mouse_rants

...as much as i thought i would - because it certainly is turning into an effort to get it.

i've been meaning to buy a proper dining table for a while now.  i knew exactly what i wanted - a round table (to reduce the number of dings in my hips), with a leaf so i can expand it (should i ever have company), and preferably requiring no assembly.  and also, real wood.  i had been planning on checking out a place that does estate sales - figured i should be able to get a decent used table, maybe even something with a bit of style.  but then around labor day, i stopped by cost plus, just to shop - and they had what looked to be exactly the table i wanted - round with a leaf, real solid wood - and on sale.  so i decided to go for it....except they were sold out of the tables.  but the guy said they had already ordered more, and he could give me a raincheck to hold the price.  so i bought a couple of matching chairs (which is pretty much all i have room for), gave him my info for a raincheck, and waited.  and waited.  finally i called back last week, and they said the tables had been ordered, and were scheduled to be on monday's truck, except that had gotten pushed back to wednesday, but they would absolutely call me when they got in.  so this thursday, i realized i hadn't heard, and called again - and the tables were in, but they just hadn't had time to call people, but if i wanted, they would hold one for me for 48 hrs.  so i scurried over there after work, all ready to haul my new table home, and the guy asked what kind of car i was driving - and when i proudly pointed out my little convertible, he said there was no way the table would fit in that.  the good news is, the table requires minimal assembly - pretty much just putting on the legs (so he says) - but the box is well padded, and too big to fit in a car.  (and, as it turns out, it was buried under other boxes in the back - if it turns out it _would_ have fitted in my car, i shall not be amused).  anyway, they had a company that delivers - which is actually fine, i wasn't sure i could manage to get the table into my place on my own, and they would deliver it saturday (today).  but they would call first, to arrange delivery .

except they didn't.  expected them to call friday - no word.  and i had very specifically given them my work number, since i expected them to call friday (well, they had the others as well, but i wanted to discourage the usual thing of calling my home number during work hours, in the expectation of arranging things with me).  so i called the store this morning, got the trucking company number, called them - and they said they had a truck break down, and they had left me a message...doubtless, at work. *sigh*  SO - they are supposed to be delivering it _next_ saturday.  and the delivery fee will only cost me $25 more than i would have spent if i'd bought the table full price.  and now i'm thinking that the color was a bit darker than i really wanted, and i really hadn't paid too much attention to the style, and the leaf doesn't store with the table the way i wanted, and i really _should_ have shopped around....ah well.  at least i won't be eating off a folding table any longer.

and on today's fillup - 28.5 mpg.  still not where i was hoping - but it's inching its way up.