more free stuff

I am on the mailing list for Bath & Body Works, which often sends out decent coupons. Last week, they sent me a coupon for a 30-day supply of their new Dr. Patricia Wexler MMPi Skin Regenerating Serum, ostensibly a $27.50 value. So I went to get it at the store nearby, but they didn't have any. In fact, the lady at the store said that they had only received 10 samples, but that she would be happy to put me on a list to be called if they got more. I gave her my name and number, but the list was about 100 people long, so I wasn't counting on a call.

But that wasn't very fair. I mean, I didn't ask for the sample, they offered!

So I called their customer service department at 1-800-395-1001, and explained the situation, and they were very nice about it. Apparently, this is a problem at Bath & Body Works shops all over. They are sending me a $30 gift card, good for anything at the store.

Do with this information what you will.

free cookies!

Darling! It's been forever!

I know. I suck. I've been busy! I've been shoving food in my face, making a road trip to Jersey and NYC, and generally entertaining children for the past week, as it's school vacation. I'll be back to make a real entry in the next few days, but in the meanwhile...

Same rules as ever. You get your entry to me via the link above before the Oscars telecast on Sunday March 5. No entries will be counted after the show begins. Winner gets a batch of cookies of his or her choice. Staying dormant for so long has been part of my brilliant strategy to reduce the number of entries, you see...now we're down to only the most dedicated of readers! No cookies for strangers this year! And, in an effort to reduce the number of winners, I've included every single category on the form.

Good luck!

and yet, somehow, I failed.

Karen asked how the corn thing came out, so to speak. Well, since she asked...

I ate the corn, and I waited, dutifully recording every, um, digestive event. And no corn. But then, about 20 hours later, came a digestive event that I was unable to inspect. It sank too far. (She asked!)

I tried again. And 25 hours later, the same thing.

So I figured that the corn was weighing everything down and went back to the naturopath who agreed that those were the corn poops and thinks that I have a very fast transit time and wants me to get tested for food sensitivities.

The thing is, I feel good since I've started on his vitamins and all, but this does seem a bit like a never-ending money pit. We'll see how far it goes.