Is it possible for a replacement screen door to represent all that is wrong with America today ? Apparently, it costs too much to stock an exact-sized replacement for a sliding screen door, even at a gargantuan warehouse-sized store such as Lowe's, so one is forced to make due with an adjustable version. (It has spring-loaded expandable zones at the top and bottom — not elegant, but it works, kinda.) It's not quite as stable-feeling as the original, and it's not as trim as it could be when it has to move past the sliding glass door. Now, we finessed that issue, to so speak, with a few good bashes of a hammer, but it's pretty ridiculous that forty semoleans can't buy you a steel frame that's just like the old one.

We have also stumbled upon a conspiracy to make you buy entirely new screens instead of repairing one ones. I am not morally opposed to wholesole replacement if it's easy and reasonably priced, but what if replacement is not an option ?

We had better luck with our other shopping mission, to get ready for a Lego-themed party for S₀'s birthday. We were looking for Star Wars-themed mini sets, and there were none to be found at the Lego Store. (Really !) We decided to have the partiers build their own little cars and race them. The cool thing is the Lego Store allows you to pick your own pieces from a selection of wheels, bricks, hinges, windows, doors, etc., and all you have to do make them fit in a bucket. We were getting pretty good at cramming pieces into every little bit of available space. O was even pre-assembling wheels and tires to make our bucket space go even further: 10 kids × 4 wheels is a lot of parts ! Heh, I guess, that's why I married her !