Packing. Re-packing. Making it all fit in...

We've finally gotten around to changing how we load up the van. The second bench has come out, pretty much for good. I made some more pieces to extend the deck in the van up to right behind the front bench. This allows us to slide the tables further forward and clear of the jack. Another new piece of decking covers the jack, both protecting it and giving more flat surface. This last bit of shelf also pins the tables in place.

In addition, I turned a length of ash into two posts that stick up behind the bench. They are there to provide mounting points for a (not yet obtained) cargo net thingy to restrain stuff from flying forward. The one post is already doing service keeping some of the shorter tables from being able to slide forward.

Yesterday, we mostly loaded the van up. The old long box (with the lid that was collapsing a bit) is out of service. We put the books into two, smaller tubs. Megan can now lift them, if only barely, and she wants her back brace on. The old book box got the garters and the small rack put in it, and the phoenix box got all the favors and card-woven belts.

Losing the bench seat freed up a useful amount of cubage!

Of course, the canvas will still be going on the shelf in the hitch receiver...

We go to Ymir this weekend, which is "on our way" to Estrella. It just means that our plans to make Phoenix by noonish on Monday will involve a moderately insane drive. Last year, with a third driver, we made Flagstaff at the crack of dawn Monday. With only two drivers, we may have to stop along the way at some point to let us both rest. Once we get there, we erect the tent, vomit the contents of the van into the tent, do some preliminary organization and setup (energy permitting), and go to the nearby Motel 6 where we have a room laid on. Real shower is the principal attraction...

Sad news...

The Magruders in Bowie is closing for good in less than two weeks. Apparently, the owners of the shopping center have been unwilling to make the kind of long-term committments that would make it feasible for them to make the kind of renovations they need to make to the store, and they aren't going to keep going on a month-to-month lease. This sucks.

Magruders is the only grocery store in Bowie that doesn't play the "two prices for the same item" game. You know, the "Bonus Card" scam, where they tell you it's good for you, but it really means that the prices go up, overall. I find those scams unethical and immoral. Giant Food went from getting the lion's share of my grocery dollars to zero (as a percentage, to three significant digits, or so) overnight when the jumped off that bridge so they could "compete" with Safeway and Food Lion. Izzy Cohen must be spinning in his grave.

Anywho, that leaves Shoppers Food Warehouse as the only "nearby" grocery store that doesn't do that crap. I guess BJs will be getting more of our dollars as well. Then "nearest" Magruders are in Rockville, Cleveland Park, Chevy Chase, and Alexandria. That is to say, not near at all. I am depressed. [cue Lyle trying to cheer up Mr. Taggart]

Just to pile on, and to share particularly with pedropadrao, word comes to me that 28 February will mark the closing of a Chicago landmark. Berghoffs is closing. Apparently, the current generation of the family is not interested in continuing the restaurant business. I'm told that lines to get in go around the block, these days. I've only eaten there once, when I was in Chicago for the SCA Heralds Annual Convention Known World Heraldic Symposium. One person commenting on this wondered what would become of liquor licenses #1 and #2.

Super Bowl

Woot! The Steelers got a thumb!

The lot of us thought Ben Roethlisberger should have been named MVP for his diverse acts. Most of us thought that the ball really did just touch the plane for his rushing touchdown, and we were impressed by the block he laid on a Seahawk in that reverse -> flea-flicker touchdown play. Not to speak ill of Hines Ward, mind you... And I'm not surprised at the vigor of the block laid on Ben during that interception run-back, after his tackle on the fumble return in the Colts game...

I'm a mite annoyed at the article in the post. They don't mention that block Roethlisberger made that contributed to the touchdown pass. At least John Madden made sure to highlight it...but then, he would notice that.

I thought there were two different "best commercials".

The United ad was really neat. It got top marks for the "high-brow" commercial. Really nice. No ROFLMAOTIP or the like, but just a really fine production, very much in line with their ongoing image ad campaign. On further reflection, it was an interesting combination of production values. On one hand, it had the very flat but layered look characteristic of low-end cartoons, but the layers were each nicely wrought, and the "writing" was excellent.

The Dove commercial was interesting, but many of the women were manifestly annoyed at Dove, given how much energy they have spent over the years hyping the unrealistic (and ultimately boring, IMHO) expectations of female appearance. A comparison was drawn between that and Phillip-Morris making anti-smoking advertisements.

On the other end of the spectrum, in homage to Moe, Larry, and Curly, the FedEx commercial had us falling out of our chairs. It was hilarious...

The MacGyver ad didn't suck either, being strong competition for FedEx.

"The Streaker" was amusing.