 |
This morning I drove an hour to the car dealership for the last maintenance inspection and service appointment, within the warranty on our car. I do not anticipate any issues, the car works well. I had asked if the dealership provided estimates for rust repairs, since we have paint insurance. They do not, but they did the legwork for me and recommended a body shop near my home, and will arrange to submit my claim for me. It doesn’t get any better than that. Today’s service bill will be high though, for this last warranty service, more than $400. They also wanted to do an additional $400 service on the almost new brakes they installed, because they said they found rust. I said no thank you to that, as they assured me the rust does not affect the function of the brakes; and before we know it we will need new brakes and have pay for new ones.
After running around doing errands for a few hours, I managed to get to the body shop for the needed estimate to repair the paint where there is rust on the car. The body shop fellow was not optimistic that the insurance would cover the rust, but I told him that if the insurance company says no, he hasn’t lost anything, and if they say yes, he will have the business. The estimate is to be faxed to the dealership, and a copy emailed to me, today.
My last stop was at one of the local grocery stores, to buy milk. I looked at the expiry date on about ten different 3 litre bags of milk, all of them expired on September 24th, it is September 20th. That does not leave much time before the expiry date. At the checkout I mentioned this to the cashier, politely. She, without a word, looked me in the eye, and without any expression of recognition that I had spoken, turned her back on me and began to ring in the next order. When I arrived home I logged onto the customer satisfaction survey and described my experience. It was bad enough being offered products near their expiry date, but to be treated like an inanimate object when I voiced my concerns took the issue over the top, in my book. I will go out of my way to shop elsewhere in future.
I still read all of my “friends” postings on Facebook. I no longer participate in that venue, other than to send personal messages to people I know when appropriate, which is seldom. I prefer fact-to-face contact; or if the relationship is an online relationship, one-on-one contact.
This article caught my eye. Bhutan looks to become world’s first organic country.Bhutan will have accomplished the incredible if they become the first country in the world to have completely organic agriculture. And they also pioneered the innovative and admirable concept of Gross National Happiness: “an indicator and concept that measures quality of life or social progress in more holistic and psychological terms than only the economic indicator of gross domestic product (GDP).”
The twins, Imp and Elf, had a birthday this week, they are seven years old! Already! When we got home from work we called and sang happy birthday on the telephone. Later Luna and the Grandbabies called us back and we had a lovely chat with all three of the Grandbabies, Imp and Elf and Tink. Elf, our Grandson, had a question for Grandpa. “Why don’t boys like to shop?” Grandpa answered, “Because it takes too long!” Our birthday gifts to the Grandbabies were gift cards, which they could use to buy what they wanted, which would require shopping. I suspect that Elf would like a gift that isn’t focused on the girly activity of “shopping”. We will have to ask him about it in more detail to confirm that he feels this way about shopping and gift cards. If he does feel this way we need to think of an alternative gift idea. Children are so very much themselves, it is fascinating!
I had to talk to an officious official from work today. The phrase “nasty sweet” comes into my mind when I have to interact with her; I always experience a bitter aftertaste.
Worldly Distractions
Weather
21°C
Date: 2:00 PM EDT Friday 20 September 2013
Condition: Cloudy
Pressure: 101.0 kPa
Visibility: 13 km
Temperature: 20.7°C
Dewpoint: 17.6°C
Humidity: 82%
Wind: SSE 28 gust 45 km/h
Humidex: 26
Quote
“Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron’s cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.”
C. S. Lewis
1898 – 1963
Reading your quote by Lewis above… I thought of a story on the news last night about a local soccer team whose fans have been told there is a “proposition” to make cheering for their teams while playing on the field an offense…except in the case of a goal. No cheering for your team during play???? What???
The newsman asked various people how they felt about that, and one young man just looked around and said “Is this America?”
Can you just imaging an entire high school soccer game being played in silence except when a goal is scored and then the fans are “allowed” to cheer? Just so there won’t be any excessive cheering for one side? What?????
I live in a small mountain town in Tennessee where there is only one grocery store. It’s the only game in town for groceries so customer service is almost nonexistent. I shop there as little as possible because the attitudes are so unsettling. I rarely drive off the mountain – or as little as possible. Your mention of Bhutan brought a smile. I have a very, very good friend who lives in Bhutan.
Bex, the concept of making cheering an offence unless it is for a goal is flabbergasting! It sounds so ridiculous that it reminds me of an incident that still has me shaking my head, after 30 years. Imagine special education teachers discussing teaching strategies for down syndrome children. One of them comes up with a brilliant plan… brain transplants to cure down syndrome. Brain transplants!!!! I was speechless, and horrified. She wasn’t an evil person, truly concerned, but my goodness, I think she needed the brain transplant, not our students!
Irene, Bhutan is fascinating! Just to know that a human society could actually coin such a concept as Gross National Happiness, makes me feel that there is some hope for our species.
Maggie: My friend Linda Leaming traveled to Bhutan years ago and essentially never left. Her husband Namgay Phurba is an esteemed Thangka artist. Linda wrote the book *Married to Bhutan*. If you have a chance, get hold of a copy – you will love, love, love it! After I read it, I emailed Linda and discovered she was in Nashville. We met for lunch and the friendship has blossomed into one of the dearest ones I have. I’ve met Namgay, as well. Linda grew up in Nashville so she and Namgay spend several months here each year to promote her books and his art. She writes a blog about Bhutan, too. Just start Googling and you’ll find all kinds of fabulous information about Bhutan & Linda & Namgay. 🙂 I’m fortunate to have three of his paintings.
What wonderful friendships develop in this world! Thanks for tip about “Married to Bhutan” Irene! I will be looking for a digital copy at the library, and failing that, might find one in the physical library.