understand (at this time) that they cannot cover ALL types of transplants. But give those with the biggest fights ahead, the biggest chance at living.

Is this really too much to ask, Gov. Janet Brewer?

Walgreens Drugs should have been named "Failgreens".

At this point in time, I have nothing good to say about this company. At least not where my local store is concerned. While the staff IS friendly, they have a major problem with CORRECTLY filling drug prescriptions for ONE client.

No one should have to (after this evening) make THREE trips to the pharmacy to pick up my child's medications. Why? Because I got only ONE of three to be filled (along with his sister's one).

Then, I had to go get the ones left behind (that are NORMALLY bagged together), only to get 5 freaking pills from a 30-day supply refill. Because apparently (without my knowledge) they were running low.

Even this evening when I pick up, I can only have a total of 20 from the 30 I'm supposed to have.

The person(s) filling my son's medications 'accidentally' placed the ones I was missing in the WRONG pick-up bin as well. I found this out yesterday evening when I noticed the 'mistake' and called them about it.

I'm glad that what he takes are not drugs he needs to live (like Insulin or Anti-Rejection meds)..He missed a dose last night. If he was on the latter that I mentioned, that COULD POTENTIALLY kill or seriously injure someone because they were not able to have access to their medication!

The employees also need to only have ONE person filling for ONE client when there are multiple scrips for that one person. I mainly blame THAT as the reason for this whole entire debacle even taking place.

Yes, they are human. Yes, people make mistakes. But when you work in ANY area of the health care system, being it as a CNA, a Medical Doctor, or a Pharmacist, there really isn't much, or even any period, room for error. Especially when it comes to the health, well-being and overall LIVES that you are taking care of.

I've learned a VALUABLE lesson, especially after today. BEFORE you even pull out of the parking lot, pull the medications OUT of the bag(s), read them and make sure you have all the pills accounted for on the label(s) and ensure that you have ALL of your medicines you were to have filled that day in your hands.