Stubborness

I found myself in Marshalls the other day. I hate that store, or rather that store hates me, which ever, the end result is never pleasant.

Its like Target but a LOT messier....it's like Target in that you go in for one thing and find yourself waiting at the cash register with cramps steadily moving up your arms because you refuse to get a cart because you're still lying to yourself that you only came in for one item.

As I waited online to pay my eyes spied this lonely little tea cup. It's painted with what appear to be water colors and the finish from the kiln is so pronounces allowing the ripples and bubbles from the paint to show.

It wasn't so much the texture that jumped out at me but more so the proud elephant skipping along the cup. Elephants always remind me of my dear old friend Kim from college. She was my RD in college but quickly became a life long friend and then merged into an older big sister.

I'll always think of her when I see elephants no matter how old and grey I get.

I bought the cup for her, and now comes the arduous task of mailing it to her without it getting broken. Though it all glued back together would give it an equally appealing touch.

Talking of mailing......

I bought this "Lilac Guardian Angel Musical Water Globe" for my mother for Christmas (yet another exercise in patients in terms of mailing it without it getting broken). It plays my ALL time favorite classic piece "Pachelbel's Canon" (If you didn't know I LOVE classical music)

It's rare you find Angels with brown skim prominently displayed and once again, it jumped out at me at my visit to Things Remembered.

The angel was originally $60 (but nothings too much for your mother right?) I had a $30 coupon for the store and then I got it engraved with "Nanny's Angel" and proudly I inserted a picture of Baby C and Nanny in the middle.

I believe the final cost was somewhere around $40, not bad I thought.

Then I went online to print the postage and stared at the screen in dismay when it boldly smiled back at me

$60

If you're keep a running total that was $30 for the angel $10 for engraving and now $60 to mail it to England. I'm up to $100 for a $30 gift now.

I knew once I'd got it engraved I couldn't return it and opt for a cheaper gift, so I bit the bullet and went ahead and mailed it.

When it finally got "across the pond" (not sure why they call England across the pond, as that's the biggest pond I've ever seen) the English Royal Mail service had the NERVE to then impose a $40 "Customs and Excise" fee on a CHRISTMAS GIFT.

My mother finally read the small print and come to find out that "Goods greater than $54 of gifts between individuals will be imposed a customs fee"

Talk about fleecing the working man geez!!

The letter went on to say that if my mother did not pay the fee within 20 days from receiving the letter the item would be returned to sender.

Well my mothers a stubborn old woman (and I'm proud to inherit such a quality HA! ) and she simply refuses to pay a NICKLE more and I don't blame her.

So $100 and 3 weeks later and I'm "proudly" sitting here waiting for my Black Angel to come back to me! HA!