Monday, December 10, 2007

Just Stick with Nordstrom, People

My embarrassingly expensive and ridiculously enormous brassiere recently broke. I was bending over doing something acrobatic (no doubt) w/Nicknack at tumbling class when I heard it snap. Darn. It was my favorite "hooter-holder."

It's only a few months old and Nordstrom has such a generous return policy that I'm tempted to call them and inquire about a replacement. I've been washing it in a mesh lingerie bag, so I don't think it should have snapped after just a season of use. But since I've worn it almost every day (I have a back up that I only wear when my favorite is in the wash), I probably got my money's worth. I even wore it to tennis, under a sports bra!

It's one of those foam "t-shirt" bras, which I love because no matter what you wear over it you get lots of coverage. You know what I mean?

In an attempt to be frugal, I decided to replace it with a much less expensive version from an online source. Same size and nearly identical.

While I was at it I ordered two other bras, because this incident made me realize that I need more than one flattering bra. Also four pair of undies that matched the first bra. And eight pair that matched the other two bras. So much for saving money. But I got almost all those items for just a little more than the original bra.

Well, the package arrived today. I was so excited. About underwear. But I was.

I opened the package and tried on the first bra. Too large. Wow. I didn't know they made bras too large for me, but apparently they do!

I tried on the second bra. Too small. I looked at the tag and realized it was one size smaller than the item I'd ordered and didn't match the itemized packing slip.

The third bra I pulled out of the bag was the wrong color. White. And tiny. Well, to me. I haven't worn a C-cup since high school!

I reached in again and found another bra - the one I'd ordered. It fit... but was all wrong in all the wrong places. Back into the bag it went.

I pulled out four pair of undies. Cute. Finally, something I ordered that fit. Woohoo!

Then I reached into the bag to retrieve the eight pink undies that should have been the last thing in the package.

I pulled out a bra. Another white 34C. Hmm.

I pulled out another. And another. And another. And another!

They'd sent me eight little white bras instead of my undies!

Don't you think the person packing the bag might have noticed that someone was REALLY excited about that white bra, to order eight!? Who orders eight bras!? Does anyone actually own that many bras, much less order them all (plus the other three) at one time?

Anyway, after all my ordering I have exactly four pair of underwear. Everything else has to go back. And tomorrow I will head to Nordstrom to replace the original.

I heart Nordstrom.

Tuesday, December 4, 2007

When it Rains, it Pours

Seriously! After my oh-so-graceful ankle injury (just a sprain, ptL!), Nicknack came down with the flu. Then me. Then Penn. Thank heavens not at the same time. We each had a day all to ourselves. :) Despite all three of us getting flu shots this year.

You know what is especially fun? Ralphing, while a small person stands a couple feet away imitating you during the intervals. That is just a special memory to be treasured forever.

Later, when Penn came home he said to Nicknack, "Poor Mommy is sick!" Nicknack agreed, "BLAAAHH!"

Nice, right?

Our week has also been peppered with small annoyances. A flat tire. FOUR insufficient check charges (at $32 a pop) because I accidentally transferred almost all the money from our checking into our savings account, instead of the usual paycheck amount. Our mailbox hanging open and the sopping wet mail inside. Penn's boss calling him into work at the last minute, on the day I was sick. The man literally hasn't had two days off in a row the entire month of November, including the Thanksgiving holiday.

Just irksome stuff, you know?

But it's all small potatoes compared to what a lot of people around here have been dealing with due to our freakish weather. Very stormy all over the Pacific Northwest. Lots of flooding, property damage, and a few lives lost due to falling trees and that sort of thing.

Our little street was featured on NBC Nightly News a couple of evenings ago. Our house sits on a high cliff on the Puget Sound - luckily, pretty far from the edge. Just below our bank lives a little cul-de-sac of 12 houses. Picture two steps with the beach being the floor and our house being the second/top step. They are the first step. The storm caused some of the bank to slide, destroying the steep road down to the cul-de-sac. It even sent one of the neighbors' cars sliding into their home! No one was hurt, thankfully, but all the families were evacuated and work crews have been working around the clock since then, to get them back into their homes.

UPDATED TO ADD: Our street was featured on CNN this morning, although the reporter pronounced our town of Bur-i-en as "Byurn." I guess the image of our neighbors' car in their house is the "symbol" of the storm/damage.

So that is a big thing to deal with. I'm grateful that our little aggravations, uh-ohs, and BLAAAAHs are just that. little. At least for right now. Subject to change at any moment, of course. Into every life a little rain must fall and most lives are devastated by a few storms - of one kind or another - at some point. Who knows what the future holds? Well, God does. He and Only He knows who, when, why, what, and how. I'm grateful that He holds the world in his hands whether the storms rage or the waters are calm.