November 7 - Shopping

Today Minardi got a green harness, ideal for Jeep riding, and I tested shopping. Yeah, it was a day off.

I got up, ultimately, around 6:30. The sun was already up, so I missed that, but I didn't feel all that bad and never did, all day. I wasn't very productive, but some little things got started and I did see that, as I'd sorta figured, the nice house across the lane (literal), is up for sale.

Next time I go to the mailbox, I'll check to see if it's the same guy who sold this place. It's Coldwell Banker, so it's the same company.

My morning coffee was decent. I haven't had a great-tasting cup since getting here, but they were always a fairly rare and random event. While enjoying it and the view, I made up a shopping list and tried to plan to get a lot done with Minardi.

He's not only very good at riding in the Jeep, he never complained about being left in it when I ran into the various stores. At first I felt bad about leaving him in the car (that lady shaming me when he and Mik came up for that first visit when I had to stop to get them water), but he gave no sign of complaining. As I tried to point out to him, it's better than being left at home.

I forgot to bring the measurements I'd made, but got some mini window blinds (which are the right size), a hacksaw for that mystery lock by the front gate, did some shopping at Big Lots for a dish drainer, at Food For Less to see what that's like, and a quick stop at Vons for coffee and Pets + for the harness.

It's ten miles from the intersection of 62 and 247 to Reche, and 12.1 from the intersection to my home. That's not really so bad, especially when you consider how quickly many of the miles can be covered.

I wasn't able to make any progress on the lock. Master, evidently, know what they're doing when the build even their cheap locks. I didn't even get half of one of the two brackets needed for one of the mini-blinds screwed to the wall before giving up because of difficulty seeing and driving the screw.

I did the dishes, pretty much for the first time, but where the things go in the kitchen has yet to be determined. I'm thinking it may be better to just put stuff away and worry about it later. If nothing else, moving stuff in and out of drawers and cabinets may give me a good excuse to clean things up, not that any of the cabinets need it yet.

I called Dish to see if I could get hold of Laurie (or Lori), and the guy I talked to seemed to know who I meant, but wasn't able to transfer me or, seemingly, send her a message to call me back. Last Friday, when I talked to her and signed up, she said she'd call me back and arrange for the Internet, but … well … I'm still without it, she hasn't called, and I need to figure out which company has the best price.

I got the phone number off the billboard on the corner of Reche and 62 and while planning my shopping, found great use for the Yellow Pages that were left here, which also include Internet companies. I guess I'll call the mystery people, HughesNet, and Dish tomorrow and see who can give me the best price for a 10Gb a month plan.

There were some clouds forming this afternoon, the first time I've seen any, and it's actually kinda cool now at 1630. One thing on my shopping list, moved over to shopping list 2, was a thermometer, just for kicks, and a clock.

Yeah, the stove and microwave each have a clock, but neither are easy to see. The biggest problem is the direction they're facing, but close behind is that they're both LED displays, which wash out in the sun.

I wish the Dish Hopper Receiver displayed the time, or even the channel, but all I get is a green LED and a red one if it's recording something. So, I need to get a cheap battery clock to put up over the front door.