Nice We're Having Weather

Chilly and windy and wet though it may be. I needed a shower curtain liner to act as a wind break for the curtain doggy door. I shopped Wal-Mart first. $8.99. Then I had to stop at Dollar Tree to pick up more salad olives...tried some the other day and liked them. Found the same shower curtain liners, different label, for $1.00. Oy Vey! Wal-Mart is going to get a return. I browsed Dollar Tree pretty deeply getting stuff located. Lots of food-canned, etc, for less than a buck. New shopping pattern: Make the List, Dollar Tree, then K-Mart and then Wal-Mart. K-Mart had some bodacious Big-Tall and Fat men's clothes (the only game in town for us outsized types)at 30% off. Did you know,despite their carefully contrived advertising, Wal-Mart's prices are only cheaper on about 20% of their stock? K-Mart is cheaper on many items and has a wider "good, better, best," selection. Ace Hardware frequently beats Wally-world too. Shopping is much more pleasant at K-Mart and at Ace they actually ask if they can help you. But it is still Caveat Emptor-they all have their tricks.

I spent a lot of time on the phone with Verizon. My Motorola Q went south the other day. "Did you know the Native American phrase is "went East?")I had reluctantly bought the insurance for the handset. Asurion responded with a replacement that wouldn't sync with my computer. I had a really good Verizon techie from Arizona who is also a dog lover and who recently had a tree fall on her house during a big storm. AZ has also had a lot of rain this year. We tried everything and she cleared the path to call Asurion again. Since the Q is now out of stock, I will get the newer model-tomorrow. I wish I felt like rejoicing but I had a lot extras installed and liked my Q. I just wish it worked. I asked the Asurion tech which smartphone is most reliable. He said the Palm Treo. He was also a peach- a nice Tennessee boy with a lot of yessirs who nonetheless appreciated my sense of humor.

The doggies had a good run this morning and since Honey barked all night long last night, she is taking this night off and is sleeping contentedly at my side. Buster is under the table. And with this picture of cozy domesticity, rain on the roof, dogs at hand, basking in the warmth of a glowing computer screen I will bid you adieu.