Eastern Utah
EMAIL ME AT: mgypsy97 at aol dot com

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Ready to melt!

At 1:30 it's 82F and going up to 93 today. The weekend looks to be in the upper 90's, so I will be ready to take off on Monday for cooler places.

I needed several items at Home Depot, so waited until about 7 pm last night, hoping it might be cooler (it wasn't). Got the things on my list and then looked for a checkout, but the only thing open were two self-service checkouts. I don't do self-service checkouts, anywhere, any time! I asked a tech nearby and he said only the S-S was open, but that he would scan my bag of charcoal while I scanned the smaller items. I told him "I don't do self-service checkouts!", rolled the cart back and put every item in its proper place, then walked out of the store empty handed. (Do you think anyone actually cared?) The store closes at 10 pm so it wasn't because they were drawing down for the day.

I decided to try K-Mart as I really wanted some 10" hacksaw blades. I'm trying to cut down the ugliest rose bush on the planet, and I can only do a small bit at a time. I had put the blades back on the shelf at Home Depot, and K-Mart didn't even have them. That place used to be a good store to shop but it is falling apart now. I doubt I'll ever go back, at least for any serious shopping, and maybe rarely to pick up a small item. Personally I think all the discount stores such as Target, Walmart, K-Mart, and even the so called drug stores such as Walgreens, made a big mistake trying to be a grocery store/discount combo. They made room for groceries by reducing their shelf space for the products which made them popular in the first place. (I know I've said this in past blogs, but please humor me.)

This morning I decided to bite the bullet and go to the dreaded Walmart. It wasn't as bad as it could have been, but much less satisfactory than it could have been as well. I got the blades and have already reduced the rose bush. Someone is bound to wonder why I'm using a hacksaw. It's because the only two saws I have are a hacksaw and a circular saw, which would be overkill. I doubt I will ever do enough sawing to warrant buying something else.

After already letting the horse out of the barn, I closed the door when I bought a pack of Shout Color Catchers. No more fading of colors for me, although I could just put that blue beach towel in the closet and forget about using or washing it again.

Some propane canisters for my Coleman 2-burner stove and the Coleman lantern, plus a few extra tent stakes was all I could find in the camping department; sorry to say I haven't found a chaise lounge anywhere this year that I liked. Target is about the only place left, and I find that as irritating a place to shop as is Walmart.

I have looked at my middle row of seats in the Highlander every chance I get, even read the user manual again, trying to figure out how to get the seats to lay flat. Nothing doing! The back row is tucked away under the cargo floor and I'm not messing with them and then not be able to get them back the way they are now. But the middle row is driving me crazy! Does any reader have a 2006 Toyota Highlander, and if so, can you fold the seats down so that they lie flush with the cargo floor? There has to be a way to do this.

I find myself wishing I had a Toyota Sienna, although the fuel economy would be much less than what I get. Also, what do I need with a bigger vehicle like that? I'd camp in it, that's what!

11 comments:

  1. Can't help you with the Highlander issue. I've been looking for a rocking camp chair and I can't find one of those I like either. Guess I really don't want to spend the money. Have a great 4th.

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  2. Think about removing the rear seat, not hard to do, than put in the storage shed,, you now have so much extra room..

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  3. Don't you have a manual?

    Maybe this will help.

    http://www.ehow.com/how_6906920_do-cargo-area-toyota-highlander_.html

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  4. You are not alone, I also refuse to go through those self-serve check-outs.

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  5. We tried a self-serve checkout one time at Walmart in Douglas Arizona. And, that was the end of that. Never tried it again!!

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  6. I hate self-checkout and Home Depot is the worse. I just act like I can't figure it out and the attendant has to do it. Did you check Amazon.com for what you need? I have had SUV's where the back seat lays flat when folded and others where is is on an angle - not enough room. Maybe the headrests are in the way.

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  7. Well, jeeez. I seek out the self check outs... much faster if you only have under ten items....

    Gypsy... Homer's middle seats were taken out. It's been so long ago I forget ... but as Sandra said... get your manual out and it will tell you how to take them out.

    Of course you'll have to get Donald or someone to to do this.. they aren't necessarily all that heavy ... you can scoot them out but the disengaging takes more strength that I have in my arms....

    I think your Highlander would be a dandy camper! put your porta potty in and a cot or mattress and head out!

    Got all the way up to 57ยบ today! Still have my jacket on even in McDs! Crater isn't far from you, right? and it's cool/cold?

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  8. I'm totally with you on Target, Walmart and all the rest trying to be all things to all people rather than doing one thing well. I am very sorry to see K-Mart making themselves less and less competitive with Mallwart. I always like them for their philanthropy to the National Music Camp and other musical endeavors.

    I too actually like self check out. The only time I don't is when someone with an entire cart full of items does it instead of letting a clerk do it. For me it's fast and easy and the only mistakes it's ever made have been in my favor.

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  9. Where are you off to this time? Are you taking Lady? I would like to make a trip, if I EVER get this rig straightened out!

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  10. In some cases the seats don't fold down you need to remove them, as others have said.

    Good luck and I can't wait to hear about this trip. You know me - living vicariously :D Thank YOU!

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  11. When I had my van I had to remove the headrests before it would lay flat (not a Toyota )

    I do what Teri does when there is a self check out.

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