Counterfeit Christmas

Well as I've already posted, I just returned from Nashville visiting family. We had our annual Christmas gathering and I got to see some family I hadn't seen in two years. It's always great to see them!

Last year my parents got me a gift certificate to Michael's for Christmas, but this year since I didn't want anything in particular they just decided to give me cash. I held onto it for a while, but finally got around to taking it to the bank. I'm saving for a kick butt camera and if I kept it in my purse it was gonna burn right through.

Imagine, if you will, my surprise, when the teller informs me that one of the $50 bills I'm attempting to deposit is a counterfeit!!! They used one of those color change pens that indicate if it's legit or not. So now, I'm stuck in this waiting game! I get to wait 30 days to see if their fraud division determines if in fact is truly a counterfeit bill. I mean what a mood quasher!

I hated to call my parents to tell them. Mainly because I know my mom. She'll feel bad that her gift wasn't good and want to replace it. I can't seem to get her to realize that it was the thought that counts and not to replace it. I just don't want her to pay for someone else's screw up! The bills she gave me came STRAIGHT FROM THE BANK! I can't believe that the bank passed a bogus bill and there's no possible recourse.

So ... I suppose today I'm going out to buy one of those darn counterfeit detecting pens and mark every bill someone hands me (not family though). I don't want to be like that but by golly if they make me wait while they do my bills when buying groceries, then I'm gonna make them wait while I check what they give me back! I don't care much for being screwed over.... especially when it comes to money.

I just feel so bad for my mom, because now she feels guilty and it's not her fault. I would have never mentioned it to her, but I knew that she had more bills at home from that same transaction .... my sisters present.

Anyhow, gonna end this post and try to make a happy one next.