off topic -- no good deed goes unpunished...

17 years ago

Just really posting this for some gardener sympathy! :-)

Last week, while I was trying to work on those brick planters for that friend of mine, a nice young man stole my purse. Yep, while I was unloading bags of potting soil. It's my fault, of course; as it was available FOR him to steal, but still.

The kicker is, he asked my friend if my friend had any part time work. (That was his M.O., I guess...@@) My friend replied that, unfortunately, he didn't, but wished him luck finding something. I actually, for just a moment, thought about offering him $20 to unload and stack the bags of potting soil for me, but I DIDN'T WANT TO OFFEND HIM.

(No, I'm not kidding.)

And, anyway, my back was turned for...MAYBE...90 seconds and he got it. And, was seen with it by another person about 5 minutes later.

What a LOUSY week/weekend, it has been. The good news is that I had to exchange a few plants at one of the local home improvement centers and (of course) the receipt was in my purse. @@ They were VERY nice about it and helpful and they didn't have to be, so at least that was one bright spot. It was the Riverside Ace Hardware, in Macon, GA. Greg, the garden center manager, is always as helpful as can be and has really gone out of his way to order special items, etc. I do try to shop the Mom n' Pop places as often as possible, but sometimes ya' gotta' do what ya' gotta' do. And, when it's necessary, it's nice to know that some of the big box garden centers do seem to care. Also, the Rutland Ace in Macon, GA; is good. Kathy (Master Gardener) has also been really helpful in the past.

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Comments (8)

Iris GW
17 years ago
How very awful! That is truly disheartening. It's not just the loss of your purse but it really puts a little chink in your faith in fellow man.

I'm glad you had a small bright spot in the form of NICE people at Ace and it is good that you share that so that others might be encouraged to shop there.
mk87
Original Author
17 years ago
esh -- Yes, that is the worst thing...that little chink you mention. And, it is really difficult not to let something like this just make me a hard, uncaring person.

The Ace folks were great, I have to say. The only thing I wish (and this is true of lots of garden centers...not just them) is that they would put more information on the plant tags. If you get...say...a Monrovia tag from them, well, that has lots of detail. But, if you get something from one of their other growers, not so much. WHEN OH WHEN will I learn to keep my dang Southern Living Garden Book with me for looking things up??? They really ought to make a pocket-edition (don't see how though). :)
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girlgroupgirl
17 years ago
I'm so glad you have such nice things to say about Ace garden centers!
I agree about the tags that Ace provides us for marking the plants. Instead of using their guides, I turn them over and write on the back! We draw pictures of the flowers in the correct colors, and then discuss any culture or special features the plant has to offer and where it needs to be sited.

GGG
mk87
Original Author
17 years ago
GGG -- That's a really good idea!

I have a notebook with those plastic, looseleaf sheets for organizing 3x5 or 4x6 photos. They are about the right size for storing plant tags. (Although Monrovia ones have to be cut off at the bottom a little to fit.) If I get a lousy tag with very little detail from wherever, I still put it in there (so I can remember where I bought the plant), but I try to go online and print out whatever details I find there. Then, I fold it and put it behind the tag in the plastic sheet. It's not very pretty, but for most of the plants in my yard, I have some info. I also have a section for fertilizers I've used in the past. It is hard to remember the formula I like for a particular kind of plant (and I can never remember which number of the three is which). Walter Reeves has some kind of Saturday Night Fever dance that he uses to show people how to remember the numbers, but I still can't recall it when I need to! :)
amyta
17 years ago
Sorry to hear about your purse! I feel sufficiently warned about watching mine...once again. You do have a good attitude about it all. The glass half full and all...
Don't forget to notify your credit card companies. Maybe change your locks if he got your keys. It's lots of hassle.
mk87
Original Author
17 years ago
Thanks amyta -- yes, I have notified them and starting to get things back to normal. Hey...just for your knowledge...it was at a business in the Ridge/Ingleside area, so definitely watch out over there. Like I told my hubby, the worst thing about this is that the guy was successful...so he's just going to do it again...and probably in exactly the same area.
gayle710
17 years ago
Besides keeping a box full of plant tags and receipts, I find the most detailed info about my specific variety on line (Monrovia has really good pages about each plant, for example) and bookmark it into my favorites. I retitle it before I save it so that I can easily find the plant info I'm looking for.

Sorry about your purse. I hate it when someone disappoints me that way -- it can make me feel bad for days.

Something I started doing a few years back makes me feel better, though. I'm probably not the only one guilty of thinking nice things that I don't say. So now I make it a point to say something sincerely complimentary when I notice that a stranger's cologne smells great, or that they look pretty in that color, or that they have a great haircut or whatever. I get lots of surprised smiles and delighted thank yous, especially from older folks, and no one has ever been rude back. It makes ME feel good, and hopefully them, too.
mk87
Original Author
17 years ago
gayle -- Sorry I'm just getting around to respond...we've had a virus going around here and I enjoyed 3-4 days of it. Woo hoo! :)

Good idea about the bookmarks. I have SO much garden stuff bookmarked that I need to organize it anyway. I should have a favorites category just for plant information.

Yep...compliments are a great way to pass a smile along every day! Kudos to you for being the one to start it so often too! :)