Hi MIchael,

 ML> >  ML> Making it extra interesting why they bothered.
 ML> >  ML> I swear that sometimes it seems to be just for
 ML> >  ML> the sport of it.
 ML> > Sure seems that way!

 ML> Maybe practicing for the big one down
 ML> the road?

Which, hopefully, won't happen in our lifetime.

 ML> >  ML> Heh, that's a charitable way of looking at
 ML> >  ML> things.
 ML> > We've had it happen every now and again with other mail while living
 ML> > here. Don't know if it's because we've known both of our mail men
 ML> beyond > just a passing hello, living here now over 10 years or what
 ML> but it is > nice.

 ML> Someone was once using my identity, and mail
 ML> that was destined for that person's address
 ML> ended up in my possession, thanks to the
 ML> vigilance of the post office. That address
 ML> and mine were about two miles apart.

We've not yet had that happen. Did have a credit card compomised twice,
both times in LV, NV so we stopped using that one there. Since our
daughter moved away from the area, we've only passed thru once in the
last 5 years.

 ML> >  ML> I hate taking things back. Lilli gets right
 ML> > This time of year is bad for taking things back in person. Saw on
 ML> the > news that some brick and mortar stores are issuing on line
 ML> address
 ML> > labels for stuff to be returned via fed ex or ups so they don't have
 ML> to > deal with the hassles.

 ML> I hate taking things back because of the waste
 ML> and inefficiency. I have noted here, though,
 ML> that waste and inefficiency have their upside
 ML> for human society if not for the planet as a
 ML> whole, and Lilli concurs, saying, just think
 ML> of all the jobs I'm making for people.

Just keeps the holiday hires on for a few more days, then lets them go
before the new year is more than a couple of weeks old.

 ML> > We were at Kohl's getting some things for me, found out their
 ML> dressing > rooms are closed. They said to buy two of the same item,
 ML> take them home > to try on, return unwanted one--up to 6 months
 ML> (!!!!!!!) later. We
 ML> > returned the unwanted within a week.

 ML> They're pretty desperate, and the whole retail
 ML> industry is having to reinvent itself. At some
 ML> point things are going to become costly enough
 ML> to torpedo some of the big companies, but
 ML> maybe others will rise to take their place.

Yes, you don't hear too much about Sears and JC Penney any more,
Montgomery Wards is gone completly. You need to go to a number of stores
now (either in person or on line) to get all that you used to get from,
say, a Sears catalog.


 ML> >  ML> But then they were still insulated boxes,
 ML> >  ML> which is basically all we really would
 ML> >  ML> need almost every time anyway.
 ML> > Basically so, the electric ones are just a fancier box. (G)

 ML> And designed for specific and unlikely events.

The Sterling Piston cooler was originally designed for medical
use--carrying organs for transplant and such like. The actual space for
food is quite limited but we do like that it holds its cool, even when
temps are high.

 ML> > Ours stays shut until the time of need, longer if the power is out.
 ML> So > far power outages haven't interrupted meal prep so I can get
 ML> stuff
 ML> > in/out of the fridge without worry.

 ML> My procedure is to make meals out of what's
 ML> available without opening the fridge at all.

Raiding the pantry? At least ours is fairly well stocked. As for
cooking, we've got a number of grills and the camper stove so we're set
there. Push comes to shove, we can run a generator to run the camper
microwave.


 ML> Sour Cream Chocolate Cake
 ML> categories: desserts
 ML> servings: 10

I'm drooling........................(G)

---
Catch you later,
Ruth
rchaffly{at}earthlink{dot}net  FIDO 1:396/45.28


... The first rule of intelligent tinkering:  Save all the parts!

--- PPoint 3.01