Courtesy --- Are you out there?

By Tammy Danielson

Mon, Jun 18th, 2012
Posted in All Columnists

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Have you ever bumped into someone at the mall or in an elevator and said, “Oh, I’m sorry” and never get a reply from that person? Have you ever been on a sidewalk or hallway that allows for one body to get by so you stop to let the other person pass and you also say, “excuse me” and the other person keeps on walking without a word? Well, it has happened to me and my frustration meter has been at an all-time high lately due to the simple courtesies that tend to be ignored.

If you are checking out at the store, don’t you think the sales clerk should offer a hello first and possibly add a “How are you today?” It is totally baffling to me that I am the first person, as the customer, to greet the checkout person or say hello to the store employee in the same shopping lane who catches my eye and then turns away. It is very refreshing to go to a store when greeting the customer is part of their culture and smiling comes naturally. As a parent, we can only hope that the values and courtesies we extend will wear off on our children---even when we are not around or asking them to be courteous!

So, with that said, as we celebrated my son’s 13th birthday recently at a local restaurant, it was heartwarming to hear him say, “Hey mom, that waiter is really good!” When I asked him why he thought that, he went on to say that the waiter was really nice and friendly and wanted to let him know he was doing a great job. I mentioned to my son that maybe he wanted to let the manager know instead…since it is always good for your boss to hear you are doing a good job.

Well, he took that to heart and asked for the manager and so he could share his opinion. The manager thanked him and let him know that employees who receive customer compliments are presented with a service pin to wear on their uniform. She then asked my son if he wanted to present the pin to the waiter. Dylin was right on that and said, “absolutely” and also rang the Good Service bell as we left the restaurant.

So, am I bragging here? A bit, but mostly, I am very pleased to see my son recognize the good in other people and want to see people acknowledged for doing good. At my day job, a measurement of success would be that all of my employees feel valued and I am just very proud that my son carries that special trait as well. Granted, that child is the same one who complained quite a few years ago that Santa had read his list wrong and messed up Christmas….Hey, I take what I can get. Ha.

Thank you to Barb Yetter for submitting her Zesty Italian Hotdish for the Working Mom Hot Dish Contest in April. Barb was our first place winner!

My new Guacamole Dip- for those who love avocados

•Chop well and add to bowl: ½ cup onion, 3 avocado, 3 Roma tomatoes, 1 jalapeno, 2 stalks celery, 8-10 mini sweet peppers (come in a mixed bag of red, yellow, and orange)

•Mash and add: 1 avocado + 1 tbsp lemon/lime juice

•Also add: 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp fresh garlic, 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar, ¼ tsp cayenne pepper, salt & pepper to taste

The best with fresh deep-fried corn tortilla chips or used on chicken as a fresh salsa.

Zesty Italian Hotdish

½ to 1 lb ground beef

¼ C chopped onion

1 envelope dry spaghetti sauce mix

1 8 oz. can tomato sauce

2 C shredded mozzarella cheese

½ C sour cream

1 8 Oz. can refrigerator crescent rolls

1/3 C parmesan cheese

2 tbsp melted butter

Brown the ground beef and onion, drain. Stir in the dry spaghetti sauce mix and tomato sauce and heat to boiling. Place the combined meat/sauce mixture in a 9 x 13 cake pan. Spread sour cream over meat mixture. Next, layer the mozzarella cheese over meat and sour cream. Unroll the crescent rolls and lay over the cheese. Combine the parmesan cheese and melted butter and pour evenly on top of the crescent rolls. Bake at 350 degrees for 18-25 minutes. Serves 12

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