The Holdovers

 Cold temps are here... kind of.  The temp outside is 30 (F), meaning things that can freeze are freezing.  Accuweather is warning of high winds again today, and possibly blustery snow flurries, but nothing that's going to amount to much.  Today's temps are supposed to climb into the 40s (F), so it's not that frigid outside. 

Yesterday was somewhat busy at work, no sales, no measures, but customers coming and asking questions.  I talked to an older woman who's thinking about putting carpet in 3 bedrooms, though I just provided her with information.  Sometimes seniors feel they need to freshen up their home in order to sell it, which might be the case here.  When this happens, I see myself as mostly a guide rather than a salesperson, not that I ever feel the need to pressure someone into purchasing an installation.  Interestingly enough, I'd talked to another senior woman a bit later who was totally different.  She was upset that we no long provide free samples.  When I began to explain that a  3 inch by 3 inch sample doesn't provide an accurate idea of what the flooring is like, and that it's better to buy a box, take it home spread it out on your floor, she cut me off.  She told me that she'd done that at our Derry Street store, liked the display, bought a box and taken it home only to discover she didn't like it at all and had to return it to the store.  She completely ignored the fact that she, herself, had just proven my point, that purchasing flooring based on a 3 x 3 sample is bad.  I suspect she will not find anything that satisfies her tastes, and will complain to anyone who will listen.

I watched The Holdovers last night, the story of three people stuck at a private school over Christmas.  There's a lot of Oscar buzz about it.  It's funny at times, and touching at times.  Paul Giamatti is good, but Da'Vine Joy Randolph is simply priceless as the head cook.  

And, of course, the Iowa caucuses are tomorrow.  The members of Trump's cult are the only ones who care.  Nikki Haley's creeping up in the polls and will most likely pop little Ronnie DeSantis's cork.  That's fine.  After it's over, Trump's going to piss off a lot of Republican women by going after Nikki.  

Oh, and those flurries I was talking about?  Their falling fast and furious now.