Normally, my daughter and I get up like around 3 am, and out the door by 4 to head to JCP and get our free Mickey snowglobe and toodle about, buying clothes for us and whatnot. Then we head to a couple of other stores nearby, then to Ihop for breakfast and done usually by around 9 or 10. That's been our routine for years now and I've loved it.
This year, with the stores opening Thanksgiving afternoon/evening/night, she went out with her bf and shopped and then they slept in Friday.
I stayed home and had a Grimm marathon after the big Turkey dinner.
I slept in a bit more Friday morning cause I knew I only needed to go to like 2-3 stores. I still expected to see a crowd but as I got out there, probably more like 5:30, I went to JCP first and the parking lot wasn't jammed full. Inside, it was like almost no one was there? I had gone in without a jacket expecting to get hot with all the people like usual and nope. They still had plenty of stuff there, had carts even! No snowglobe but I didn't need that, but...wow...so after I walked around, picked up a couple things and then left. Normally I think I spend several hundred there and this year, like $60?
Then off to Bed, Bath, & Beyond. (Gotta love that store!) Now there, I shopped! They always have the neatest stuff in there. They had 20% off your entire purchase! I was like wow! Plus gave you a coupon for World Market and so I popped over there (didn't stand in line for the free teacup *snorts*) and picked up a few stocking stuffers in there as they always have the old fashioned and new innovative things there. Then one other stop and again, it wasn't jammed or overloaded with people. Amazing.
Off to IHOP and swung by to pick up a friend to go with me and got a seat right away no problem. Waitress there said she heard the police had to step in at a Walmart in Lewisville cause people were fighting over stuff. It's really not worth that. She also told us that they were not packed full this morning like they usually are.
She felt the stores ruined things by opening up Thanksgiving night. I have to agree in a way. On one hand, it was so nice to go out and not battle crowds Black Friday morning or stand in these hour long lines to checkout. I went right up to every register and they still had pretty much all I was looking for.
But on the other hand, I find the timing of it is really bad. To open on Thanksgiving night? Really? After your turkey dinner, it's nice to relax and watch shows together with the family. We still did that a little but I think its a shame to have the stores start their Black Friday deals on Thursday. Trying to prolong their sales and thinking to increase their revenue for this time of the year. But you know, more and more, I hear people sit home and just order it all online, wait for Monday, Cyber Monday now it's called and just wake up for their deals, click-click, sip of your hot chocolate and then go back to bed and sleep.
It just seems to be getting crazier and crazier all the time!
Most things I don't need to run around for and can order much of it online. I think tho' I may still end up at Bed, Bath & Beyond as they had the best deals I've seen and always a pleasure to shop there.
But I still don't need to wake up and OHMYGODEARLYAM to get anything.
I hope your experience shopping yesterday was as nice and relaxed and my own! :)
Saturday, November 30, 2013
Saturday, August 24, 2013
Adding or Taking Dirt Away
Lately, I've noticed that this one road near me was closed off as they are wanting to widen it and cut it down.
I couldn't help but be reminded of when they did that in my community. The hill in front of me was too high so they cut some of it down and then went straight ahead and poured foundation down for the houses built there.
My house is at the bottom of the hill and so they did not remove any dirt at all, nor did they add any either for that matter.
Every house that had dirt moved or added to, had foundation issues. Each one had to have their foundations repaired. To date, my foundation has been fine.
So when I saw this road being cut away and the hill lowered, I couldn't help but think that they would then experience shifts and that means potholes and cracks and all that fun stuff and it means, they will be repairing that road for a long time before the dirt settles down.
It was another reminder to me for when I go to purchase my land and if I have the house built for me, to make sure the land is not needing to be disturbed, at least not much so that I won't have to worry about the foundation.
Here are ways I found on the internet that you can damage your foundation:
http://www.superiorfoundationrepair.com/steel-pier-foundation-repair-house-leveling-austin-and-san-antonio-texas/326/foundation-repair/5-ways-homeowners-cause-foundation-problems/
And also, to back up what I wrote, here is also other ways that your foundation can have issues and to note, the clay soil shifting....that is the type of soil we have here where I am at, clay soil.
http://foundationrepairs.com/foundationmaintenance/v-what-causes-foundation-problems.php
All things to remember and think about when purchasing/building a home and then, maintaining it! :)
I couldn't help but be reminded of when they did that in my community. The hill in front of me was too high so they cut some of it down and then went straight ahead and poured foundation down for the houses built there.
My house is at the bottom of the hill and so they did not remove any dirt at all, nor did they add any either for that matter.
Every house that had dirt moved or added to, had foundation issues. Each one had to have their foundations repaired. To date, my foundation has been fine.
So when I saw this road being cut away and the hill lowered, I couldn't help but think that they would then experience shifts and that means potholes and cracks and all that fun stuff and it means, they will be repairing that road for a long time before the dirt settles down.
It was another reminder to me for when I go to purchase my land and if I have the house built for me, to make sure the land is not needing to be disturbed, at least not much so that I won't have to worry about the foundation.
Here are ways I found on the internet that you can damage your foundation:
http://www.superiorfoundationrepair.com/steel-pier-foundation-repair-house-leveling-austin-and-san-antonio-texas/326/foundation-repair/5-ways-homeowners-cause-foundation-problems/
And also, to back up what I wrote, here is also other ways that your foundation can have issues and to note, the clay soil shifting....that is the type of soil we have here where I am at, clay soil.
http://foundationrepairs.com/foundationmaintenance/v-what-causes-foundation-problems.php
All things to remember and think about when purchasing/building a home and then, maintaining it! :)
Saturday, July 13, 2013
Heroes
I have had this particular blog post on a few different blogs and not quite sure where it would fit best. But, it IS a wonderful tip, an ideal that seems almost lost amongst the newer generations
So here, is where I have moved it to.
My hero, or rather, Richard Widmark, who played one of my heroes in the movies, Jim Bowie.
Richard Widmark 1914-2008
Hearing about Richard Widmark's death, was like hearing of my father dying all over again. For it was my father who introduced me to it all and instilled this within me as I was growing up.
To me, these men, all of them, were about honesty, integrity and standing up for what you believe in. Fighting for it no matter what, even if it means dying for it. I have held onto those thoughts for all my life.
I read how some said they don't make actors like Richard Widmark anymore and that many were sad to hear of his death for to them, it felt like it was one of the last ones to pass away who were from that time when men were men. Even Richard Widmark himself said that today, Hollywood movies are about the bottom line...they lost the intellectual storytelling and I know I am paraphrasing here, but I understand what he was saying.
You just don't see too many or at least not hear of too many 'dramas'. Now if you hear that, you think daytime drama or soap operas and not some of the movies they made back then like Pickup on South Street or The Bedford Incident.
I watched a few videos on-line about Richard Widmark, one was a game show called: "What's My Line?". I saw a glimpse into the man behind the name and his humor and easy smile as he tried to disguise his voice. The 'gentle' man behind all those great roles both hero and villain alike.
I only wish I had had the chance to meet him. Just to say thank you for giving up that pool and being in the movies he was, for the ones I saw as I was growing up, had such an impact on me. Ones that I will never forget and will hold close to my heart always.
Thank you Mr. Widmark. You were a fine actor and handsome gentleman and you will always be remembered.
My father had three brothers. Two are passed as well and I would be remiss to not speak of them. The two that are gone, one younger, I don't remember a great deal as he died when I was very young. I can barely remember him holding my hand and I remember coming across a castle he had made out of paper that I thought was just the most magnificent castle I had ever seen. It was tucked away in our attic in a closet.
The older brother who has passed, I was not very close to but he too, like my father was a man's man and also served in the military. We had a shared interest in our family ancestry and I was never more touched than to have received a letter with pics of the shore place from him while I was in basic training.
The other brother who is still living, my other uncle, is one who I always idolized and looked up to as I was growing up. Seeing him on our home movies on the rings and diving alongside my father always had me enthralled. My father used to tease me as he knew I looked up to his brother. They were both very close growing up and often our families would go camping together and do things together. When my father died, it was he who stood at my side and was there for me. I know I could not have gotten through it all were it not for him. We have grown very close and he has become like a second father to me. He also instills that same honesty and integrity and strength. Kind, thoughtful and would do anything for you, he reminds me alot of my father. With all he has been thru in his life and how he is, he too, has been a hero to me. I have been so very lucky to have had these men in my life as my family.
When I saw this one about Jim Bowie's earlier life as a young man, I was enthralled and had to learn how to throw a Bowie knife just like he did and used to go up into the woods with my own Bowie knife strapped to my hip and practice. I learned all I could about Jim Bowie and the Alamo, where he died on March 6th, 1836.
John Wayne Talks of the Alamo
John Wayne's The Alamo 50th Anniversary Tribute
Marty Robbins' Ballad of the Alamo
So here, is where I have moved it to.
My hero, or rather, Richard Widmark, who played one of my heroes in the movies, Jim Bowie.
Richard Widmark 1914-2008
Richard Widmark was a very fine actor that I had come to admire since I was a little girl. I spent the morning he had died reading all the links I could find on-line about him and his life and all the while, the tears just flowed.
One of the things he was quoted for having said was how tough it was in thinking that he would be remembered for a giggle as he played Johnny Udo in Kiss of Death. A wonderful movie and made him a star. Here is a pic of the scene in that movie where he pushes the lady in the wheelchair down the stairs.
One of the things he was quoted for having said was how tough it was in thinking that he would be remembered for a giggle as he played Johnny Udo in Kiss of Death. A wonderful movie and made him a star. Here is a pic of the scene in that movie where he pushes the lady in the wheelchair down the stairs.
To me, I will remember him most as playing Jim Bowie in The Alamo. That is when I first saw him when I was about 9 years old. That is when Jim Bowie became my hero and Richard Widmark became one of my favorite actors.
One of his favorite films he did was Cheyenne Autumn where he brought the plight of the American Indians, the Cheyenne to light.
It got me to thinking that day of how the time for heroes has long gone. Who are our children's heroes today? What sort of qualities or morals or values do they give our children?
My father's hero was Hopalong Cassidy. My father had always encouraged us to have a hero.
Hearing about Richard Widmark's death, was like hearing of my father dying all over again. For it was my father who introduced me to it all and instilled this within me as I was growing up.
To me, these men, all of them, were about honesty, integrity and standing up for what you believe in. Fighting for it no matter what, even if it means dying for it. I have held onto those thoughts for all my life.
I read how some said they don't make actors like Richard Widmark anymore and that many were sad to hear of his death for to them, it felt like it was one of the last ones to pass away who were from that time when men were men. Even Richard Widmark himself said that today, Hollywood movies are about the bottom line...they lost the intellectual storytelling and I know I am paraphrasing here, but I understand what he was saying.
You just don't see too many or at least not hear of too many 'dramas'. Now if you hear that, you think daytime drama or soap operas and not some of the movies they made back then like Pickup on South Street or The Bedford Incident.
I watched a few videos on-line about Richard Widmark, one was a game show called: "What's My Line?". I saw a glimpse into the man behind the name and his humor and easy smile as he tried to disguise his voice. The 'gentle' man behind all those great roles both hero and villain alike.
I only wish I had had the chance to meet him. Just to say thank you for giving up that pool and being in the movies he was, for the ones I saw as I was growing up, had such an impact on me. Ones that I will never forget and will hold close to my heart always.
Thank you Mr. Widmark. You were a fine actor and handsome gentleman and you will always be remembered.
Of course, I could not talk of heroes or Richard Widmark, without talking about my own father. I do miss him a great deal. He was such a large part of my life and when he died so unexpectedly 8 years ago, it just broke my heart. I was very close to my father throughout my life, as his first born, I was the apple of his eye. He often teased me of Jim Bowie being my hero but what he may not have known, was that he too, was also my hero.
My father taught me many things in life and I used to follow him around when he was fixing things in the house or out cutting wood for the woodstove or making things with his hands. He was a roofer's son and he also was a roofer himself and worked as a dispatcher for the police for over 30 years. I was always so proud of my father and his name. He took us travelling and camping all across the U.S. and taught us how to fish and even shoot, how to play games that really sharpened our minds and how to have fun and kid around. I had a rich childhood for all the wonderful and joyous memories growing up. I have been most blessed in my life to have been brought up with such a solid foundation.
He instilled in me the worth of honesty and integrity and gave me such values that I carry to this day. He never liked to owe anyone a penny and he would keep his word as best as he could. He too, was a strong man and of a time as Richard Widmark said, when men were men.
Thank you Daddy, for such a grand childhood and being such a great father! I love you!
My father taught me many things in life and I used to follow him around when he was fixing things in the house or out cutting wood for the woodstove or making things with his hands. He was a roofer's son and he also was a roofer himself and worked as a dispatcher for the police for over 30 years. I was always so proud of my father and his name. He took us travelling and camping all across the U.S. and taught us how to fish and even shoot, how to play games that really sharpened our minds and how to have fun and kid around. I had a rich childhood for all the wonderful and joyous memories growing up. I have been most blessed in my life to have been brought up with such a solid foundation.
He instilled in me the worth of honesty and integrity and gave me such values that I carry to this day. He never liked to owe anyone a penny and he would keep his word as best as he could. He too, was a strong man and of a time as Richard Widmark said, when men were men.
Thank you Daddy, for such a grand childhood and being such a great father! I love you!
My father had three brothers. Two are passed as well and I would be remiss to not speak of them. The two that are gone, one younger, I don't remember a great deal as he died when I was very young. I can barely remember him holding my hand and I remember coming across a castle he had made out of paper that I thought was just the most magnificent castle I had ever seen. It was tucked away in our attic in a closet.
The older brother who has passed, I was not very close to but he too, like my father was a man's man and also served in the military. We had a shared interest in our family ancestry and I was never more touched than to have received a letter with pics of the shore place from him while I was in basic training.
The other brother who is still living, my other uncle, is one who I always idolized and looked up to as I was growing up. Seeing him on our home movies on the rings and diving alongside my father always had me enthralled. My father used to tease me as he knew I looked up to his brother. They were both very close growing up and often our families would go camping together and do things together. When my father died, it was he who stood at my side and was there for me. I know I could not have gotten through it all were it not for him. We have grown very close and he has become like a second father to me. He also instills that same honesty and integrity and strength. Kind, thoughtful and would do anything for you, he reminds me alot of my father. With all he has been thru in his life and how he is, he too, has been a hero to me. I have been so very lucky to have had these men in my life as my family.
Lastly, my other hero, Jim Bowie. Jim Bowie has been portrayed in the movies and tv series over the years and another fine actor who played him was Alan Ladd in The Iron Mistress. What a great movie that is too and Alan Ladd also became a favorite actor of mine!
When I saw this one about Jim Bowie's earlier life as a young man, I was enthralled and had to learn how to throw a Bowie knife just like he did and used to go up into the woods with my own Bowie knife strapped to my hip and practice. I learned all I could about Jim Bowie and the Alamo, where he died on March 6th, 1836.
I have visited San Antonio many times over and of course always take time out to step inside the mission itself. Often, I feel a tear fall as I stand in the center and close my eyes and remember. A huge thank you to the Daughters of the Republic of Texas for taking care of the Alamo so that all who may come to her doors, may remember.
Lest we forget...John Wayne Talks of the Alamo
John Wayne's The Alamo 50th Anniversary Tribute
Marty Robbins' Ballad of the Alamo
Saturday, June 8, 2013
Amprobe Battery Tester
A good idea, when you use a lot of batteries like I do for Halloween and then at Xmas time, is to have a battery tester around.
I found this one for a good price and nice that it does not need a battery to work!
It works from testing the juice and using that to show you how much life is left in it, is the battery weak or strong.
This is a handy little gadget, lightweight and small and it slides up or down for your battery size.
It will show you on it which end goes where, positive or negative and there in the window, the needle reflects the strength of the battery and if it is good still or needs to be changed.
As you can see, this one will test even the mini cell batteries, 9 volts and your AA and AAA, C, and D!
Love it! And it has really come in handy when we have batteries laying around and not sure if they are dead or still good. Takes two seconds to test them! :)
I highly recommend this nifty gadget!!
I found this one for a good price and nice that it does not need a battery to work!
It works from testing the juice and using that to show you how much life is left in it, is the battery weak or strong.
This is a handy little gadget, lightweight and small and it slides up or down for your battery size.
It will show you on it which end goes where, positive or negative and there in the window, the needle reflects the strength of the battery and if it is good still or needs to be changed.
As you can see, this one will test even the mini cell batteries, 9 volts and your AA and AAA, C, and D!
Love it! And it has really come in handy when we have batteries laying around and not sure if they are dead or still good. Takes two seconds to test them! :)
I highly recommend this nifty gadget!!
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Best Buy Craziness---Update!
After receiving the 2nd email warning me that Best Buy would cancel my order if they did not hear from me, I didn't call them, only replied with an email, knowing of course that no one was really going to respond to it, but I knew I was to wait a couple days.
Today, I didn't hear anything at all so something made me want to call them to check it out. It is during the week after all and I wondered what kind of response I'd get and/or if everything had worked itself out with the MasterCard or if my order had been cancelled.
After a few spins around the transfer conga line, I ended up with a lady who was obviously from the U.S. I explained to her what had happened and what Best Buy did with my MasterCard and also what the Best Buy rep on Monday had told me. She knew exactly what I was talking about as it had happened to her too before! DOH! Oh man!
But she said she would call the MasterCard company and get the funds released and take care of everything if I could just wait on hold for 3-5 mins. I said sure no problem. She had the phone number for the card even and everything! IMPRESSIVE!
So I waited. She came back at one point to apologize for the wait, it wasn't that long tho'! :) And she said she realized I had a Reward Zone MC rather than Capital One so it took her longer but she said it would be a minute or two more and then put me back on hold. And good to her word, she returned in a minute or so and told me everything was taken care of!! :)
She said that she had the whole thing reversed with the MasterCard (I believe she meant the charges) and she said if my card had denied Best Buy one more time, the order would have been cancelled so while she had him on the phone, she made sure first that there was sufficient funds and it was all clear, the guy told her yes, and then she went ahead and quickly charged my card for the iPad then right away. It went thru no problem and so now my order is on it's way as scheduled and it will arrive at the store on Saturday, June 1st!! YAY!!
I was ecstatic that she was able to get everything all taken care of!! How wonderful! I thanked her profusely!
And thank the Gods that I got HER on the phone and she is from the U.S. Not to knock other countries or cultures or whatnot but it has been my most unfortunate experience that whenever I have someone other than from the US try to handle my accounts or money or orders, it always gets screwed up. I find that if I want or need someone to help me with my US money, I need a US person to take care of it!
AND! I have to always remember to never ever call for things like this on the weekend. Only during the week as my chances of being bounced to a different country's call center is less during the week.
Man...all of that bs when it could have been taken care of on Monday! DOH!
And all of that when I should not have ordered it to be sent to a store local when it was in stock at another one not too far away!
Lessons learned!
She had also stated in agreement with me that other companies do not do this and that Best Buy was to put a hold on the funds but not charge the card til it was shipped. It was just wacky what happened tho'! I am glad it's over nearly and on Saturday, I'll have my iPad!! YAY!
Whew! What an ordeal!
Today, I didn't hear anything at all so something made me want to call them to check it out. It is during the week after all and I wondered what kind of response I'd get and/or if everything had worked itself out with the MasterCard or if my order had been cancelled.
After a few spins around the transfer conga line, I ended up with a lady who was obviously from the U.S. I explained to her what had happened and what Best Buy did with my MasterCard and also what the Best Buy rep on Monday had told me. She knew exactly what I was talking about as it had happened to her too before! DOH! Oh man!
But she said she would call the MasterCard company and get the funds released and take care of everything if I could just wait on hold for 3-5 mins. I said sure no problem. She had the phone number for the card even and everything! IMPRESSIVE!
So I waited. She came back at one point to apologize for the wait, it wasn't that long tho'! :) And she said she realized I had a Reward Zone MC rather than Capital One so it took her longer but she said it would be a minute or two more and then put me back on hold. And good to her word, she returned in a minute or so and told me everything was taken care of!! :)
She said that she had the whole thing reversed with the MasterCard (I believe she meant the charges) and she said if my card had denied Best Buy one more time, the order would have been cancelled so while she had him on the phone, she made sure first that there was sufficient funds and it was all clear, the guy told her yes, and then she went ahead and quickly charged my card for the iPad then right away. It went thru no problem and so now my order is on it's way as scheduled and it will arrive at the store on Saturday, June 1st!! YAY!!
I was ecstatic that she was able to get everything all taken care of!! How wonderful! I thanked her profusely!
And thank the Gods that I got HER on the phone and she is from the U.S. Not to knock other countries or cultures or whatnot but it has been my most unfortunate experience that whenever I have someone other than from the US try to handle my accounts or money or orders, it always gets screwed up. I find that if I want or need someone to help me with my US money, I need a US person to take care of it!
AND! I have to always remember to never ever call for things like this on the weekend. Only during the week as my chances of being bounced to a different country's call center is less during the week.
Man...all of that bs when it could have been taken care of on Monday! DOH!
And all of that when I should not have ordered it to be sent to a store local when it was in stock at another one not too far away!
Lessons learned!
She had also stated in agreement with me that other companies do not do this and that Best Buy was to put a hold on the funds but not charge the card til it was shipped. It was just wacky what happened tho'! I am glad it's over nearly and on Saturday, I'll have my iPad!! YAY!
Whew! What an ordeal!
Monday, May 27, 2013
Best Buy Craziness
Normally, I enjoy shopping at Best Buy. They have a nice store, people are friendly, quick to ask you if you need help and very polite and knowledgeable. Online store is ok and everything is fine.
Until recently.
I have a Best Buy MasterCard hooked to my Best Buy Rewards Zone account so that when you make a purchase, you earn points. Much like Staples with their business and personal account to where you order things and you earn Staple dollars to spend in their store. Very nice!
So, I wanted to order an iPad and the assorted accessories so I decided to pay down that money on the Best Buy Master Card and then use it to purchase everything. I sent in the money on the 21st, it posted to the MasterCard and I called to confirm and then I went online and placed my order that was already saved in my cart. I chose for everything to arrive at the local store for me to pick up and they would send me an email to let me know when it was ready to be picked up. It said that the accessories were all in stock but the iPad itself would not arrive at the store until 1 June or after. That was fine, I didn't mind.
So I received the email later that day that my items were there ready to be picked up, except for the iPad of course. I didn't go in on Friday, but instead, chose to go in there on Saturday. Of course, Saturday morning, I get a reminder email to go pick up the items or they would restock them although I had until June 1st to get them. So I picked them up, no problem, except I had to ask to see the items they quickly put into the bag before I signed them. No big deal, she showed me and that was that, paid for with my card that I had to bring in with me.
Next thing I know, I get this email this morning:
Action required, billing problem encountered
Order Number: XXX
Hello Wanda,
We're sorry, but one or more of the payment methods used for your order has failed to process. We need to hear from you before we are able to process your order any further.
Please call us at 1-888-BEST BUY (1-888-237-8289) to help us complete your order. If possible, please have your order number handy. If we don't hear from you, and are unsuccessful in processing your billing information, your order will be canceled.
We look forward to hearing from you soon.
Sincerely,
Lisa Smith
Vice President
Best Buy Customer Care
So I was like uh oh...so although today is Memorial Day and a holiday, I called right away because I didn't want anything to go wrong with my order of the iPad. Mistake to have done this on a weekend/holiday but hey, I want to be sure nothing is wrong!
After being transferred around, I finally get someone. He verifies who I am, and then says we should do a 3 way call with Best Buy MasterCard and asks me for the customer service number. I thought this was a bit sad he didn't have it, but eh, no big deal, I went and got my card and gave him the 1-800 number and he told me he would call them and I would input my information to them and then he would be back online to talk with them with me as well and we can find out what is going on. Ok sounded good so far!
This nice lady gets on the phone and I explain to her who I am, she verifies who I am and then the Best Buy rep interrupts and jumps in and she is surprised and asks who is this? I can tell she is a bit annoyed right off too as I am trying to talk with her and yet he interrupted a couple times. So anyway, I explain to her the email and then he interrupts to explain what they did.
Here's where I get annoyed.
It seems that Best Buy charged my card for the iPad at the time of my order. (Ok that's cool and fine)
But since it was not going to come in with the other items, they went and sent a credit back to the MasterCard for the iPad amount on Friday.
(I KNEW when I purchased it online that it would be delayed in shipping to the store for pick up as they said so on the site and gave me a date as to when it would arrive)
THEN! Best Buy decided to recharge my card, I guess Saturday or Sunday or Today? for the iPad amount and they weren't able to do so on my credit card because it showed there was not enough funds and he tells me that my account was showing as "delinquent"?!?!
Not likely as they just received the money and it posted and it was several hundred dollars! DOH!
So now I was told they would have to wait to charge the card back again until the credit that they sent to the MasterCard went thru and posted in a few more business days!?!
Oh man...I had to interrupt at this point and told them, Sorry, but this is stupid. That is a stupid practice and why in the world would you do that? Charge it, credit it and then recharge again?! That was dumb!
The rep tried to tell me that "every business does this" and I stopped him and said, No, they do not. Don't even try to hand me that, because I order a lot of things online and in fact, you are the only company that has ever done that!
So I go back to the lady to find out how long of a wait and I ask him if it would delay my order or would it just get cancelled then and I'll have to reorder it now? I told him this was just stupid and so now my order is delayed and being held?
He again tries to tell me that 'all businesses do things this way" and I again stopped him and told him, no, they don't. Don't try to tell me that when I know that is wrong! No other company does this so stop telling me otherwise.
I did tell them both, sorry, I am not taking this out on you both and I know it's not your fault but that's just plain stupid.
I asked him so what happens from here? (not wanting him to go on about this and argue with me or try to convince me) He said the system would just automatically try to recharge the card again. I said ok, so I just wait then? He said yes.
I thanked the lady for her help and said bye and they both hung up.
What kills me too is that email. They are threatening to cancel the order if they don't hear from me? And yet they were the ones who caused the issue to begin with?! DOH! Real nice!
I wrote back a reply to the email, explaining what happened and that I am very dissatisfied with Best Buy right now.
And you know? I could have had everything set up to be picked up at the Grapevine store and picked up my iPad on Saturday as they have the one I wanted in stock instead of wanting it to be sent to a more local store.
So this blog's first warning:
Warning:
Do not order something online from Best Buy to be delivered to a store that does not have the item in stock at that store.
Answer:
Choose another store that does have the item in stock.
Consequence:
Otherwise they will screw around with your credit card!
Very poor business practice. The reason I know this is not how other companies do business is that I order many things online. Most companies will not charge your card until the item ships when you order it online. That's only fair. You have to have the amount available on your card, which I did, and then they will charge the card as it becomes available and ships.
Best Buy would do well to take note and change their current practice to that.
It is ashame as I have ordered quite a lot from them but now, I may not do so in the future.
Until recently.
I have a Best Buy MasterCard hooked to my Best Buy Rewards Zone account so that when you make a purchase, you earn points. Much like Staples with their business and personal account to where you order things and you earn Staple dollars to spend in their store. Very nice!
So, I wanted to order an iPad and the assorted accessories so I decided to pay down that money on the Best Buy Master Card and then use it to purchase everything. I sent in the money on the 21st, it posted to the MasterCard and I called to confirm and then I went online and placed my order that was already saved in my cart. I chose for everything to arrive at the local store for me to pick up and they would send me an email to let me know when it was ready to be picked up. It said that the accessories were all in stock but the iPad itself would not arrive at the store until 1 June or after. That was fine, I didn't mind.
So I received the email later that day that my items were there ready to be picked up, except for the iPad of course. I didn't go in on Friday, but instead, chose to go in there on Saturday. Of course, Saturday morning, I get a reminder email to go pick up the items or they would restock them although I had until June 1st to get them. So I picked them up, no problem, except I had to ask to see the items they quickly put into the bag before I signed them. No big deal, she showed me and that was that, paid for with my card that I had to bring in with me.
Next thing I know, I get this email this morning:
Action required, billing problem encountered
Order Number: XXX
Hello Wanda,
We're sorry, but one or more of the payment methods used for your order has failed to process. We need to hear from you before we are able to process your order any further.
Please call us at 1-888-BEST BUY (1-888-237-8289) to help us complete your order. If possible, please have your order number handy. If we don't hear from you, and are unsuccessful in processing your billing information, your order will be canceled.
We look forward to hearing from you soon.
Sincerely,
Lisa Smith
Vice President
Best Buy Customer Care
So I was like uh oh...so although today is Memorial Day and a holiday, I called right away because I didn't want anything to go wrong with my order of the iPad. Mistake to have done this on a weekend/holiday but hey, I want to be sure nothing is wrong!
After being transferred around, I finally get someone. He verifies who I am, and then says we should do a 3 way call with Best Buy MasterCard and asks me for the customer service number. I thought this was a bit sad he didn't have it, but eh, no big deal, I went and got my card and gave him the 1-800 number and he told me he would call them and I would input my information to them and then he would be back online to talk with them with me as well and we can find out what is going on. Ok sounded good so far!
This nice lady gets on the phone and I explain to her who I am, she verifies who I am and then the Best Buy rep interrupts and jumps in and she is surprised and asks who is this? I can tell she is a bit annoyed right off too as I am trying to talk with her and yet he interrupted a couple times. So anyway, I explain to her the email and then he interrupts to explain what they did.
Here's where I get annoyed.
It seems that Best Buy charged my card for the iPad at the time of my order. (Ok that's cool and fine)
But since it was not going to come in with the other items, they went and sent a credit back to the MasterCard for the iPad amount on Friday.
(I KNEW when I purchased it online that it would be delayed in shipping to the store for pick up as they said so on the site and gave me a date as to when it would arrive)
THEN! Best Buy decided to recharge my card, I guess Saturday or Sunday or Today? for the iPad amount and they weren't able to do so on my credit card because it showed there was not enough funds and he tells me that my account was showing as "delinquent"?!?!
Not likely as they just received the money and it posted and it was several hundred dollars! DOH!
So now I was told they would have to wait to charge the card back again until the credit that they sent to the MasterCard went thru and posted in a few more business days!?!
Oh man...I had to interrupt at this point and told them, Sorry, but this is stupid. That is a stupid practice and why in the world would you do that? Charge it, credit it and then recharge again?! That was dumb!
The rep tried to tell me that "every business does this" and I stopped him and said, No, they do not. Don't even try to hand me that, because I order a lot of things online and in fact, you are the only company that has ever done that!
So I go back to the lady to find out how long of a wait and I ask him if it would delay my order or would it just get cancelled then and I'll have to reorder it now? I told him this was just stupid and so now my order is delayed and being held?
He again tries to tell me that 'all businesses do things this way" and I again stopped him and told him, no, they don't. Don't try to tell me that when I know that is wrong! No other company does this so stop telling me otherwise.
I did tell them both, sorry, I am not taking this out on you both and I know it's not your fault but that's just plain stupid.
I asked him so what happens from here? (not wanting him to go on about this and argue with me or try to convince me) He said the system would just automatically try to recharge the card again. I said ok, so I just wait then? He said yes.
I thanked the lady for her help and said bye and they both hung up.
What kills me too is that email. They are threatening to cancel the order if they don't hear from me? And yet they were the ones who caused the issue to begin with?! DOH! Real nice!
I wrote back a reply to the email, explaining what happened and that I am very dissatisfied with Best Buy right now.
And you know? I could have had everything set up to be picked up at the Grapevine store and picked up my iPad on Saturday as they have the one I wanted in stock instead of wanting it to be sent to a more local store.
So this blog's first warning:
Warning:
Do not order something online from Best Buy to be delivered to a store that does not have the item in stock at that store.
Answer:
Choose another store that does have the item in stock.
Consequence:
Otherwise they will screw around with your credit card!
Very poor business practice. The reason I know this is not how other companies do business is that I order many things online. Most companies will not charge your card until the item ships when you order it online. That's only fair. You have to have the amount available on your card, which I did, and then they will charge the card as it becomes available and ships.
Best Buy would do well to take note and change their current practice to that.
It is ashame as I have ordered quite a lot from them but now, I may not do so in the future.
Friday, May 3, 2013
On Buying a New Home--Community or Not?
I am going to start to blog about tidbits that I come across that I want to remember when I go to purchase a new home. Things that I wished I had thought of when I was having this particular home built for me.
First, about my own experience with this house...
This home is in a community. Now I had heard about all the horror stories about living in a community but I weighed the pros and cons of it, but just to go over it now:
Pros:
The rules of the community stops the dead beats and the people who just don't give a damn from having a car lot at their place.
Makes people be responsible and not be rednecks and leave their Christmas lights on all the time.
Makes people pull their weeds and mow their lawns.
Makes people be more responsible for their pets.
Makes people bring their trash cans up from the road.
They provide a nice pool/water park to which they keep clean and maintain.
They have a lot of activities and a clubhouse you can rent out.
They have decorating contests that are fun and can win little gift baskets.
They get volunteers to police the neighborhoods.
They keep you updated as to what is going on in the area.
Cons:
They fine you if you don't take down your holiday stuff by a certain time.
They can fine you for not pulling your weeds.
You have to ask permission to redo your garden or plant trees or any major work to be done outside to your property.
You don't really own your property at all.
They can fine you for not bringing the trash cans up.
They have street lights on that are intrusive at times.
They can be nosy about your business.
They can tell you how many pets you can and can't have in your own home.
They can fine you for having a car parked for too long even if you are working on it.
Although you have no-soliciting signs up, people still do so.
They close the pools often for lap swimmers and close it to the regular community.
They charge you for having guests go to the pool.
They charge you for home owner's association fees and they increase those prices as they like.
Those are just off the top of my head.
So just with that, would I buy another home in a community?
No.
What bothers me most is not being able to do what I want with my own land and property when I want to do it and that I have to ask permission and if I don't like something like a tree, I can't just simply replace it with any tree I want. Just too many rules. Some of the pros and cons, I can see and are kinda nice to make sure you don't have a messy neighbor or something, but....other than that? It's just way too restrictive.
If you are looking for a place or neighborhood that you want to have social activities, an apt or community is going to be the better choice for you.
But not for me.
First, about my own experience with this house...
This home is in a community. Now I had heard about all the horror stories about living in a community but I weighed the pros and cons of it, but just to go over it now:
Pros:
The rules of the community stops the dead beats and the people who just don't give a damn from having a car lot at their place.
Makes people be responsible and not be rednecks and leave their Christmas lights on all the time.
Makes people pull their weeds and mow their lawns.
Makes people be more responsible for their pets.
Makes people bring their trash cans up from the road.
They provide a nice pool/water park to which they keep clean and maintain.
They have a lot of activities and a clubhouse you can rent out.
They have decorating contests that are fun and can win little gift baskets.
They get volunteers to police the neighborhoods.
They keep you updated as to what is going on in the area.
Cons:
They fine you if you don't take down your holiday stuff by a certain time.
They can fine you for not pulling your weeds.
You have to ask permission to redo your garden or plant trees or any major work to be done outside to your property.
You don't really own your property at all.
They can fine you for not bringing the trash cans up.
They have street lights on that are intrusive at times.
They can be nosy about your business.
They can tell you how many pets you can and can't have in your own home.
They can fine you for having a car parked for too long even if you are working on it.
Although you have no-soliciting signs up, people still do so.
They close the pools often for lap swimmers and close it to the regular community.
They charge you for having guests go to the pool.
They charge you for home owner's association fees and they increase those prices as they like.
Those are just off the top of my head.
So just with that, would I buy another home in a community?
No.
What bothers me most is not being able to do what I want with my own land and property when I want to do it and that I have to ask permission and if I don't like something like a tree, I can't just simply replace it with any tree I want. Just too many rules. Some of the pros and cons, I can see and are kinda nice to make sure you don't have a messy neighbor or something, but....other than that? It's just way too restrictive.
If you are looking for a place or neighborhood that you want to have social activities, an apt or community is going to be the better choice for you.
But not for me.
Friday, March 1, 2013
The Mooncup
As I began to split up my blogs into more specific topics, I wanted to link to this one post I made about the Mooncup:
Mooncup-does-it-work?
I also gave an update on it:
Update-on-Mooncup
Do check it out! Many Americans have not heard about this yet and I think that's just a crime!
Make sure you don't get the latex one tho', I haven't tried it and probably not a good idea to do so if you are unaware if you are allergic to latex or not and placing this in such an intimate spot! ;)
I have tried the silicone one and I stayed away from any colored ones as I didn't want those dyes inside me. So all natural as much as possible and get the medical type of silicone made one. That's the one I have used and it is just awesome!
Of course, after using the Mooncup a few times, menopause is creeping in more and more and I just don't get my periods as much. I had a 7 month gap of time go by without any show. I finally did have my cycle arrive in January but it did not seem like enough to use the Mooncup. I so wish I could have found and used the Mooncup when I was younger!
It's well worth the twenty bucks!!
Mooncup-does-it-work?
I also gave an update on it:
Update-on-Mooncup
Do check it out! Many Americans have not heard about this yet and I think that's just a crime!
Make sure you don't get the latex one tho', I haven't tried it and probably not a good idea to do so if you are unaware if you are allergic to latex or not and placing this in such an intimate spot! ;)
I have tried the silicone one and I stayed away from any colored ones as I didn't want those dyes inside me. So all natural as much as possible and get the medical type of silicone made one. That's the one I have used and it is just awesome!
Of course, after using the Mooncup a few times, menopause is creeping in more and more and I just don't get my periods as much. I had a 7 month gap of time go by without any show. I finally did have my cycle arrive in January but it did not seem like enough to use the Mooncup. I so wish I could have found and used the Mooncup when I was younger!
It's well worth the twenty bucks!!
Sunday, February 10, 2013
To Gutter or Not to Gutter?
Can you believe that a house was built and no one said a word of putting gutters on it? Especially a house here in Texas where we get alot of heavy rains especially during the winter time.
Had I known, I would of course had them put on and let it be part of the mortgage.
Had I known, I would of course had them put on and let it be part of the mortgage.
So, after two winters of watching how the rain came gushing off the gable and into the one valley, pouring out into my garden and spewing the nice bark that the builders had put there out across my drive until there was nothing left, leaving a deep rut in its wake, I decided enough was enough.
Not to mention that on either side of my house is a ditch between my neighbors and I and they do have gutters but with my house not having one, that ground is so saturated it squishes to step on it.So, time to get gutters on the house.
I knew I could not even begin to get my garden set up much less plant anything with all that rain gushing down.
Now comes the task of what kind to get or rather who? I looked around at the neighbors and it seems everyone around me has so many downspouts, near striping their homes. I had inquired about them with one local company and they came out without even letting me know they were coming and did an estimate and then left it in my door.
Just great, brilliant, so there was no talking to the guy to ask questions or anything and the write up was very vague without any detail.
I didn't know they did that too! Where have I been? What a find! So I contacted them and they set a time and came out and met with me and went over the house with me and I pointed out the trouble areas that I knew for sure that I wanted the gutters and where I wanted the downspouts to keep the water out of the garden. What a friendly guy!
I was not quite ready for the gutters yet, financially, but it was good to get an idea of how much it might be. He said he would call me in Jan to see if I was ready for them and I agreed.
January came and I was not quite ready so told him in a few weeks. I didn't hear from him and then I could not find his paper to let him know when I was ready!! EEK!
But through trial and error, I was able to recontact Home Depot and they sent out another guy that week and we went over it all again and he walked around the house and showed me a few things.
He explained that the soil is like a sponge, when wet, it expands and as it dries, it shrinks back up. He told me that over time, the soil would be pushing up against the foundation and in fact the patio slab too. He also pointed out that when my patio slab was poured, small niches were not put into the concrete so that if it would crack, it would be the hope that it would crack there and evenly. Since it did not have any of those, if it did crack, it would be jagged and ugly.
He also showed me how the back yard was getting eroded away where the rain fell from the roof and in time, it would continue to do that.
I explained the areas where we wanted to keep the water out and so he made some notes and recommended the 6 inch gutters due to the amount of rain that we are getting here.
Of course that meant this would cost me more than the original quote had been as he also recommended we get some gutters on a portion of the 2nd level. I had to agree considering the angling of the roof. Plus, the gutters were needed all the way around
Going with 6 inch gutters allowed for less downspouts as they are not required to be as close as the 5 inch gutters. So it would also mean I would not have all those downspouts striping my home.
Save some money in that regard.
Two days after, another representative from Home Depot came by and did a pre-installation inspection as I even got to pick out the color of the gutters. Cool!
So he did some more measuring and then went over a few things and gave me some numbers and explained he would be my contact for this. In a few days, I would be hearing from the builder himself who would be doing this and setting up a day for install. This guy told me that once the other got going, it would go very quickly. :) I should look for this to be done in a week!!!
WOW!! How awesome!
Also, what was nice was that if I referred anyone to Home Depot for roof or gutter work, etc, there is a $100 referral reward. :) Also, after the gutters are installed, I could go and put myself into a drawing for a $5,000.00 Home Depot Gift card! Very nice!
Even better was that Home Depot offered a credit card at 0% interest for 12 months. Very nice.
Of course like all those companies that do offer 0% interest for a period of time, you have to be sure and pay off whatever balance you have before that time frame is up. What will happen if you do not is that all the interest during that time you were supposedly getting it for 'free', will be all put back on and you will end up paying for it. Always be very careful and make sure you can pay it off before the time frame is up or get socked with that back interest and then have a high interest rate more than likely of at least 21%.
That's the trick to those so be very careful.
Gutters were installed on the next Tuesday and all done in one shot! I was so impressed! They put in these small wing guards to try to help the gushing water from flowing down the deep valley of my rooftops
They liked how I matched the gutters with the trim and garage door so that it blends in better.
The downspouts were placed just where I wanted and it all came out very well.
There were 3 men total and they worked very fast and were most kind and friendly and mindful of the plants that I do have in the garden.
They did tell me that I did not really need to have the 6 inch gutters as my roof is so cut up but I figured it was better to be prepared and I did have those two areas where the rain did gush down from the valleys. I am also glad I did go with the 6 inch ones as we have gotten alot of rain since then.
Thank you to Home Depot and the men who installed the gutters and downspouts!!
They look terrific!
Friday, February 8, 2013
Carpet vs Hardwood Floors and Quick Spot Cleaning
Personal opinion here on this topic. It has crossed my mind several times and I just wanted to share some of my thoughts with you on it.
When I was having my house built for me, I paid for a big upgrade for extra thick padding and nicer carpet. I wanted to just walk into my house and feel my feet sink down into the carpet! Nice image yes?
Now if I were to really think about it, I would realize that this is pretty difficult to make happen as most carpet does have a firm woven material under the fibers. Yes, alot has to do with the padding but then would I really want my feet to sink down like they do in soft sand or when standing on a foam eggshell mat for a bed? Well that was sort of what was in my mind anyway.
So I chose the thickest padding that I thought was reasonable and they even let me try it out in the design studio and it felt nice. I chose a nice beige/cream carpet so that it would match everything and I knew this was not to be my dream home and that I would want to sell it one day.
What I didn't know was that I was going to end up with not just one, two or three, but yes folks, five cats!! Holy smokes! I am becoming the crazy cat lady! It was surely not intentional but you know how you have a beautiful daughter who gives you those eyes and so you say yes to her having a cat too and then you always wanted a grey tiger striped so you just get one more but while there at the pet store, the evil ladies from the cat shelter, pull out a tiny tawty persian kitten that looks like Gizmo from The Gremlins and hands it to you as it snuggles into your throat and you know you can't put her down so yup, now you are up to 4. Then the oldest orange one dies and you think that's it but then after a year, you really do miss your lovie orange one that used to snuggle and give you kisses like none of the others do so you hunt around and find a 5 week old kitten and of course, you can't just get him alone and be the only kitten so you have to get his litter mate and there you have it, you end up with 5!! Now one relief is that my daughter is going to take 2 of them when she moves out after high school. So I'll be down to 3 happily. :)
Anyway, I digress....
Carpet or hardwood floors...well when you have had cats or any animals, even a dog, you quickly realize that carpet is not such a good choice. Cats tend to throw up, hairballs, too much food...if ill, they could have accidents on your carpet! YIKES! Dogs are much the same really, except for them, they may pee wherever they are simply cause they are overexcited to see you.
Over time, your carpet fibers that once looked so nice, get matted down from walking across that same spot over and over again. If anyone's kids or your own or even yourself or an adult spills something on it, it's down the fibers it goes to the mat and you may have a carpet steamer but it may not always get it out.
Probably the only way to really and truly clean it properly, is to have someone come in and do so professionally.
I have been able to find a nice little handy carpet cleaning machine and it really does work well! It's the Bissell Little Green Pet cleaner:
When I was having my house built for me, I paid for a big upgrade for extra thick padding and nicer carpet. I wanted to just walk into my house and feel my feet sink down into the carpet! Nice image yes?
Now if I were to really think about it, I would realize that this is pretty difficult to make happen as most carpet does have a firm woven material under the fibers. Yes, alot has to do with the padding but then would I really want my feet to sink down like they do in soft sand or when standing on a foam eggshell mat for a bed? Well that was sort of what was in my mind anyway.
So I chose the thickest padding that I thought was reasonable and they even let me try it out in the design studio and it felt nice. I chose a nice beige/cream carpet so that it would match everything and I knew this was not to be my dream home and that I would want to sell it one day.
What I didn't know was that I was going to end up with not just one, two or three, but yes folks, five cats!! Holy smokes! I am becoming the crazy cat lady! It was surely not intentional but you know how you have a beautiful daughter who gives you those eyes and so you say yes to her having a cat too and then you always wanted a grey tiger striped so you just get one more but while there at the pet store, the evil ladies from the cat shelter, pull out a tiny tawty persian kitten that looks like Gizmo from The Gremlins and hands it to you as it snuggles into your throat and you know you can't put her down so yup, now you are up to 4. Then the oldest orange one dies and you think that's it but then after a year, you really do miss your lovie orange one that used to snuggle and give you kisses like none of the others do so you hunt around and find a 5 week old kitten and of course, you can't just get him alone and be the only kitten so you have to get his litter mate and there you have it, you end up with 5!! Now one relief is that my daughter is going to take 2 of them when she moves out after high school. So I'll be down to 3 happily. :)
Anyway, I digress....
Carpet or hardwood floors...well when you have had cats or any animals, even a dog, you quickly realize that carpet is not such a good choice. Cats tend to throw up, hairballs, too much food...if ill, they could have accidents on your carpet! YIKES! Dogs are much the same really, except for them, they may pee wherever they are simply cause they are overexcited to see you.
Over time, your carpet fibers that once looked so nice, get matted down from walking across that same spot over and over again. If anyone's kids or your own or even yourself or an adult spills something on it, it's down the fibers it goes to the mat and you may have a carpet steamer but it may not always get it out.
Probably the only way to really and truly clean it properly, is to have someone come in and do so professionally.
I have been able to find a nice little handy carpet cleaning machine and it really does work well! It's the Bissell Little Green Pet cleaner:
I adore this thing! It really is easy to use and to keep clean! :) It has helped me alot in cleaning spots on my carpet whether it was the kids spilling soda or a cat gakking up a hairball. But I am still worried over my poor carpet mat underneath.
So after several years, I have definitely learned that it is much better to have a hardwood floor if you are going to have animals. It will definitely make things more hypo-allergenic since the carpet can hold dust and all sorts of things you can't see whereas the hardwood floors will get dusty too but I would see it more and thereby clean it with a nice Murphy's Oil Soap. :)
If I want carpet in the future, I'll be using those throw rugs, oriental carpets, ones you can either clean or replace. Yes, I won't be able to sink down into it, but I never really could with the carpets and if I want to do that, I'll just get some nice cushy slippers! :)
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