Dogs

Since I was a kid, I've liked dogs. However, I'm learning to be a lot more careful around them as a mail carrier. Dogs are one of the major hazards of being a mail carrier. At my initial orientation, I remember the mail carrier who briefed us telling us of the two times he was bitten. I was less than thrilled at the news of this danger. I don't like the thought of getting bitten. I find it very annoying when owners assume their precious pooches won't bite. The way some of the dogs have charged at me, I wouldn't bet on that being true. One carrier I know at the Laurel Post Office broke his right shoulder because of a dog. What happened was a German Sheperd sized dog snuck up on him and the next thing he knew there was this 100 pound dog with snarling teeth nearly on him. The carrier tried to get away from the dog but unfortunately he tripped on a tree root which sent him flying into a tree. The impact broke his right shoulder. The shoulder eventually healed but, he still has a good size knot in his shoulder from the break.

The main defense we have against dogs is dog spray. As far as I know, it's a form of mace for dogs. I haven't gotten to try it out yet so I don't know how well it works. I make sure I carry it with me on city routes as there is a higher risk of dog attack on those routes. On a rural route, I can retreat to the safety of my truck. When your on foot, there aren't any places of safety. To my annoyance, the one time I really needed the dog spray, I didn't have it. I was helping a city carrier on a route that was mounted i.e. one you deliver from your truck. In order to deliver mail on one part of it, I had to get out of the truck. When I approached one of the mailboxes, a small black dog came charging out at me barking its head off. Twice, it charged me. Luckily, I was able to keep enough distance between us. I'd have sprayed the dog with dog spray but, I'd left the dog spray at the Post Office. I plan to keep the dog spray with me just in case.

Review

I wrote another review for tripadvisor.com (http://www.tripadvisor.com/). This one was on the Laurel Museum. Part of the reason I visited the museum was just so I could write a review on it. A little stupid I suppose but, I wanted to write another review. To my annoyance, the internet ate my first draft of the review and I had to write it again from scratch. Still, I think it turned out all right. Now, I have to wait for tripadvisor to review it to make sure I didn't use any profanity or other no-nos. It should appear on their website in 3 or 4 days. It's kinda cool being an author of sorts. Now, I have to find another place to visit so I can write a review on that. I may need to take a trip to Washington D.C. or Baltimore. We'll see.

Gift Shop

Yesterday, I made it back to the Laurel Museum so I could check out their gift shop. My previous visit, I arrived so late that by the time I was done looking at the exhibits in the museum, they had closed the gift shop. The lady who ran the shop highly recommended so I made a mental note to come back and check it out.

Like the museum, I found the gift shop to be small. They have some books on Laurel as well as Maryland for sale. They also had some children's books that explained various things like how a mill worked and who the miller was. There were also some fancy mustards produced possibly by one of the members of the historical society. It was a decent enough offering considering the size of the museum.

Another reason to visit the gift shop was you got to see what the kitchen areas would've looked like for those who lived in the house. They also have a 20 minute video you can watch that can tell you more about them and possibly about the house. The volunteers who ran the gift shop were very helpful and one was very knowledgeable about Laurel.

Overall, I found the gift shop to be all right. Like the museum, it is very small. Another problem the museum has is its location. Barring a visitor taking Interstate-95, it isn't easy to get to. Parking is also a problem during the summer as you have to compete with swimmers for spots on the street. Lastly, the volunteers are a blessing and a curse for the museum. They are a blessing in that they are very enthusiastic about the museum and Laurel. I found them to be very informative. They are a curse in that they limit the hours the museum can be open. The museum is only open 3 days a week and never more than 4 hours at a time. This can make it difficult to visit the museum. If you happen to be in Laurel on a day the museum is open, it would be worth a short stop but, I wouldn't make any special trips to see this museum. For all the hassles, it isn't worth it.

Beer Review

I continue to try different beers and ales from Corridor Wine Store on MD-198 (see earlier blog on that store). The latest I tried was Lord Chesterfield Ale. It's made by the Yuengling Brewery at its plants in Pottsville, PA and Tampa, FL. I thought the name Yuengling was Chinese but, it isn't. It's actually German. The brewery founder David G. Yuengling emigrated from Aldingen, Germany and founded the brewery in 1829 (Source: http://yuengling.com/faq.htm). The Yuengling Brewery is the oldest in the U.S.

Lord Chesterfield Ale sells for $5.49 for 6 12-ounce bottles at Corridor Wine Store. I found the ale itself to be a bit bitter and harsh. However, it doesn't have a strong alcoholic taste. I was surprised to find out it was rated at 5.4%. It is the most potent of all Yuengling products.

Overall, I wasn't terribly impressed with this ale. Price wise, it is very affordable. Per the Yuengling website, Lord Chesterfield Ale is currently only available on the east coast except for Alabama (Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Delaware, Maryland, Washington D.C., Virginia, North Carolina, Florida, South Carolina & Alabama). However, the brewery is expanding their markets and it may become available in time in your area if you don't live in one the areas they currently distribute to.

Sven

I visited a person I knew at Medieval Times today. Herb, also known as Sven, was the chief castle guard at the Baltimore/Washington Medieval Times that I used to work at. After I gave notice and left the castle, I didn't have any contact with anyone from the castle nor have I visited the castle since. I tried to contact Herb because I ordered a chainmail shirt which I latered cancelled. Since I was leaving the castle, what did I need a shirt of chainmail for? I asked for a refund and Sven promised to give me my money back. Unfortunately, I didn't get my money back before I left and, I didn't feel like calling him as I was leery of having any contact with anyone from the castle. I sent Sven a postcard reminding him of the refund I was owed and, I didn't hear anything from him. I assumed my money was gone. It was a great surprise when I heard from Sven yesterday. He had my money and, he wanted to give it to me. He suggested I come over the next day. I said "Sure!"

Sven lives in the Northeast part of Baltimore County. I'd never visited that part of Maryland so it was interesting to drive out there. I found Sven and his wife live in a small home there in a pleasant enough neighborhood. When Sven contacted me, I was stunned to find out he'd left Medieval Times. Sven had been there since they opened the Baltimore castle. He is extremely knowledgeable about the Medieval age. He is fantastic around kids and he did an awesome job of working one of the spotlights. I couldn't imagine the castle without him. They have lost someone priceless and who was very devoted to the castle.

We chatted about the castle. I found out Randy, the person in charge of the actors at the castle, was found to have a benign tumor the size of a football. After the operation, he started taking therapy which continues to this day. I hope its successful. I also found out that the new storyline should be out in November. I'm curious about the new show and, I'd be willing to go back to the castle to see it. I found out that Corwyn, who became the new chancellor, is doing an awesome job. I was delighted to hear it as Corwyn paid some serious dues at the castle. He worked there for 3 years in security before finally getting his shot at chancellor. He is also a super person and is a case where a good person came out on top.

Sven showed me his weapon collection and some of the weapons he was making. He told me of his re-enactor days when he was Duke of a re-enactor Duchy. It sounded seriously cool. Sadly, a real life schemer became Chancellor and ultimately dethroned Sven and became Duke. I hope one day Sven and his wife can start a new group as I'm sure it would be an awesome and fun group.

Sven also mentioned his movie career. One day, you may get to see him on the silver screen. He has been auditioning for various parts. I hope he gets one as it would be cool to see him in the movies providing it isn't a horror flick. If it is a horror flick, I will congratulate him on getting the part but, I'll pass on the movie. Sometimes, I have too good a memory. When I watch a horror flick, the images stay with me a LONG time. If I want to sleep well, it behooves me to stay away from horror flicks.

It is amazing how time flies when you're having a good time. I arrived at Sven's house around 1 p.m. In no time, I found it to be past 7 p.m. It was time to head back. I'd enjoyed hearing the stories of Sven's family and their various adventures. They've done some incredible things and, they're not done yet. He and his wife have a great zest for life. I look forward to visiting again, hearing more of their adventures and finding out about some cool part he'll win in some movie.

Music Review

On November 22, 1977, John Denver recorded the album John Denver - Live at the Sydney Opera House. It was originally intended purely for Australian audiences. Later, it was released in the U.S. with a few changes. In the U.S. version, the album producers included the songs Today, Calypso and Me and My Uncle. The album showcases why Denver was a favorite in concert. Easygoing and appreciative of his fans, he encouraged them to sit back and join in on any songs they felt like joining in on. Combine this with some great songs like Rocky Mountain High, Today, Annie's Song and his signature songs Thank God I'm a Country Boy and Take Me Home, Country Roads and his fans were assured of a magical night.

The album has a superb set of songs. It starts off strong with Rocky Mountain High and keeps a pleasant tempo throughout. For U.S. fans, there is one song that may throw them. For his Australian audience, Denver performed Moreton Bay which tells of the terrible treatment of an Irish convict banished to Australia. Early in its history, Australia was used a dumping ground for convicts by Mother England (as the U.S. was until the American colonists complained). The album also features It's A Sin To Tell A Lie which apparently was a favorite of Denver's mother. Denver tells of when he first performed the song for mother at Carnegie Hall as she and his Dad sat in the audience. For me, Take Me Home, Country Roads was an early Denver favorite. My Grandmother Wilkes lived in a trailer in the backwoods of Bowling Green, Indiana. It was thoroughly country. I remember visiting my Grandmother, hunting for crayfish in a stream nearby, nearly jumping out of my shoes one time when I saw a large black snake in another creek I was exploring as well as fishing for catfish in a lake about a mile away. The song resonated with my memories of the visits to my Grandmother.

Overall, the album is excellent and a pleasure to listen to. It makes me wish I could've seen Denver in concert. Sadly, I never did. If you would like to experience what John Denver was like Live as well as relax to some of his best songs, this would be an album for you.

Laurel Museum

Today, I visited the Laurel Museum in Laurel, Maryland. I've been wanting to visit it for a while. It's one the main attractions of sorts in Laurel. The museum is located on 817 Main Street, just across from one of the city pools and nearly at the end of Main Street. It's housed in a house that was built for mill workers. Where the swimming pool is located, a cotton mill was operated that made cotton cloth for Clipper ships built in Baltimore and Conestoga wagons. The first floor of the house holds the various exhibits. The museum has a hodge-podge collection of articles. They run from a 12-pound steel cannon ball from the Civil War era to a gown worn by Mamie Eisenhower, wife of President Dwight Eisenhower. Eisenhower is the only U.S. President to have ever lived in Laurel. He and his wife lived there for a short time while he was stationed at Fort Meade. There are also old photographs of school classes as well as businesses from days gone by. The museum has a nice little collection. To take in the whole museum which isn't that big, it should only take 20 minutes at most. Admission is free.

There are some problems with the museum. First, the only parking available is on Main Street. The swimming pool makes the parking situation worse as visitors would have to compete with swimmers during the summer months. Conversely, I suspect visitors could use the swimming pool parking lot when it's closed during the fall, winter and spring. The second problem is that the museum is only open 3 days a week. It opens on Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m., Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Lastly, the museum isn't in a location easy to get to. The quickest and easiest way to the museum would be to take Interstate-95 to the MD-216 exit for Laurel. You would turn right at Main Street and go nearly to the end of the street. The museum is located on the right and has a sign in front. The museum's website can be found at http://www.laurelhistory.org/museum.html. The museum is run by volunteers from the Laurel Historical Society.

Additional Note: One additional plus for visiting the museum is the chance to take a quiet stroll in the Riverfront Park. A sidewalk leads from the museum to the park where one can walk among numerous shade trees and view the Patuxent River. The park has 1.5 miles of paved hiker/biker paths. It has 3 small picnic pavilions for rent. When not rented, the pavilions are available on a first come first served basis. For further information on the park, check the following website: http://www.laurel.md.us/prfac.htm#Riverfront.

Update

I hope everyone had a nice 4th of July. Mine was terribly uneventful. I used it to catch up on some things like laundry and grocery shopping. I made a trip to the credit union so I could deposit my paychecks and my retirement check. I had nice conversations with Harvey and my Dad. I found out from Harvey that he paid off the Scandanavia trip. Now, both of us get to wait for our documents from Globus. The documents are the official notification from Globus that were going. I don't remember if there is anything in them we have to give to our guide when we reach Copenhagen. There will also be a couple luggage tags that we're suppose to put on our luggage. Lastly, they'll contain information on optional tours we can take while we're on our tour. An example would be a trip to the Wasa Museum in Stockholm. The Wasa Museum is a museum the Swedes built to hold the Swedish warship Wasa which sank on its maiden voyage. It was top heavy and capsized. Thanks to it sinking in lots of mud and the cold waters of the Baltic, it was superbly preserved. In the 60's, the Swedes raised the ship and a museum was built for it. It is the only surviving 17th century warship in existence (I think). I plan to sign up for that trip. Another optional tour is one where you can see Thor Heyerdahl's Kon-tiki and Ra ships. Heyerdahl was a famous adventurer who proved via the Kon-tiki that it was possible that people in South America could have had contact with the Polynesians. A documentary film was made of Heyerdahl's Kon-tiki voyage which won an Academy award. I think it would be interesting to see the ships.

I found out from my Dad that my sister Ellie will be flying home for a visit in a couple days. I hope she has a nice time.

For me, the rest of the week, I'll be working at the Post Office. The primary carrier for rural route 10 took the entire week off so she could go to Myrtle Beach, North Carolina. She was really excited about it. I had mixed feelings . I was pleased to get 40 plus hours i.e. a very sweet paycheck but, I hate doing her route. Recently, we received three more new substitute rural carriers and my supervisor had to find work for them. He decided to take rural route 7 from me so he could give it to one of the newbies. I wish he'd taken rural route 10. I like 7 because it has a nice mounted part. 10 is all multi-boxes. Also 10 has a lot of people that move in and out which means you end up taking a lot of mail back to the Post Office where you try to forward it on (depends on if they put in a forwarding order). It promises to be a hard week.

That's all that is happening at my end. This coming Sunday, I hope to visit the Laurel Museum. It's a small museum run by the Laurel Historical Society. I'm curious to see if it's any good. I plan to write up a review on it for tripadvisor.com. I'll let you know what I thought of it. Cheers!

Caribbean Cruise

I paid off my future Caribbean cruise sort of. By that, I mean I made the last payment on the cruise via charge card but, I still have to pay the charge card bill. Also, Harvey and I have to decide on a hotel in the San Juan area where we'll stay one night so we can do a tour of San Juan before the cruise starts. Joel Mills, the travel agent we use is trying to find out what hotel would be best for the tour and the cruise. Once he knows that, he'll advise what to do.

Concerning my cabin on the ship, my step-mom/mom Kay got me to check into if I was getting the best deal cabin wise. Right now, I have a reservation for a Deluxe Ocean View Stateroom which has 173 square feet of space. The next cabin up would be a Junior Suite which has 280 square feet of space. The cost to upgrade would be a whopping $1,500! All I would get for that money is the roomier cabin. There wouldn't be any better food or other perks. When I learned that from Joel, I told him I'd stay with the cabin I have. It's on the 8th deck, seven decks down from the top of the ship but, it is the 3rd highest deck as far as cabins go. The passenger decks are deck 2 to deck 10.

The ship itself "Adventure of the Seas" must be huge. It can accomodate 3,114 passengers. It has 4 swimming pools, a rock climbing wall, an in-line skating track, an ice skating rink, a 9-hole miniature golf course and a full-size basketball court. It also has a spa and casino. It weighs an inconceivable 138,000 tons! It sounds like it's a floating town. I wonder how long it takes them to get everyone on board. I'll find out next year. Cheers all!

Humidity

One of the bad things about Maryland summers is the humidity. While the humidity isn't as bad as it is in Northwest Florida (I remember my glasses fogging up every time I walked outside), it still saps you when your outdoors. I feel certain it causes you to sweat more which is annoying. Yesterday was particularly bad. I was working at the Post Office and I could feel the humidity in the air as I cased my mail. It got worse when I hit the street to deliver my mail. The only good I could say about it was it sure did make you appreciate air conditioning. When I finished delivering my mail, I returned to the Post Office to turn in my undeliverable accountables (the people weren't home), packages I couldn't deliver (the people weren't home) and undeliverable mail (the people had moved). When I walked into the Post Office, the air conditioning hit me and boy did it feel GOOD! Sadly, the humid summers here last into August. So, I'll get to sweat and suffer for a good while. :-(

Crabs

One of the food specialties you'll find in Maryland are crabs. During crab season, a number of restaurants offer all you can eat deals. One such restaurant is Captain Jerry's Crab House in Laurel, Maryland. The last time I ate crabs was at the SHARE warehouse in Bladensburg, Maryland. I found it really neat though very messy. I've been wanting to eat crabs again and today, I decided to find a place. To my surprise, I found out there was a restaurant in Laurel called Captain Jerry's Restaurant (http://www.captainjerryscrabs.com/door/). I called and I found out their basic all you can eat crabs was $25.95. For $37.95 (I think), you're guaranteed to get only medium-sized crabs. Considering what crabs cost, it isn't a bad deal. You also get hush puppies and french fries. All you can drink sodas are $2. I managed to eat 2 platters of crabs which I thought was a respectable effort. It took me over 3 hours to do that.

Overall, I was very pleased with Captain Jerry's. I'd definitely recommend them. The service was very good and the place was clean. Parking was plentiful. I definitely plan to eat there again. If you're in the Laurel area and want a nice restaurant that offers all you can eat crabs, you might want to give them a try. Cheers!

Montpelier Mansion

Without a doubt, one of the surprise jewels in Laurel, Maryland is the Montpelier Mansion. The mansion was built by Major Thomas Snowden in 1781 and likely completed in 1782. The mansion had a number of distinguished guests including George Washington and Abigail Adams, wife of John Quincy Adams. The mansion is located just off of Maryland 197 and Muirkirk Road. Visitors can do a self-guided tour of the mansion for $3. The mansion has a number of rooms set up to what they would've looked like in the early 1800's. The mansion is situated in 70 acres of land. The greens around the mansion would be excellent for a picnic though I wouldn't do one right now with the summer heat and humidity.

The mansion has a gift shop in its carriage house. The gift shop is called The Little Teapot http://www.the-little-teapot.com/. The gift shop has the typical tourist t-shirts as well as an outstandting selection of loose teas (over 50) and tea sets. This shop may be the finest tea shop in Laurel and in the local area. It offers afternoon teas in the mansion on select Fridays. Reservations are mandatory. For information on future tea dates or to make reservations, you need to call 301-498-8486.

The mansion holds various special events during the year. One particulary noteworthy one will be hold on July 7th, 2007 from 10 a.m. till noon. Visitors will get to see what life was like for a Revolutionary War soldier. Admission for this event is $10. For further information on the mansion and other upcoming events at the mansion, check their website at
http://www.pgparks.com/places/eleganthistoric/montpelier_visitor.html.

Teeth Report

Yesterday, I saw Dr. Ronnie Jones, the Periodontist who was treating my case of periodontal (gum) disease. The visit was to check on how my gums were recovering. Once I had my teeth descaled, I had to use Listerine regularly, brush and especially floss. Listerine is important because it kills the germs that can cause gum infection. Flossing is very important because there are a lot of areas around the teeth a tooth brush doesn't hit. If you doubt, take one of those tablets sometime that shows you all the areas that has build-up on them. You'll be shocked.

Anyway, the visit went well. Dr. Jones measured how much space there was between my gums and teeth. The more space there is, the greater the chance of the teeth shifting or eventually coming out. Thanks to the descaling and my consistent efforts, my gums had improved enormously. The spaces between the teeth and gums and decreased markedly. This is good because you want the gums to be snug around your teeth. If they're snug, your teeth won't move. Also, it means that there isn't any infection below the gums which could cause teeth loss or cavities. I was pleased about the news though I kick myself for letting it get as bad as it did. It was an expensive mistake. It ended costing me over $400 though it would've cost over $1,300 if it weren't for the Delta Dental of California plan I received from the Air Force. Many thanks to the Air Force for helping taking care of me after I retired.

Middle East

David Horowitz has put together an outstanding presentation explaining what the situation really is in the Middle East. We often hear that all the Palestinians want is their own state and that Israel stole their land. Horowitz shows that the issue isn't about Palestinian statehood (the Palestinians were offered their own state in 1948 and 2000 and both times they turned to violence instead of accepting the terms) or Israel stealing their land (there wasn't a Palestinian state to steal the land from), it is about driving the Jews into the sea and completely out of the Middle East. Horowitz shows that Israel has much right to exist as Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon or Syria. When it comes to who has lived there longer, the Jews have lived in this region for over 3,000 years. The Arabs who claim all the land in this region didn't arrive until the 7th century during the Islamic expansion. In my opinion, the presentation also shows why there is little chance of peace between the Jews and the Palestinians. There is too much hate among the Palestinians and they won't give up their quest to drive the Jews out. Until they give up their hate and accept Israel's right to exist, there won't be any chance of peace in that troubled land. The presentation can be found at http://www.terrorismawareness.org/what-really-happened/. The presentation file is large and it may take you a few tries to download the whole thing. I know it did in my case.

Heat

Yesterday, summer hit Maryland with a vengeance. The high was supposed to be in the 90's and it felt like it. One of the bad things about working as a mail carrier for the U.S. Post Office is you have to work in all kinds of weather including high heat. Because of the heat, it was a real trial delivering the mail yesterday. I hate being sweaty. Unlike the cold where I can put on an extra jacket, with the heat, there is nothing you can do but suffer through it while you're delivering your mail. The heat can also make me irritable. I had to do my best not to get frustrated. Today is supposed to be more of the same but, I wasn't scheduled to work today and I don't plan to help out on the city side. I plan to stay indoors as much as possible to avoid it. Hopefully, it'll get cooler soon. We'll see.

New Line's Greed Strikes Again

New Line Films, the folks who produced the Lord of the Rings films, has struck again. A number of lesser known actors and actresses who had minor roles in the Lord of the Rings movies are suing them over royalty issues. It seems that New Line has made a good bit of money on lunch boxes, posters, toys, etc. but claims that after all the various charges are made, they don't owe the actors and actresses anything. In one case, New Line reportedly took in over $9,000,000 from the marketing of the Gil-Galad character alone but, after all the various charges were taken out, it supposedly posted a $400,000 loss! Something doesn't sound right here. Plus, with the way they've treated Peter Jackson, New Line is showing itself to be one of the greediest film companies out there. I definitely don't plan to see any of their movies. Also, I hope they lose the film rights to The Hobbit. If they do, and Jackson finally makes the film, they'll have mud on their face for their greed as the film will be a monster hit. Bob Shaye, the CEO of New Line, has shown himself to be a conceited jerk. Best of luck to the actors and actresses in their lawsuit with New Line.

Source of information: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10443373&ref=emailfriend

Music Review

When BMG had a special where you buy one CD at regular price and get 4 free, I looked for music I'd never listened to. One artist I decided to try was David Arkenstone. His music is new age and is put out by Narada. The CD I ordered was The Best of David Arkenstone. It turned out to be a very nice CD. Arkenstone creates various acoustic pieces of beautiful music. Some have nice beats like Under The Canopy while others sound use bells a lot as with his Night Wind. Some, I don't understand how the music ties into the title of the sound such as the song Temple of Vaal. Still, the music is beautiful and easy to listen to. I felt the CD finished strongly with the piece The Southern Cross (not anything like the Crosby, Stills and Nash hit).

Overall, if you like New Age music, I think you'd like The Best of David Arkenstone. It's a very nicely done CD. It is great music to sit back and relax to (to my embarrassment, I fell asleep 3 times while listening to this CD so I had to listen to it repeatedly so I could give a proper review on it). My only complaint with the CD is I wish he'd included more music on it. The entire CD lasts just 49 minutes 18 seconds which seems short compared to other CDs. Price wise, I believe it would cost $18.98 plus shipping and handling through BMG. You may be able to find it cheaper if you shop around. Cheers!

Recycling Depot

I did my quarterly trip to the Glen Burnie, Maryland recycling depot today. It's my bit for the environment. I took a load of cardboard, paper, cans, jars and plastic bottles and jugs to the depot. I had enough to fill up the trunk of my car and the back seat. I wish I could drop the stuff off here in Laurel but because of the trash collection rules, I have to drive to the depot in Glen Burnie. I think it's a little messed up. Anyway, it was nice to do my bit for the environment.

Discount Shoe Warehouse

I got an incredible deal yesterday at Discount Show Warehouse (DSW). I'd earned a $10 off my next purchase certificate from them through their shopper's reward program. The certificate was going to expire on the 10th. After procrastinating for a couple weeks, I finally got myself to their Columbia, Maryland store. I looked at their selection and tried to think of something I actually needed shoe wise. I'm not a shoe-aholic and really didn't need any new shoes. One thing I knew I could use was a pair of water-proof boots for when it rains. When I'm delivering mail, I'm outside a lot and I can get soaked if it really pours.

I decided to check out DSW's clearance section. They were offering double reward points for any purchases in that section. I found a pair of water-proof boots but, I wasn't sure they'd fit. To my delight, they did. The boots were on clearance but, I wasn't sure how much was going to be taken off their $40 price tag. It turned out, they were priced 80% off! That dropped the price to under $10. With my certificate, I ended paying just 1 penny for my boots. I was delighted. So, that is how I got a great deal yesterday at DSW.

Secret Shopper

I notified ICCDS that I didn't want to do any more secret shopper assignments. I felt that it was too much hassle for too little money. Before doing a secret shop at a Weis supermarket, I'd have to check out the ad for that particular store and figure out what I was going to buy. I'd also have to think of at least one question for each of the six departments. Depending on what store I inspected, it could take from 10 to 30 minutes to reach the store. Then, I had to spend a minimum of 35 minutes in the store itself. Once I'd finished my shop, I had to do a survey telling the good and bad things I'd found. Once the survey was complete, I had to file my assignment voucher. I ended spending some where between 2 and 1/2 and 3 hours for $10 plus up to $5 for whatever I bought a the store. It just wasn't worth it. Still, ICCDS was nice about it. If I decide I want to start doing shops again, all I have to do is email them my field representative number and I can start doing it again. Kudos to them for being so nice about it. If you like doing secret shopping, you should give ICCDS a try.