Sizzling summer day

Yesterday was a hot one! At 6:30 p.m. it was 107.0 F. on the indoor/outdoor thermometer hanging on our front porch. It was a good day for a barbecue and what do you know? We just got one! There was a little difficulty at first. I bought it at Home Depot. They were perfectly willing to put it together for me but I had to get it home. So I paid to have it delivered. The delivery guys were very nice. Even brought it in to the backyard and made sure I was happy with it. There were a couple of things that had to be put in after it was delivered. Just the "flavor bars" and the grills. But when I put the "flavor bars" in, the last one wouldn't fit. There was a screw jutting out which made it impossible for the last bar to sit flat across the barbecue. It looked to me as if, 1) either the screw had been put in backwards or, 2) it was the wrong size screw. So off I went to Home Depot to get a look at the one on display. Lo and behold, the grills were on it okay, but when I took them off the "flavor bars" had just been tossed in and not set up correctly. So I tried to set them up and they all fit, except for the last one. And the darn screw was in there the same way it was in mine at home. So I flagged down a salesman or whatever they are called at Home Depot and pointed out the problem. His answer? Hmmm, looks like a design flaw. He said it with a straight face. I just shook my head and said, no, the screw is either in backwards or it is the wrong size screw. He shook his head. I told him I had one at home with the same problem and asked him what we could do. He suggested calling the manufacturer. I shook my head and said, no, I want to talk to someone here. He shook his head and said there wasn't anyone else with whom I could speak. I try to keep my calm nowadays, not like the olden days when I would have started accusing him of being an idiot. I just went to the customer service desk and explained to the young woman there what the problem was. And then I dragged her over to show her. She agreed it was not right and could be fixed and she would talk to her supervisor. He wasn't available then but she promised he would call me at home. And just after I got home he did call and he agreed it had been put together wrong. So out he came the next day and fixed it. And was he was very nice and set up the propane tank for me too. I was very satisfied with the way they handled it but honestly, that salesman should be spoken to. That is not customer service.

And so, last night, in the height of the heat, I barbecued some chicken without heating up the house. Yayyy for barbecues.

I also got a fruitful bouquet from Mrs. Sun yesterday. What a delight! Cool and sweet. Just the perfect snack for a sizzling hot day!