WWW.WEDNESDAY

WWW. WEDNESDAY asks three questions to prompt you to speak bookishly. To participate, and to see how other book lovers responded, click here. 

PS I no longer participate in WWW.WEDNESDAY via that link because her blog won't accept Blogger comments. I mention this only to save you the frustration I experienced trying to link up.

1. What are you currently reading? Dear Debbie by Freida McFadden. I know the author is very popular but this is my first exposure to her. So far, it's entertainingly twisty. Debbie Mullen is a nice suburban housewife. She lives with her husband and teenaged daughters in a house they can't quite afford. Her husband is an accountant and she has a part-time job as an advice columnist for the local paper (hence the title, Dear Debbie). She gardens, she goes to book club, she and her husband share a membership at the local gym. From the outside, it all looks so normal.

 

Let's just say looks can be deceiving. 

 

It's one of those books I think about when I'm not reading it. I'm trying to ignore some nagging plot holes as the story carries me along. 

 

2. What did you recently finish reading?  Lincoln's Last Trial by Dan Abrams. Lincoln myth emphasizes his humble origins and it's true, he was born in a one-room log cabin and once supported himself by manual labor (splitting rails). But he was also a very successful, albeit mostly self taught, lawyer. When you tour the Lincoln sites in Springfield, IL, you can see his home in contrast to the others of the time and it was bigger (he added the second floor) and nicer (its kitchen was very modern for the era). So I was happy this facet of Abe's life is at center stage. Yes, he often took cases for no fee if his clients couldn't afford it, but he also acted as prosecutor for the State of Illinois* and represented corporate concerns in civil litigation. The work was lucrative and he was well paid because he was very good.

 

The Mr. Lincoln on these pages is ambitious. He was well on his way to becoming a national figure when he took the case of accused killer Peachy Quinn, and took the unusual step of hiring R. R. Hitt as his stenographer. Court reporters were not standard at that time, but Lincoln wanted a record of this trial that he could use to burnish his image ... if he won.

 

The case was important, not only to Abe professionally but to all of Springfield. Peachy Quinn stabbed Greek Crafton. Both were known to Lincoln and to most folks in town, as well. Springfield was divided. Either Peachy was unjustly accused of murder and was just defending himself against a much larger man, or Greek had been viciously slashed by a hothead who could easily have just walked away but instead brandished a weapon.

There were matters of law argued here, and Lincoln's steno man got just about every word. How much force is justifiable as self defense? Did Quinn choose to carry his knife that day because he believed he was in danger, or was he looking for Grafton and spoiling for a fight? Should Greek's words to a minister on his deathbed be admissible? Does it matter that – how's this for small town life? – the minister he confessed to was his killer's grandfather? I found it all fascinating and placed myself in the jury box (even though as a woman I would not be eligible to be juror).

 

I don't need my Lincoln to be as simple and good as Santa Claus. I want to know the real man: smart, strategic, ambitious and at times manipulative. He was all those things in service of causes he believed in, and we're all better for it. 

3. What will you read next? I don't know.

 

  

 

*That's one of the cooler things I learned. Back in the 1850s, lawyers had no specialties. There were no district attorneys, no defense attorneys, no corporate lawyers, etc. A lawyer was a lawyer. When the State needed to prosecute somebody, the assigned judge would hire someone locally to represent the State. Like many lawyers at the time, Mr. Lincoln didn't focus on prosecution or defense and considered any job that came his way. 

 

August Happiness Challenge: Day 4

My 2026 Happiness Icon

Today's Happiness: Take Me Out to the Ballgame. Seeing Cookie Monster in a Cubs jersey will never not bring joy.

 

Happy August Happiness Challenge!

 

Each day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy. Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.

 

August Happiness Challenge – Day 3

My 2026 Happiness Icon

Today's Happiness: Go, Cubs, Go! The Dodgers are the best team in baseball and my guys beat them. Convincingly. So I'm going to sleep happy.

 

 

Happy August Happiness Challenge!

 

Each day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy. Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.

 

August Happiness Challenge – Day 2

Today's Happiness: Not so hot. I mean that literally. Today I don't think the mercury reached 80º and, oh! It was such a relief! It was so nice to be able to stroll around my neighborhood in comfort. I looked up to the sky and was just delighted by how full and green the trees are. We're more than halfway through summer and I don't think I stop to enjoy the view as often as I should. It doesn't stay this way forever, you know. Autumn and winter bring their own beauty, for sure, but this is special and unique to summer.

I was headed to my favorite rib place for Sunday dinner and found them to be quite short handed. I had to wait longer than usual for my to-go order and used the time to look at the walls. I stared for a while at the ornately framed photo of the owner's grandmother – the one lady who developed their barbecue sauce – and then noticed for the first time another framed photo. A skinny, vaguely familiar middle-aged man had his arm around the owner. ALICE COOPER! Oh, it was Alice Cooper alright. He signed the picture. I just didn't immediately recognize him with a baseball cap but minus the mascara. 

 

So me and Alice, we like the same rib joint. That made me happy, too. Sometimes if you just take a moment to notice things, you'll get a little jolt of joy.

Happy August Happiness Challenge!

Each day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy. Pretty simple. And it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world. 

 

Sunday Stealing

Bold the Ones You've Done

Have you ever ...

1. Slept under the stars


2. Played in a band


3. Visited Hawaii 


4. Visited Easter Island 

5. Watched a meteor shower


6. Seen the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace


7. Been to Disneyland or Disney World 


8. Climbed a mountain 


I love this view. Every spring I hiked from my hotel (The Arlington, the big building at an angle, center right) up the Ouchita Mountain and then to the top of the Hot Springs Mountain Tower (on the left). I haven't done this in more than 20 years and I'm quite sure my knees can no longer handle it. I know there's an elevator to the top of the Tower, which I callously once thought only wimps used. I wonder if I could take a Lyft or Uber to the Tower. I have no plans to go. It just makes me sad to think maybe I'll never see this again.

9. Held a praying mantis

10. Been to the Louvre 

11. Had food poisoning


12. Eaten vegetables you grew yourself


13. Slept overnight on a train 


14. Built a snow fort


15. Held a lamb


16. Gone skinny dipping


17. Been on a cruise (day cruises and dinner cruises count)

18. Seen Niagara Falls 


19. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors


20. Sung karaoke


21. Sat for a portrait

22. Walked on a beach by moonlight


23. Been transported in an ambulance


24. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling 


25. Kissed in the rain


26. Played in the mud


27. Gone to a drive-in theater

28. Changed your vehicle's oil yourself

29. Taken a martial arts class 


30. Visited the Vatican


31. Volunteered at a soup kitchen or food pantry


32. Sold Girl Scout cookies

33. Bought a used car

34. Sat on a jury

35. Ridden an elephant

 

August Happiness Challenge: Day 1

My 2026 Happiness Icon

Today's Happiness: Love in the air. I had lunch today with my nephew and his lady friend. They were telling me about their evenings "at home" playing cards and she admitted she was the more competitive of the two and found it frustrating how easily he won. Then she said, "But I love him." Out loud, just like that!

 

When she got up to move her car, leaving us alone for a moment, I asked him, "So are you two shacking up?" He rather shyly told me he was in the process of moving in. Her lease expired yesterday and she took the larger apartment literally across the hall, so there's no real rush. They jointly invited me for pizza next month, when they are moved in and settled.

 

This is huge. She is the first serious girlfriend he's had since high school. I like her and the influence she has had on him. Years ago, when he was entering college, he couldn't decide between being a history teacher and being a staffer for a politician. Unfortunately the crudeness and intentional cruelty of MAGA had turned him off politics (just another ugly thing Donald Trump will be judged on by historians and God). That's when he picked up sports journalism and, while he has enjoyed it, it's never going to be a real career for him. Here he is, in his mid-20s, living in his old bedroom in his parents' house. Since he works remotely, he's never had to commute to work. Or pay rent or a utility bill. 

 

She's helped him reignite his interest in public service. He's pursuing a career in teaching and is considering special education as his specialty. He's now part of a couple – she went on vacation with his parents last month and endures me on a monthly basis, he has begun socializing with her friends.

 

Is this forever? Do I think they'll marry? Oh, who cares? They're in love now. And I'll always be grateful to her for helping him evolve, for taking him back to the future, back to the teenager who wanted to share his passion for American history with others.

 

I love my nephew very much, so this makes me happy, too. 

Happy August Happiness Challenge!

 

Each day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy. Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.

 

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Coconut (1971)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

This month Saturday 9 will be tasty, featuring songs with food in the title.

1) This song is about a woman who complains of a belly ache. How's your tummy this morning? This morning it's fine, thank you. 

2) She responds to this malady by calling the doctor. What if you chose to address the problem yourself? Are there currently any OTC digestive aids in your medicine chest? Not in my medicine chest. But only because it's too humid in there. I keep Pepto Bismol, Immodium and Lactaid in the kitchen and in my purse.

3) Coconut was once a popular ice cream flavor, but no more. It's not on the list of top sellers at Baskin Robbins or Cold Stone. When you last had ice cream, what flavor was it? I don't remember! They didn't have my go-to – mint chocolate chip – so I went with one of the flavors they were promoting. What I remember best is the chocolate sauce. It was very good. (But really, it's so seldom I run into chocolate I don't like.)

4) Coconut remains popular in baking. It's easy to find recipes for coconut pie, coconut cheesecake, coconut cookies ... you get the idea. Have you recently tried a new recipe? If yes, how did it turn out? I can't recall the last time I tried a new recipe.

5) This week's featured artist, Harry Nilsson, was a well known free spirit. He liked to party and had a reputation for not adhering to a schedule. Therefore it's a little surprising that one of his first jobs was in the conservative atmosphere of a small bank. Do you prefer a more structured workplace? I guess it depends on the kind of structure. When I was at the ad agency, I liked adhering to a schedule and process because I felt free to be more creative, knowing there was a reliable system supporting me. But I chafed at being told what to wear or being dissuaded from displaying personal items. If I'm not meeting with the client, why do you care about my Beatles t-shirt or my Cubs pennant? 

6) Harry met Micky Dolenz when The Monkees recorded his song, "Cuddly Toy" and they became fast and life-long friends. Can you think of someone you met and quickly "clicked" with? My former boss at the card shop, CeeCee. I liked her instantly and never changed my opinion. She has taken her talents to a clothing store a few blocks away and I still run into her on occasion and it always brightens my day. If you don't like CeeCee, there's something very wrong with you.

7) In 1971, when this song was on the radio, detective shows were popular on TV. Mannix, Ironside and Cannon were all in the Top 20. Do you think you'd make a good private investigator? No. I cannot see myself on a stake out. I'd either doze off or fixate on where I would go to pee.

8) England's Princess Anne turned 21 in 1971 and the occasion was commemorated with an official portrait taken by fashion photographer Norman Parkinson. Who took the most recent photo of you? I had lunch last weekend with two former coworkers and Rita snapped a selfie. Her selfies always come out better than mine so I didn't bother. She sent me hers.

9) Random question: You can redecorate any one room in your home, money is no object. But only one room. Which room do you pick? The kitchen. I'd replace the refrigerator, stove, floors, and cabinets. I'm no cook, but spending time in there is unavoidable and it would make my life easier and more pleasant to renovate it. (Do they have self-cleaning floors now? I vacuum all the time but somehow that floor always needs a good mopping.)

Thursday Thirteen #473

 Syndicated laughter. Network TV viewership is on the decline, but in some ways, their product is more popular than ever. Cable channels, local broadcast channels and streaming platforms need content, and viewers tend to consider their favorite situation comedies like comfort food. 

With a few exceptions, we seem to prefer watching shows post-1980, with the 1990s appearing to be the decade we return to most.

Platforms report views differently so it's impossible to determine what shows are most popular. Instead this list is the 13 titles that cost the most most for channels and platforms to buy. I was surprised to not see The Golden Girls or The King of Queens, because they seem to be on all the time. 

1. Friends (1994-2004)

2. Seinfeld (1989-1998)

3. The Big Bang Theory (2007-2019)

4. The Simpsons (1989-present)

5. Everybody Loves Raymond (1996-2005)

6. Frasier (1993-2004)

7. Modern Family (2009-2020)

8. Married ... with Children (1987-1997)

9. Family Guy (1999-present)

10. The Office (2005-2013)

11. The Andy Griffith Show (1960-1968) 

12. I Love Lucy (1951-1957)

13. M*A*S*H (1972-1983)

I'm a Friends Gal myself. If this list were to reflect my personal taste, The Dick Van Dyke Show would also be on it. How about you? Which reruns do you sit down to watch?

Please join us for THURSDAY THIRTEEN. Click here to play along, and to see other interesting compilations of 13 things.

 

WWW.WEDNESDAY

WWW. WEDNESDAY asks three questions to prompt you to speak bookishly. To participate, and to see how other book lovers responded, click here. 

PS I no longer participate in WWW.WEDNESDAY via that link because her blog won't accept Blogger comments. I mention this only to save you the frustration I experienced trying to link up.

1. What are you currently reading? Lincoln's Last Trial by Dan Abrams. I was going to read this during covid lockdown. While I went through 47 books in 2021, this was not among them. I'm not sure why, but now Dan and Abe get their moment with me.

 

Dan Abrams does this: he chooses long-past trials with well-known lawyers or litigants and weaves them into easy-to-follow tales, relying as much on court transcripts as the recollections of participants. Since these books focus more on the trials than the crimes themselves, we're left to decide whether justice was done.

 

This time Mr. Lincoln takes center stage. He was well on his way to becoming a national figure when he chose to defend a Springfield boy named Peachy Quinn, accused of killing Greek Crafton, another Springfield native. Both were known to Lincoln and, in fact, to most folks in town. Springfield was divided. Either Peachy was unjustly accused of murder when he was just defending himself against a much larger man, or Greek had been viciously slashed by a man who could easily have just walked away but instead brandished a weapon.

 

Yeah, I know how this ends. What I'm enjoying is the journey this book is taking me on. I've been to Springfield many times and have visited the Lincoln-Herndon Law Office. I've walked where Abe walked, from his office to the courthouse, or home, or to the Globe Tavern.

 

Abrams and his co-author Fisher are showing me Abe as he ends one chapter of his life and gets ready to embark on another. It's emotionally resonant because as I go through this story I know something Abe doesn't – he is about to leave Springfield and the law forever and he has only 7 years to live. I'm looking at a man on the brink of immortality, and I'm fascinated by how his mind works.

 

2. What did you recently finish reading?  In Pieces by Sally Field. This book was not at all what I expected. Not at all! (Even though Country Dew tried to warn me.) Yes, she covers off on her major roles and I enjoyed those parts. Her romance with Burt Reynolds gets a lot of space, too. But mostly this book is about her family – the one she was born into and the one she created. She's an actor, a dedicated one and her craft/passion saved her life, but she's also a daughter, a sister, a mother and a granddaughter.

 

There is little joy in this book because Sally Field had a far more complicated life than I realized. It's not an easy read. But it's well written and authentic and it touched me. Sally's relationship with her mother reminded me so much of my mom and me that it was disturbing.

 

I recommend this book because it had an impact on me. But be warned.

3. What will you read next? Dear Debbie by Freida McFadden. It's time for some chills and thrills.

 

  

 

 

 

Let go, let Bertha

I'm happy that my oldest friend is finally back in therapy. She telehealthes with Bertha weekly. Bertha is a licensed clinical social worker, and that makes me even happier because it means she doesn't have a prescription pad. My friend believes, I feel, too strongly in living better through chemistry.

At first I saw real progress in her attitude and approach to the challenges in her life. She actually admitted that when she left Chicagoland, it was really not because (as she repeatedly complained) it snows and it's flat and it gets dark too early. No, it was because she was disappointed in love (again) and depressed and, instead of looking within, she ran away. Way to go, Bertha! Now if only she could apply that sound logic to her repeated desire to move back here. The problem is not her location, obviously, it's the way she approaches her life.

Saturday night we (my friend and I, not Bertha and I) talked for a couple hours. I was less positive than I'd been. My friend isn't feeling well and she still hasn't ironed out her healthcare because it's too hard to deal with the bureaucracy. Since she can't afford insulin she's taking someone else's and guessing at the dosage. She started to talk about her on-again-off-again relationship with her landlord, but stopped herself, saying, "You'll just yell at me again." I asked her if she was still consulting Bertha regularly and she gave me an enthusiastic yes.

I was relieved. Bertha is licensed. She has 20 years experience. Therapy is a process, not an event, and both my friend and Bertha understand this.

I've known my friend since Kindergarten. Her life began to go off the rails 15 years ago and I'm tired. Exhausted with trying to keep up with the mood swings and the self-destruction. But I don't have to anymore.

We have Bertha, and I'm so very grateful.

Photo by Zulfugar Karimov on Unsplash

Sunday Stealing

The $80,000 Meme

Premise: A philanthropist awards you $80,000 with the stipulation that you must spend half on yourself and half for the benefit of others. 

1. Of the $40,000 you must spend on yourself: 

a. First you throw yourself a lavish birthday party. Tell us about it. This is hard because it's not something I can imagine myself doing. Also, my friends tend to be in factions. For example, my friends Nancy and Paul have never met my friend Elaine. So I think what I would rather do is plan a getaway with just one friend and do New York right. Starting with first class airfare to and fro. We'll each have our own room at The Four Seasons, have spa treatments right there in the hotel, then go to a Broadway show. Dinner at Sardi's because that just sounds so glam. I'd love to see a game at Yankee Stadium, too.

b. Then you take off on a cruise. Where are you headed? I'm not really attracted to the idea of a cruise, either. But I know I'd enjoy the TCM Classic Cruise because it's all about the movies. Because money is no object, I'm booking a deluxe oceanview stateroom all to myself.

2. Of the $40,000 you must spend for the benefit of others: 

a. Who would be on your gift list? What would buy them? I'd love to help my oldest friend find a new living arrangement and get her healthcare ironed out. Her life is a mess, and it would be great if my money could help her find her way out.

b. Which charities would you support? Oh, wouldn't this be fun? I think what I would like to do is sponsor shelter animals. So many organizations have dogs and cats that have been there forever and are, let's face it, not going to be adopted. They're too old, they aren't cute, they have chronic medical issues ... I would find tremendous satisfaction in providing these animals with safety and comfort for life, and enabling the shelters to use their resources to helping more dogs and cats.

 

 

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: This Is A Very Special Day (1953)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) In this song, Peggy sings that she feels good enough to climb a hill. Will you be doing anything athletic today? Just my morning stretches. I may go for a walk later, depending on the heat/humidity.

2) However she was also tempted to climb back in bed. Is a nap in your plans for today? Yes. I'm off to the vet first thing Saturday morning. Even though it's just a check up for my boy cat, it's stressful for both of us and we will likely both benefit from napping.

3) She tells us that she looked in the mirror and told herself it was time to "lose the blues." Do you ever speak outloud to yourself? Not to myself. But I speak to the TV all the time. Especially during Cub games.

4) Peggy wrote this song for the 1953 remake of The Jazz Singer. She performs it in the movie, too. In the 1950s, female singer-songwriters were unusual, but not so today. Can you think of another woman who not only sings but writes her own material? Carole King is the first one to pop into my head.

5) Her co-star in the film was Danny Thomas. Today he is best remembered as a philanthropist and founder of St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, but he was quite a star in his day. He appeared in nightclubs and movie musicals and, from 1954 to 1963, had his own sitcom. Do you know the show? Make Room for Daddy. I saw the daytime reruns when I was home sick or off for the summer. It was one of the few sitcoms where the family lived in an apartment, which seemed quite exotic to little me, who was used to the suburbs and ranch houses and lawns. Hans Conreid played Danny's Uncle Tonoose. He was from "the old country," ate goat cheese and bragged he was "strong, like bull." I was always happy when Uncle Tonoose showed up.

6) When Peggy Lee was trying to break into show business, she supported herself as a short order cook. She was required to turn orders around quickly. Are you fast and efficient in the kitchen? I don't believe I am fast and efficient anywhere.

7) Just when her career started to take off, Peggy had to take a break when she had her tonsils removed. Do you still have your tonsils? Yes.

8) In 1953, when this record was released, Matchbox Cars were introduced and they remain popular today. Did you ever play with Matchbox Cars? No. My parents were very traditional when it came to "girl's toys" and "boy's toys," and never the twain shall meet.

9) Random question: You're walking past a filthy puddle. Floating on top you see a dead bug, a cigarette butt, and a $1 bill. Would you bend over and rescue the dollar? I don't know. Maybe. I'll be honest, though, cigarette butts creep me out.

 

 

Happy Reminder

Every year I take the August Happiness Challenge. Here's a brief explanation of the Challenge: "Each day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy. Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world."

You're invited to join me. Visit me with a link to your daily August happy, and I'll come read it. I've found that experiencing other peoples' everyday pleasures is a great mood lifter.

It helps if your August Happiness Challenge posts are marked with an icon. Just something that means "happy" to you. Here's a pair of my past happys.

 

Everybody should have a Jonathan

I spent about 30 minutes with Jonathan, my financial advisor. I needed to make a withdrawal from my IRA to carry me through year end, and I wanted to check in and see how I'm doing. Am I protected in case the AI bubble bursts? Are my investments keeping up with inflation? What's our plan?

Short answer: I'm fine, and yes, we have a plan. 

I am so glad I have him overseeing my money! It's such a relief because he's the face of a team of advisors managing my portfolio. This is serious – this money has to last me for the rest of my life – and I truly do not know how to do this myself.

When I was still working and contributing to my 401(k) every two weeks, I resisted having my fund professionally managed because I didn't think it was big enough, substantial enough, for anyone to bother with. That was a mistake. I wonder how much finer I would be now if I hadn't tried to DIY then.

Photo by Af Hfmn on Unsplash

THIS JUST IN: Sleep is good

I haven't been sleeping well for about a week and it's left me distracted and cranky. No, let me rephrase: it's left me more distracted and crankier. I have been doing upgrades around my home and, as always, I hate the disruptions. There are those who are Happy Homemakers, and then there's me.

It started 8 days ago. That's when the junk removal team stopped by. They hauled away an expired fire extinguisher, a three-drawer cabinet designed to hold VHS tapes, an old carpet cleaner, a piece of gym equipment I should no longer use because of my knees (and I seldom used anyway) and my 50-lb., completely non-functioning 19" TV.*

Most of all, there was my bed frame (including headboard and footboard), mattress and box spring. The bed itself was broken and held together with wood glue, c-clamps and prayer. The mattress and box spring were still OK, but they were almost exactly a decade old and since the mattress was memory foam, I know it was on borrowed time. As resistant as I am to adding anything to the landfill before it's time (as evidenced by the TV), it just made sense to replace the mattress when I replaced the bed.

The air quality was very bad that day so I tipped the two-man junk crew $15 each and sent them on their way with a liter of water and two cups.  

So last Thursday night I slept on the couch. It felt foreign and impermanent. I didn't have much room to move and my living room was filled with boxes of STUFF ... items from under the bed, items I moved out of the bedroom to give tomorrow's delivery team room to assemble the new bed.

Friday morning I vacuumed and vacuumed where the bed had been and wiped down the baseboards. I was ready for my new bed! As I waited for its delivery, I hung a new shower curtain and laid a new bath mat. I could just see myself getting up on Saturday from my new bed and blissfully padding into my bathroom with its (ever-so slight) new look.

To say it didn't turn out that way is an understatement.  

The gentlemen who delivered and assembled my new bed worked fast and the bed – complete with headboard, footboard and new mattress – looked great. Again, the air quality was bad and the heat was daunting as they carried these heavy items from their parking space half-a-block away. I tipped this two-man crew $25 each and sent them on their way with a liter of water and two cups.  

Then I made the bed with freshly laundered mattress pad, pillow protectors, and sheets. It's hard to explain this – I don't speak fluent furniture – but the loop that attached the tarp that covered the foundation popped off the frame near the headboard. The mattress dipped noticeably in that spot and my pillows slid between the mattress and the headboard! Sleep was impossible.

I stripped the mattress and tried to figure out what to do. As I ruminated, Roy Hobbs decided that the workmen with their deep voices and strange smells and this large, foreign thing they left behind had to be dealt with. So he peed on the new mattress. I understand that it is a not unusual feline way of dealing with fear and disruption, but that doesn't mean I was happy about spraying and blotting and spraying and blotting a new mattress I'd never even slept on so it wouldn't forever smell like cat piss.

That slight fabric loop seemed like such a tiny thing that I thought I could fix it myself with wood glue. I stuck the tarp to the frame in that spot myself and gave it 24 hours to cure. That meant Night #2 on the sofa. 

Saturday afternoon I hauled the mattress back onto the frame and remade it. Before I could rest my head on my pillows, the tarp loosened again and I was right back where I started from – unable to sleep on my new bed. I called the store. The assistant manager, while nice, was obviously flustered and had no idea what to do. Since the store is closed on Sundays – it's a local mom-and-pop – he promised me a call from the owner on Monday morning and said that, no matter what, I'd soon be able to sleep in my new bed at no additional cost.

OK, so that's Nights #3 and #4 on the sofa. 

Sure enough, the owner called me on Monday morning. He reviewed the photos of the bedframe and tarp I emailed over and he seemed annoyed. Not at me – he was very gracious – but he seemed to know exactly what was wrong with the bed and was unhappy. He wouldn't tip his hand, but he promised me that first thing Wednesday morning when his delivery team came in, they would head over to my place to fix this because my satisfaction is their top priority.

This is when I started regretting NOT going with a major retailer. I appreciate that an independent neighborhood business that's been in the same small spot for 35 years likely operates on narrow margins and can't afford to have workmen on their truck 7 days/week. That's just reality.

It's also reality that I'd be spending Nights #5 and #6 on the sofa. 

Wednesday morning arrived and so did the same crew. They came to my door with a drill and a rod. Yes, when assembling the bed they left off one of the parts!

They slid the rod into a pocket on the tarp, fastened it good and tight, and replaced the mattress. Before they left, I got on the bed and placed my head on my pillows and it was fine. Finally!

As the guys were leaving, I thanked them but said, "Let's never do this again, OK?" They laughed and, to their credit, hurried out in such a way as to make tipping impossible. Not that I would have – I spent $50 for service I didn't get – but I appreciate the tacit understanding that no more cash would change hands.

So I've been two nights in my new bed and it's fine. It feels a little different – a little creakier – than my old bed but that's because I'm back to a coil mattress and no box spring. On the other hand, I like the new bed's sleek look and with no box spring, the bed is still elevated but not high, like my last bed was. When I say "I'm climbing into bed," I want it to merely be a turn of phrase, not a statement of fact.

But this saga illustrates why I am not enthusiastic about getting a new refrigerator or replacing the towel racks in my bathroom. These projects just don't go well for me.

*One of my neighbors, unaware that the crap being loaded onto the junk van was mine, asked me if I saw that ancient TV out front. He was startled, as though he had stumbled upon the carcass of a T-Rex. It looked not unlike this. Because I was watching it daily in my bedroom as recently as a few months ago, I didn't realize what a freak it was.