Newness

[unixronin]

• The livingroom screen door, which had become very tattered and extensively patched with duct tape, is now rescreened.  The new screen is heavy-duty, purportedly pet-rated material, asserted to be seven times stronger than regular-weight fiberglass insect-screen material.  Time will tell; we'll see how it endures our cats.  Oddly, the first roll of screening material had a seam about 18" or so from one end, sewn with white string.  "No," the folks at Home Depot said when I called, "it's not supposed to be like that.  Bring it back, we'll exchange it."  Must have hit the end of a roll by sheer chance.  Five points docked from $MANUFACTURER for poor quality control.
• Picked up a black powder-coated steel rack from Bed Bath & Beyond: starting price $50, minus 40% for clearance, minus 10% because it was the display model and had no box, minus 20% for Bed Bath & Beyond coupon.  The discounts multiply rather than add, so final discount is 56.8% rather than 70%, but still, it means we paid $21.60 for a 72"x18"x18" five-shelf rack (the kind with round posts and collets).  It's already at least half loaded....