Ad copy, shoes, and

We interrupt RantWoman's current capriciously curated timeline of current events to discuss consumer level SHOPPING, drinking vessels, footwear, and perhaps other moments.

Meet the Yeti Rambler
Insulated ceramic mug

The Mug

The mug in the picture: one example of exactly why sometimes one should just GO TO THE STORE IN PERSON. RantWoman got the mug in the picture while attempting to buy shoes in person, NOT MAIL ORDER at REI. The mug, an assortment of energy bars, and who knows what else were all impulse items cheerfully lined up along the lines to check out.

(Also available: wonderful cotton tote bags with the kind of long handles that put weight on shoulders rather than wrists. Now if only people printed their canvas bags with some kind of hi-vis elements in the design. RantWoman digresses, with more non-driver perspective.)

RantWoman prizes the mug for the slide opening in the lid. RantWoman takes note: the lid design is EXTREMELY important on water bottles, travel mugs, etc. Online ad copy almost never describes lid / cap design in anywhere near enough detail to figure out how the particular drinking vessel works without putting one's hand on the vessel and trying out all the different components.

The Beach Towel and the sleeping bag

Apropos of nothing, there is a certain edgy sense of adaptation about being able to get a good night's sleep under a beach towel in modestly heated accommodations on the edges between seasons. 

Yeah. Sure. And after decades of sleeping under a beach towel at certain events where one has some kind of bed is expected to bring one's own bedding, last year RantWoman found a magnificently functional sleeping bag on sale at REI. RantWoman still brings a fitted bottom sheet. RantWoman does not open the bag all the way so her feet stay warm, but RantWoman is pleased finally to be able to wrap up without fretting about something getting too cold.

Shoe quests

RantWoman was thinking about this after another recent REI order, one she just sent to the store. Silly RantWoman. Just have things delivered.

Except

Except RantWoman has been looking for shoes, shoes that are wide enough, shoes that have barely any drop from heel to toe, and shoes that manage her instep well enough that her foot does not slide forward and mash her toes by the end of the day.

RantWoman once had a lovely experience at REI buying sandals with a customer service person who told RantWoman he had a wider version of the sandals she wanted that turned out to fit perfectly. Shoes wear out. RantWoman took her feet back to REI, scored one sale pair of sandals and a recommendation to experiment with mail order for another style she tried on. RantWoman had no patience about trying that style by mail order but did find a LOVELY pair of Birkenstocks that she guessed, correctly it turned out, would work even though RantWoman was not sure about the size.

RantWoman decided to take her chances on picking her order up at the store, mainly so she could immediately return them if they did not work. At the initial shoe quest visit RantWoman discovered that key bus stops were again open. The second visit RantWoman was on the way home from an event and a little tired. RantWoman really wanted just to go to the mail order pickup and not have to walk all the way through the store.

Memo to self and other non-driving customers: call ahead and your mail order items can be brought to the front customer service. Also memo: there is an entry path from the corner nearest to the #8 bus stops that is smooth all the way to the elevator and otherwise accessible to people who prefer not to do stairs and are not using all the bicycle and foot paths that are part of the REI complex. 

RantWoman here is going to skip some awkward details involving a venture onto an unknown path, ROCKS that Ambassador Thwack did not find, gravity, and two very helpful women from REI security. There was a certain amount of paperwork to do on a bench. RantWoman opted not to go in and be tempted to buy more energy bars. RantWoman's mail order package was brought out. One of the security women offered an ice pack for some skinned knees. RantWoman sat massaging her knees but declined the offer because she did not want to add anything to carry home. Also, it turns out that RantWoman is not the only person who just uses packages of frozen vegetables when ice packs are needed.

After the paperwork, RantWoman fussed with all the buckles on the Birkenstocks she ordered and decided they would work well enough to take home. At home, a bit more fussing with buckles, and RantWoman is HAPPY at least about a sleeping bag and some footwear. Now back to the rest of the timeline?