FRIDAY

~Disclaimer...I found the ticker last night doing a google search and I have no CLUE what Phen Forum is...so don't take it as an endorsement. LOL

~Today could be summed up concisely (though you know I won't LOL): Speech and Produce Co-op in the am, and Trailer shopping in the pm. There, that's the reader's digest version.

~For those who like to read.....Mike has been spending his dreaming time over yonder making plans to buy a road whale. He asked me to go gather some information and they've been closed when I went by. I decided to gather his info today. Have you ever dealt with car type salesman or mechanics as a female? Some of them can be a bit condescending. I went in. I told them the exact trailer I wanted. They asked what I drove. I told them. They laughed. I told them that I was sure it could haul a trailer. They continued to laugh. One even said, "Little lady, why don't you let us show you a smaller trailer?" LITTLE LADY????

OK...so I was tired, cold and missing Mike by this point....and I answered "Oh - will 9 children, 2 adults and a dog fit in the smaller one?" ::snort::

They showed me another one with bunks that was lighter. I asked them if there was a way we could check these numbers before I decided on the one they showed me because we REALLY want the other one. Deep sighs, smirks and such from men. I felt like saying "Don't mess with me! NEVER mess with a deployed spouse, buddy! I fixed a SINK yesterday!!!" But I smiled. In fact I was charming. I knew what was coming. ::snort:: One man went out to check the van because they were SURE "the little lady" was a tad bit confused (chuckle, smirk) and didn't have a v-10 engine in her van. I KEPT telling the salesman - we bought the biggest we could with an eye to hauling a trailer. He got out his Ford book. "Is it an Arrowstar?"

" NO - it's an EXTENDED 350...it's not a mini-van."

"Hmm...Expedition?"

"No, you'll find it under the trucks."

The other man came in....it's an E-350 XLT, Super - Extended.....

"Maam, is your van a 7 or 8 passenger van?" (I had told them this earlier ::snort::).

"It's a 15 passenger van."

" Maam, that has a v-10 engine, that will haul trailer!"

" Um...yeah!"::sigh::

They talked numbers with me. They talked extra features with me. I told them I'd want to leave it on the lot until Mike was home to DRIVE it somewhere. They told me they'd deliver it to my home....why would I need a boat like that in my yard???? Well it COULD be useful when the girls are home, come to think of it..... They told me they could defer payments until Mike is home. The man asked for my credit number. I have no clue and will need to figure that one out. The salesman then said he wouldn't feel right selling me anything (not that I was buying today anyway) until FORD told me how much the van can pull because um....well you know...Mike's gone and he didn't want me to buy the wrong thing. Fair enough. I got out the manual and asked him if these weren't the numbers he needed. He wanted me to go to FORD. I did. They sent me to another office. That man said they don't give computer printouts....and said, "Don't you have a manual?"

BUT he looked at numbers and vin numbers...and um helped me shut the hood on the van (long story). He highlighted the numbers in the book that I had shown the salesman earlier - so now I can go back with the manual and show him that those ARE the numbers. I still have to figure all the numbers Mike - so I'm not sure if you want to get the one you spotted online or look for another, but I'll send you those numbers.

I ran to Sam's to buy milk. Came home, ate, and will now go watch Tarzan 2.

I went to take a photo and the camera is doing the Flashing F thing again. No rhyme or reason....to why it does this and to why it works when it does.