Doggy Door Delivery

This is an email that I sent to my brother...except it turned out to be more like a blog post. He might not appreciate that, but that's ok. It was fun to write. Before you read it, know that 1) we just sent him a doggy kennel door for their dog, Nala's, kennel so they can fly her back home with them at the end of the month and 2) Chad is a very good engineer and math minded guy.
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Mr. Chad Lehmann
Raglan, New Zealand

Dear Mr. Lehmann,

Speaking of pups and their modes of transportation, we received a Fedex package this afternoon. It was a long, flat one, addressed to one 'Chad Lehmann'. How peculiar, for Chad Lehmann does not live here (but will soon, temporarily!!!). But, I had inside info, and knew that you had sent it here to be sent elsewhere. It was from some pet company, and therefore I presume that it was your requested, purchased, and awaited 'doggy door' for Nala's moving crate. Mom, knowing full well that the rates charged for shipping anything overseas are extravagant, bid me search the world wide web for the best price at the fastest rate. (I imagine that you, or I, could do an Algebra problem and draw a graph telling the point at which both of those factors meet.) Initially, I loaded up the USPS website (that stands for Unpractical Socialistic Postal Society) to find what their international package rates are. After about ten different screens and 10 minutes (that calculates to one minute per screen, searching for any answer), I did not find a clear answer to my question, "How much does it cost to send a package from Texas in the USA to Raglan, New Zealand, within two weeks, that is 34"x21"x1"?" It was very sad that their website was so not helpful. From there, I proceeded to the other package sending services' web pages, although I knew that they routinely have more expensive rates for sending domestic or international packages. On both the Fedex and UPS website, I was shocked and unpleasantly surpised to learn that they would have sent your doggy door to you from here for anywhere from $130 to $170. I am quite firm in my belief that the doggy door is not even worth that amount in USD, but please correct me if I am wrong in my assumption. Rather disgruntled, Mom decided to just head for the USPS office and hope for the lowest, most efficient price to be paid. Quickly she did, and was offered two prices. One high, and the other higher. The former scarcely promised arrival within 14 days, and seeing that you are leaving in 15 days, she didn't want to take that risk. To guarantee arrival within four less days, she chose the higher of two evils. All this to say, that, you can inform Nala that she will not be able to roam the cargo hold while in transit, but must be confined to her doggy crate. Here's hoping the doggy crate door travels to you before you travel to us.

It has been a pleasure working with you, Mr. Lehmann. As always, our family friendly service is guaranteed, and if you find it at all unsatisfactory, please contact us immediately. The service we can alter, the family, we can not. :)

Most respectfully,

Megan Lehmann
Lehmann Packaging & Shipping Services - Texas branch
Headquarters
"The source for all your shipping & packaging needs from oceans away!"

circle + flying + light = ?

...the object of an awesome game of Ultimate Frisbee. A few years ago, someone in my sister's college church group had a green light up Frisbee, and she and I thought it was so cool (it just makes the awesome game of Ultimate more awesome). But, we were light up Frisbee-less at our house. A Frisbee is a mere frivolity of life; an accessory; not a necessity. Surprised, our Dad bought us a red light up Frisbee at Christmas 2007 when all of the kids were here. I had the honor of revealing the package and I was totally stoked about the new toy!

We played with it a lot since we received it and even took it half way around the world with us to New Zealand last December. However, we said goodbye to the red light up Frisbee because we offered it to Chad and Charity to keep and they accepted our gracious offer. Once again, we were left light up Frisbee-less. Within the next six months, we stopped by the sporting goods store to replace our permanently loaned out frisbee. Knowing full well that the light up Frisbees were made with an array of light color options, Jill still wanted the same red color that our last Frisbee was. Lo and behold, this particular store did not have any red ones at the time. Options included: color-changing Frisbees. She settled for that 'color' and we enjoyed playing with it while on vacation in Colorado in May of this year. After you turn it on by rotating the nob on the underside of the Frisbee, it fades through about 10 colors, rather than staying a solid color always. The Frisbee still played the same but some of the paler colors of lights were more difficult to see in the dark than the bright colors such as green or red. So, this Lehmann light up frisbee is aqua, pink, red, blue, green, orange, and more. Sadly, during the summer, it disappeared. Didn't want to be played with any longer. It caused a minimal amount of grief but a lot of searching amongst the house, yard, garage, cars, etc. to locate it before Jill left for college this past August.

The day came for Jill to depart, and once again, she left light up Frisbee-less. Just over a week later, I was rummaging in the hall closet for something when my fingers fell on a plastic object...round in shape, I think....somewhat flat...could it be...could it REALLY be, that it was our color-changing light up Frisbee? Yes, it was! I quickly related the news to my parents and decided to take it along to my Youth and Government party that evening. We utilized it just at Sunset before the sky completely darkened but the kids did enjoy its uniqueness while it lasted. However, the very next weekend, Jill came home for Labor Day and we had to tell her we had found it, so she wanted to take it back to school with her. I was planning another Youth and Government party in the evening hours, with purpose to play Ultimate Frisbee in the dark. But, that is hard when you can't see the Frisbee.

Once again, I was left light up Frisbee-less. My party was very soon and I didn't want to be a light up Frisbee-less hostess, so my dear Mother bought one for me at the sporting goods store on Thursday. Options at this store included: color-changing, solid red, solid green, or solid blue. So now, I am the proud owner of a BLUE light up Frisbee. :) At the party this evening, we used the new blue Frisbee for the very first time, in the dark, and in the rain, and on the trampoline, and it worked very well. :)

Pictures of the frisbee, although not in action. When I get some action Frisbee shots, I will post those.
"Let your light so shine before men,
that they may see your good works and glorify your Father,
who is in Heaven."
Matthew 5:16