It's been a crazy couple of days filled with highs, lows and the odd scream of frustration.

In case you aren't aware, I enter contests. A lot. My social network includes a contesting club that meets once a month to share contesting tips, brag about our wins and delight in the fact that we all understand each other when we say things like "the Dell game drove me nuts" or "I can't read the verification code on the win 15 cruises site."

Monday, 12:42 p.m.
I'm working onsite for a client when the DH calls, announcing that there was a delivery attempt by FedEx that morning. Overcome with excitement, I barely hear him say that I must be the person to sign for the packages (there are two) and, if I want, we can go to the FedEx depot that evening.

Have I told you all how much I love my husband? Le sigh. Actually, he just wants to get me and the packages together as soon as possible to avoid any package-deprivation "incidents."

After I hang up the phone, I proceed to tell everyone in the office that a huge prize is waiting for me at FedEx and then I send an email to a few of my contesting buddies so they can send positive "winning" vibes my way. That's when I realize I have plans that evening: dinner with Aunt Susan. I'm positive she'd love to head over to FedEx before we eat.

Monday, 6:27 p.m.
I go online to track the package and call the FedEx depot to get the name of the company that is sending me the huge prize that needs two packages. Then I go to the company's website and squeal with glee as I take a peek at their client list: it's the who's who of packaged goods and products including Kraft, Heinz and Maytag!

Aunt Susan arrives. To my utter dismay, she's not excited about the opportunity to drive for half an hour to the FedEx depot. In fact, she declines immediately. I consider offering her a share of the prize but resist the temptation, as I'm still not sure what's waiting for me.

The DH steps in before I have a chance to threaten my aunt with violence in order to make her understand how important it is to get to FedEx RIGHT NOW and tells her that he will take me first thing tomorrow to put me out of my misery.

Aunt Susan and I go to dinner and I try to control the twitching.

Tuesday, 8:07 a.m.
It's raining and the roads are slick as commuters face yet another workday...

After a few wrong turns and a lot of pent-up frustration, we arrive at the FedEx Ground depot. This is not the depot that I am used to, since most of the FedEx deliveries I have picked up have been at the larger, cleaner "air shipment" one.

We've squeezed into a small security booth where the guard has the radio on a little too loud and he's placed four calls to figure out what to do. I assume that having people attempt to pick up their packages (even when I called to tell them I would be doing this last evening) is a little new. Who this young man has called, we don't know. Apparently not the right people as we've been waiting for a good ten minutes.

Somehow we hear the phone ring on the desk and he answers it, shouting over the wailing chorus of a song that is probably very popular to those under the age of 23-3/4. He hangs up and tells us we're free to go into the building.

We walk into the fenced-off walkway without being searched or frisked with a metal detector and step up the open metal staircase (those things totally freak me out) to the Door of Destiny.

Okay, it was a Hallway of Destiny that led to a small waiting room with old FedEx literature (they're hiring), a table and a few worn chairs. The nice woman in the adjoining room shouts out:"Wait there, someone will be right with you."

I take a seat and clutch my delivery notice to my chest. This is it -- the big moment. It crosses my mind that the packages might be too large to carry back down the stairs that freak me out. Perhaps the DH could take two trips. Closing my eyes and taking a deep breath helps calm my nerves...no, it doesn't. ;)

A woman entered the room carrying a large manilla envelope. Not a documents-only envelope that could contain authentic "You've won a contest" declaration forms or a big-honkin' check, but one that was holding a box of some sort.

Leaping out of my chair, I rushed over to her. The return address on the envelope wasn't familiar and I felt that something was missing.

"Hang on, it says here there are two packages," I said, holding up my delivery notice.

The woman took the tag, peered at it and said, "Oh, that's Terry; no one can read his handwriting. It's a one."

I showed her my ID, signed for the package and raced back to the car with Aden. Like on previous trips to pick up packages, I had brought along a pair of scissors. Call me prepared. Or crazy.

Inside the envelope was...a Parcheesi board game.

It was a true case of contest-induced lunchbag letdown. At least I burned a bunch of calories during this process. ;) The DH was kind enough not to say anything as he drove me to the office so I wouldn't be late.

Tuesday, 10:35 a.m.
The DH just called. Another package has arrived for me, this time through the post. Even though I have just been burned by the contesting gods, I can't help but thrill in the excitement of the unknown yet again.

What on earth could it be this time? Checkers? Trivial Pursuit? I send another email out to my contesting buddies and spend the rest of the day wondering what awesome prize awaits me.

Tuesday, 5:45 p.m.
It was a huge box of toilet paper for my household to try from a survey company!

Woo hoo! A board game and toilet paper? I love my life!

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