We'll just have to see about that.  There isn't much I plan on typing, but I do have a habit of making these long…

Wire.  I'll have wire soon.  There will be much rejoicing delayed money-making.  Yesterday (well, I suppose it was two days ago, taking into account when I'm writing this) we took another trip to the hardware store in Hancock, in search of a shovel and several mounting pieces so that Matt might keep it on his Jeep.  I decided to inquire about wire; hopefully they'd have it at something cheaper than the ninety dollars I would have had to spend on ordering it online.

I hate to say it, but I've never thought of hardware stores for their intelligent, friendly employees.  This incident wasn't much help in changing my preconceptions.  I asked at the front if they had the wire I needed in half mile spools.  Or rather if I could order one through them.  The man there led me back to the 'hundred foot rolls, which I had even referenced when explaining what I needed.  I repeated that yes, that was the sort of wire I wanted, but in bulk, hopefully for a better rate of pay.  He explained that they received those rolls in a box of twelve.  "One hundred and twenty feet," as he called the twelve hundred foot units…  He then suggested that I consult the store's owner, who would be returning shortly.  

Several minutes of following Matt around kept me busy until said owner returned.  I had to basically repeat the entire process with this guy, who at least corrected Employee #1 about the length of wire.  The owner was basically a jerk, though.  He took me back to his office to figure out how much it would cost me for the wire I needed.  However, the first several minutes there were spent with him berating Employee #1 about mistaken inventory values.  Ah, customer service at its best.  He eventually figured out what I needed, and quoted me a price much higher than I was willing to pay.  I politely told him that I'd consider it, though this only inspired him to effectively scold me about how 'prices chance when the next shipment comes in…'

All the more motivated to not purchase from this guy, I went to leave.  However, Employee #3 had been doing her job.  She approached me with the information that she'd found what I had initially asked for, a half mile of fourteen gauge steel wire.  I was plenty happy with this news.  The system works (in a manner of speaking)!

More good news, it would only cost me forty dollars!  This is great, in case you hadn't figured it out.  Originally, I was paying five dollars for the hundred foot rolls.  At my estimated eight rings per foot, that works out to about two thirds of a cent for every ring.  At the ninety dollars I expected to spend for a half mile, it would have been costing me a little under half of a cent per ring.  More like two fifths.  But at only forty dollars, you guessed it (those of you with mental math capabilities and the desire to actually use them), it costs me just under a fifth of a cent for every ring!  That's a good deal, in my opinion.

I should have this wire by late next week, if everything works out well.  And I'm continually knocking a solid fist against my wooden desk in hopes of that, as well as that the wire is as advertised.  

Wish me luck, as materials for me equals goods for you (and perhaps even a gift or two).  Look forward to a silvery, ring-ed Christmas this year…  And yes, I failed miserably at keeping this short.