You did what?

OK, so I followed the directions…urrr…the images for putting together the bookcase. I was delighted. I was done. Just needed to put it into place (after getting the flat extension cord) and add the shelves. So I ran to Wal-mart to get my extension cord. Grabbed some lunch for Lance and myself while we were there since it was already almost 1pm and we still hadn’t eaten. I put the bookcase where I want it and start putting the shelves in it only to get really annoyed/irritated. Yeah. I followed the directions and to be honest with you they sucked!

If you buy one of these bookcases, please be warned that you should figure out where YOU want your non-movable shelf before you put the backer on the bookcase! Why? Because the shelves were not anywhere remotely near being somewhat evenly spaced.

Now if I have been clued in enough [ie. not following the directions], I probably would have realized that and taken appropriate actions and adjustments. However, I am female, not male so I did read the directions and followed them. *banging head on wall* So I had to dismantle this bookcase to move the “non-movable” shelf in the middle of the bookcase. Why? Because 2 of the shelves were close enough together that even paperbacks would be a tight fit and other shelves where the large sized road atlas would fit vertically. Needless to say, I was not impressed.

So my so nicely put together bookcase would have to come apart! I had to pull out all the nails on the one side down as far as 6″ below the currently place “non-movable” shelf. Now keep in mind that the nails are fairly small. They are hammered in flush into a thick carboard that is attached to particle board. Once I managed to remove something like 12-15 nails…which was much harder than one would think, especially those going across the “non-removable” shelf in the middle of the bookcase. Needless to say, I now have 12-15 holes in my cardboard backing of my bookcase. Of these holes, 5 of them go across the middle of the cardboard backing 5″ or so below the now newly positioned “non-removable” shelf. *sigh* Oh and while I did not actually punch a nail through the surface of the shelves themselves, I did get mighty close on 2 of the nails I drove into the “non-movable” shelf.

Now you’re probably laughing out loud. You should be. Evidently it takes a degree in “rocket science” to put together a cheap bookcase from Staples. Go ahead, laugh. You know you’ve been there and done that at least once in your life and you’re laughing with me not at me. I can take it. Go for it. The point is, I did put together the bookcase and thought it was easy. I did take it apart and while it wasn’t easy, it wasn’t enough to force me to drive the 10-15 miles or whatever it is from here to Staples and drop another $34.98+tax on another one.

Does my opinion of the bookcase change after this experience? No, I still believe that it is a decent bookcase for the money and effort. I still believe that it was a purchase that meets my needs and some of my wants. However, if I buy another one I will use experience (which I am passing to each of you) to skip the whole taking it apart to put it back together steps in the exercise.

Cracked heals go away!

This is the time of year (although it isn’t the only time of year) that cracked heals are in abundance. Come on, you know what I am talking about. I’m talking about the deep, painful, dry, peeling, bleeding cracks in your heals. If you’re like me, it is probably one heal worse than the other. I get them every year.

Fortunately, I have found a solution for this…

Please keep in mind, that I am all for alternative uses of products and in this case, it is no different.

So what do I use my heals when all I want to do is cry when I step and wince? Murray’s Hair Pomade, of course.

The orange can is where it is at! Yep, that’s where the cure for the problem, if only until the next time! It doesn’t take long to get to work either.

Even better? It works on other things too. Like what? Like bad eczema, diaper rash (yes, the bleeding kind), and…