So here it is: We've settled on this fine piece of furniture (and its baby brother, the loveseat), to take up residence in our study. Now we just have to wait a week or so for it to be delivered!
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Del Fine Settimana Scorso
8 hours ago
Showing posts with label shopping. Show all posts
Showing posts with label shopping. Show all posts
Sunday, September 6, 2015
More Sofa Shopping
September 6, 2015
So here it is: We've settled on this fine piece of furniture (and its baby brother, the loveseat), to take up residence in our study. Now we just have to wait a week or so for it to be delivered!
So here it is: We've settled on this fine piece of furniture (and its baby brother, the loveseat), to take up residence in our study. Now we just have to wait a week or so for it to be delivered!
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Ya Think They'll Notice?
April 16, 2013
I found myself in line at Walmart yesterday behind perhaps the dumbest criminal I've personally encountered. He was in the express lane with four items: a very large 'assembly-required' above ground pool (not a kiddie pool, mind you-a full-sized pool), two additional jumbo outdoor waterslide contraptions, and an expensive outdoor speaker set. When the cashier rang up the first item, the pool, it rang up $1.88. The cashier looked a little puzzled and said, "That doesn't seem right. I wonder if there's another barcode on the box somewhere." She turned the box over and found another barcode, scanned it, and seemed a little more satisfied with the price--closer to the $100 mark than the price of a king-sized candy bar. She kept going on about how strange it was that the pool had the wrong price tag on it while the customer shook his head and shrugged his shoulders. All the while, the cashier continued to ring up the remaining three items, not paying much attention to the prices as she scanned them, engaged as she was in the conversation with the young man trying to deck out his back yard for summer fun. She finalized the sale and gave him is total: $148 and change. Still waiting patiently behind this guy, I thought, "Seriously? That's the grand total? Those speakers alone seem like they'd be worth more than that."
Before the young man went to make payment, the cashier summoned over a manager, who had been hovering nearby. She required his assistance, since the speaker set had one of those security locks wound around it, which he had to unlock. He came over and scrutinized the receipt and informed her that the SKU on the speaker box was not represented on the receipt. She had scanned the barcode, but that barcode did not represent the product sitting before them, since the speaker set was a $499 set (thus, the security cable). She kept trying to explain that she had, in fact, scanned what was on the box, while the manager continued to tell her that the items and the barcodes did not match up. After several minutes of back-and-forth, finally the customer threw his hands up in the air and said he wasn't waiting around for them to figure out their system problems. He walked out, empty handed.
After he left, the manager explained what had really happened: he said the guy was known as a frequent thief, one who regularly switched barcodes and changed prices. He said he had stood there and watched him put the $1.88 price tag on the pool while he was waiting in her line, and another tag on the speakers. She was upset that no one had told her to watch out for the guy if he was known for this sort of habitual fraud. The manager was just waiting to thwart him and turn him away, hopefully without incident, by refusing to sell the items at what was clearly the wrong price. I was surprised that they didn't want to go after him, but I suppose if he didn't actually complete the purchase, he didn't commit a crime in the strictest sense of the word. (All of this explanation happened in front of me, the next customer in line, with several side-long, almost conspiratorial glances at me, as if to include me in the incident--it was us against that customer, and we'd won.)
So, although I don't necessarily think the cashier was as quick on the uptake as she could have been, I also think that the would-be criminal was criminally stupid. If you're going to switch price tags--which I'm not in any way advocating, mind you--why on earth would you switch the price tag with an absolutely implausible one? Wouldn't you think you'd want to put a tag on it that wouldn't arouse suspicion by any reasonable and half-way intelligent person? Also, if you're going to try to get away with something like that, why would you choose an item which REQUIRES a manager to come over and remove a security tag? There was nothing low-profile about the moves he was trying to pull. Some might say audacious; I would venture to say just plain ol' stupid.
Was it amusing to watch this guy feign first ignorance and then indignation (at the supposed incompetence of the Walmart barcoders who were clearly out to cause him problems)? Well, sure. But mostly it was a great source of irritation that while I watched this bungled sitcom of an attempted fraud unfurl before me, I wasted about fifteen minutes in line, impatiently tapping my toes waiting for my turn to purchase my three measly, correctly barcoded items.
I found myself in line at Walmart yesterday behind perhaps the dumbest criminal I've personally encountered. He was in the express lane with four items: a very large 'assembly-required' above ground pool (not a kiddie pool, mind you-a full-sized pool), two additional jumbo outdoor waterslide contraptions, and an expensive outdoor speaker set. When the cashier rang up the first item, the pool, it rang up $1.88. The cashier looked a little puzzled and said, "That doesn't seem right. I wonder if there's another barcode on the box somewhere." She turned the box over and found another barcode, scanned it, and seemed a little more satisfied with the price--closer to the $100 mark than the price of a king-sized candy bar. She kept going on about how strange it was that the pool had the wrong price tag on it while the customer shook his head and shrugged his shoulders. All the while, the cashier continued to ring up the remaining three items, not paying much attention to the prices as she scanned them, engaged as she was in the conversation with the young man trying to deck out his back yard for summer fun. She finalized the sale and gave him is total: $148 and change. Still waiting patiently behind this guy, I thought, "Seriously? That's the grand total? Those speakers alone seem like they'd be worth more than that."
Before the young man went to make payment, the cashier summoned over a manager, who had been hovering nearby. She required his assistance, since the speaker set had one of those security locks wound around it, which he had to unlock. He came over and scrutinized the receipt and informed her that the SKU on the speaker box was not represented on the receipt. She had scanned the barcode, but that barcode did not represent the product sitting before them, since the speaker set was a $499 set (thus, the security cable). She kept trying to explain that she had, in fact, scanned what was on the box, while the manager continued to tell her that the items and the barcodes did not match up. After several minutes of back-and-forth, finally the customer threw his hands up in the air and said he wasn't waiting around for them to figure out their system problems. He walked out, empty handed.
After he left, the manager explained what had really happened: he said the guy was known as a frequent thief, one who regularly switched barcodes and changed prices. He said he had stood there and watched him put the $1.88 price tag on the pool while he was waiting in her line, and another tag on the speakers. She was upset that no one had told her to watch out for the guy if he was known for this sort of habitual fraud. The manager was just waiting to thwart him and turn him away, hopefully without incident, by refusing to sell the items at what was clearly the wrong price. I was surprised that they didn't want to go after him, but I suppose if he didn't actually complete the purchase, he didn't commit a crime in the strictest sense of the word. (All of this explanation happened in front of me, the next customer in line, with several side-long, almost conspiratorial glances at me, as if to include me in the incident--it was us against that customer, and we'd won.)
So, although I don't necessarily think the cashier was as quick on the uptake as she could have been, I also think that the would-be criminal was criminally stupid. If you're going to switch price tags--which I'm not in any way advocating, mind you--why on earth would you switch the price tag with an absolutely implausible one? Wouldn't you think you'd want to put a tag on it that wouldn't arouse suspicion by any reasonable and half-way intelligent person? Also, if you're going to try to get away with something like that, why would you choose an item which REQUIRES a manager to come over and remove a security tag? There was nothing low-profile about the moves he was trying to pull. Some might say audacious; I would venture to say just plain ol' stupid.
Was it amusing to watch this guy feign first ignorance and then indignation (at the supposed incompetence of the Walmart barcoders who were clearly out to cause him problems)? Well, sure. But mostly it was a great source of irritation that while I watched this bungled sitcom of an attempted fraud unfurl before me, I wasted about fifteen minutes in line, impatiently tapping my toes waiting for my turn to purchase my three measly, correctly barcoded items.
Saturday, March 30, 2013
Mama-Daughter Bonding Time
March 30, 2013
While Bree was home from college for her spring break, we definitely had a shopping expedition on our agenda. Danielle, Bree, and I had a great time hanging out together. Of course, we started off the day at Thai Fusion for lunch, and then we headed to Fashion Fair. Shoes, jewelry, clothes....lots of window shopping and trying on, and and we even brought a little bit of it home with us.
Here's the girls trying on shoes. Danielle's shoes are about an inch taller than Bree's, but even without them on you can see how much taller my baby girl is than her big sister!
While Bree was home from college for her spring break, we definitely had a shopping expedition on our agenda. Danielle, Bree, and I had a great time hanging out together. Of course, we started off the day at Thai Fusion for lunch, and then we headed to Fashion Fair. Shoes, jewelry, clothes....lots of window shopping and trying on, and and we even brought a little bit of it home with us.
Here's the girls trying on shoes. Danielle's shoes are about an inch taller than Bree's, but even without them on you can see how much taller my baby girl is than her big sister!
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Well, This Came for Me a Little Earlier Than Expected
January 13, 2013
As I am slowly but surely making my recovery from knee surgery, I am reminded almost by the minute of how much I am NOT yet my former self. A week and a half post-surgery, and I'm still hobbling about painfully on crutches. However, I am making progress for sure. When Doug and I decided to hit the grocery store (late at night, on a Sunday, so as to avoid crowds), I felt fairly certain I was up to the task. I had bought quite a lot of groceries in advance of my surgery, making sure the pantry was very well stocked, but we still needed a few items that I hadn't covered. (More milk, for one. My goodness, the boys in our household--Doug included--make milk disappear like magic!)
Anyway, we got out of the car and headed toward the front of the store. Barely inside, I realized how daunting the thought was of me making my way down all the aisles to collect the things we needed. I was already tired. The cashier nearest the door happened to see us as we made our way inside and offered up this:
My first thought was, "No way! Those are for people who really need them." And then I thought, "Hey-right now, I AM one of those people." I was at once grateful and embarrassed, but I climbed aboard and took off. The cashier even said that if their other one wasn't being repaired, Doug and I could have a race to see who was faster. Now THAT would have been fun! I felt silly driving my little cart around the grocery store, but let me tell you, it was fun, too. I'm just glad that my condition is a temporary one. Perhaps later, in my Golden Years, when my body chooses to betray me in a somewhat more permanent way, I'll be happy to have a little cart of my own to amble about in. And by that time, if Doug is in need of one too, I'll be happy to show him who would have won that race if Vons had both of their carts ready for action.
As I am slowly but surely making my recovery from knee surgery, I am reminded almost by the minute of how much I am NOT yet my former self. A week and a half post-surgery, and I'm still hobbling about painfully on crutches. However, I am making progress for sure. When Doug and I decided to hit the grocery store (late at night, on a Sunday, so as to avoid crowds), I felt fairly certain I was up to the task. I had bought quite a lot of groceries in advance of my surgery, making sure the pantry was very well stocked, but we still needed a few items that I hadn't covered. (More milk, for one. My goodness, the boys in our household--Doug included--make milk disappear like magic!)
Anyway, we got out of the car and headed toward the front of the store. Barely inside, I realized how daunting the thought was of me making my way down all the aisles to collect the things we needed. I was already tired. The cashier nearest the door happened to see us as we made our way inside and offered up this:
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Has Anybody Seen Alice? I'm Late for the Tea Party, Clearly.
March 13, 2012
Lisa and Laura and I went bridesmaids' dress shopping while everyone was in town. While we were out with the girls, Taylor and Danielle apparently found the Mad Hatter's shop.
Lisa and Laura and I went bridesmaids' dress shopping while everyone was in town. While we were out with the girls, Taylor and Danielle apparently found the Mad Hatter's shop.
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