Monday Meanderings - July 27

I got the special tool for adjusting the sprinkler, so I'm no longer watering the back patio. However, I'm only back to where I was. Even looking at the Internet video I still can't figure out how to adjust the spray on the right side. It looks so easy in the video, but thus far I'm flummoxed.

The big adventure for the weekend was a trip to Costco; same sort of deal as Sam's. We sure did spend a lot of money saving a few dollars! However, the carts are better at Costco than at Sam's, so that cinched the deal.

FWIW, here's my official cart score card:

1. Central market - by far the best carts in town. Never a shimmy or thump-thump. They also have mini-carts. Four casters out of four.
   
2. Costco. Okay, I only have experience with one cart, but it was a good one. Three tentative casters.
3. Randall's. Smooth floors and smooth wheels. Too bad we don't shop there. Three casters.
   
4. Sam's. An okay cart, but we've marked it off the list.
5. Walmart carts are horrible. I have taken back as many as 3 carts in a single trip trying to get one that doesn't go thump-thump, and I have abandoned more than 1 cart mid store! The greeter hates to see me coming. Negative casters.

You got to love free food. We had a "two can eat for $13.95" coupon from Black-Eyed Pea - good after 4pm - so we wandered over there the other evening. Much to our surprise, our BEP has become a BEP Express and completely revamped their deal. You now order at a counter, pay and get a number, go to the self-service drink section and then find a table. Same food - different ordering process. However the guy at the order counter couldn't figure out how to deal with our coupon, so he went and got the manager. Mom taught the manager's kids, so he just rang up our order and comped the whole deal. Sweet. Jury is still out on the order thingy, though. I can just see the Sunday crowd of older church folks (you know - like us) when they hit the new deal.

About 60 from Westover have gone to Peru to hold a VBS at the Community outside Lima. Mom and I chose not to go. Okay, the truth is, our friend the director wouldn't let us go had we wanted. Her experience with VBS trips is that it takes more flexibility than we possess (she knows us well). She's right. Their plane spent 7 hours on the tarmac in Houston (without air conditioning), for one reason or another, before departing on a 6-7 hour flight to Peru! I would have gnawed a hole in the side of the plane to get out. Mid-air, if necessary. More likely, others would have gnawed holes and shoved us out!

This weeks videos: For a really impressive look at an extraordinary event in the natural kingdom, go over to Mike Cope's blog here.

And just in case you're fresh from a week in the Antarctic and haven't yet seen this on Facebook, CNN, YouTube or the evening news... go to Rob's blog And no, I must say of the hundreds of weddings I've done, none were this much fun.