Hey, fates? I could also use a microwave. JSYK.

I tell you what.

There's nothing like a little free stuff from out of the blue to make a girl feel smiled on by fate.

And free stuff that fills an imminent need and is quirky to boot? You gotta love it.

Turns out it's not actually that easy to give yourself a birthday present of a $5 mouse-with-scroll-wheel. The first one had issues, so I took it back yesterday and got a different one, which works perfectly but also may drive me insane before I ever reach 40. The scroll wheel is illuminated so brightly that it's bothering me now, in broad daylight. Just imagine at night.

But I'm not here to tell you about mice.

After exchanging the mouse, I stopped by the appliance store. I decided to get the extended warranty when I bought the washing machine a couple weeks ago, and one of the selling points was that they'd finance the cost of the warranty for as long as I wanted with no interest, since I had the cash in hand for the machine, but no more than that immediately available.

So I stopped by to make a payment. They're getting to know me in there, since it's the same place I bought the mattresses for the bunk bed a month ago.

The guy processed my payment and then asked me to wait a moment. He said since I had been buying stuff in there, he wanted to ring me up a gift so I would keep buying from them. I decided I had a moment to spare, and while he went into the back, I wondered what it would be.


And that's when I remembered I still didn't have...well, hadn't had...enough dishes for Mom & Sandy's visit. The visit that starts...in about 12 hours now.

I prolly wouldn't have picked out this particular pattern, but let me tell you. For a randomly selected set of Costa Rican dishware, that is one startlingly palatable pattern, right there.