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Sigh. Sometimes, things just don't go as planned.
My most critical errands did, at least. But I am a stressy, !happy Laura right now. Getting better by the moment, though.
Work came first, and work was not really bad. I got one item complete, and another item complete but for testing (best case on that second one was half a day, worst was 2 days, and I think it took about 4-6 hours so far; so I'm only "on track" but I will take "on track" thank you very much!). Plus, I'm not on call any more for a while.
After work, I deposited a refund check for overpaying an account (always a nice surprise, really) and then headed up to the Gardens. Urf. Mistake one. I got there around 5, on a Monday but in July, I must grant. They were worse than summer Saturdays usually are. There was a group with six or so adults and too many kids at the gate; some kids were running, some were behaving, some were whining and screaming. Ugh. All eight and under, and I don't think any were actually eight. I got a few moments of solitude here and there, but only moments, and I had to tune out the kids (there were numerous groups with younger children in the gardens, and they were running, screaming, whining, laughing, etc. I can live with laughing, but as for the rest, for goodness sakes, people, take them to the playground if they're hyper - it is just up the bloody street). I could not actually stroll through the strolling pond gardens because a bratling was trying to pull a teenager over one bridge, and he was refusing to go and saying they'd wait there for the others, and indeed they did, and blocked the bridge the whole time; and the other was blocked by a couple who were waiting for this guy to move and were not willing to get off their bridge to let others by. I turned and went back up the Moon Bridge and completely missed the lower pond and waterfall, only to find the group with the kid-and-teen combo coming up on my ass as I was barely into the natural garden. So, I sat on the bench and let them pass me, and made myself be contemplative, and waited for them to go away. This time, the same kid stopped on a bridge, staring down at the pond. "Fishies!" Now, this, I consider a legitimate reason for stopping on a bridge. This his teen watch-dog was not interested in, and so the kid got dragged off still calling for fishies and trying to go back.
Some people. If that particular kid had been let do what he wanted in each instance, I'd've had no problem with it. Sheesh. It sort of went like that. When it wasn't the kids, it was the adults, having conversations much too loud. I can understand discussing the different plants as you stroll through, if you are looking for ideas for your yard. However, save the projection for when you're on stage. The entire bloody strolling pond garden and clear to the tea house and maybe the gift shop could have not only heard you, but understood you! :P
Left the gardens early and grumpily, as it just kept getting worse. Air-conditioned car and drive back in stop-and-go traffic was a relief, that's how bad the Gardens were. Stopped at Lowe's and then Home Depot looking for foam for where the portable AC tube goes to the window. Not sure which one I am more upset with. At Lowe's, I paced off the whole store, failed to find it, went to customer service, and could not get anyone to wait on me. One employee caught my eye, then turned away and started chatting with a coworker about something. And I was still dressed for work, businesslike, and trying to get someone to come help me. I gave up on them and walked out. They might even have what I needed, but they've lost my business over that crap.
Went to Home Depot. Skipped the walking as I was already irritated. Went straight to customer service. There was one young lady handling the counter; she had customers already. Within ten seconds, she had the person they really needed on her way up front and had turned to me, and summoned over two separate people to help me. Alas, they first tried to show me the sort of foam strips you use to anchor the in-window AC's (apparently, passing on a full explanation is beyond these people), and then when I explained what I really needed, I got, "We have plexiglass." Stared at her for a bit, then said, "I need foam. I can't put a hole the shape of the vent tube in plexiglass." I didn't think plexiglass would offer much insulation either, but, I skipped that. Well, but all the ACs they sell use plexiglass, I was told. They have the hole already cut.
So, they can't help me, so I leave. On the one hand, they're annoying and not quick to understand and they didn't have what I wanted. On the other, they got me that information quickly and I got to leave. It took me less time to get in, get my non-answer, and get out than I spent standing at the Lowe's counter trying to get one of their customer disservice folks to help me. As such, I'll go back to Home Depot next time I need something and hope they have it.
But I still don't have a new foam piece. I'd like one, as I'd like it to fit the window; trimming the existing pieces to fit the bedroom window means they only sort-of-fit this window. Trimming them to fit here, due to the size of the difference, would be hard and permanently ruin them for the other. I am not amused.
From there back into traffic nightmare and a stop at Albertson's. When I needed milk, I went to Lamb's, since Albertson's doesn't have my milk in the right size. I'd wanted lemon sorbet then too, but Lamb's was having a sale on it and was totally out. Oh, well, easy enough to get at Albertson's when I do most of the grocery shopping...except, they were having a sale on it, and were totally out. *weeps* This did at least cause me to laugh later. As I walked out to the car, I was glaring down at my bag of frozens, which didn't have sorbet, and I muttered, "Will you idiots please stop putting my favorite sorbet on sale?" Even then, even irritated, I rather had to concede the absurdity of that plea. And yet, I really wish they would. I would rather get a pint of it at full price than not be able to find it!
They did have everything I needed, though, and I bought soft lemon-frosted sugar cookies as consolation for the sorbet. I really shouldn't have done that, but they are good.
Then, on to the library. I had two books and a video to return, and a book on art journalling to pick up. I'd noticed on their web site that they still showed three books and Brother Bear as being on hold for me, although I checked them out over the weekend. So, I took my returns up to the desk and just gave her the story. Indeed, indeed, somehow the checkout did not take. So she checked out the two books on hold for me, then checked them in. (The video was Master and Commander.) She got me my new book, and was nonplussed about the other book and Brother Bear - since I wasn't ready to return them, I hadn't brought them; she couldn't check them out to me without them present. "And as for the other two, um, well...please return them?"
She said that. I was amused. I was nice, though, and just said that I would and suggested she could put a note on my file just in case anyone went hunting for info later. She thanked me for that idea (and seemed to mean it - high school or college-age and seemed really lost by the whole situation). Which would make it the first time I've ever seen a note actually used for anything useful. They're auto-generated whenever you cancel a hold, why I don't know. The librarians don't care that you cancelled a hold, and you already know, for pity's sake.
So, anyway, I am home and in one piece and I only sort of want to cry, and the foam is jammed in the window and the AC is on. There is a tiny patch of "watery" in a test spot above the garage door. I like it, I think. This is good, as we don't have time to change our mind and go back through the approval process.
Work came first, and work was not really bad. I got one item complete, and another item complete but for testing (best case on that second one was half a day, worst was 2 days, and I think it took about 4-6 hours so far; so I'm only "on track" but I will take "on track" thank you very much!). Plus, I'm not on call any more for a while.
After work, I deposited a refund check for overpaying an account (always a nice surprise, really) and then headed up to the Gardens. Urf. Mistake one. I got there around 5, on a Monday but in July, I must grant. They were worse than summer Saturdays usually are. There was a group with six or so adults and too many kids at the gate; some kids were running, some were behaving, some were whining and screaming. Ugh. All eight and under, and I don't think any were actually eight. I got a few moments of solitude here and there, but only moments, and I had to tune out the kids (there were numerous groups with younger children in the gardens, and they were running, screaming, whining, laughing, etc. I can live with laughing, but as for the rest, for goodness sakes, people, take them to the playground if they're hyper - it is just up the bloody street). I could not actually stroll through the strolling pond gardens because a bratling was trying to pull a teenager over one bridge, and he was refusing to go and saying they'd wait there for the others, and indeed they did, and blocked the bridge the whole time; and the other was blocked by a couple who were waiting for this guy to move and were not willing to get off their bridge to let others by. I turned and went back up the Moon Bridge and completely missed the lower pond and waterfall, only to find the group with the kid-and-teen combo coming up on my ass as I was barely into the natural garden. So, I sat on the bench and let them pass me, and made myself be contemplative, and waited for them to go away. This time, the same kid stopped on a bridge, staring down at the pond. "Fishies!" Now, this, I consider a legitimate reason for stopping on a bridge. This his teen watch-dog was not interested in, and so the kid got dragged off still calling for fishies and trying to go back.
Some people. If that particular kid had been let do what he wanted in each instance, I'd've had no problem with it. Sheesh. It sort of went like that. When it wasn't the kids, it was the adults, having conversations much too loud. I can understand discussing the different plants as you stroll through, if you are looking for ideas for your yard. However, save the projection for when you're on stage. The entire bloody strolling pond garden and clear to the tea house and maybe the gift shop could have not only heard you, but understood you! :P
Left the gardens early and grumpily, as it just kept getting worse. Air-conditioned car and drive back in stop-and-go traffic was a relief, that's how bad the Gardens were. Stopped at Lowe's and then Home Depot looking for foam for where the portable AC tube goes to the window. Not sure which one I am more upset with. At Lowe's, I paced off the whole store, failed to find it, went to customer service, and could not get anyone to wait on me. One employee caught my eye, then turned away and started chatting with a coworker about something. And I was still dressed for work, businesslike, and trying to get someone to come help me. I gave up on them and walked out. They might even have what I needed, but they've lost my business over that crap.
Went to Home Depot. Skipped the walking as I was already irritated. Went straight to customer service. There was one young lady handling the counter; she had customers already. Within ten seconds, she had the person they really needed on her way up front and had turned to me, and summoned over two separate people to help me. Alas, they first tried to show me the sort of foam strips you use to anchor the in-window AC's (apparently, passing on a full explanation is beyond these people), and then when I explained what I really needed, I got, "We have plexiglass." Stared at her for a bit, then said, "I need foam. I can't put a hole the shape of the vent tube in plexiglass." I didn't think plexiglass would offer much insulation either, but, I skipped that. Well, but all the ACs they sell use plexiglass, I was told. They have the hole already cut.
So, they can't help me, so I leave. On the one hand, they're annoying and not quick to understand and they didn't have what I wanted. On the other, they got me that information quickly and I got to leave. It took me less time to get in, get my non-answer, and get out than I spent standing at the Lowe's counter trying to get one of their customer disservice folks to help me. As such, I'll go back to Home Depot next time I need something and hope they have it.
But I still don't have a new foam piece. I'd like one, as I'd like it to fit the window; trimming the existing pieces to fit the bedroom window means they only sort-of-fit this window. Trimming them to fit here, due to the size of the difference, would be hard and permanently ruin them for the other. I am not amused.
From there back into traffic nightmare and a stop at Albertson's. When I needed milk, I went to Lamb's, since Albertson's doesn't have my milk in the right size. I'd wanted lemon sorbet then too, but Lamb's was having a sale on it and was totally out. Oh, well, easy enough to get at Albertson's when I do most of the grocery shopping...except, they were having a sale on it, and were totally out. *weeps* This did at least cause me to laugh later. As I walked out to the car, I was glaring down at my bag of frozens, which didn't have sorbet, and I muttered, "Will you idiots please stop putting my favorite sorbet on sale?" Even then, even irritated, I rather had to concede the absurdity of that plea. And yet, I really wish they would. I would rather get a pint of it at full price than not be able to find it!
They did have everything I needed, though, and I bought soft lemon-frosted sugar cookies as consolation for the sorbet. I really shouldn't have done that, but they are good.
Then, on to the library. I had two books and a video to return, and a book on art journalling to pick up. I'd noticed on their web site that they still showed three books and Brother Bear as being on hold for me, although I checked them out over the weekend. So, I took my returns up to the desk and just gave her the story. Indeed, indeed, somehow the checkout did not take. So she checked out the two books on hold for me, then checked them in. (The video was Master and Commander.) She got me my new book, and was nonplussed about the other book and Brother Bear - since I wasn't ready to return them, I hadn't brought them; she couldn't check them out to me without them present. "And as for the other two, um, well...please return them?"
She said that. I was amused. I was nice, though, and just said that I would and suggested she could put a note on my file just in case anyone went hunting for info later. She thanked me for that idea (and seemed to mean it - high school or college-age and seemed really lost by the whole situation). Which would make it the first time I've ever seen a note actually used for anything useful. They're auto-generated whenever you cancel a hold, why I don't know. The librarians don't care that you cancelled a hold, and you already know, for pity's sake.
So, anyway, I am home and in one piece and I only sort of want to cry, and the foam is jammed in the window and the AC is on. There is a tiny patch of "watery" in a test spot above the garage door. I like it, I think. This is good, as we don't have time to change our mind and go back through the approval process.
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On the other hand, I hadn't even thought about checking in to that, and given that I've exhausted every other spot I could think of to look and a couple recommendations from friends - it's a heck of a lot nicer than my existing problem! Thank you! :)
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