Shipping Woes and ET Phone Home

It's been a bad week for shipments. One major shipment I've been expecting was due on Thursday. It didn't arrive. I went onto the UPS website for tracking information, the only information they had was "delayed". Wow! I probably could have guessed that on my own *sigh*. It didn't arrive on Friday either, and my UPS man said there were tons of delayed shipments throughout the nation. That they had been overwhelmed by Cyber Monday. Checking the UPS update again a few minutes ago, it looks like what was due to be delivered on Thursday will actually be delivered today - two days late for items I really need in stock at the store. 

UPS is normally pretty reliable. I guess they got overwhelmed by
Cyber Monday. According to the tracking information update, I
should finally be receiving my package today, more than 48 hours late. 

A second order is even more messed up. First, their website wouldn't allow me to enter my credit card information, although it did finally accept the order. Two days later I was finally able to get in touch with them and provide the credit card information. But now, in today's update, it seems that they ended up shipping the package to my home address instead of the shop, and it's due for delivery at home tomorrow. Normally a Sunday delivery wouldn't be a big deal, but I'll be working at the shop for the first of my three working Sundays in December so nobody will be available to accept the package. It wouldn't surprise me if my package was stolen by the time I get home. SO NOT HAPPY! 

I'll be pulling up the hood of my parka over double-hats and
wearing my snow boots and gloves early next week. The temps
may end up less gnarly than the original forecast, but it's
still going to be crispy-cold early next week. 

I'm trying to stay calm and on-track but things like that don't make it easy. I'm looking at the positive, like the weather - LOL. It's Saturday and we're not supposed to get our next snow until late Sunday night into Monday. The original 4"-8" that was forecast has been dropped down to 1"-3" instead. But (and it's a BIG but), we'll be in the deep freeze next week. Our overnight temps on Tuesday are estimated at -13F (-25C), and a during-the-day HIGH estimated at -3F (-19.4C). I'll be bundling up and my utility bills will start their climb to 2-3 times the summer amounts. *sigh* Life in the Frozen Northlands is starting the frozen part really early this season. 

Yes, it's a commercial. But it's a joy to see a grown-up Elliot and his
family interacting with ET on a short, return trip. I'm ignoring the
commercial and enjoying the short film. 

On the fun side, Xfinity has had an ad on TV lately featuring ET returning to earth to visit a grown-up Elliott and his family. They have a tag of "see the whole story" with a website "Xfinity.com/ET" (just click on the link to view). Since I had a little time this morning, and adore ET, I decided to take a look this morning. I loved it. It's maybe a five minute commercial clip, and it's funny and poignant and left me in tears as ET leaves to go home once again. If you want to take a look, click on the link above. I recommend it. 

The best part about the short film is that the Dad is actually played
by Henry Thomas, the original kid ET bonded with in the film almost
forty years ago. 

So, that's it for another blog post. People wonder what I have to write about each day and I have no answers for them. I sit at the keyboard, and I start writing. Sometimes it's good, sometimes not so much, but the important thing is that I'm writing - something - every day. Have a great weekend and keep positive thoughts that my Sunday shipment will be on my front stoop when I return home from working tomorrow. I'll be back on Monday.