Sunday, June 3, 2012

I guess I will have my hands full with calls to various corporate headquarters this coming week, including Verizon Wireless; Fry's Food and Drug Stores and Direct TV. Verizon will probably be a battle since I have had few dealings with them and will take some time to figure out what it takes to get to the "right" person.  Fry's  corporate probably has my name flagged by this point, though I haven't contacted them in quite a long time, today was enough.

The newest general manager of the store I frequent? I just talked to her on the phone.  So this is the situation.  I bought a package of "fresh" chicken thighs yesterday.  I decided to look at the expiration date not 20 minutes ago and saw that the package had a due date of - TODAY!!  So, this general manager gets on the phone and I inform her of the situation and ask why her store is selling meat that is due to expire after the next day.  Meat- I don't care which kind you buy - is extremely expensive these days.

Instead of apologizing, she asks me what time I bought it!  "That doesn't make ANY difference, whatsoever, Nancy".  "OHHH yes it DOES" came the stark reply.  I quickly put 2 and 2 together.  If I came at a certain hour before they change the date on the meat,then apparently they would have either taken it off the shelf or probably put a manger's special stamp on it and put a reduced price on it..  I by-passed the entire realm of asking stupid questions and came right to the point: So, Nancy, are you telling me that it's okay to be selling meat that expires in 2 days?  The only way that happens is if it's a manager special and the price is marked down.

She shut up after that. She neither offered an apology or any condolences, whatsoever.  I informed her that since she was taking this stance against me, I would be calling corporate tomorrow and telling them what she told me and that would be that.  I have done the food shopping for a lot of years now: with chicken, it better have at least 3 days before the "sell-by" date comes and goes.  And unlike beef or pork, when that sell-by date comes and goes? That stuff will have a BAD smell to it the next day.

I'm not interested in rotten chicken, but more, I'm definitely not going to tolerate a mouthy general manager. I asked her a simple question, she got the attitude.  Enough.  I know Kroger's doesn't tolerate such s*** and I will be making sure that I get my point across. This woman has acted that way since she took over the general manager's position there, she has the customer service attributes of a wasp. I haven't taken up the fight because I was tired of it - though, usually do get freebies out of it - not worth the pain.

Direct TV is a minor problem - but they know how to turn something minor into a major ordeal, so jury out there.

I was at Fry's today, bought 2 packages of ribs.  Slow cooked them 3 hours on the grill.  One of those melt-in-your-mouth adventures. I spend enough money at Fry's, service rendered should rise to the occasion.

Church was nice today. Hadn't been the last 2 services.  Got the ribbing from several people, but it was all in good taste.  Actually, at least half the members of that church were absent today - beginning of summer, time to get out of town.  I wonder how pastors deal with that?  This is the time of year where people are clamoring to get out of town at any and every opportunity.

I'm pretty much looking at at least 5 days off in July.  Maybe an entire week.  Not sure yet.  When I say 5 days I am always including 2 weekend days. If it's an entire week off, then we're talking 9 days total with 2 weekends.

I am still pondering another trip to San Diego with Caleb after he is done with his 2 month stint in the mountains.   I dunno.  Not looking exactly promising now, but, who knows.  $250 for us to get on the boat: $175 in fuel round trip unless gas prices might come down  


Saturday 6/2/2012

Edit: I am not finishing this post, got distracted yesterday and just didn't have time, just posting it in whatever form it is.

Umm, so, these leaf eating wasps or whatever they are are destroying a certain kind of my pond plants and attempting to do in my Taro.  I had enough.  Got some insect killer and started spraying the leaves of the plants that are out of the ponds.

Lo and behold, however, I stood there and watched a Dragonfly going after one of these leafeaters.  Sight to behold.  The leafeater was flying it's brains out, attempting to get away from the thing, the Dragonfly was like a laser guided missile: honed in and not letting up.  I dunno how that ended, they both disappeared.  Dragonflies or not, they are not doing the job in keeping these bastards from eating up my plants and I am now on the warpath.

I saturated the entire swath of plants that are hanging over the side of one of the ponds-  that stuff isn't going to get in the water and kill my fish.  The portion of this very dense and large plant IN the water, I sprayed lightly on top.  These little darlings came spouting out and - I just hope my fish are not adversely affected.  I was spraying roach killer, the only thing I had available.

Verizon Wireless.  Starting to piss me off.  Send me emails after watching 2 movies and a couple of Star Trek episodes while at mom's property saying that I am at or over my month's usage allotment.  In other words, a total ripoff.  I was told if you use a "lot" of streaming video, go for more expensive package.  Yeah.  So, 6 hours or less of movies and "normal" usage - which isn't that much lemme tell ya - should cost me more than the $50 per month charge. I pay $45 per month for unlimited at home use.

I will have them stop the service and will try another company now that I have my "feet wet". Which simply means I have a much greater understanding of this situation and their dealings and - I will play my game on them, since they want to play their games on me.  I am a VERY persistent person when it comes to shams from very large corporations.  Oh, back to the original thing?  I will not be paying them anything for disconnection fees.  They can have their device back.  I will try another company.  Perhaps one that works in the 5th largest city in the United States.  Yep, they sent me a replacement device which  - has to be turned off and restarted frequently for it to work.


 Sunday - early 20 minutes until departure time.  I don't much care for delivery on Sundays for it takes a while to get security to the ...