FED UP WITH FEDEX

Fed up with Fedex.  Package winds up with a hole in the bottom  due to liquid soaking through.   Let’s start from the delivery.  I heard someone comes down the outside basement steps and quite noisy in its placement in front of a door that I cannot open from the inside due to it blocking the door.   It is obvious that it does so, but delivery services don’t care.  No tag on my front door as to its location.   Tracking online says it was delivered.  I called Fedex and although they were apologetic said there is nothing that they could do.  I demanded to first speak with a supervisor who called the local Fedex from where it came out.  I spoke with supervisor Ozier Hastings demanding that he send the driver back, retrieve it from the basement door and put it in front of my house.  I told Ozier that I have trouble walking and it would take a bit of time for me to get to the door.  

I could see two figures going up my front doorsteps and the doorbell ringing.   It rang again as I was making my way to the door.   They were gone when I opened the door and this 20 lb box was sitting there.  I managed to drag in the box first noticed that there was a partial opening.   I then opened the box to find something leaking.   The product seemed closed and in a plastic bag.  It had to have taken some mishandling in order for the leakage to occur.   After getting out each of the products I happened to look at the bottom of the box to see a hole made by the leakage.   I did not care about getting the apology from Ozier.  He is responsible for his employees.  I wanted to have him confront the employee and ask why he did not put up a sign as well as mishandling the package.  If it did leak and had a hole at the bottom, he should have put a comment on a tag regarding the condition of the product.   It’s an “ I just need to drop off a package and get on to the next stop” attitude.  “Let the sender pay for another shipment. Not my problem”.   Ozier promised to confront the employ and get back with me on what he said.  Didn’t happen. 

FRESH DIRECT IS GETTING STALE

Due to a disabling situation I have been getting my groceries delivered. It puts me in the situation that I am depending upon the store or company to do my shopping.  I had high hopes for Fresh Direct until lately. Yes, they do take off the cost if you have issues with the items.   However, what’s the point if most of the items have issues and I still need my groceries.

The first time I ordered artichokes, they came out perfect.  Totally closed, no brown spots, no pointy leaves to stab you, meaty stem, and when cooked, the “hair” on the top of the heart didn’t even have to be removed.  Not so now.  They are already brown, bitter near the stem which you can’t even use.  I don’t know if all artichokes that you buy everywhere are coming from this same company out in California.  Perhaps they need to change the company or they just don’t care.   Then again, is the person “shopping” choosing the best there is?

My last order had a bunch of bananas…Dole.  It came not just in the plastic bag, but was engulfed in some kind of rubbery paper.  As usual, I put the whole thing on my counter to ripen.  A few days later, I tested to see if they were ripe.  Opening the cushy thing I noticed one loose banana.  I thought that perhaps an extra banana was added due to there not being enough in the bunch.  I put that one in the fridge to eat.  Later, I took the rest and threw it in the fridge vegetable bin.  The next day, wanting another banana, I was about to open the plastic bag but there was a hole already in it.  Inside, one the bananas was separated from the bunch.  I tasted it and it was mushy, not like soft due to being overripe.

I thought I’d save a bit on fish by getting the small chunks of fresh fish.  “Whatever is in the catch” as they say.  It’s supposed to be mixed according to the website and photo.  I did it a few times and concluded that I’m getting the sort of leftovers from when the fish are trimmed, like the part of the salmon closest to the skin.   I can taste this when I cook it up. 

I tried an avocado that wasn’t a Hass.  It didn’t ripen until 6 days later, was already brown on the outside and tasted awful.  

Ready- made food. Oy!  They have a kitchen and access to fresh foods.  Yet, it is obvious that they use canned or jarred vegetables.   One salad had a hard- boiled egg.  They used eggs that are pre-hard boiled and containing some solution.  Deli meats.  Pre-cooked bacon.  Enough with the additives!!  What’s “fresh” about that?

I did a comparison on dates with Ronnybrook Farms milk.  Sell by date was less than two weeks whereas getting it at the Green Market in Forest Hills had a longer date.   Hmm…they are coming today to replace pork chops that had a “best if used date” 3 days away from the evening it was delivered.  Package is weighing 1.37 lbs. vs the package being picked up weighing 1.78 lbs.  Not getting charged for the switch but price is higher due to their raising the price. Not my fault.  Customer service must be getting tired of my voice.   

I had been ordering ground beef with the Pat LaFrieda name on it.  Now I find out that the meat you find in your supermarket that is sealed is injected was gases to make it look fresh.  No law saying that it has to be labeled.  I think it’s time to go to the butcher and do my own cooking.   More problems with store bought beef. Tune in next week.

STOP AND CHECK AGAIN

Yeah folks I went to good old Stop and Shop which has to change their name to Stop and Check.  It started when I brought home a rotisseire chicken simply because I was absolutely too tired to cook and on Friday they sell them for 2 for 11 dollars.

I unload the packages and put things away before hoping to enjoy my dinner.  Appetizer of sushi was just fine.  I can always count on that because the guy who makes it doesn't work for Stop and Shop.

The chicken is still warm as I grabbed one that was "under that lamp".   I cut it open to find that the meat is raw at the bones.

I am about to call Stop and Check when I decide to look at my receipt.   I first notice that despite giving my "card" to the cashier the price of milk does not reflect the discount of 30 cents.  I had also handed a rain check to the cashier allowing me to get a free Hagen Daz gelato with the purchase of two pints of their regular ice cream on sale a 2 for 7 dollars.  Didn't give me the cold bag thing as noted in ad.

Cat food on sale 24 for 10 dollars...Friskies.. the 5.5 ounces...when  it's that price I need to stock up.  When I buy the cat food at that price or another sale when its 20 for 10 dollars I bag it.  I bag everything I buy so that when I get to the register, what is in each bag is what I want back it that bag.  It is much easier for me as bags are now separated in categories....I even bring an insulated bag so that I know that that bag has everything that needs to go into the freezer or refrigerator first.  Okay....anyway.  I wound up with two bags each having 24.  However, my receipt shows that I have four more.  The cashier scanned each can but it didn't look as if it were done correctly....which is why I checked.

I call the store and speak with a manager on duty by the name of Rog.  He said that he is new and only working there for a month.  I first tell him about the chicken and ask if the policy of getting double my money back was still being honored.  He didn't know.  He had to ask a cashier who said that I needed to bring back the chicken in order to get my money back.  I asked him how long should I keep the chicken as I'm not coming in like the next day....the cashier tells him that I should put it in my refrigerator.  I just did my shopping so how long do you think it's going to hang there before it stinks up my refrigerator....a week?

I called the next day to talk with the store manager.  She told me to throw away the chicken and bring in the receipt and she'll take care of all. 

UPyourS!

It's 7:25 p.m.  Do you know where you package is?  Yes, UPS again...Undescribably Pathetic Service.  This one has pints of ice cream in it.  Label has dry ice and perishable.  It was overnighted and arrived in my local Maspeth facility and on the truck at 7:22 a.m.  It's been sitting there for TWELVE hours now and supposed to arrive "at the end of the day". Put in a phone call and facility is supposed to call me back as to what's going on.  Can't wait for this one!

Update.  It is now 8:55 p.m.  No one has gotten back with me so I called again.  They called the facilities in Maspeth and no one answers.  The person said that someone would get back with me this evening...yes, assured me.   Needless to say that if it goes out tomorrow the ice cream will have melted, especially if it has it as "by the end of the day".  This is worse than waiting for furniture to arrive.!

New name for them....UPyourS!  

Serge from Maspeth called me at 9:10 p.m. and agrees that there is a problem with my getting these perishable items.  He is going to check on it an get back with me.  Let's see...News at 11?

It's almost 11p.m.   At 9 p.m. it went back to Maspeth and will be delivered on the next business day.   Cherry chip soup!!!   Spoke with Serge.  Backup from the snow storm of last week.   Will post when it arrives. UPDATE!   It arrived at about 11 a.m.  and softened.   Not great for putting back in freezer and getting freezer burn.

It is now 3:30 p.m.  and waiting for TWO packages.  Both companies shipped out the food.  Graeter's did an overnight and the food company (which I will talk about later) sent it to be here "by the end of the day".

It is FRIDAY.  That means that if it doesn't make it...MONDAY is the next delivery.  News at 11! 

UPDATE: Food has arrived and without dry ice totally melted.  Thanks to Serge who called the driver to make sure that my packages would be delivered today.  Hooray for Serge! 

UNBELIEVABLY POOR SERVICE

A package was coming to me via Unbelievably Poor Service.  Better known as UPS.   Good grief. The package contained frozen food and marked as "perishable" I am sure!  Dry ice in it and sent 3day to arrive 2/8 "by the end of the day".

It was about 5 p.m. and had been checking the tracking.  It started out in Kansas on 2/5 at 9:40 p.m. when it was scanned and departed on 2/6 at 12:02 a.m.  Okay that's less than 3 hours.  It arrives in Secaucus, NJ on 2/7 at 10:40 a.m. ...about 22 hours later.  The departure scan has it as 1:21 a.m.  on 2/8.  That's about 15 hours later and it arrives in Maspeth (approximately 15 minutes from my home) at 2:15 a.m. about an hour later.  Hey, that pretty good.  BUT WAIT!  It is now Out for Delivery at 5:01 a.m. and only 3 hours later.

It is approximately 5 p.m. when I call UPS to find out as to what constitutes "end of the day".  I am told by 7 p.m. or sometimes later if they haven't gotten all of the packages out.   At 7 p.m. I go online to read, "Emergency conditions beyond UPS control".

I call.  I ask the woman as to why, after noticing that it's labeled as being perishable and most likely has something indicating that there is dry ice, that they don't give it a priority before the snow storm got worse!  She is telling me that the package does not indicate it being perishable, etc.  I know it is since the food is supposed to arrive frozen.

She is first saying that although the tracking is reading "Out for delivery" that it did not go on the truck.  I question her as to why it would say it if it didn't go out.  She puts me on hold.  Get's back and says that she made a mistake and that it did go on the truck.

When will it get delivered?  Hey, Friday is the delivery day.  No delivery on Saturday or Sunday!  By Monday, it will be not only thawed but not at a refrigerated temperature.  Do they not look at the perishable indication and not care?

This is both a loss to the producer in the amount paid for shipping as well as the loss in food.  We are not talking cheap food, either.

I mean....the package is 15 minutes away from my house and they couldn't get it to me?  I have yet to not have a problem with this Unbelievably Poor Service! 

Update. The package arrived on Monday late afternoon.  Needless to say all was thrown out.  But to the receiver it is deceiving as everything was cold, but that is most likely due to the weather.   It looked as if there was meat blood all over.   Proved that at least one product totally defrosted.

PEAPOD'S GOT A LEAK

Peapod is a food shopping and delivery service that uses Stop & Shop.  The way it works is that you go online choose from all of the items available.  Most items that you are looking to buy that you would buy at Stop & Shop are available.

I go to a Stop & Shop located in Forest Hills in Queens.  Peapod tells me that the location they use is above a Stop & Shop in New Hyde Park, which is located in Nassau County, pretty much just over the border of Queens.

I go through the steps to place the order and set up a window of time that the order will be delivered to my home.  The truck arrives and one guy rings my doorbell and brings several bags of food, etc. into my kitchen as I tell him to simply place it on the floor and I will handle the rest.

He doesn't tell me that there is a substituted item and one that was out of stock as he is supposed to do.

I notice that each of the bags are double plastic bags and seem to be separated by the types of items.  The first thing I do is check to see what goes into the freezer and the refrigerator. 

There is one bag containing pork chops.  The chops, as you would buy them, are in the usual type of tray with the "sealed" thin plastic wrap.  The whole chicken, in a separate bag, is sealed in that heavy plastic that you need a knife to cut open.  I had placed both bags on the bottom shelf of my refrigerator so that I can freeze portions of pork chops as well as decide as to whether I want to cut up the chicken or leave it whole.

After putting everything away, I decided to cook up a pork chop.  I open the bag to find that the pork blood was leaking all over the bottom of the bag.  I certainly complained to Peapod and did get some satisfaction.  However, the next day I decided to open the bag with the chicken and make a decision.  That bag was swimming in chicken blood.  Peapod had apologized saying that the seal around the pork could have opened due to the shipment being rattled.   How in the world can the chicken blood get out of that heavy plastic wrap unless a hole was poked? They could not come up with an answer.

I was livid and after a few conversations with Peapod I had told them that I would have to file a complaint with the health department.  They then said that they were going to have their insurance company call me.

It should suffice to say that I had to throw out items that might have come in contact with the pork and chicken.  As a gesture of good will, they said that they would not charge me for that delivery and re-ship the same list.

The food arrives and again I ask the guy to place it on my kitchen floor.   I pick up the bag (single plastic bag this time) with the pork chops and place it on my kitchen counter to check.   Guess what?  You got it!  Not only is the pork blood swimming in the bag but I look back at the floor where the guy placed it and there is now pork blood on the floor.  So I now have to clean up not only the counter top but the floor.

You would think that they would have made sure that there was no leakage.   This time I took photos and video, which I will upload soon. I certainly will not feel badly about filing a complaint with the health department.  Oh...the chicken was not leaking.

According to Peapod, "Our mission is to build a strong foundation of consumer confidence by offering safe, wholesome, and high quality foods from clean, modern, and attractive facilities. At Peapod, LLC we actively promote safe food handling through established policies and procedures, associate training, and educational programs."   If this is true, how does this happen twice and if the second bag with the pork chops leaked on my floor before I picked it up, where else did it already leak in the truck? 

I want to make it clear in the video...I said, "Stop and Shop" when I meant to say, "Peapod".  

CARNIVAL MADE MY STOMACH TURN

There is a Chinese Restaurant on Jamaica Avenue in Woodhaven called Carnival House.  They've been around for a long time.  I tend to get something there if I want it delivered, although I haven't placed an order in quite a while. I didn't have a menu, concluding that I must have thrown it out.  I guess there was a reason.

I was simply in the mood for some boneless spare ribs and fried chicken wings.  One thing that I remembered about this restaurant was that when you buy chicken wings they are not wing parts, but whole wings.  The last time the price was about $3 for 4 wings and they were not small sized wings.

Was it a change in management or simply not caring about quality?   The boneless ribs had a bit of a weird taste.  Considering the size of the take-out restaurant that has a few tables, I believe that the rib slabs are already marinated when they receive them and they simply brush the slabs with a packaged bbq sauce and place it under the broiler.  When done, they slice it up.

The wings were an even bigger....or should I say "smaller" disappointment.  I received 4 regular sized wings and certainly not worth a buck a wing.

If you place an order that's $10, they give you a choice of a free can of soda, egg roll or soup.  They didn't ask me and delivered a can of just about un-fizzled Coca Cola.  I don't drink carbonated beverages, let alone Coca Cola.

So I wound up costing me over $10 (tax and tip) for an "Un-happy Meal".   For that price I could go to the Genting Palace and get a lunch of all you can eat dim sum!

Oy, I don't feel too well. I think the restaurant made my stomach turn.

MAIL CARRIER CAN'T READ

It's one thing when I get mail addressed to a former residence of my home but when I get mail addressed to my neighbor, I have to think about where my mail is going to.  On Saturday, I received a piece of mail addressed to my neighbor on the right.  Today, it was THREE pieces of mail addressed to the neighbor on my left.  Just the legality alone of dropping mail into the mailbox of another is something to look at but this is the post office and it's my regular mailman delivering the mail.

My biggest concern is that my bills will not get to me and then I'm penalized.  One of the pieces of mail that should have gone to my neighbor came from a bank.  I called the post office to tell them as this is not the first time that this has occurred.  They even sent me a sticker to place above my mail slot alerting the carrier to make sure that it's going to the correct address.  After enough weather related upsets to the sticker, it is no longer there.  So, does that mean that the carrier now does not have to look at the address?  Am I expected to be a mail carrier and deliver the incorrect mail to the correct address?

What test did this guy take to get the job?  

I wrote on each piece of mail, "Delivered to the wrong address".   The carrier is supposed to "swing around later" and pick up the mail.  Is that like waiting for the furniture to arrive? 

HAYNEEDLED

I have this indoor-outdoor zero gravity "chaise lounge" that I bought from Sharper Image.  Never hit the outdoors as I have been using it as my "recliner" in front of the tv.   It is made of steel, some type of non-chinsy material and wood on the arms.  You've probably seen these.  In the lying position, I tend to nod off due to it being so comfortable and having its own pillow as well.

With the many years of use and all I could do to mend the parts that keep it together (gaining weight will do that), I thought it was time to get a new one.  I had been looking all over for the same one but Sharper Image went out of business and had been taken over to be no more than an internet buying site.  Zero gravity chair not a part of it.

I googled and found a company called HAYNEEDLE.   It got lots of stars and I thought I found one that was perfect for indoor and moderately priced.  It showed being thick padded and close to what I wanted or at least what I would settle for.

Out of the box.  No instructions.  Didn't really look as if I needed any to put it together other than how to install the cup that goes with it.  No matter how I maneuvered it, it would not go into a sitting position and believe me I so stubbornly tried.  I spoke to customer service who said that there was a video on their website.  It showed the chair in a sitting position and how to turn a couple of knobs to get the position you want towards lying down.  It did not help.   You have to be able to sit in a chair such as this in order to work the knobs.  Funny that there were no instructions as if they had sent me one that someone had already returned and after looking at it and not testing it out, they just re-wrapped and threw it back in the box.

Hayneedle decided to refund my money and said that I should donate the chair or throw it out.  Donate it?  If it doesn't work, what would someone do with it.  It's not like a chaise lounge with no arms.  In its lying position, you can't get into it.  Perhaps HAYNEEDLE needs to check out the company that made it for them to sell, or perhaps they only use reviews that are positive.

STOP BEFORE YOU SHOP

Good old Stop & Shop. Glendale, NY location.  I can always count on them to be aggravated.   Why do they post guarantees if they are going to make a big deal about them or even not honor them?  With a "double your money back" guarantee, you'd think that they would get things right.  NOT SO!

I had written that I purchased a semi-boneless leg of lamb (I still can't figure out as to what it would be if the whole bone was in considering that a bone went through the entire half leg) and had it cut up into a roast and some steaks.  Again, I had one steak that tasted a little weird and got nauseous.  Any time that I have had an issue with the fish or meat I have asked as to whether they wanted me to bring in the package.  They told me that I did not have to.  Just bring in the receipt or they have asked to have me bring in the price stickers as well.  This time I brought in the meat.  Total attitude as if I do this purposely to get double my money rather than monitor.  The people at the customer service area discussed it, asked what was wrong with what I brought back last week (believe me...there is a reason...look at the guarantee).  Interestingly, I did NOT get double my money back but the price I paid.  Who exactly gets to make the decision? 

Next...there is a sign in the seafood department that guarantees "no pin bones" in the salmon.  In the last few weeks I have had to pull out a pin bone from my mouth.  The sign is pretty recent so if they think that by putting up the sign you would feel better about buying it....it doesn't work!!!

I bring my own bags when I shop there.  I don't prefer to scan, but I place the items in each of the bags that I want "re-bagged".   It's a lot easier when I get home and have them separated by groups.  Even with cat food on sale at like 20 for $10...I put 20 in each bag.  Easier to carry as well.  And there is usually one large insulated bag for items that are either frozen or should be kept cold.   None of the cashiers have ever had a problem until MARY!  Last week I presented the logistics and she had an upset.  Everyone else moves things around and scans with the portable scanner, etc.  She has the need to pick up the bag turn it over and dump the items onto the counter.  And she has to life it high enough...if you get my drift.  Talk about drama!

I happened to have gotten her today and there was that attitude and asking why I don't scan it.  However, this time she picked up a bag of cans of cat food to dump and one fell off the counter and onto my foot (I wear sandals and it "smarted").   I had to ask if someone could pick it up as I have a cane....hint, hint. 

It was the last straw!!!   I had a conversation with the store manager about it all.  She apologized and said she would talk to everyone about the problems.  I called the corporate office a little while ago and expressed my complaints about EVERYTHING!!!   The customer service person took the info and said it would be sent on to the correct person who will be getting back with me.  Let's see if it happens and what they will do to keep me as a satisfied customer. 

FAIRWAY MARKET....OPEN THE DOOR...I'M ON MY WAY!!!!

STOP AND HOPE AT STOP & SHOP

Just when I thought that Stop & Shop in the Glendale section of Queens got their act together....It's not as if they have been open for decades when there were problems with the structure.  They decided to renovate. That was the good news.  It certainly looks great.  Expanded seafood department and an entire aisle devoted to Natural foods.  I'm so glad that they have a double your money back guarantee, though.

I think most people, rather than complain will simply just not go back to a place.  Not me!  My problems seem to lie with both the seafood and meat department.  Interesting that with the expansion that there is a "butcher" area in the seafood department carrying the top of the line.  Yet, I have never seen anyone behind that counter.  Not like when I go to Fairway and there are at least 3 people behind their butcher counter ready to be of assistance!

Talk about attitude!  One day I come in and request something that's on the flyer.  One of the "butchers" is arguing that they haven't priced the items and that's why they are not out.  He's quite rude about it.  I just keep asking when it's coming out and lo and behold they seem to have the items priced and someone brings it out.

Today, I was looking to purchase a "semi-boneless" leg of lamb.  I'm the only one that going to eat the lamb and at a price of $2.99 a pound thought it would be a bargain.  I ask the "butcher in the back" if he can cut it up for me.  Another attitude about it!  Frankly I don't understand what semi-boneless is if a bone is totally running through it!  I'm asking for steaks and a roast.  He cuts it up and packages it.  The look on his face was if I just stopped him from his thoughts about how much time it was before his shift ended.

If you go to the butcher area and need something when they are on their break (I think they all take a break at the same time), there is no one to assist you for at least 20 minutes.

Well, I'm re-wrapping to portions and decide to cook up one of the "steaks".  How awful!  Something just didn't taste right.  Like total nausea and stomach upset.  It made me wonder if the butcher cleans the blades from the last piece of meat he cut up before he cut this one up.

I then pop over to the frozen food to buy my favorite ice cream.  Graeter's.  There they are on the top shelf! I can see that there is a line of pints pushed forward, a space and then at least a line in the back that has freezer burn on them.  I ask one of the staff that works that area and he denies that it's freezer burn due to his buying some other brand that seems to have freezer burn but tastes okay.  Good Grief!

I so wish that Fairway Market was closer to my home!  It just might be worth the schlep to Douglaston.  At least the people who work there are pleased to do their jobs.  

INTEGRITY?

What's with companies not have integrity?  A car service in Richmond Hill (Queens....nyc) boasts about their car service and drivers on their internet and when you're put on hold.  It's Wednesday at noon when I call BIG Q.   Granted that they showed up in about the five minutes that they said that they would.  At least I'll give them credit for that.  Driver even assisted me with my packages and I did tip him.  I asked him for a receipt as I needed it to submit for reimbursement to AAR.   He said that he would stop by on Thursday and bring it to me.  I told him that he could simply put the receipt through the mail slot in my door.

No receipt to be found on Thursday.  I call on Friday and speak with FREDDY and explain.  Freddy appears to be a dispatcher.  He tells me that if I want the receipt that I either have to come to the office or be charged for the trip to my house!  I tell him that it would cost me $4.50 round trip via AAR in order to do this.  By the way, we're talking about a receipt for $10.  He did take the information from me as to where to drop it along with saying that if any of the drivers happened to be in the area....

I ask who owns the company and he says, BENNY and MIGUEL.  He tells me that one of them will be there on Saturday morning.  I call and speak with Benny explaining it all.  I also tell him that I have no problem in filing a complaint.  A company registered with the TLC is required to give me a receipt if I ask for one.  Now BENNY takes my information and tells me that either one of the drivers will definitely drop off the receipt or he will do it himself, if necessary. 

BENNY also tells me that there are so many drivers that pick up at the store that I shopped at, that he doesn't know which driver.  I did give him the time and day.  Doesn't someone keep the books?  Don't the drivers have to keep a log?  

It is now Sunday afternoon.  No receipt and none of the owners are at the office.  Dispatcher tells me that he doesn't know when either of the owners will be coming in.  Yes, I will file a complaint with the TLC as well as claiming false advertising. 

OVERSTICK DOT COM

I decided that I needed a good ergonomic chair as I sit at my computer. With all of the online stores, I just went for Overstock dot com. The big "O" should now stand for "odorous" as far as I'm concerned. I had to ask a friend to put the chair together and I detected an odor from it. At first I thought that it was just a "new chair" odor until I got just what the smell was...mildew and mold.

I called the company to get some "nice" customer service person who had a list of what to do. She offered a 20 percent discount but agreed that having the smell of mold around me wasn't good. They want me to return the chair. They want me to take the chair apart. They will have UPS pick it up. I'm not in any shape these days to either take it apart or put one together. It's one of the things that require your sitting down the floor. I explained this. They would send me another chair and wait until I had it put together and then get the one that I have taken apart and put into the box that the second chair came with.

They suggested that I find a box big enough to put the entire chair into and then have UPS pick it up. It has all become my responsibility when they are sending a piece of furniture that shouldn't have been sent to me in the first place. Why is this thing smelling of mold? Are they so overstocked that it is in a part of a warehouse that perhaps got flooded a bit?

Then they asked if I wanted to get a credit. I asked, "Why would I take a chance on buying from a company that would send me such a disgusting item?"

I asked to speak with the Corporate office and she connected me with her supervisor, who, of course couldn't make any more decisions that she. I have the phone number of the corporate office, which I will call. I'm interested to hear if the office wants negative feedback all over the place, let alone sending me a moldy chair.

HERE'S ANOTHER ONE

I gather that at some point between my birth and now that they have changed the looks of one's birth certificate to look more like what was or is a Baptismal Certificate. I believe that I remember them as being a substitute for a birth certificate but I'm not sure if it was for all sects of the Christian religion. Anyway, years ago these birth certificates appeared more like a photo copy of one...unless it was just mine that did so. Well over the years, this piece of paper, having been folded enough times, is now in four pieces. I thought it was time to get a copy (which I don't think will be a copy of the original).

Time to do a search online and get the options. If I do this all online, it will cost me the $15 for the piece of paper, about the same amount to have it checked out at Vital Records, plus the cost of shipping.

Another option is for me to obtain the application by calling 311 and either sending it in or going directly to the office in lower Manhattan. Since I have to go to the same area to get license to marry people (I'll tell you about the later), I decided on that option and called 311.

I gave the woman all of the information including my email. I hang up and soon check my email to find the confirmation number but that I'm being sent Adoption papers.

I call again. This time the woman takes down the mailing information and when we get to the "city" part asks me if it's Queens. Now, if you live in New York City or know about New York City, one never writes, "Queens, New York". I told her the town and when she reads it back says, the town, Queens, New York". I am certainly going to make a call to 311 as I am curious as to whether this is being outsourced!!!

For those of you who don't know...you cannot call a city agency directly. You have to call 311 and that person will give you either the information or connect you to someone who you can complaint to, etc. You can best believe that these people have access to online information and do not know that answers to anything!

Back to the last call. She gives me the confirmation number to write down. I ask her if she could simply email me. She tells me that she can't do that because she finished closing up the information that I gave her. I asked her why she didn't ask me for my email address and didn't have an answer but somehow got around it because in actuality, she didn't want to have to reopen another thing to redo getting the info.

I will follow up on this to let all know as to what I did receive.

WELL, THIS IS A BLOG!

The great thing about a blog is that aside from my travels I get to share every day experiences. Take, for instance, my ordering a futon from Target and doing it online. Seemed perfect for what I want in my living room. Something smaller than a sofa but can convert to a bed of some sorts in case I want to sleep where the air conditioning is in my house.

After placing the order I waited a few days after the emailed confirmation to get a email giving me a tracking number and date of arrival. Now, I must have nodded out when the UPS guy came (I have this extremely conformable chair that is a sort of lounge type one that tends to make me take a nap)I didn't hear the doorbell. He placed this long thin package at my basement door with a note telling me so.

I went downstairs to the basement to open the door. The problem was that he leaned the package against the door so that I was unable to open it. I then had to go out, around and down the steps to move the 45 pound package so that I can go back in through the front door and retrieve it.

Now I have the task of getting it up the stairs. I must say that I questioned the package wondering if they got all of the cushions in it. I thought, "How thin are these farkin pillows and bedding that they are able to slip them in this?"

I then decided that if I opened it and took out each part I could take it up the steps more easily. No cushions are anything futonish. It was simply the metal furniture.

After maneuvering this piece, using the banister as leverage, I sort of slid it up the steps stair by stair. Keep in mind folks, I just celebrated my 62nd birthday and have lost much of my muscles that allow me to lift things, let alone having a bad lower back and a bit of arthritis in one hip.

I now call Target dot com, which I find is outsourced to the Philippines, to get someone who tells me that the second package won't arrive until the next day. The tracking number, however, does not say anything about a second package. The Target person is unable to explain why both packages couldn't arrive at the same time and asked if I want to be connected to the complaint department. I never got a second email from the regarding a second package.

Okay, so the next day, the UPS guy brings it. I alerted him to the fact that his leaning the package the day before was not workable and told him why. He apologized. I have a new guy and it will take a bit of time for him to get the gist of UPS stuff arriving.

It is now in the main entrance of the house and I decided that it would be much easier if I opened it and took in the cushions one or two and a time. The SCHMUCK who did the packaging stapled the staples into the top cushion! Now I have holes in it!!!

I looked up the phone number for the main office in Minneapolis and placed a call. "Don't complain to someone who can't do anything about it" is one of the things I learned when I took EST.

I was trying to get to someone and the person sounded a bit far away. Yes, it was outsourced to the Philippines as well. I told the person that I want to speak to someone in the United States.

After getting nowhere and telling me that I needed to speak to a person at Target Online, I did so. I explained all to the guy and he wanted to see what he could do to correct the situation (I did throw in, "What would you like to do to keep me as a customer"? (Always say that as well as saying, "This is unacceptable".)

He tells me that there are two options. One is that he can get hold of the manufacturer who will send me a replacement or if he does it....now get this one...both packages would have to be sent and then I would need to return the package with the metal furniture. In other words they can't send a replacement for only the package with the cushions!!!

He offered to keep up with communicating to the furniture company, called me the next day and told me that a replacement cushion package would be taken care of. I am so looking forward to seeing, 1)if they send the whole set or somehow has decided which cushion, 2)if they staple into one of the cushions.

Next, the furniture. You have to install the legs and back piece. I did check to see that all of the hardware was there including two types of wrenches to tighten the lug nuts. I did miss the instruction that highly suggested that two people put it together.

I am almost done except for one screw to find that either the screw is not good or the last lug nut as the lug nut will not twist onto the screw!!!! This means that I will have to call them again!!! I wonder what the will have to send in order to get this!!! Tune in on a near future blog.

JUST GETTING TO NORFOLK VA

I called a car service called Blue Lane. Now, I'm no spring chicken, even though Esther and Eunice are. This guy Ram..pulls up and simply sits there. He doesn't ask if I need assistance with my bags. He doesn't even get out of the car to either put what I have in the truck or even get out to open the door. As the car is moving I ask if the air conditioner is on. He tells me to feel the air coming out in the front. Yes, he expects me to bend over and reach to feel the air. He says the the air conditioner in the car was just fixed. We continue traveling and I say nothing. He simply keeps on talking about the air conditioner being on and at one point asks if I want to feel his glasses. I tell him. "I got it. There's nothing more to say." As we continue there is a point when he turns on the fan of the air conditioner and doesn't acknowledge that he did so and it was the problem. We arrive at the airport and again he makes no attempt to assist or even get out of the car. He gives me a look when I ask him for the full change. I tell him why he's not getting a tip. Why should I tip him for doing nothing?

Delta. Not my choice of airlines. We board the plane and they make their usual announcements ending with, "We will be in the air shortly." It's at least fifteen minutes after the announcement and we did not move from the gate, nor does anyone attempt to announce why. We finally take off about a half hour after the scheduled take-off.

We arrive in Norfolk, taxi and just sit near the gate waiting for a "parking spot". No announcement, though. We finally get to the gate and prior to opening the doors they announce that if you have luggage that was taken to cargo due to there not being enough room, to stand to the side when you get out. No one is getting off the plane even though the doors are open. We finally start to get off when the cart with all that luggage gets there. So why the farkin' announcement?

Wait, it gets better for when I go home. Due to some difficulties with my body and long haul to gate, I requested a wheelchair. Skycap is great and so is person who tended to me with wheelchair. I am wheeled to gate and placed in area of "VIP" or something like that. Woman at desk announces pre-boarding but does not say anything about those who require extra time. A man in a wheelchair is brought through along with his family. I still sit there in the wheelchair and ignored. I had to hobble up to her and ask, "Why do you think I'm sitting in that wheelchair?" She looks dumbfounded. I make my way to the plane and have to climb the stairs. Airline person is waiting at the top but does not ask if I need assistance even though it looks quite obvious that I'm having difficulty.

I get up there and relate to her about wheelchair. She asks if I require a wheelchair when I get off and I agree. Guess what? No wheelchair is waiting for me.