More 15 below zero weather

Yesterday I was asked, "Did you stoke Sam Daniels?"
I said, "HUH?"
"Did you stoke Sam Daniels?"
"Say that again"
"Did you stoke Sam Daniels?"
"I still don't get it. What are you saying??!!"
"Sam Daniels. In the basement. Did you put wood in it?"
"OH! Sam Daniels! HELL NO I WOULD NEVER TOUCH IT UNLESS SOMEONE SHOWED ME HOW!!!"

Turns out, someone put wood in but didn't stir the coals in the correct manner, or at all, apparently.

The store is still heated with wood.

Thread and Ribbon

It is next to glue.

The Miscellaneous Stationary Items Aisle

I try to stay away. I really do. But there are so many fun, shiny things there.

J. R. Liggett's Old Fashioned Bar Shampoo

Early this week I found these sitting on a dark shelf waaaaaaaaay in the back of the basement looking all dusty and forlorn and ancient.

I got waaaaaaay excited becuase this past summer a woman came into the store asking for a shampoo that was in a bar. Her son was hiking the AT and wanted some for his journey. He told her you could get it at the store.

I said what I always say in such cases, "I have never seen anything like that in the store. That doesn't mean it is not here. It could be that I just haven't seen it yet."

And we proceeded to look all over the store for it.

Finally, 6 months later I found it!

I snatched them off the basement shelf and cleaned them up and examined them for a long time.

I wish I knew who that woman was. Next time someone comes in for Bar Shampoo I will be ready for them!

It is just a tiny bar, not as big as standard bath soap bars. It fits nicely into my palm. The wrappers are nicely made - smooth and shiny, very pleasant to look at and to hold.

Pricey, eh?

I have visited them every day since I found them, wondering if one has sold.

A Public Service Annoucement From The Grocery Czar

The Minor Glue Outpost Conundrum

Over in the meadow, far to the back, past the office, hidden behind Moveable Gloves, is the glue department.

It is a two-part Department.

There is an Upper Glue:

and a Lower Glue:

Then there is the Minor Glue Outpost, in the Miscellaneous Stationary Items Aisle, which is endlessly confusing to First Time Glue Seekers:

Case Slamming

 So all these Pringles were sitting in the basement. In neat little rows. And there were... like... 3 of each flavor upstairs on the aisle one Pringle's shelf... and so every time a Pringle was actually SOLD... which didn't happen that often becuase you could HARDLY SEE THEM... someone had to haul a Pringle canister up the stairs to fill the slot.

NO MORE!!

THE PRINGLE FOREST IS FULL OF PRINGLE LIFE!!

Now, when it is time, I order the required Pringle flavor and SLAM the whole case out onto the shelf.

That's my style.

Case Slamming.

Take no prisoners!

Death To Backstock!!

The Hardware Guru Revealed

Shhhhhhh.

Do NOT disturb the HG when he is perusing hardware catalogs at The Nail Bench.

Oops. He caught me.

String Delivery

The astute observer will notice that hot sauce was involved in another coup. This time, it was I who staged the coup. In a surprise move last week, I gained control of aisle one Specialty, Mexican, and Chips. All hot sauce in aisle one was deported to its proper place on the Sauce Endcap. 

Wait 'til you see what I did to the Pringles!

The Acquisitions Staff

The Acquisitions Staff is proud to announce a

 

Bell Department Expansion

Three new bell products have been added to the classic handbell/cowbell product line.

Familiar Territory with Retirement Home

Last weekend's snowshoe.

I know it looks just like the pictures of the woods on my previous snowshoe post BUT... I know all the streams and rocks and trees and bends in this trail.

When I was teaching, I would hike up the old road behind the town graveyard every day. Once a week during my special double free period, I would go all the way up to the high meadow. I would also frequently take my class up into these woods for a hike.

The view across the high meadow last weekend.

Same view, summer 2011

I have been charmed by the ambiance of this dwelling since 2004, the first time I hiked up here.

Summer 2011

It is wired for sound! There is evidence of the old electric wires running up through the woods.

The familiar view out across the valley coming back down. We used to go sledding in the graveyard.

Modify Materials For Optimum Usage

Just so you know and don't come around looking for some chew.

Awesome Deep Snow With Moose Tracks

Up in the wilds we were intrepidatious and adventuristic.

Trail closed. Pfft. Let's go anyway.

Irene, you bitch.

Just a couple of trees down. Nothing too serious.

We saw the depressions where 5 large bodies slept. Moose or trolls, we weren't sure which.

We saw other interesting things, too.

Iced troll penis?

Hardware Porn?

Why I Love Vermont

15 below zero yesterday

Chicky Chick got a second heat lamp

A balmy zero this morning