The Temperature

Today we had numerous errands to run, most of which were not great successes. One of them was to a five acre store where we had previously purchased ceramic tile for the bathrooms of the new house (pauses a moment to admire the beauty of the word 'bathroom' when in the plural form). We also purchased three pieces of furniture for the sunroom. All of these things were, we were told at the purchase time, perfectly okay to leave in their warehouse until the house was farther along.

So we went to pick them up today and learned that the reason it was okay to leave them in the warehouse is apparently because this makes it easier for the business to sell the same things twice. Our tiles were gone. Two of three matching pieces of furniture were gone (we told them we wanted a refund on all of it, as we had no desire for the third piece without the other two).

This could have been the sort of disaster resulting in tears and inconsolability on the DHM's part, because she had her heart set on those tiles, and this store sells remainders- things left over when other builders over stock, or when a store goes out of business. You buy what you see when you see it because it will not be there again.

Except today. They had more in stock, although this was a dollar a foot more. The Headmaster negotiated for an hour or so, and we did get it for the original price, although they were not terribly thrilled about it. We put it in the grandfather's truck and the Headmaster drove away with it (that use of the word 'we' is the royal we. The DHM and Progeny did not actually put a finger on the tiles whilst they were being loaded. We were, however, with the Headmaster in spirit, from inside the store where it was warm).

From there the HM went to work and the three Progeny who accompanied me to the store went to our next location- a store 45 minutes in direction not on our route home to choose the linoleum for the laundryroom/mudroom/bathroom. I had looked up linoleum a few weeks before and found a list of stores in our state that carry it, and this was the closest location.

Just in case you are not feeling quite sympathetic enough, I must tell you that I drive a 15 passenger van that never fully warms up and the inside of the windows get so covered with ice and frost that we use an ice-scraper inside the van while we are driving so that I can see out the side windows and actually use my side mirrors.

We arrive at the store and I explain that I want linoleum. Perky Clerk nods perkily and says she will take me out to where they have it in stock. This means walking out of the warm store, through a bitterly cold garage and into another storeroom that is not well heated. She shows me vinyl flooring- ugly, tacky styles, too. I explain to her, "No, this is vinyl flooring. I am looking for linoleum."
She nods at me and says, "right, that's the same thing."
"No," I tell her, "It's not at all the same. Vinyl is plastic and it offgasses and it smells plasticky. YOu can smell it in this room. Linoleum is an old-fashioned floor covering that is made of natural materials. They are different."

She looks disbelieving and takes us back through the icy garage into the store and asks her manager, who also doesn't know what I'm talking about.

We head home, stopping at the thrift shop/antique mall where the HG and I keep a booth. We meet the HG and the FYG, trade off (Pip goes on home with HG, I take FYG) and find the Equuschick a dandy new winter coat and a few other nifty things, and start home again. The gas light blinks and the buzzer buzzes, so we pull over to get gas. It is freezing. My gloves are too thin, I forgot a hat, my coat isn't fastened, and I am in a dress with no leggings because I didn't plan to be outside pumping gas. The pump keeps shutting off on me, so I quit the third time with only 1/4 tank filled. We arrive home, shivering, scraping ice off the inside of the van, and still have bags to carry in.

I have a head ache and a sore throat, courtesy of Pip, who was sick yesterday. I curl up on the couch under mounds of blankets and attempt to warm up.

Equuschick says cheerfully, "The temperature is now twice as warm as it was when I left for work this morning. It's 2 degrees. This morning it was 2 below zero." I half think my headache is because my brain cells have frozen solid and expanded in my skull.