There’s something to be said for persistence. In the last two days, I’ve been to three different Home Depot’s and a Lowe’s. Apparently the shelf brackets I prefer for the curtain shelves have been discontinued. I needed four to do the windows in the bedroom. At the second Home Depot, I found three of the smaller brackets. I left them there… kicking myself all the way to the third Home Depot. At the third Home Depot I found four more of the small brackets.
I really wanted the larger style that I used in the office over the sliding glass door, but figured I should just give in and take what I could get. After picking up a $30 jig saw and some 6′ pine boards for shelving, I drove home and started putting up the shelves.
Immediately I discovered that two of the brackets were kind of screwed up. Fine… I put up one set (still kicking myself for not getting the three I found earlier). I kept telling myself that If I put up the screwy brackets, no one would be able to see the problem, but of course I would know. Then, I jumped up to measure how much shelf I needed.
I could have split the 6′ board in half and used one for each window, but 36″ just seemed too short. Grumble, grumble. I should have bought an 8′ board. The thought had crossed my mind at the store, but of course I ignored it. After thinking about the problem for fifteen minutes I decided to just go back to Home Depot, get the three brackets (between the five I could make two work for the remaining window) and an two 8′ boards (because now I had decided to change the way I had mounted the curtains over the closet). Of course, I forgot to get another closet rod for the closet curtain, but I wouldn’t figure this out until I got home.
So, I got home and realized that the three brackets I’d just picked up weren’t exactly like the original four I’d gotten. Grumble, grumble. There was, at least, two in the new batch that matched each other (if not the set already on the wall) and were in fine shape.
The difference between the two sets is minimal. The outline is just slightly different, enough that I’d notice, but no one else on the planet will see. Besides, I’d have to find four more good brackets made in the same batch to have matching brackets on both windows, and I really don’t feel like checking every Home Depot on the East Coast because that—no doubt—is what would have to happen for me to find them.
In the end, the curtains are up and look splendid. I need to iron them, and then I still have to paint all the wood… which I’ve started tonight.
By the way, the new circular saw works great.
