You're Almost There ...

It has been an interesting week. My goal of getting up an hour earlier than usual has been met with unforeseen obstacles which have hindered my ability to start my mornings with leisurely writing. Here is one more tale of my saga.

I start my mornings by signing into my work computer, checking emails, banking and taking care of any immediate work requirements. I proceed to make my morning smoothie and head into our den to do my online puzzles, check into the blogs I follow, do my own personal banking and utilize any leftover time to stop here to write.

As you can see, my morning routines are pretty wrapped up in the ability to access our internet. This was the message that started yesterday morning:

I panicked. I thought the problem was related to my work computer alone. Then I decided to check my personal computer. Then my WiFi access on my phone. No internet.

Our internet provider also provides our telephone and cable services. I checked the phone. No dial tone. I turned on the TV. Our cable connection was still alive and well.

I called for technical assistance. They weren't open yet. So I did what any logical person would do. I made a cup of coffee and sat down to watch TV. It was the only convenience available to me, wasn't it?

No.

As I sat and savored my coffee, I started counting my blessings. We had power. I had a cell phone to use while our house phone was out of service. There was nothing stopping me from writing but simple lack of motivation. 

A day without internet and a telephone started to take on a whole new look. I could clean up and organize my office files. I could shred my personal documents. I could vacuum the house; wash windows; tend to the weeds that are overtaking the catwalk beside our fence. 

Oh, the things I could do without the outside interference of a telephone and internet connection. I started to feel joyful at the prospects for the day.

But I had to persevere. Telephone and internet access are a big part of my work-from-home requirements. So I continued to call our cable provider every hour on the hour until there was an answer at 7:00 a.m.

I have only applause and praise for the person who answered my call and walked me through the hour that followed. 

Apparently my problem was my problem alone. It wasn't something affecting our area of the city. It was specific to my account. I was promised I would not be abandoned. "Please be patient with me and I will not end this call until your services are restored".

As promised, our call did not end until I had a work-around for every issue (and the issues seemed to compound as our call went on) and I was able to function within my home office as required.

Again as promised, I received a follow up call when all emails were restored, to ensure all my problems were resolved. 

I was in awe of a second incident of Excellent Customer Service within the first half of my work week. I thanked this customer service person profusely and ensured they knew how appreciative I was of everything they did to assist me.

The unfortunate part of my story is the original "You're almost there ..." message continues to be displayed every time I try to access my webmail on a Chrome browser. I've found a workaround solution to the problem but am haunted by the words. 

I have been re-watching the Gilmore Girls for the umpteenth time. I recently watched the episode The Road Trip to Harvard: 

"We're almost there and nowhere near it. All that matters is we're going." ~ Gilmore Girls

Hmmm ... is this yet another sign within the many signs that have been appearing within my life? 

You're almost there ...

Shattered

Monday mornings are a jolt of reality infused into our lives whether we want it or not. Monday can feel hard. Harder yet, when your mode of transportation has been vandalized.

A broken car window was the catalyst of this week. This is what I swept off the ground and out of the car and all that remained of a rear passenger window:

I uttered orders like a drill sergeant. "Call work. Tell them what happened and that you will be late. File a police report. I'll clean this up."

Bam! Bam! Bam! We shot into action and went forward from there. 

The car, minus a window, was drivable. I stayed home and proceeded to make phone calls to track down replacement glass for a 26 year old obsolete vehicle. 

After calling and investigating every source I could think of, I thought the only answer was to replace the car. I have been seriously considering upgrading my own 19 year old car anyway. It just wasn't in the budget quite so soon. But perhaps it was solution to the problem.

One nudge from my son, telling me he had found a place that could order in and replace the window was all it took. Unfortunately I had misinformed him about which window was broken so the story did not end there. 

I took a lunch break and resumed my search. First phone call after my break, with a little more information to go on, and voila! The window replacement was found, ordered, delivered and installed 48.5 hours later. At a cost that was almost $80.00 cheaper than my son's original quote.

The service from Unique Collision and Glass was second to none. Every promise was delivered as expected. Plus they provided not only shuttle service to work but also delivered the car to my daughter's place of employment when the work was complete.

An act of vandalism (the window was merely smashed - the doors were not even unlocked, nor was the car ransacked in any way to indicate theft was the motivation) had the power to shatter the hope of a new week dawning. But it didn't break us.

Who Doesn't Love Rabbits?

One of my greatest joys in life is noticing a rabbit hopping through our neighborhood or the park like setting where my aunt lives. Rabbit spotting became a much enjoyed event while I visited Mom and one of my favorite photos is one of a small jack rabbit who hopped into Mom's back yard and settled in for a bit. We named him (or her) "Jack".

I have this 4" X 6" photo on display on the top shelf of  Mom's corner shelving unit in our living room, nestled in with other meaningful mementos which honor my memories of Mom. 

As per our own family's version of Emily Post (who literally wrote the book on etiquette), I followed Mom's rule of not having personal photos on display in the living room. The corner shelving unit holds items which have special meaning to me but its contents are rather generic to a casual visitor.

Never have I ever been more grateful for following one of Mom's rules of decorating when someone I don't know gazed at our sparsely decorated living room and made the comment "I hope you ate that rabbit!" when he looked at the framed photo of "Jack".

Now, I was already having my reservations about this human being. My spidey senses were tingling and I felt like a dog with its hair raising on the back of its shoulders. I just didn't feel good about this professional computer doctor who was in my midst. Then he made this comment and I felt my "inner Margaret" get her hackles up and I thought loudly (in Mom's voice), "I knew I didn't like this guy!" 

Who has the insensitivity to make such a rude comment to a person who obviously feels strongly enough about rabbits to photograph, frame and display on the top shelf of a room that holds no other personal touches? Who continues to have a conversation and debate the worthiness of rabbits after sharing the fact that Mom & I enjoyed watching and even named him?

I am not even certain if I was civil to this human after the above interaction.

Who doesn't love rabbits?! I honestly don't want to know this answer. I am having a very hard time not going off on a rant about this person's customer service. He was hanging on by a thread. It was that thread that hung him. I will not be calling him back.

I cannot trust a person who doesn't like rabbits.

Good Things Will Come

As I dipped into my revolving supply of morning smoothie ingredients and was quietly grateful for that which is "on tap" within our home on a regular basis, I felt my gratitude multiplied this morning.

Many, many (many) decades ago an acquaintance mentioned her parent's habit of always keeping an extra of everything they used regularly on hand. When their spare item was taken from its place in the pantry, it was immediately replaced. Thus, they always had a ready supply of all regularly used items on hand.

I immediately incorporated "keeping a revolving inventory on hand" into my way of living and budgeting. Any time someone took the last item from our stock, they were supposed to write it on the list so I knew to replace it. This way of shopping has served us well over the years.

Add "budgeting" into this formula and there are times when I'm waiting for the next pay cheque or credit card cut off date before I replenish my supplies. That was exactly were I landed last Friday.

I have been working hard to spend within my allotted budget amount. In order to succeed, I had to wait until Friday to do my shopping. Add the fact that "self isolating" is a way of life for me. I live for weekends where my car doesn't have to leave the garage.  The fact that I had plans to go out that night resulted in shopping at 10 p.m. on a Friday night. Not my favorite place in the world to be. Ever. Let alone in the midst of a time where scarcity is ruling the world as we know it.

I have been very calm, level headed and practical about all the advisories during this time of the COVID-19 Virus. I have read or heard in more than one place: "Everything we need to know, we learned in Kindergarten". Share, don't hog the toys, be kind to one another, protect others when you cough, wash your hands, wash your hands and wash your hands. Stay home if you are sick. And as Glennon Doyle taught me, "do the next right thing".

If we all follow these simple instructions, hopefully we can slow the spread of this virus.

Then I found myself in a Walmart at 10 p.m. on a Friday night, when it should have been close to abandoned. It was busy. The shelves were bare. I had a hard time finding the items on my list to replenish my revolving supply of household goods and groceries.

Yes. I felt the anxiety that is running rampant. I came home to find my son reverberating a different version of the same reality. The university cancelled classes. This is real.

Remember what you learned in Kindergarten. Be kind. Be considerate. Share. Wash your hands often. Plus one amendment to those rules ... give everyone their space and learn to appreciate alone time. This is the breeding ground of great ideas, imagination, creativity and listening to the quiet within the world you may find.

I believe this will get much worse before it gets better. I hear glimmers of hope all around me. Some good will come. I have heard it said that this is giving our earth a chance to breathe. This is a rude awakening ... but it is never so bad that it couldn't be worse.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to our health care system and providers. Thank you, thank you, thank you to those who work in the front lines and are exposed to hundreds upon hundreds of people on a daily basis. I can't begin to think that you are bearing the brunt of people's fear and anxiety. Thank you, thank you, thank you to truck drivers and those in the delivery field. We are so very fortunate to have you in our corner.

Please be mindful, considerate and kind. In times of great uncertainty, please let kindness win.

Life is Too Short to Write With Crappy Pens!

Ranting about "things that really don't matter" seems to be at the tip of my fingertips these days. Please forgive me while I carry on one (hopefully) last time.

Please note: Complaining for the sole purpose of complaining, without looking for solutions is NOT my goal. Any griping on my part must be counteracted with action. 

Spoiler alert: Today's rant comes with a potentially happy ending.

On with the show ...

Tell me, am I the only one on earth who is bothered by pens that don't write? Brand new pens, even with their "tip seals" (a small ball of wax on the tip of the pen) to ensure the pen's freshness, that stop writing intermittently, unexpectedly and frequently.

As I have committed to writing three pages by longhand each and every morning, finding a pen that will stand by this commitment is pivotal to this ongoing habit's success. I purchased a tried and true brand that had never let me down before to ensure my journalling success. The first pen worked so well, I gifted the remaining two pens in the package to my fellow journallers. An offer akin to swapping blood to become blood brothers, I offered pens to instil an ink-sister kinship.

Giving away that which brings me joy is one of my favorite things to do. I love to spread my joy. Whether it is my most favorite tea towels, socks, a miracle pillow or simply my favorite hassle free pen. If I love it and think you would love it, nothing makes me happier than sharing some of my tried and true favorite things (I feel like Oprah and Ellen, who have turned their "favorite things" into an audience favorite). 

Anyway ... short story, long ...

I went to replace my most favorite pens and the next package didn't write reliably. I was writing on the same kind of notepaper. Nothing had changed. Just a new package of pens. I was soooooo frustrated. I persevered until each pen in the package officially ran out of ink and I shopped for a replacement brand of pen. No luck. I am two pens into another package of four (I should have purchased one pen at a time until I knew for sure. My mistake).

As I fought with the second new pen and it was worse than the one before, I silently screamed in my head, "Life is too short to write with crappy pens!!!"

Before I tossed the whole lot of them, I decided to check the packaging. Maybe there was a "best before" date and I simply bought pens where the ink was drying out. No luck. 

But I did find a phone number my first package of pens. "If you are not completely satisfied with your product, please contact us at ...."

So I called. I had the chance to voice my complaint and in return, the company has the opportunity to make it right. They will be sending me replacement pens and I should receive them within two weeks. 

There is truly no reason to complain if you don't give the other party a chance to make amends. My second brand of pens came with no such guarantee but I may try to return the to the store where I made the purchase. The worst they can say is "no".

Ranting and raving and feeling angry steals our joy. Finding solutions (see yesterday's post, where all I had to do was flip my top sheet upside down to fix the problem), alternatives or going to the source and putting a voice to the concern is empowering.

Life IS too short to write with crappy pens. I WILL live to write another day. In the meantime, there is another brand of pen that has served me well. If at first you don't succeed, just keep trying. Or as Dory (from Finding Nemo) would say, "Just keep swimming..."

Taking Care of the Pennies

Another month has ended and we are one month closer to spring. Unfortunately our days will get shorter before they start lengthening but here we are. November 1st. The dawn of a new calendar page.

With the end of the month comes a renewed state of reviewing my financial well being. It could be better. It could be worse. This week in particular, I am pleased with how I have managed my cash flow.

It all started with some of the most uncomfortable pillows I have owned to date. I have awoken (with a stiff neck) to a SmartSilk pillow paid advertisement more times than I can remember. Nothing speaks to a sore neck better than the promise of a miracle pillow. These pillows are not cheap so I never did take the leap of faith but I have always been intrigued.

Enter "Costco" and the companies who set up shop in their aisles, along with Costco's money back guarantee. The SmartSilk salesman made his pitch. The pillow was on sale for half price. Plus you get a second pillow free. All for the cost of $99.99. I still wasn't sold until he told me there was a money back guarantee. That promise closed the deal.

I purchased these pillows over a month ago. I was brainwashed by the advertising I had heard. I thought I must be sleeping on them wrong because my neck was still stiff. I plumped the pillows. I slept on them on their side. I flipped them over throughout the night. No luck. AND they were heavy and didn't fit in my pillow case. They were (in a word) annoying.

Finally, I woke up with a sore neck for the last time. I scrunched the pillows back into the miniature bag they came in, found my receipt and headed off to Costco. True to the salesman's promise, they refunded my money without question. Thank you, Costco!

I scoured the pillow aisle for the pillow my sister recommended. I couldn't find the one she suggested but for the bargain price of two down-like filled pillows for $17.99, I thought "What can I lose?" The answer? Not a thing!

My returned pillows covered the cost of my new pillows plus all my Costco shopping for the day. Returned pillows minus my new pillows gave me $91.02!! Plus I very much like my new pillows. They are light, fit in my pillow cases and I can scrunch them up to make them work good enough. My neck stiffness has not miraculously been cured but it is definitely no worse.

My second good financial decision was when I noticed my cell phone bill increased by $11.11 for no apparent reason. Upon further investigation I discovered they deleted the special promotion for a $10 credit they had been applying each month. My contract has run out and I wondered if I offered to sign up for a new contract, if they would reinstate my $10.00 promotion. The rep who answered my call could only advise me to check in again with them on Black Friday to see what promotions may be available. But in the meantime, he happily credited my bill the $11.11 I was not expecting. Thank you very much, Bell Canada!

One would think I couldn't do any better. But I did.

I decided to get a flu shot last night and as I wandered the aisles in the store afterwards (they recommended staying in the store for a while in case there was a reaction to the shot), I actually listened to the announcement. Not only was it Senior's Day (20% off) but if you spent $50.00 or more, you would receive a $10.00 gift card. Hmmmm.....

I read that my health insurance will cover the cost of a blood pressure machine if it is prescribed by your doctor. I asked my doctor about it and since I have high blood pressure she wrote the prescription without hesitation. I have been carrying this around with me for months. Then last night's offer sounded like the perfect time to take the plunge. The blood pressure monitor was $69.99, less 20% ($14.00), plus the $10.00 gift card equals a bargain any which way you look at it. If my insurance covers it, it will be a 100% bonus. Thank you, Shoppers Drug Mart!!

My savings this week are $91.02 + $11.11 + $14.00 + $10.00 = $126.13. Granted, I spent $67.19 on the blood pressure monitor so technically it cost me $67.19 to save $126.13 (or in other words, I saved only $91.02 + $11.11 = $102.13). But any which way I look at things, I made some good financial choices this week.

Look after the pennies and the dollars take care of themselves. Listen to announcements while shopping and there may be a bargain with your name on it. If you are unhappy with a product, return it. Take advantage of what your insurance covers. Watch your bills carefully. Call. Ask. Investigate. I could have been told, "I'm sorry but we cannot help you" but I would have never known if I hadn't asked.

The world has been very generous to me this week. I could have moaned and whined about my stiff neck. I could have complained that my cell phone bill increased. I could have continued to carry the prescription for a blood machine monitor in my purse and not utilized it. But I didn't. And I am grateful.

It's All in the Details

It is the littlest of things that can make the biggest of differences. I find this to be true in almost any aspect of living this quiet little life of mine.

Customer service can make or break a company's reputation. I love spreading good customer service stories and they linger in my consciousness long after the moment has past. One good experience buys customer loyalty, good word-of-mouth advertising (the best form of advertising in my humble opinion) and it simply feels good to be on the receiving end of an experience where you have been treated with kindness.

It is that simple.

On the other hand, I have had a few situations lately which left a sour taste in my mouth. In both cases, I followed up and spoke with a different employee after I slept on my thoughts and woke up feeling like I had a worthy complaint. 

My intent was to #1 - find out if my concerns were valid and #2 - voice my experience in the hope that an issue may be addressed and may prevent this from happening to others.

As frustrating as it was, I tried to put myself in the other guy's shoes. Did I have a tone in my voice that could have been taken as confrontational? Did I phrase my words properly so I was understood? Was it me? Or could the other guy have been having an off day? 

I worked in a customer service industry for decades. I feel like one of my strongest traits in that job was providing good customer service. I could handle complaints in a manner which left me feeling I had done the best I could with the situation at hand. 

There was one disclaimer though. As long as the person was not complaining about ME, I could take a step back, be unbiased, listen and attempt to resolve the problem. If the complaint WAS about me, I immediately felt like I was being attacked, my defenses went up and I felt an irrational amount of guilt. My actions were emotion based instead of service based. 

Acting and speaking when emotion is driving the car is rarely a good thing. Perhaps that is why, even as the customer, I don't REact. I try to give myself time and space and ACT when my head is a little clearer and my emotions are in the back seat.

So very many of my experiences are positive ones yet it is the emotion driving the negative ones that give them so much power. 

I cannot end this post on a negative note such as this. Let me tell you some excellent customer service stories:

• My friendly, neighborhood mechanic who treats me so well. I take my car to him in sickness and in health and he always treats my concerns as well as he treats my car. Kudos to those who take care of the people behind their problems!
• Costco, whose customer service team went above and beyond the call of duty. They listened to my story (and my stories are rarely short!), empathized with my situation and did everything in their power to resolve it. I walked out to the store thinking "That company must treat their employees well and it has trickled down to excellent customer service!"
• The employee at our home security company who was the unlucky soul to be on the receiving end of my call. I had been trying to get through to this company for days. There is nothing more disconcerting than being unable to speak to someone who is handling your home's security (then again, I had been calling an old contact number so I was also to blame). By the time I reached this poor girl, bright and early one morning, my one question had morphed into about six PLUS the emotion behind my frustration was evident. I apologized to her and said I was sorry - probably her very first call of the day and I was bombarding her with questions of all kinds - and she was handling it so well. She just laughed and said, "You're so funny ..." and added a comment which made me feel she appreciated the acknowledgement. Employees who are on the other end of a telephone line have a thankless job at times - people aren't as kind when they can't see who they are talking with. It's a tough job. I appreciate those who can do it so well!
• A Sobey's grocery cashier, who sees hundreds upon hundreds of customers throughout the day/week, who acknowledged and recognized me as a regular customer, "You come in here all the time!". And I am only there once a week or less. Hooray to those who work tirelessly and still take time to notice the little things!
• Almost all those who worked on our home this year (there was one snarky shingle installer who soured the experience a bit). I was treated with courtesy, respect, kindness and good humor. Even when I voiced a negative concern, I was treated positively and (except for the above noted case) the situation was resolved. Some of the best customer service is recognized by overcoming customer objections. I am grateful to all who listen and look after the little things to do the job right!
• A waitress who was called in to work on her night off and had let down her family as she was required to work at the last minute. We only found out about this because out of the blue, she simply apologized to us and went on to serve another table. When she came back, we asked her why she was sorry and she quickly explained. She introduced herself to us when we sat down and I actually remembered her name. She beamed like a ray of sunshine when she realized this and responded, "Thank you! For making me feel seen!" 

We all need to feel "seen". In good times and in bad. On the receiving end and providing customer service. The smallest of things can make the biggest difference. It's all in the details.

You just don't know what is going on in another person's life. Simple kindnesses go such a long way. I would like to end this post using Ellen Degeneres' catch phrase, "Be kind to one another!" 

Sparking Joy

My head is all over the map this First Friday in this Fresh New Month.

I brought work home with me so I can put in the first few hours of work at home this morning which feels empowering. I have set a start time in my head which I must adhere to in order to make this work. If it works today, perhaps I can make it work another day in the future.

Blurring the line between "work" and "home" is defined by working within my designated work time and mental space. I CAN bring work home and accomplish it if it doesn't interfere with my designated "me time".

Combining work and home feels empowering. Feeling empowered sparks joy.

My Youngest Son is headed home today. He has been gone exactly one week (almost to the hour, as I write this). He has had a most excellent time at the workshop he has attended and I can't wait to hear all about it.

Unfortunately, I will still be at work when he arrives. He has invited friends over tonight so by the time I get home, he will be busy. I will hear the watered down version of his week tomorrow. But just recalling how I can reignite the joy I felt during various recent vacations, I still feel like I will hear the best version as he relives the highlight reel.

My Youngest has lived a very sheltered life. At the ripe old age of 20 years old, he hasn't experienced "life" outside the confines of our bubble wrapped little world here at home very much. I am so glad he got away and experienced how it feels to live a week away from the definition of who he is at home.

I remember how I felt when I stepped away from Mom's ideals and started thinking for myself. By myself. It is a giddy feeling. To think your own thoughts, live your own life, define who you are outside the confines of "home".

My last little bird is taking his first steps outside of our nest. His wings seem to be worthy of taking flight. He sounds happy. He sounds joyful. This sparks "joy" within me.

I sat on my glasses several days ago and bent them in a manner which made me feel rather woozy when I tried wearing them the next day. Long story short, I need new glasses. The kind person who very carefully straightened my present day glasses so I could wear them without feeling nauseous, was the same person who helped me choose my next pair of specs.

It was a small thing but it was huge. A conversation which began by admitting "I hate mirrors" ended up in a merging of kindred thoughts, sparked a conversation about my dancing days (and all the mirrors) and as I walked away from that encounter and into my day, her parting words were of the essence "I'm so glad I got to start off my day with this conversation" (those were not her words at all but it was definitely the essence of what she said).

I drove off to work with thoughts of this conversation and my dancing days wafting through my thoughts. As I parked the car, the theme song of the dance competition I participated in started playing through the radio waves. "Tonight's Gonna Be a Good Night" brought me right back to that joy filled time of dance and where it took me.

As this weekend nears (and yes!, I DEFINITELY believe 3 Day Work Weeks are my retirement goal), I am feeling light, energized and eager to start the Marie Kondo process of the Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up.

I have been feeling heavy and overwhelmed for the last long while. It is time to lighten things up and keep only that which sparks joy.

What sparks joy for you? The moment you feel the joyful sensation, I highly recommend stopping in that moment and simply saying "thank you". The more you recognize those moments of joy and acknowledge them, the more you will realize that even within the darkest of days, there are still moments where joy resides (for me yesterday morning, it was when I dropped a container of lotion and it landed right-side-up so there was NO clean up required, with the added bonus of not wasting any lotion!).

It is the little stuff that matters. Little things added up, can take us down to places we do not want to be. Little things added up, can also bring us up to where we need to be. One moment at a time.

Focus on joy. Where do you find it? What do you need to "define" to allow yourself what you need to get through the day?

Small stuff. Look for joy in the mundane. Say thank you. It all adds up ...

If it Works, Don't Get Rid Of It

The Great Purge of 2015 began in April. I painstakingly went through our kitchen cupboards and cleared out what I deemed to be unnecessary at some point during the Easter long weekend.

It hurt. It was physically and emotionally draining. I brought up a big box and placed our unused items within. I told myself I could change my mind. Putting these items in a box was not a commitment. It was a step.

I placed said box downstairs and hid it within an unused bedroom. While it sat there, it gained a lot of company. The next thing I knew, the pile of boxes in my give away pile was massive. I was ready to take the plunge and start donating that which was within the boxes.

Packaged carefully within "Box #1" was my Magic Bullet. I usually have a back up Bullet on hand in case of emergency. My worst nightmare would be to have my morning smoothie all prepared and for my bullet to break down. What would I do? I would have to immediately run out and buy another bullet in order to save the day. So I keep one "on deck" at all times.

The other reason I had a spare Magic Bullet in my closet is because the original Magic Bullets were durable. The base lasted and lasted and lasted. But the tabs on the cups broke off. As it often is, it was almost as cheap to buy another Magic Bullet, as it was to buy replacement cups.

Long story short, I decided to crack open my brand new bullet and donate the one I had been using. I had all sorts of parts and accessories that came with the original bullet on hand. I hadn't used those for a decade so I felt safe in the decision to get rid of those. But the base? I had severe reservations about that. It made sense to package it up and give it all away as a package deal.

Several months after that decision was made, I finally "bit the bullet" and donated the box containing my reliable, original Magic Bullet away.

I cleaned out the cupboards in April. I had to replace the brand new bullet in July. Then again in October. And the third one bit the dust in January. I have gone through four Magic Bullets in nine months.

Kudos to Canadian Tire, I must mention. They will give you your money back on defective products as long as you have the original receipt. So the only bullet I wasn't able to get a full refund on, was the back up bullet I had sitting in a closet for an undetermined amount of time as it waited for "The Original" to break down.

Why they have changed what worked (the Original Bullet withstood the test of time, it was just the cups that needed to be replaced) and changed it into a contraption that won't let go of your cup at times (I was not the only one who had run into this - I googled it, to find a solution as to how to release a stuck cup and the forum was full of others with the same problem).

Three brand new Magic Bullets bit the dust in nine months. Three!

I didn't abuse the product. I use it to make my morning smoothie (with frozen sliced strawberries and blueberries because it can't handle the unsliced frozen fruits nor ice) each morning. Neither the motor, nor the cutting mechanism were the problem. It was the ability to release the cups which caused such grief.

Why did I continue to buy Magic Bullets when I found them to be defective? Because I (finally) had a stockpile of Magic Bullet cups which only work with the Magic Bullet. Since it was the cups that I originally had troubles with, I thought I'd stick with a product that served me well ever since I bought "the original" off of a late night/early morning infomercial ad on TV back in the early days of Magic Bullets. back in 2006. Two of "the originals" got me through nine years. Three of the shoddy imitation imposters did not even get me through one year.

Thankfully I found a back up bullet on an on-line auction site. For a mere $10.00, I purchased this little treasure along with a bag full of miscellaneous kitchen items. There is no guarantee but I can hope that it came from an era where the Magic Bullet lasted longer than three months.

And that is my rant for today.

**In other amazing  but unrelated  news, the cell phone I dropped in the toilet (also in April, 2015) started trying to download photos yesterday morning. That feature hasn't worked since it hit the water nine months ago.

Yes, April of 2015 was a month that seems to come back and haunt me when I least expect it ... I had a dream about Andre (aka: Senior Cat, who died in April of 2015) last night. I miss that tiny purring bundle of fur. It was good to see him in my dreams.**

The moral of my story is:

"If it works, don't get rid of it!

If it doesn't work, don't give up on it.

And on a side note, love never dies. 

Keep it close to you in your heart and it warms your heart and may return to you in your dreams."

Thank You, Road Crews Everywhere!

I like when life hands you an unexpected lesson out of the blue. I received one of those gifts yesterday.

Our snowfall from two days ago was still quite evident yesterday.

Sunday morning

Monday morning

Monday morning

It was gorgeous outside yesterday afternoon and I needed to get my little daycare family out but had no idea what we could do. It was hot and melting. You needed snow gear on your bottom half and a T-shirt for your top half.

Bringing bikes out, onto the driveway was our best option except the snow was still not melted. I had no intention on shovelling that snow again - I had planned on letting Mother Nature take care of that last blast of snow! 

They couldn't drive on top of it - it was too water laden and unfortunately there was still too much snow.

Monday afternoon

I shovelled around the perimeter so they could ride around the snow but that was too restrictive and they were still getting stuck so I started whittling away at shovelling the snow which was in the middle of their raceway. 

It took forever and I had some very impatient and uncourteous drivers as I toiled away at the task. "Col ee ee ee ee n! You are in the way!!" "Col ee ee ee ee n! You are going too slow!" 

Drivers abandoned their bikes on the road, leaving the snow removal crew to clear the road of vehicles and clear the road. 

I certainly gained some respect for road crews everywhere. They are working to make our roads better and safer, yet as the person travelling the road, how many times have I thought the same thoughts as the kids "You are in my way and going too slow!"?

We are heading into the summer season of road construction and before long traffic delays, lane closures and speed restrictions will be in full force. Drivers everywhere will be thinking much the same as my little bike drivers yesterday.

Our road crews are working to make our roads safer, wider, fixing pot holes, building bridges and double lanes. They work all summer so we can have our roads in the best shape possible for our inevitable long, cold, icy winters.

Slow down, be grateful, smile and wave at those who are working so hard to keep us safe and moving efficiently.

How would you feel, if you were the one working tirelessly repairing, rebuilding and rerouting those roads and people were driving around you, thinking of nothing but their own immediate needs as they are running late and frustrated due to delays?

Leave a little extra time as you make your way through the summer. You may run across a road crew making your roads better for another day.

Customer Service 101

I woke up with a fire in my belly this morning. And that was before I read the late-last-night email and early-this-morning text from my brother...

Let me tell you more.

In December, my sister and I planned a purely frivolous and extraordinary weekend in Vegas, to go see Dancing With the Stars Live in February.

As I was making the reservation, I kept asking my sister "Are you sure?" "Should I hit the 'I Accept' (and every other) button (there was to press along our way)?"

By the time we got off the phone that fateful night, it was a done deal. We were going to Vegas!

As if that wasn't exciting enough by itself, my sister-in-law texted me a few days later, asking me where we were staying, because she wanted to surprise my brother with the gift of a trip-for-two to Vegas (with her sister-in-laws, no less!) for Christmas; their upcoming 25th anniversary and my brother's looming 50th birthday. All in one.

The exhilaration levels rose by the moment. Between surprising my brother (he is a tough guy to surprise) and my sister with (at the time) that-which-only-my-sister-in-law-and-I-knew, was a gift unto itself.

It took (perhaps) less than a week before my brother admitted he read the confirmation email about the trip and the cat was out of the bag.

But my sister still didn't know.

We all walked around like Cheshire Cats, withholding this great surprise from my sister. It was fun and we were all anticipating her great surprise when we stumbled into my brother and his wife in Vegas, of all places. We couldn't wait to see her reaction.

Long story short, I was the one who spilled the beans to my sister. Perhaps it was meant to be, because due to circumstances beyond our control, it is looking like my brother and his wife may be backing out of the trip. Or at the very least, delaying their departure date by a day.

We had a 'conference call' between the three siblings last night. My sister and I agreed that my brother is in the hardest position of all, as we weighed out the facts we know and needed to decide whether we should all back out of our trip or not.

In the end, we thought the perfect compromise was for my brother and his wife to try and change their flight by one day.

Sounds simple, doesn't it?

Unfortunately this sounded like the best option for them because their 'comprehensive cancellation insurance package' has very strict guidelines about paying out. And our situation, as dire as it feels to us, does not meet their criteria. So they stood to lose their entire holiday and be out the full cost of the trip, plus their insurance costs.

Before I went to sleep last night, my brother emailed me to tell me that "Yes" they could change their departure date. The cost? $1800!! Their entire trip only cost $1600, so their total out-of-pocket-expense was $3400. It was 'cheaper' to bail out completely and not even go.

UNbelievable.

I woke up before my alarm this morning, with my brother and sister-in-law first and foremost in my mind. I had a plan.

I have learned a lesson within this little life of mine. "Never be afraid to ask". You still may be told 'no', but at least you gave it your best shot.

I called Expedia.ca bright and early this morning. I was on hold for less than two minutes. I got a polite representative and once she confirmed I had enough information to continue, I asked her if she had time to hear our story.

She said she did.

Our story is not long. It is not complicated. But it is fresh, new territory for our family, as we tread into this together.

Part two of the story is my brother and his wife.

This trip was booked with the best of intentions and a heart full of love and generosity. This is a couple who works hard for every penny they have, so a trip such as this is not taken lightly. It's a big thing. They will be honoring twenty five years of marriage in four months.

While they were on their modest honeymoon twenty five years ago, my brother looked at his new bride with stars in his eyes and full of wonder and hope for their future. I am not certain what the exact words were but in my mind's eye, I see this young couple boarding a ferry and my newly wed brother (probably) said (something to the effect of) "We will go on a cruise for our 25th anniversary ..."

A three-day-trip to Vegas was a small consolation prize. And one that cost them dearly.

I plead their case to the Expedia.ca representative. I did not deny their position of hearing every story in the book, when it comes to reasons for cancellation. But I explained this was new and foreign ground for our family and we would appreciate anything they could offer. Travel credit for a future holiday (for my brother and his wife) perhaps?

This representative listened to me without interruption and then relayed the facts to her supervisor.

Her supervisor first offered her condolences for our situation. She then offered two options (neither of which include losing the full cost of their holiday nor charging a exorbitant amount of money to switch dates).

Number 1 - I appreciated both of these representatives hearing me out. Number 2 - I was relieved neither one of them immediately defaulted to a line akin to "I'm sorry, but that is our policy". Number 3 - I was grateful to be passed along to a supervisor without having to demand that my plea be heard by someone who could make decisions that fell outside of regular company policy.

I wish they had offered my brother and his wife a free cruise as a gift for their 25th wedding anniversary but all stories do not end with a fairy tale ending.

Because the second thing my quiet little life has taught me is to "Dare to dream for impossible things".