Why my husband (sham)rocks.

On Sunday, Tim and I had plans to go to Port Charlotte, the new spring training home of the Rays, for a game and then get dinner in Sarasota on the way back. Over the course of the week leading up to the game, my furious craving for a McDonald's Shamrock Shake added a stop to Mickey D's in to the mix.

We watched the 11-inning tie game between the Pirates and Rays until almost 5 o'clock. Then we made a lengthy trek to Sarasota, visiting our new favorite Mexican treat, Moe's. After Moe's, we decided to just stop at the first McDonald's we saw and get our shakes.

Alas, there was a McDonald's around the corner! We pulled in to the drive-thru.

Intercom: "Welcome to McDonald's, may I take your order?"
Tim: "Hi, I'd like a small Shamrock Shake ..."
Intercom: "I'm sorry, we're out of mint."
(Tim turns around and leaves McDonald's)

The rest of the way back to Bradenton we watched for other McDonald's. We saw one ... on the other side of the road, just as we passed it.

So then we went grocery shopping. We went out of our way to pass another McDonald's on the way home. We pulled in to the drive-thru.

Intercom: "Welcome to McDonald's, may I take your order?"
Tim: "Hi, I'd like a small Shamrock Shake ..."
Intercom: "I'm sorry, we're out of them today. No more mint."
(Tim turns around and leaves McDonald's)

We went home defeated (well, I was defeated, Tim was really OK about it all) and cleaned for hours (we had company coming the next night, and really, the condo was due for a thorough cleaning). While we cleaned, I kept commenting (OK, whining) about my lack of Shamrock Shake. Around 11 p.m., Tim volunteered to go get me one. I was so excited - there was one more McDonald's in Bradenton that we hadn't tried, so Tim headed there.

But the "24-hour drive thru"? Closed for a few hours to set up for the morning dine-in crowd.

And what makes my husband brilliant and dedicated is the fact that he remembered there was a McDonald's INSIDE of the Wal-Mart down the street. So he went there. And finally got the elusive shake.

It was the best. shake. ever. Four McDonald's later.