I just needed a little inspiration is all...

Well, here I am. I appreciate anyone who is reading this and the fact that after such a long gap in posting you even bothered to click through to this uberslacker's nearly dead blog! I have a thousand million excuses for my absence, but I'll only bore you with the most notable one: I moved. Waaaaaaay out to Portugal Cove. And it's wicked here. So wicked that I feel like I don't even have anything to complain about. That, and the fact that all my disposable income that I used to use for shopping (and subsequently, telling) went into what I like to think of as a giant savings account that I can live in for the next 25 or so years. Anyway, tonight I went to Canadian Tire to have my winter tires put on. Lo and behold, I was struck with a big ol' bolt of triangle-shaped, red, white and green inspiration.

Let me back up. I called Canadian Tire on Kelsey Drive on Saturday and booked an appointment for vehicle winterization. They offered me an appointment at 4 pm on Monday, but I explained that I don't get off work in the east end until 4 and asked for a later time. 5 pm was available, so I took that appointment instead. I was going to price check around town first, but the guy on the phone (I'm out of practice, dammit, and didn't get his name) advised me that I would get my tires at the price advertised in last week's flyer, because they extend the sales for up to two weeks after the end date. Now, I'm not Canadian Tire's biggest fan by any means. Generally, I find their stores disorganized and understaffed, but nearly 20 bucks off per tire? Sold.

I arrived at the store at about 4:30 and checked in to the automotive desk, asking if there was any way I might sneak in early...no go. But it was nice of the guy (again, no name - shame on me!) to check it out. I wandered about the store for a while before returning to automotive at 4:55, only to find several other customers ahead of me. At 5:25, my turn was finally up.

"You were supposed to be here at 4 o'clock".

Um, no, I was supposed to be here at 5 o'clock. And you could have mentioned this when I was here at 4:30. But whatever, no use in arguing: there was apparently no problem getting me in directly, my $20 off deal was still on the books and I'd still be out of there in 90 minutes. I handed over my keys and set off on foot to explore the wonders of the semi-urban, pre-holiday, big-box hell that is Kelsey Drive.

At 6:45, I walked back over to Canadian Tire (after being narrowly missed by a speeding grocery-getter on the Sobey's side of the street) and noticed that my car was sitting just inside the garage doors. I was surprised that they were actually finished within the 90 minutes they'd promised me, with time to spare. When I got inside, though, and looked more closely through the shop window, it appeared that my old tires were still on. What the what?

I approached the automotive desk, and was assisted by a very helpful and polite (yet again, nameless) employee, who said he'd check on the status of my job straight away. He stepped into the garage, and then stepped back to me. Apparently, the technician who was supposed to work on my car went on his supper break. Before installing the tires. On my vehicle that had been sitting in front of him for over an hour.

"He should be back in a half-hour".

I was offered the labour for free ($50 value - shout out to the shaggy-haired kid with the tie working the 5-9 shift for that one) if I cared to wait another 1.5 to 2 hours, but by this time it's after 7pm, my poor dog's at home just dying to go out for a pee, and I'm d-o-n-e. They couldn't rebook an appointment until Wednesday, so here's hoping we don't get a freak snowstorm between now and then. If we do, perhaps you'll see me in Windsor Lake.

'Til next time (and there will be a next time, I swear!), happy shopping!