I love Thank Yous! but sometimes it isn't easy

My best friend from Colorado, Roche, visited Rice Lake in November for a few days.  It was fun but I was sick with a rotten cold and for most of the visit, I had no voice.  But, we managed to get around and look at a few of the local sights, eat out a few times and get to a college basketball game & the Mall of America.  

As a surprise to me, after Roche went home, she went on line and ordered a thank you Christmas centerpiece to be delivered.

About that same time, our weather got nasty here.  About a foot of snow, ice and really cold temps.

On a Wednesday, I got a call from a local florist (who will remain nameless here) and he told me that he had a delivery for me, said he should have delivered it to me already but the order came on the internet and there was a problem with the computer and on that day, the roads were ice ruts.  Then he told me that his delivery guy is 85 years old, & he didn't want to send him out into the weather and I concurred.  He wanted to bring the arrangement the next day.  He talked so fast, I could hardly catch what he was saying.

Well, Thursdays I play cards, so that would not work.   

I asked if I could just pick up the flowers on Friday since I needed to do an errand near his shop anyway.  He was delighted that I didn't mind doing that, so that was the plan.

I arrived at the flower shop Friday, mid afternoon.  It was about zero outside, but I had been running errands so my car was warm for the pick up of something pretty.

When I walked in the shop and told the man my name, he paused, and looked at me funny and said, "gee that name is so familiar to me".  So, I explained the story to refresh his memory.

Much to my surprise, he said "oh I haven't made that arrangement yet".

So, I asked if it would be ready the next day if I came back.  

(By now I'm thinking that this is really a nightmare.)

Then he said, "why don't you just pick out something else, besides that arrangement is really not that nice".

Quite the salesman for tele-flora, eh?

So, I said okay, let me look around.  He gave me an idea of the value.  He had some huge poinsettias but I don't think the cats would leave them alone, and then I'd have sick cats.

He suggested a couple of orchids, and that pleased me.  I love orchids and have good luck with the cats ignoring them, whereas the cats like to eat any fresh flowers or corn husks or grass or any other live things.

So, I came home with two lovely pink orchids, in nice pots.

A breath of spring in a very cold winter

One has some spotted leaves and a little different shade of pink.

So pretty, what a wonderful gift.

As it turns out, this was a better gift than a live arrangement as these orchids will last me for a number of years if I am a good orchid mother.

Thanks Roche for the great thank you gift, even though it was kind of confusing getting it.