Marie drove our truck to work, as usual, but I needed some stuff so I borrowed Mom’s car. I wasn’t going to be hauling lumber or anything.
I wanted a surge-suppressor, power strip for my new desk. I’d found one on Amazon: a Belkin model with 8 outlets spaced so at least one will work with a power brick and not cover another plug and it has a 90° wall-plug so it will allow the desk to sit closer to the wall. Good price too, but will take a week or so to get here and I have to pay shipping unless I order $35.00 worth of stuff to get the free shipping. I didn’t need $35 worth of stuff and it really rankles me to pay $6.00 shipping on a $9.00 item.
I looked on the (cringe) Wal-Mart web site. It showed a 6 outlet model of the same brand. It was on sale (being closed out, quantity limited) but it showed the Newport store carried it and had some in stock.
Wal-Mart was my first stop.
I wandered around in the electronics area until I located the power strip display. They did not have the strip I wanted, they did not have ANY Belkin products. What they did have wasn’t even close to what I wanted.
I was going to purchase a couple of other items at Wal-Mart, but I could get them elsewhere, so I left the store mumbling, “Should have known better than to trust the WallyWorld web site. It’s NEVER right.” I thought about going to customer service with my print-out that shows the item being in stock at the Newport store, but knew they’d just shrug it off. I’ve been down that road before. I didn’t need the extra frustration. Just let it go.
I went across the road to Lowe’s.
I located the power strips. They didn’t have any Belkin: no surprise there. They did have a model that had most of the features I wanted in the Belkin and was reasonably priced: More than Amazon but less than Amazon and shipping. And I could have it now.
I went off in search of the Great Stuff foam. I encountered a couple of employs standing in an aisle, one offered to help. I asked about the great stuff. He was leaning on it. Snagged a can. “Anything else?”
“D-Con?”
“It isn’t made any more, thanks to our government.”
“Really?!” That was disappointing, D-Con has been my favored brand for decades.
“Yeah, seems it worked so well it violated the mice’s rights or something goofy.”
I asked about an alternative. He said Lowe’s carries Tom Cat brand, but it doesn’t work. He likes the Havoc brand that the Co-op carries. It doesn’t work as fast as D-Con but eventually it gets the job done. I thanked him and went to pay for my two items.
Next on the list was Tractor Supply: I needed dog supplies.
We’ve been feeding our dogs a salmon and potato formula kibble that they just love. It’s made by 4-Health; a company I’ve checked out (based in Ohio) who makes their own product in a responsible manner and guarantees the nutrition value. We’ve been buying that brand for years and have been happy with it.
I got to the 4-Health section — no Salmon and Potato.They had several new combinations, but not the salmon. (sigh)
There was a blow-up a while back when the FDA legalized GMO Salmon to be sold in the USA without labeling it as such. Some commercial buyers said they’d just cut the salmon products from their lines. Maybe that’s what happened, I don’t know. I got them the Duck and Potato formula instead.
All summer I’d been feeding them the Chicken and Rice formula to help them get their weight under control. That worked. When they were back to their proper weights I switched them to the salmon as a reward… but only as long as they continue to run and keep themselves fit. They said they would. So far they are keeping their word:
Next stop was the Co-op. I asked the guy at the counter where the Havoc mouse bait was. He squinted at me and said, “You want’n this fer home use?”
“Yes.”
“Well, the Havoc pellets only come in a big drum and it costs sixty some-odd dollars. That what you want?”
Dang, another strike-out?
“No, I don’t think so. The fella at Lowe’s said he buys it from you in brick form.”
“Oh, that! That’s over here.”
He showed me where they had gallon sized bags of the Havoc bricks (about 1¼” square by 7/8″ thick) for around 30 dollars. Still a lot for mouse bait, but the last time I bought D-Con I bought a case of the paper packets because the clerk said they were discontinuing those. I used up most of them getting rid of a wave of rats in the workshop. I need something …
A quick stop at Food City to get Mom some milk then refill her car with gas and I head on home.
I didn’t want to have to lug all that stuff up from Mom’s house so I thought I’d have a shot at getting her 1980’s LeBaron with front wheel drive up our steep drive. I would not even consider it if not for the front wheel drive and big V-6 engine to give the wheels weight and grip. It was a little hairy, but it clawed its way up up there without digging ditches in the gravel. Not something I want to make a habit of, but it worked out this time.
So I came home with everything I set out to get, just had to settle for some substitutions on the things that just weren’t available. That’s better than coming home empty-handed, I suppose.
