I may or may not have mentioned it, but I'm not too fond of retailers asking me for my phone number when I buy something. Lowe's does it regularly; Sears did when I bought the vacuum cleaner. It must be that it's their policy with credit card purchases. (I make very few credit card purchases.) There is a very creepy, NSA-type vibe to it. More to the point, it's just socially wrong. You do not ask a stranger for their phone number, nor do you share your phone number with strangers. I realize that they're trying to protect John M. Dantzler against somebody stealing his credit card, but what are the odds that that hypothetical thief would use his stolen card to buy an HVAC filter or a vacuum cleaner on clearance?
If they want to say to their clientele that they think we're all thieves and brigands, fine, but I think they would do better just to have a sign saying that all credit card purchasers must show ID. I would prefer that strongly. I suspect that they run up against the fact that people get credit cards exactly so they don't have to show ID, as when paying by check. But I think Lowe's especially should think twice about putting their tellers in the awkward social situation of asking strangers for their numbers. Meanwhile, I'm trying to be less rude about declining. I've progressed from, "What on Earth makes it any of Lowe's business?" to "I don't feel comfortable sharing that information." Of course, a simple "What's yours?" would probably make the point better.
Thursday, July 31, 2014
Wednesday, July 30, 2014
Microwave
For those what don't care for smart phones, well, here's a positive experience type anecdote. Yesterday my 93-year-old dad told me that his 93-year-old sweetheart was having trouble with the microwave and asked me if I could help. I noted that I hadn't had any truck with a microwave in 6 years or so, but said I'd certainly try. I plugged it back in (no, that wasn't the problem; she was just being cautious) and tried it and immediately got an error code. She had lost the manual years ago, so I looked up the error code online and within a minute, found that replacing the broken part (the magnetron, basically the whole microwave) would cost $200 or more than she had paid for the microwave in the first place. So there.
Today I had a dental appointment and the office called and asked if I could come in early and I said sure. Margaret called and asked if I could bring the microwave in from her daughter's car, as her daughter has a bad shoulder. I had time, so I said sure again. It was fun feeling like the strong man; it was a very light microwave. We got it out of the box and installed and gave it a trial run and I took the old microwave and box out to the curb (or kerb, or whatever). I still had time to make it to the dentist early even for being early, which worked out nicely. I actually left before my original appointment time rolled around.
For those what enjoy hearing about me being an idiot as much as I enjoy telling it, stay tuned: I completely forgot what the round clear glass plate (turntable) was for and was trying to find a way to put it under the microwave. They were totally bewildered by this, which is certainly understandable. I TOLD you it had been a long time since I used a microwave!
Today I had a dental appointment and the office called and asked if I could come in early and I said sure. Margaret called and asked if I could bring the microwave in from her daughter's car, as her daughter has a bad shoulder. I had time, so I said sure again. It was fun feeling like the strong man; it was a very light microwave. We got it out of the box and installed and gave it a trial run and I took the old microwave and box out to the curb (or kerb, or whatever). I still had time to make it to the dentist early even for being early, which worked out nicely. I actually left before my original appointment time rolled around.
For those what enjoy hearing about me being an idiot as much as I enjoy telling it, stay tuned: I completely forgot what the round clear glass plate (turntable) was for and was trying to find a way to put it under the microwave. They were totally bewildered by this, which is certainly understandable. I TOLD you it had been a long time since I used a microwave!
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
Now with the water
There are three bowls of water for the cats. It's filtered, it's clean, it's even cold since the bowls are porcelain. OK, pretty cold. There are also two bowls of food. One of the bowls of food is in a larger bowl with water in it and there's old scuzzy olive oil in the water. All this is to discourage ants, who have overrun Amelia's food (well, it was Amelia's food then) in the past.
I bet you can see where I'm going with this. New cat, the one I thought was the smart one, drank of the skeevy olive oil water instead of from the other three bowls. Even Amelia never did this. Now, I can think of a good reason for this. One of the kibbles fell in the water yesterday, so in the overnight hours, that same water would have been full of meaty goodness. I had just cleaned the bowl, though, so it was quite kibble-free. Hopefully he's learned his lesson. Bets, though, are that he'll knock another kibble in the water and drink out of it again. He is after all the smart one.
I bet you can see where I'm going with this. New cat, the one I thought was the smart one, drank of the skeevy olive oil water instead of from the other three bowls. Even Amelia never did this. Now, I can think of a good reason for this. One of the kibbles fell in the water yesterday, so in the overnight hours, that same water would have been full of meaty goodness. I had just cleaned the bowl, though, so it was quite kibble-free. Hopefully he's learned his lesson. Bets, though, are that he'll knock another kibble in the water and drink out of it again. He is after all the smart one.
Monday, July 28, 2014
The war at home
The good news is that Amelia has determined that hissing at Harry isn't very effective. The bad news is that she has decided that chasing him is more effective. This of course is also good news, since at 11 she needs the exercise. Also it's very funny.
Yesterday went quietly, which was very good. The temperature outside reached 100. Bets are that cats evolved in Africa, so they ought to do well in this weather. Then again, so did we, and we don't do well when it's 100 outside. So what I'm saying is that I'm glad I didn't have to worry about Harry outside. He was an indoor kitty for a record 15 hours straight. I did give him two chances to go out, but he stuck his head out and thought better of it both times. This buttresses my claim that Harry is a smart cat.
In all that time, Amelia only hissed at him once. He left at 5:30 in the morning (I have little tolerance for Mrrrr-OW! Mrrrr-OW! Mrrrr-OW! at that hour.) And he was back two hours later. And Amelia chased him out (almost literally) two hours after that.
He's been in for the last 3 hours straight, and things have been peaceful. I hope they stay that way, since it's headed toward 100 again today. Starting tomorrow, things get cooler again, so I can wait more patiently for the growth of fraternal/sororal feelings. Or for a diplomat to show up.
Yesterday went quietly, which was very good. The temperature outside reached 100. Bets are that cats evolved in Africa, so they ought to do well in this weather. Then again, so did we, and we don't do well when it's 100 outside. So what I'm saying is that I'm glad I didn't have to worry about Harry outside. He was an indoor kitty for a record 15 hours straight. I did give him two chances to go out, but he stuck his head out and thought better of it both times. This buttresses my claim that Harry is a smart cat.
In all that time, Amelia only hissed at him once. He left at 5:30 in the morning (I have little tolerance for Mrrrr-OW! Mrrrr-OW! Mrrrr-OW! at that hour.) And he was back two hours later. And Amelia chased him out (almost literally) two hours after that.
He's been in for the last 3 hours straight, and things have been peaceful. I hope they stay that way, since it's headed toward 100 again today. Starting tomorrow, things get cooler again, so I can wait more patiently for the growth of fraternal/sororal feelings. Or for a diplomat to show up.
Sunday, July 27, 2014
Vacoom
(Subject line comes from a series of Friskies (I think) commercials a couple of people sent to me. Possibly they were online only, I wouldn't know. In them, the old cat is explaining to the kitten about life. In one, he tells of the vacoom: "It eats and yells at the same time." Pretty funny. Also true.)
I searched "quietest vacuum" and found out pretty quickly that the Roomba, which I had been coveting, is pretty universally panned. This was OK with me; I wasn't coveting it all that much. What I wanted was a quiet vacuum, but one that I didn't have to get everything off the floor for all the time. The kitties need their junk on the floor after all.
I found a Consumer Reports article from 2010. It named a number of high-price vacuums, but also noted that Kenmore from Sears had a couple that were only moderately insanely priced. Oh that's right; I blithered about this the other day. So I went to Sears.
Short version is that the one they recommended most strongly, which was almost as good as the insanely expensive models, was on the floor in the clearance area. From $600, it was marked down to $300. (It was actually marked down further; I got it for $260 including tax and bags.) The purchase was an adventure. The elderly sales clerk, who sounded like '60s character actor John Fiedler, was nervous as a deacon in a cathouse. However, he did demonstrate the model for me and showed me how to use its many features. Then he forgot to unplug it. Then he couldn't work the cash register because I swiped my card prematurely. Then he taped the attachment part to the canister when applying the Sears tape that showed that I wasn't shoplifting the vacuum. ("You SAID 'clearance'!") But we got the job done.
He suggested I carry the attachment and let the canister roll behind, which was very, very funny since it followed like a little dog, which is to say erratically. Once I was out of his view, I just carried the whole thing; I'm all for looking like an idiot, but in moderation. Anyway, now I have a new toy.
I haven't actually tried it out yet. He demonstrated it and it was certainly quieter than my old one, though not anything one could mistake for quiet. I hope Amelia at least hates and fears it less. And I hope it works better. I've already heard that I'm crazy for spending this much ("You need a girlfriend!" though I have no idea what this means) but apparently it's true that black cats are more allergenic than white ones. My eyes and Amelia's are worse since Harry started being around even though he's short-haired and not fluffy at all. Hopefully the new one will make the situation better, or be quiet enough that I can vacuum oftener. We will see.
I searched "quietest vacuum" and found out pretty quickly that the Roomba, which I had been coveting, is pretty universally panned. This was OK with me; I wasn't coveting it all that much. What I wanted was a quiet vacuum, but one that I didn't have to get everything off the floor for all the time. The kitties need their junk on the floor after all.
I found a Consumer Reports article from 2010. It named a number of high-price vacuums, but also noted that Kenmore from Sears had a couple that were only moderately insanely priced. Oh that's right; I blithered about this the other day. So I went to Sears.
Short version is that the one they recommended most strongly, which was almost as good as the insanely expensive models, was on the floor in the clearance area. From $600, it was marked down to $300. (It was actually marked down further; I got it for $260 including tax and bags.) The purchase was an adventure. The elderly sales clerk, who sounded like '60s character actor John Fiedler, was nervous as a deacon in a cathouse. However, he did demonstrate the model for me and showed me how to use its many features. Then he forgot to unplug it. Then he couldn't work the cash register because I swiped my card prematurely. Then he taped the attachment part to the canister when applying the Sears tape that showed that I wasn't shoplifting the vacuum. ("You SAID 'clearance'!") But we got the job done.
He suggested I carry the attachment and let the canister roll behind, which was very, very funny since it followed like a little dog, which is to say erratically. Once I was out of his view, I just carried the whole thing; I'm all for looking like an idiot, but in moderation. Anyway, now I have a new toy.
I haven't actually tried it out yet. He demonstrated it and it was certainly quieter than my old one, though not anything one could mistake for quiet. I hope Amelia at least hates and fears it less. And I hope it works better. I've already heard that I'm crazy for spending this much ("You need a girlfriend!" though I have no idea what this means) but apparently it's true that black cats are more allergenic than white ones. My eyes and Amelia's are worse since Harry started being around even though he's short-haired and not fluffy at all. Hopefully the new one will make the situation better, or be quiet enough that I can vacuum oftener. We will see.
Saturday, July 26, 2014
Ungodlier in Olympia
Thursday, it turns out, there was a double murder two blocks from here. Apparently, it was the result of a drug deal gone wrong. As I'm not involved in any drug deals, I don't feel too threatened, but it is a bit alarming. Also it was in a house where Margaret and her husband once lived, decades back though as I understand it. A nice-looking house still, probably nicer looking than this one; it has also been subdivided into two apartments, so not quite like Margaret remembered it.
To be honest, I've wanted to move out of here since I moved in, not because it's a dangerous neighborhood (it isn't) but because of the trains impeding navigation and seven home football games a year eating seven Saturdays. I can't say that having a murder two blocks away makes me any more inclined to move. As has been pointed out to me, it can happen anywhere. It does, however, give me a ready-made excuse if I decide to go. I think it was more scarring for Margaret than for me. We're all very relieved that the rocket-scientist perpetrator is in custody thanks to whacking into numerous cars on the Interstate. A criminal genius, he is.
I did go get the expensive vacuum yesterday; I will endeavor to blither about this tomorrow.
To be honest, I've wanted to move out of here since I moved in, not because it's a dangerous neighborhood (it isn't) but because of the trains impeding navigation and seven home football games a year eating seven Saturdays. I can't say that having a murder two blocks away makes me any more inclined to move. As has been pointed out to me, it can happen anywhere. It does, however, give me a ready-made excuse if I decide to go. I think it was more scarring for Margaret than for me. We're all very relieved that the rocket-scientist perpetrator is in custody thanks to whacking into numerous cars on the Interstate. A criminal genius, he is.
I did go get the expensive vacuum yesterday; I will endeavor to blither about this tomorrow.
Friday, July 25, 2014
Pressure
I saw a small calico cat dead on Olympia Avenue yesterday morning. It certainly made me feel more pressure to convert Harry into an indoor cat somehow. Still, not infinite pressure; he mainly seems to want to hang around on my street, the much less dangerous Ohio Street. Indeed, he MAINLY seems to want to hang out on my back porch. And he's very smart, and very wary, and very wily, and very, very, very fast. Maybe I should worry about the cars instead.
We're making the usual two steps forward, one back. Amelia had quit hissing at Harry, but resumed, so I put him out again. I see no evidence of misbehavior on his part; more just that she resents his existence. Also, in a week he's gone from smaller than her to larger than her, which must be alarming. Well, he was already taller and longer than her, but he's almost certainly passed her in weight, or anyway will soon. His Starvin' Marvin days are definitely behind him.
One thing that would make it easier to make him an inside cat would be if I could find a quiet vacuum. Unfortunately, the cheap ones cost $350. Mostly, they are Kenmore, a Sears brand. So far, I've looked at KMart and they didn't carry any of the quiet models mentioned by Consumer Reports. I think there's still a Sears in town, so I'll go look later. It would be nice if I could keep the place clean and our allergies under control without also scaring the hell out of the cats twice a week. I wonder if anybody could sell me kitty earmuffs?
We're making the usual two steps forward, one back. Amelia had quit hissing at Harry, but resumed, so I put him out again. I see no evidence of misbehavior on his part; more just that she resents his existence. Also, in a week he's gone from smaller than her to larger than her, which must be alarming. Well, he was already taller and longer than her, but he's almost certainly passed her in weight, or anyway will soon. His Starvin' Marvin days are definitely behind him.
One thing that would make it easier to make him an inside cat would be if I could find a quiet vacuum. Unfortunately, the cheap ones cost $350. Mostly, they are Kenmore, a Sears brand. So far, I've looked at KMart and they didn't carry any of the quiet models mentioned by Consumer Reports. I think there's still a Sears in town, so I'll go look later. It would be nice if I could keep the place clean and our allergies under control without also scaring the hell out of the cats twice a week. I wonder if anybody could sell me kitty earmuffs?
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