10-12-11 Wednesday (The Lord Visits Walmart)

Yesterday I unpacked 2 huge boxes in the kitchen.   Jim and I call serving dishes, chaffing dishes, etc "serveware".   We've amassed quite a collection over the years.  We like to entertain. 

 

I unpacked the boxes and washed what I had room for knowing that today I'd be able to complete the rest. Success!  It was a big job.  I washed everything and then found a home for it all.  Here’s the stuff, keep in mind that some of it was put away before the photo was taken.  Oy:

 

The Artimino Crystal flatware got cleaned and put away too.  Here’s a photo and blog entry about it from December.  We’re still looking for another set since we only have service for 4.  If anyone sees it in a Dillard’s or somewhere, please let us know!

 

 

I went grocery shopping.  Well, actually first I returned a bunch of stuff.    Oh the joys of moving into a new place... returns.  It's all about buying stuff, taking it home, not liking it, not the right color, incorrect fit or whatever and then returning it.  In fact, we do this so much during the new home process that we keep returns with receipts in a Rubbermaid Tote to await it's return to the store.  Really. 

 

Returns... that brings me to a rant.  You'll only understand or perhaps even sympathize with me if you shop at Walmart.  When you walk in the door with a return, the greeter swoops in, has to scan each item, punch a few things into his scanner gun to get it to print a sticker.  Meanwhile, the tiny printer doesn't do anything and ya just have to wait.  Finally a sticker pops out of a tiny printer.  Inevitably, the greeter has difficulty peeling back the sticker from the wax paper.  This becomes a process.  He/she then points you into the direction of the service desk.  Are you with me so far?

 

So the other day I walk into Walmart with 7,878,857 little furniture protector cushions and shelf grip that Jim bought in OVER-preparation of the move.  With the protectors, some throw rugs, and other things I no longer wanted, it must have been about 20 different items.  Now referring to the paragraph above about the return process and combine that with my 20 item return equals me throwing a little attitude.  Just a smidgen.  I purposely went into the entrance closest to the service desk and when Mr. Greeter intercepted me I explained that I had too many items for him to scan and that I'd be going directly to the service desk that was 25 feet away.  He said OK, but he was annoyed, I could tell.  I then went to the service desk and she immediately asked where my stickers were.  I explained that I wouldn't let him sticker everything because I had so much.  She said... ready?  "Lord have mercy."  I couldn't believe she said that.  She might as well said, "oh boy, here we go."  Her name was Alice.  At least twice I reminded her that if she had a problem helping me then to call a manager.  Twice she went silent.  After our transaction, I did eventually complain to a manager.

So today, I made returns.  6 of them.  I let the door dude scan everything.  It took forever.  It's like punishment for making a return.  Scan, push some buttons, print a sticker, affix sticker, repeat.  Once it didn't print and he had to do it over but then it printed 2 stickers.  Ugh.  Alice was not my service desk worker this time.

 

The other evening while Jim and I were driving home, a fox trotted across the road.  Trotted.  Get it?  Anyway, it crossed the road ahead of us.  Jim has spotted one several months ago and I was bummed I didn't get to see it.  Now I'm happy... in case you wondered.

 

Above: Not the actual fox we saw.

 

Speaking of wild life, today while running errands I saw bulls.  With horns.  Big bulls.  Big horns.  Only a few miles away from the house!  I didn't get any photos but next time I'll be ready.

 

Thursday night, Jim removed the coat closet shelving and created a coat closet slash appliance storage:

 

Above: Jim mess of tools for the project.

 

 

Above: Coat half

Below: Appliance half

 

Jim double stacked the coat closet which, wait for it… doubles the hanging space.  The pantry has more room for things we don’t need or have.  In the end, we’ll have empty unused space but not to worry, all the while I’ll be thinking, “I have extra space and you don’t.”