Guy Hell...

The Blonde and I had a lovely day today - we had a couple things on her to-do list, nice sunshine (even though it never got above 60º)... it was nice just to be out and about.

One of the Christmas gifts Joan got me is a small dye-sublimation printer.  I had one, enjoyed it a bunch, but finally wore it out.  That one was made by Kodak, this one is a Canon; very similar in usage.  She also bought a small pack of photo paper that is a sticky-back, but small.  Not sure what I'd do with that, but she likes the idea.  More on that shortly.

She bought this printer at Joann's Fabrics.  For those of you not familiar with that store, it is a lot like Michael's... or Hobby Lobby, with more emphasis on craft and sewing stuff.  Let me go on record here: the staff in those stores seem to know nothing about a dye-sublimation printer or the paper and supplies.  The pack of small sticky-back paper has to have a different cassette to feed it into the printer.  No big deal... just not something I see a use for.  That said (a couple times now) you cannot use that paper without the different cassette, that does not come with the printer.  Joan looked online and saw that a Joann's store a half hour or so away had 7 of those smaller cassettes on hand.  We were heading to that area, anyway, to pick up something at the Apple Store.

We had a nice lunch out.  Even though it was packed, a young lady at the Apple Store made our stop there quick and easy.  On to Joann's.  We could not find that smaller cassette with the printer supplies.  Joan did grab another box of the small sticky-back paper and one other item.  We went in search of a store person to help us find the smaller cassette.  Joan gave me the other two items and said, "You get in line to pay for these, and I'll get the cassette by the time you get through the line."

Let me say: it was a LONG line...

Yeah, that line wraps around to the left, if you follow it forward.  It was a long line.  I was the only person with testicles in that line... not that having testicles is a plus or a minus in this circumstance.  While waiting, I was surrounded by craft-stuff... magazines, sequins, yarn, yarn magazines, sewing stuff, sewing magazines... really, who knew there were all these crafty-stuff magazines?  I kept looking nervously over my shoulder to see if Joan was anywhere to be seen, with a cassette for paper I don't need in her hands.  Nope.

When she did show up, I had already let two ladies behind me go around.  Of course, they didn't have, or couldn't find, any of the small cassettes.  So, I stood in line all that time to pay for a $3.49 package of Handi-Tac.

Being the nice guy that I am, I suggested she check online to see if the Joann's that is closer to our RV park has any of those small cassettes (that I still don't need) in stock.  Yep.  Four of them.  We drove there... hey, it was on the way home.  It was also WAY less crowded than the store that is by the large mall.  Imagine that?

Joan found a nice lady who works there... who also had no idea what we were talking about.  Joan had the item, including the store item number on her phone.  Really, this should be easy.  It wasn't.  This nice lady went to their "back room" (I think it is a place they go to get away from customers).  Twice.  "I have never heard of this thing."  Yep, we know.  She looked all around on the shelves.  We looked all around on the shelves.  Nada.

Joan finally gave up and asked about ordering and having it shipped to the store.  The nice lady took us to a register up front to do that.  Near that counter was a locked down area, that did have stuff for a Cri-Cut printer (more crafty stuff).  Joan asked if they might have that cassette in there.  The nice lady said, "I don't think it would be in there..."  Joan poked around a bit through the wire guarding that stuff and said, "There is something in there with red lettering - this cassette should be in a box with red lettering."  (It was buried to the back, where only a corner of the package could be seen.  If you bent way over and twisted your neck just so.)

Jackpot!

Yes, Joan found it.  So, we now have that small cassette that will hold the sticky-back paper that I have no idea what will be the use.  It is nice to be able to go into a store, armed with info that you find online, so you can tell them what they actually have in their store.  ;-)

We also made a stop at Trader Joe's.  Among other stuff, Joan bought several bottles of wine.  I don't drink wine.  I may start.

For full disclosure, I think Joan feels the same way about going into the Apple Store.  I like going into the Apple Store, even if I don't need anything.  If there is something specific you are looking for, one of the "geniuses" there will know where to find it.  Nothing like a craft store.