Best $14.99 I've spent in a while...

So, today, I'm out and about. I went to the Target, apparently to completely forget the list of things I needed and instead focus on trying to find a coffee maker, which I also didn't buy. Anyhow, on the way home, I stopped at the Chick-fil-a (a Southern-ish fast food chicken chain). It's not a place I eat often, but, it'd been a rough morning, and I just was not in the mood to cook when I got home, and I've recently discovered an affection for their wraps, which are also reasonably healthy (nevermind the waffle fries...). So, okay, I'm in the drive-through, and I see this little advert for their holiday gift basket. Which I've seen advertised a few times over the last month, and it looked really funny. But, you know, silly, and unnecessary, and I haven't been able to convince myself it was a worthwhile investment (because...okay, fine, it isn't). But, like I said, rough morning. So I finally gave in. And it made me giggle. And it continues to make me giggle. It's very frivolous, but, perhaps you might also think it worth a giggle.

I expected a little baggie full of stuff, right? And the woman at the register climbs up on her little step stool, and pulls this giant, intricate thing off a shelf. Quite the presentation!

It was huge! Here, a view without the cellophane...

Turns out the whole thing is worked into a drink carrier, and there's a lot of double stick tape involved.

So...okay. Anyone who's known me for a considerable amount of time knows that I used to collect cows. Not entirely on purpose - I liked cows, thought they were cute, and then suddenly every gift I got had a cow theme. I had towels, pictures, magnets, pillows, and more stuffed cows than I knew what to do with (Note to anyone who might be inclined to buy me a gift this year - no! No more cows! No!). But, I've retained a soft spot for the Chick-fil-a cows.

So there's a little stuffed cow, wearing a little sandwich board with the classic slogan, "Eat mor chikin." He's really, really cute. To that end, there's also an "eat more chikin" Pez dispenser (seriously. What could be better than a PEZ dispenser!!), and a cow-head-on-a-stick fan. There's a little cow tumbler. There's also coupons, little mints, and the 2009 "Bovines in Blue" calendar, which features such parodies as Grill Street Blues and BSI:Bovine Scene Investigators. Included in the calendar are monthly coupons for various Chick-fil-a products, of course, but the illustrations are by themselves just all manner of amusing.

I know, I'm a little pathetic...did I mention it's been a rough couple of weeks?