What's my custom worth?

You know, I'm all for supporting local businesses, but not when they try to hose me. In evidence:

I went to the local bookstore (who shall remain nameless) to order Lynn Viehl's Stay the Night. I knew I could order it from a Sydney bookstore and it would arrive on Monday, but I figure, support local businesses. Not on your Nellie!

"Yes, we can order that in for you, madam." Madam? Who's he calling 'madam'? "It will cost between 15 and 20 dollars..." He continued. "And we charge an eight dollar postage fee."

"Excuse me?"

"Fifteen to twenty dollars and an eight dollar postage charge. It comes from America you know."

"Yes. But I'll get it from Sydney thanks."

To give you a comparison, the book from Sydney will cost $18.95; the cost from the local store: $28.00. For a paperback. In American dollars, that's $18.47 (I checked). I don't care who the author is, I'm not paying that much to support a local business.

So, by next week I'll have the book in my hot little hands. (Bit of a pun there, for two days the temps been over a hundred fahrenheit.)

Finally, my sister sent me this:

Dear Dogs and Cats: The dishes with the paw prints are yours and contain your food. The other dishes are mine and contain my food. Placing a paw print in the middle of my plate and food does not stake a claim for it becoming your food and dish, nor do I find that aesthetically pleasing in the slightest.

The stairway was not designed by NASCAR and is not a racetrack. Racing me to the bottom is not the object. Tripping me doesn't help because I fall faster than you can run.

I cannot buy anything bigger than a king sized bed. I am very sorry about this. Do not think I will continue sleeping on the couch to ensure your comfort, however. Dogs and cats can actually curl up in a ball when they sleep. It is not necessary to sleep perpendicular to each other, stretched out to the fullest extent possible. I also know that sticking tails straight out and having tongues hanging out on the other end to maximize space is nothing but sarcasm.

For the last time, there is no secret exit from the bathroom! If, by some miracle, I beat you there and manage to get the door shut, it is not necessary to claw, whine, meow, try to turn the knob or get your paw under the edge in an attempt to open the door. I must exit through the same door I entered. Also, I have been using the bathroom for years - canine/feline attendance is not required.

The proper order for kissing is: Kiss me first, then go smell the other dog or cat's butt. I cannot stress this enough.

Finally, in fairness, dear pets, I have posted the following message on the front door:

TO ALL NON-PET OWNERS WHO VISIT AND LIKE TO COMPLAIN ABOUT OUR PETS:

(1) They live here. You don't...
(2) If you don't want their hair on your clothes, stay off the furniture. That's why they call it 'fur'-niture.
(3) I like my pets a lot better than I like most people.
(4) To you, they are animals. To me, they are adopted sons/daughters who are short, hairy, walk on all fours and don't speak clearly.

Remember, dogs and cats are better than kids because they
(1) eat less,
(2) don't ask for money all the time,
(3) are easier to train,
(4) normally come when called,
(5) never ask to drive the car,
(6) don't hang out with drug-using people,
(7) don't smoke or drink,
(8) don't want to wear your clothes,
(9) don't have to buy the latest fashions,
(10) don't need a gazillion dollars for college, and
(11) if they get pregnant, you can sell their children...

After reading this, I found my happy place again...