A friend's post just reminded me that this existed...

A friend's post just reminded me that this existed, so I'm sharing.

This is Shadow on Bourbon Street in NOLA when he was 2 or 3 years old.  I took him to Mardi Gras and we only went out in the day.  Surprisingly kid-friend when the sun was up, which was fine with me.  I did not go back out for the craziness.  LOL

He ended up with so many beads he could barely walk - just from strolling through the city.  I had to carry them for him.  People would just give them to him because he was adorable, but some people eventually got him to flash his belly.  LOL  Someone walking by just stuck that hat on his head and kept going.  🙂

Neat place, but smelly and wet and gross.  Cool to visit, though.

It's hard to believe my boy was ever that small.  He's bigger than me now!

Called Dick's this morning.

Called Dick's this morning.  Supposedly, my bike is repaired.  New tube in the rear tire.  Adjusted the derailer in the back and also adjusted my brakes.

I hope it's all for real.  I don't have my hopes up, but we'll see.

Ok, cat people...

Ok, cat people - what is the best wet food for an older cat?  Precious is losing weight so I've been putting down wet food for her every day.  But it's just the cheap wet stuff from Wal-Mart.  I don't think I can afford to feed her like, Science Diet every day or whatever, but I don't want to feed her crappy Wal-Mart food, either.  My cats are on Diamond.  I've never seen a wet food by them, but maybe it's only because I haven't looked?

For the record she seems healthy and fine otherwise.  I just think she might not be into having only dry food all the time.  Her teeth and mouth look ok...

Went to Dick's.

Went to Dick's.  Did not leave there with a new bike.  Haven't called corporate because I agreed to give the manager until the morning to figure shit out.

He says that they don't usually return or exchange bikes because they can't re-sell them because it's a liability.  Ok, whatever.

He's got a bike guy who's gonna look at it in the morning and I need to call and find out what is going on at around 9 or 10.  If it's gonna take a long time to properly fix my bike he will give me a new one.  If they can get mine fixed I'll get it back.

I guess I don't damn care as long as I have something to ride.  I am just super annoyed that not only can I NOT keep a car running - I also can't seem to keep a bike in working condition, either.  I'm calling bullshit.  I am pretty sure that I'm allowed to have transportation of some sort.

My bike tire is flat.

My bike tire is flat. Dick's is a liar.

Beyonce is coming around. Slowly, but surely. 😃

Beyonce is coming around.  Slowly, but surely.  😃

She doesn't hide every time we come in the room.  Sometimes, she doesn't even move.  Lately, if she does move she just moves to a corner, or the nook in the end table.  Unless I'm going in the dog room, then she disappears - I guess just in case I let the dogs in.  Smart kitty.  🙂

So... I went in the living room just now and she was snuggled up on the couch with Balthazar.  She seems to really like him.  Almost every time I see her, she is with him.  But anyway, I was adding litter to one of the boxes.  And she went to her nook area, but she watched me.  😃

I noticed her noticing me, so I made sure to pet my kitties and be super sweet to them.  I even went and got some treats.  Since she could see me and she could see that I saw her, I thought "What the hell.  I'm gonna throw some treats her way."  So I did.  She didn't move while I was in the room, but when I left and came back in a few minutes later she went back to her nook from where the treats had landed.  I think she ate them.  I think I just gave my fraidy cat some treats!  😃

I am sure that I COULD capture her and snuggle her and she would probably eventually like it, but I'd rather her decide that we are ok without force.  I should spend more time on the couch.  I think I will try to make that happen.  🙂

So... Dick's. They are really starting to piss me off. 😳

So... Dick's. They are really starting to piss me off. 😳

I was told on the phone yesterday that I would have to wait a week or two for them to repair my bike. They said that they needed to order a part and when I asked if they'd ordered the part they said "No." So I'm thinking, "What is the damn hold up? This is just entirely unacceptable." so I asked for the manager's name and when he'd be in. I was told he'd be in today, so we went over there.

Well, I did not see the manager. I don't know if he was around or not. But we did see my bike - hanging up with a new gear shifter part on it - the very thing that had supposedly not been ordered and wasn't in yet. I also needed my back tire checked out because it's not staying inflated. I called someone over and asked them to find out if my bike was done and the little dude was not extremely helpful. I asked him if my tire was done and he said, "Yes, it looks like it has been." to which I responded "How can you tell if the tube was replaced from looking at the outside?" That was meant to be a genuine question - not a bitchy one, just FYI. He replied, "I know it's fixed because they told me." Well, don't just say some shit to placate me, you little ass! I don't work that way - I like to know things!

I am not entirely sure if I believe that my tire was fixed. It was flat while it was still hanging on the rack.  He inflated it before I left, but if it's flat in the morning I will take it back AGAIN. And they will REALLY get a piece of my mind. Or, I will contact their corporate office and let THEM know what I think. I haven't decided yet.

They keep telling me that they have hired bike guys, but they haven't trained them yet. I think they need to GET ON IT because all this going back and forth and not knowing and being told one thing and then seeing something different DOES NOT WORK FOR ME. That is one thing I can't stand - really shitty customer service. Yes, I know what it's like to work with people - I do it at my job, too. And I would never want anyone to feel like I didn't know what was going on or that I didn't care. That is how you LOSE BUSINESS.  🙁