Battery World of Covington

Okay, here's the deal...... if you EVER need help or advice concerning batteries, please consider this store. The Back Story:

Daughter No 1. had a Kodak EasyShare camera left sitting in a drawer that I have been looking at for @two years now and finally took out to look into. I have been wanting to take better photos than my old HP digicam can take and thought why not use a camera that's got a really good reputation.

First things first, charge the battery. The camera sits on a "dock"ing device that charges the ion battery. I thought it had charged; it sat there all day soaking up electricity. But it didn't turn on. By this time, I had purchased a 2G ScanDisk SD chip so I was half-way home and needed to get a functioning battery. Online: >$20.00 but you have to wait for shipping. I'm American, I want it now!

Well hang on.... It's not as though I am an impatient human. After all, I have had the camera in my possession for 2 years and thinking about it but not POUNCING upon it the moment I first realized it's existence... so I MUST get props for that at the very least. It's just that, after thinking about it and getting going on the project, I wanted to see some results before a week passed me by. It's technology. If I wanted to WAIT for something, I'd go back to the SLR camera. I have two of them laying about in drawers as well.

Meanwhile, back a the dock, so I go off in search of a battery. Walgreens... no luck. Oh they sell ALL SORTS of batteries and if I ever need a hearing aid, I know where to stock up on boatloads of batteries for that! WalMart. no luck. Ok now that's weird because they SELL the CAMERA itself. But not the battery. The lady suggested Battery World around the corner. It's Sunday, of course that shop is closed. So I head over to Office Depot.

Again, they sell the camera. They sell other KODAK batteries IN STOCK but not that one. The helpful fellow said let's look on our online catalogue. And there it is for $17.99. "I could order one and have it here in a few days" Yes I know but I could order it as well online from ANYWHERE and have it shipped directly to my address."Yesssss but then the taxes you pay would go to another state.

Well now that's an interesting take....He's worried about where MY taxes go. (another post!)

So I thank him but move on...... Come Monday morning I call over to Battery World to a.) see what time they open (they were! It was only 8:30am and they were open!) and b.) did they stock the KLIC-5001? Yes. How much? $49.99. WHAT??????????

I told the lad on the other end that that battery is sold at Office Online for $17.99! He said, "Yes... I know, but here's the difference. They have warehouse where they stock thousands of those batteries for who know how long til someone orders one or five and they ship them out. One guy in a warehouse full of batteries. I buy them two at a time and know exactly where they come from and how long they sit on my shelf."

Okay so I explain my problem and he suggests I bring the dock, the camera and the charging cord to check out where the failure to charge may be. I'm there in a flash and within 5 minutes, he has figured out that the charge cord was not making a strong connection to the dock, fixed that, determined that the old battery DID take a charge and to try that for the next several hours. If the battery would not hold a charge, I knew where I could come back and buy a new battery.

And I will if this battery is not a good one but it charged up, the camera works and I will now spend a few short days tramping around the sands of Rockport Texas looking at property. With a camera 'round my neck.

One more thing: As I walked up to the desk, he said, "I went on to the Office Depot online store and guess what? You can't actually order that battery on line.. Watch." So there was the battery the guy at Office Depot showed me and I exclaimed, "See! $17.99. I told you it was only $17.99!" the AddToCart button and a new window popped open to say, "This item cannot be order at this time....." But you could get a KODAK battery like his for $41.99 so he felt his price for availability was not unreasonable and I agree.

Daughter No. Two.....

...has just sent an email from Phuket where we hear the beach is just outside her door, everything is served in pineapple shells and massage therapists roam along the shoreline in herds. Other than that, it appears that few people come to this area of Phuket.

And elephant ride was in the schedule for that day and I have been promised photographs and will post them here if ever I actually receive them before she returns. The one thing that does seem to be lacking is internet access service.

She misses her cat but he's well looked after here. I think he may be still growing.

All I know is he's pretty ding-dang cute when he sleeps in this position.

Now this is High-Tech Quilting (MUSHY MUSH!)

Just before she left for Okinawa, Kat set me up on her MacBook and introduced me to Netflix..... this DVD rental system that has escaped me for some time now.

I understand concept under which it operates but relying on the postal system to transport films isn't something that would allow me to sleep easy. (It's interesting to note how often my bills and payments, sent back well in advance, managed to not arrive before the Due Date, leaving me with extra charges for being late or simply vanish altogether, but they NEVER took long to arrive in my mailbox....)(but that's a subject for another post)

So, what I did not realize with Netflix is one can actually watch ON DEMAND on the computer lots of films and TV programs that are both currently running and blasts from the past.

I have set the computer up behind the sewing machine and while I work on the latest quilts, I am watching the past 5 episodes of MONK, one of my favorite shows of late.




What could possibly be wrong with this?



Well If you're not paying attention to the sewing because Monk is distracting , you end up with scrambled cats:


Even with Shasta supervising (see the top photo) I managed to sew it wonky.





Anyway, HULU.com offers this technology as well and Alec Baldwin has redeemed himself in the eyes of the public of late with both his work on a TV series and a commercial that aired on SuperBowl Sunday:

And speaking of cats.....

Kathy and I put one of her newest quilts on the Tin Lizzie. It's a Cats Tails-Trails made with fur-image fabrics we have been collecting now for more than a few years. Mine is still a WIP as I am making two of them.

Yes I use a magnifying glass to check the stitches..... my eyes aren't as good as I'd wish them to be.

But isn't the quilt great??!!

and speaking of cats, here's another of Q, the Supervisor, sleeping on the job.













Which brings me to this classic:

Maukie..... the Virtual Cat

I saw this little cutie over at Rick N's blog and wanted a cat to keep me company as I type. I wonder if anyone knows if she can be customized.......

BTW, he has a nice blog about quilting going on...... lovely large one hot off the quilting machine to look at.

February Already

And I have been busy but neglecting this blog.

Updates:

1. Low Carb eating is NOT difficult, even for someone like me who tends to gravitate towards starch items. Thank GOD I started eating meat again back a few years ago or I would be chewing on root veggies alone.

HOWEVER, the weight does not just fall off as advertised. I have only lost maybe two pounds but John has lost more than 8 and feels really good.

2. Skiing in Colorado was a blast. I didn't break any bones (yippee) and have been coached into going downhill with greater velocity and skill than I ever dreamed I would thanks to the advice of the Two Larrys. Thanks, guys..... I really mean that. Especially after roasting I got from you when I poked the lift partner off the seat. (don't ask... it was so humiliating!)

3. Daughter No 1 is returning from her ski trip this morning and Daugher No 2 has arrived in Okinawa for a 4 -5 weeks trip to the Far East. I am calm. I am in a happy place. I am breathing. Slowly in. Slowly out.

4. Quilts continue apace: I have completed a few new samples for the shop


These are the two newest samples. One is for a paper piece class and the smaller one is the BOM Jamestown in Batiks. (It's really MUCH bigger than the square photo but that would take up alot of download time)

Now that the BOM is full, I will be taking it apart and rearranging a few blocks for a better dispersing of that dark purple fabric. I used the original pattern layout and was in such a rush to finish it for the shop that I didn't stop long enough to actually look at it.

Note to myself: Take Time. Mindful walking.


and finally, I am plotting my next two tops on the quilting machine. But first: Here is one of two identical quilts I made for the girls for Christmas:

Dontcha just love that fruit fabric?! It's incredible! That pattern is called BQ.