Thanksgiving 2014 Part II

Before I dive into the rest of Turkey Day, here are a few moments from the last couple of days:
If you're having a little argument with your husband about 2 finial balls at each end of the curtain rod, keep talking about "balls" over and over in creative sentence structures while your 14 year old daughter is sitting there (and just vegging on the computer and not helping anyway) until she finally yells out, "will you stop talking about balls!"

Embarrassing teenagers. I should put it on my official list of hobbies! 

...and earlier that day...

Chris took the kids to the park for lunch and stuff and he wouldn't give Alexander a cookie until he finished his sandwich. Chris reports that Alexander then elected to fall on the ground, and cry out, "You ruined my life, Daddy!"

Okay, back to Thanksgiving. I think Alexander was slightly under the weather, because this was him (left) during the 15 minute drive to the Turkey Day event. It wasn't even noon yet. He felt a little warm, but he wasn't running a temperature.  He did have a rough morning. While I did the Turkey Run, there was a bounce house and stuff for the kids. Chris reported that Alexander wasn't having the kind of fun we would expect an almost four-year old would have at a bounce house.

We had a good time socializing and being a part of a large family Turkey Day. I certainly miss it. And to carry the tradition of family driving each other crazy, I even borrowed Billie's phone for a few moments and took the liberty to post an embarrassing Facebook status for her. (I mean, you have to have fun where it's available, right?)

 I'm only admitting this on here to see if she even reads my blog. 

Anyway, getting back to Alexander not quite feeling like his usual self, we took a chance at going to the movies after we feasted and socialized. Usually making it through a movie with Alexander is impossible. We rarely bother. In fact, Thanksgiving 2012 I only saw the first part of Wreck-It Ralph before Alexander and I left for a car ride. 

However, we tried it again this year. We took the kids to see Penguins of Madagascar, and it actually worked out! 

Following the movie...

 Yeah, too bad it worked out only because our X-man wasn't feeling 100%. When we got home, his temperature was slighty elevated (not by much...just around 99 degrees). And the next day he was back to normal. Maybe that little bone was thrown our way just to make Thanksgiving that much more manageable. I do look forward to the day that we can all go to the movies as a family (and all healthy) and not wonder how much of it we'll get through. :-) 

On the QT...Please!
This next part has nothing to do with Thanksgiving, but I, and thousands of other people would be extremely thankful if a QT (QuikTrip) was built up this way. An ideal location is  the junction of highways 60 and 74 in Morristown (about 7-8 miles southeast of Wickenburg), but no one would be complaining if a QT went up in the town of Wickenburg. Before we even moved here, I emailed the QT site and put in my opinion and suggested locations.  It didn't make sense why a QT wasn't here already.

After we moved here, it was even more apparent that a QT was long overdue. First of all, Wickenburg and Morristown has a plethora of pass-through traffic. People use this route between Phoenix and Las Vegas. And then the 74 junction off the 60 feeds more of that traffic from those coming to and from Interstate 17. And there are no gas stations on the 74 (Carefree Highway) between the 60 and Interstate 17. It's a beautiful drive though. No complaints about that.

And what makes a QT even more needed, is the ridiculous monopoly of Shell stations between Wickenburg and Surprise. There are three of them. And the two in Wickeneburg (or approaching Wickenburg) gouge the prices up the wazoo. Fifty cents more than 30 miles south in Surprise. Shell clearly takes advantage of the passerbys through town that do not realize if they stay on the 60 and head into Wickenburg, gas is cheaper (about 10-15 cents than the gouging Shell) at the Circle K. 

But the Circle K is cramped. It's a small parking lot and only two pumps.  If the pumps are occupied, there is no room to sit and wait for your turn. And it is a pain in the royal patootie to pull out of there back onto the road no matter what direction you're going. 

We are overdue for a QT. 

So why QT, Jill? Why not a Maverick?

I do like Maverick. But I haven't seen one this far south. I think Cottonwood is the furthest south I've seen one. But I can be wrong. I certainly have not gone on road trips just to scout out Mavericks. And I obviously haven't googled all their locations. 

So again, why QT? Well, there are a lot of reasons. First of all, QT has the nicest and cleanest bathrooms of any convenience store. Sorry, but it's important to me. And two, they're FAST at check-out. They don't mess around. Someone who prefers things done and fast (like me) loves that. Okay, that means I'm impatient. Well, QT caters to how impatient I am and it's awesome. 

Also, QT gas prices are very competitive with the lowest in the area as per their geographical location. A QT would definitely send a message to the Shell. 

Anyway, I figured that just emailing or submitting potential building site ideas to the QT website wasn't going to get their attention. 

Therefore, a couple of weeks ago, I sent them art:

And yes, I did draw the Shell logos as if they're flipping us off. That's exactly what those Shells are doing!

Yeah, I could have sent it to their Real Estate department in Phoenix. But I decided to send it to the main head honchos in Tulsa. 

I received this e-mail two days after I mailed my, um, request:

Good Morning,

I received your site submittal (artwork) in the mail today.  I appreciate you letting us know about the need for a QT in either Morristown or Wickenburg.  I’ve received hundreds of site submittals but this is the first that I would classify as a piece of art.  As a past resident of Peoria, I’m somewhat familiar with both Wickenburg and Morristown and I’ll be glad to ask our Director of Real Estate for the Phoenix area to see if there’s a location in either spot that would make a good location for QuikTrip.

I’ve decided not to send your artwork to our Phoenix folks. (I sent a scan of it instead.)  The wall of my office is covered with maps showing QT locations across the country.  Your artwork is now on my Phoenix map so it reminds me to discuss this with our Phoenix team the next time I’m in town.  (See attached photo)

I hope we can get a store closer to you in the near future.

Thanks, Jeff

Jeff Thoene
Vice-President of Real Estate 
QuikTrip Corporation

A Fortune 100 "Best Companies to Work For"

4705 South 129th East Avenue

Tulsa, OK  74134-7008

And here is a picture he sent of the map of the Phoenix area in his office with my artwork added! LOL!

I don't know if my strategy works to accomplish the objective to acquire a QuickTrip up this way, but I did get their attention. Hey, it's something, right? Sometimes one has to resort to unconventional and creative matters to make a point.

Oh, one more thing on the QT issue. On Thanksgiving, Billie and I were talking about the QT need in Morristown and/or Wickenburg and she reported to me that there is a QT in Thatcher. 

THATCHER. 

Okay, that's great for the Thatcher people. But there isn't nearly as much traffic going through the Safford and Thatcher area as there is in Morristown and Wickenburg. 

I was almost incensed to find out that Thatcher has one and we don't. Someone at the Phoenix QT Real Estate office is clearly missing something!  

Anyway, on that note, I'm a little freaked that it's December now. So much to do!  

Until next time.