These are random musings of my life journey, the people, animals, places, and events which have woven, and continue to weave, a tapestry that is me. We all know there is no real destination, only the ongoing experiences which blend together, creating the trail. Each step gives a glimpse of what is to come, without allowing me to see the end result. It is exciting. I have a home base that is mine, that gives me a place to rest. This is it. This is where my heart is, no matter where I journey...................

Saturday, January 08, 2011

Boo-boos, bottles and bed ....

Well, the saga of my silly mishaps continues, although it isn't awful. My luck, however, is not stellar!

Zoë and I went in to Ruidoso today, together as we had several common places to go. One of the first stops was at a grocery store that I forgot I'd stopped at briefly on New Year's Eve, and they had my lost post office key. Yeah! Unfortunately, someone removed the cute frog that was attached to the chain. Stupid. To make it worse, the lady at the service desk remembers that it was still attached a few days ago, so someone who works there stole my frog. I ask her to pass along that I appreciated getting my key back but definitely DID NOT appreciate someone stealing my frog. grumble grumble.  Oh, well.

A stop at the post office where I had to wait while one clerk single-handedly tried to locate a package a woman was picking up. While I waited eight other people came in to join the queue. Why is it the post office cannot add another clerk when the line backs up like that? I don't get it. I waited for something over ten minutes while the package was located.

Next I stopped to pay a bill. I'd received a bill in the mail, but when I sat down to write checks, I couldn't find it. No problem. Since I was going into town, it would save me a stamp anyway. Well, since it is Saturday, the little office is closed, and the cashier couldn't find it in the computer. They still have my "rewards" card under my previous name, and she could find that, but she couldn't find what I owed them. Personally I hoping for nothing, but I'm not holding my breath on that! Anyway, I gave up on that and will call them on Monday.

We made several other stops, including having lunch at a steak house that has a good salad bar. Oh, Yum! However, I think eating as much salad as I did cancels the benefits!

Our final stop was at Walmart. When I got home I discovered that I was missing four bottles of wine. The last things to be rung up, they simply didn't make it into my basket. Dang. I called the store, and after and incredible conversation with some ditz, I spoke with a manager who said simply, "Come back in and pick them up, no problem." I'll go tomorrow. It's almost 50 miles round trip for me, so I chose to not go back this evening.

Let me tell you about the conversation with the ditz ....

I'll give you only the highlights here, as it was nearly ten minutes of utter stupidity. I said the bottles didn't get into the basket, although they are on my bill. She said there were four bottles there at the desk, and asked what I'd bought. I explained three bottles of Tularosa Vineyards, two of them were Gewürztraminer and one of Merlot, and a bottle of Gabbiano Chianti. She said three bottles were dark and one was, uh, well, a different color; was that mine? I said I don't remember what they look like, but what I purchased was three bottles of Tularosa Vineyards and one of Gabbiano. She ummed and errred some more and asked me to describe the labels. What??? Freaking what??? I calmed myself and said, I don't remember what the labels look like, but three should have the words "Tularosa Vineyards" and one would say "Gabbiano." Another set of mumbling and hesitating noises and she asked me if one of them had a green band around the neck! I'm not kidding you!! OK, I was losing my patience. I said, in a voice that I'm sure was stiff and clipped, because it came from between my clinched teeth, "Please read the labels, Tularosa and Gabbriano." There was a looooong silence. And she said, "I think I'll have you talk to a manager." Pregnant idea, dimwit!! 

The manager was great. She said simply come back in and just to be sure it was without further problem, ask for her or one of her peers (gave me both names) tomorrow. Sheesh.

I've discovered a new pleasure lately. I don't do well staying in bed for a long time. For so many years, I've struggled with fibromyalgia, and for those of you who don't know, it is hard to stay in one place a long time. Aching muscles and tendons cause me to have to move around frequently. So it was hard to lie in bed for long periods outside sleeping hours. I can go to bed and read or watch TV or 30 minutes or so. I can wake up and stretch for a while in the morning, but I can't stay there with any degree of comfort. So for many years, I've avoided going to bed to read for long periods or lolling in bed in the morning either.

I think it became simply habit. I was self-trained to not go to bed till I was mostly ready to sleep and when I woke, I stretched and loved the pups for a bit and got up. Well .... the last couple weeks, I've found myself thoroughly enjoying reading in bed. Yeah! For a couple hours at a time! I don't know why, I just know that I am able, finally, to wake in the morning, get a cup of coffee, and read for extended periods of time. Or I can go to bed at night and read until I fall asleep, even if I'm not super tired when I crawl in.

I know, I know. This sounds odd. I'm sure some of you won't understand it. But trust me, for me it is a big deal. Learning that I'm comfortable in my bed to read or to lounge while I watch TV for as long as I wish is like a wonderful revelation! I believe I quit thinking about it because for almost 30 years, trying to stay in bed for very long was excruciating and I never "reconsidered" my options. For the first time in many years, more years that I can count, I love being in my bedroom, in my bed, reading forEVAH!!! Mmmmmmm. I actually love my bedroom now.  Life is very good!  :)  In fact ....

.... Life is beautiful!!!!

14 comments:

  1. As I was reading the conversation you had all I could think about was how much Dede would have talking with this lady. LOL.

    You had a very busy day and your lunch sounds really good. Did you just get the salad or did you get a steak? Have you ever been to Red Tomotoe? All it is is a huge soup and salad bar.

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  2. *Should say:
    How much fun Dede would have....

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  3. Gawd, that woman was SUCH an idiot. Dede can have her!

    I just had the salad bar, including soup, dessert, etc. I'm eating very little meat lately. I'm enjoying fruits and veggies much more these days. I don't avoid meat, but just don't eat much of it.

    Nope, never heard of Red Tomotoe. (Is that spelled right?)

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  4. That's a heck of a day you had. The teacher in me suspects the clerk can't read. I'm glad you've found your post office key, though. BTW - Kenny's in Alamogordo now. He arrived yesterday, picked up the key to his new apartment (Las Ventanas complex) and is spending his first night there tonight. He's decided he's going to like it there (at Holloman).

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  5. You have been quite the busy bee. I too, while reading your exchange with the clerk, suspected that she can't read. That's hard to imagine in today's society but since I work with ESL students now I have discovered that many of their parents, while they speak some English, can't read a word of it!
    You are lucky your pups let you lounge in bed. As soon as mine suspect I'm awake they are bugging me constantly until I get up! Reminds me of when my kids were little and did the same thing! No rest for the weary!

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  6. Yes, I had the same thought myself. When I'm there today, I will talk to the manager about it. If she can't read, perhaps customer service is not the right place for her!!! Or she should be trained to turn the phone over to another person if she can't handle a situation, whether is is illiteracy or something else.

    Cyndi, I'm glad he arrived safely. And isn't it going to be wonderful having him in that relatively close place? I look forward to meeting him, along with you and your husband!

    Deb, I think the reason the dogs don't bug me like that is because they have a doggy door to come and go, so my rising is less urgent than it is for pups who are secured inside the house all night. When I wake, they usually trickle out one or two at a time, them return to snuggle down with me. Win, win!!!

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  7. I had a little different experience at the dark hole store recently...we purchased a brite filter pitcher for the motorhome. Immediately took it home and out packaged it; threw everything away. It sat on the cabinet for days. Finally getting ready to leave, I took out the filter; got it all ready (soaking) ran two batches through and dumped, ran the third to save and hubster nor I could get the lid on.... =/ ! Determined that something had been thrown away I went to take it back with no box or receipt AND it had been the only one like it on the shelves when we got it!!!

    Went to customer service desk. They sent me back with pen and paper in hand to get the little number from the shelf where it had been but WOW, there was another one there!!!! Looking as I walked back I couldn't see anything there that we could possibly have thrown away.... got to the service counter and there sat my pitcher....lid on!

    We had been trying to put it on backwards.......

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  8. The Lie In...staying in bed to read, one of life's simple pleasures. What a bummer that you can't often enjoy this but great that you have been able to do it lately.

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  9. I hear you when you're describing the pains of fibro ~ as I too suffer from it.

    That customer service gal is really in the wrong department. It does sound like she can't read ... and all the more reason she shouldn't hold that position. Ditz is right~ you handled yourself well. I would have blown a gasket for sure!

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  10. MM, oh, that is FUNNY!! Sounds like something I'd do, fer sher!!

    Mary, I'm guessing I might have been able to do this before, but I was so accustomed to not being able that I haven't tried in a long time. duh! Yeah, I'm loving it!

    Mel, I was SO close to the gasket blow! Honestly, I was in an angry sweat by the time I got the manager on the phone!

    As for the fibro .... I've been lucky with no major attacks in a long time. I've had minor ones where I'm uncomfortable, but able to do what I needed to, and I've had a few that put me in bed for a day or two, but that's the extent. KNOCK ON WOOD! When it began back in the 1980s, it was really, really awful. I'm so glad the last 10 years have been relatively easy for me. Good luck with yours. :')

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  11. Well Lyn you know, even though we are getting older, we still change! That is awesome that you can lie in bed longer now. I like to read in bed at night. I only get about a half hour in before I'm dozing off! So it takes me awhile to make it through a book.
    The girl you had on the phone sounds typical to me of todays costumer service. Don't these people learn anything? When we were younger we were trained how to treat our customers! Love Di ♥

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  12. Di, I've usually read in the living room till I'm tired, then read in bed for just a short while to doze off, like you do. But now I am reading for an hour or so. The real fun is in the morning, though. Staying snuggly and reading for an hour or even two is awesome!

    The manager I spoke to today said I'm not the first complaint. The girl is being moved to a position with less public contact. I told her that the girl was not rude or anything, just .... I hesitated and she finished for me .... "not making any sense." YEAH!!

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  13. Lovely to see you say Life is beautiful, especially with all you have had to cope with. I'm like you over enjoying being comfy in bed - so glad you can do that now. And I understand the problem of having to drive 25 miles each way to collect or return things. I can't believe the conversation with the liaison person..... we tend to get good service on the whole in this rural part of Scotland.

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  14. Freda, I love my rural setting, but there are some inconveniences. Not enough to make me give it up!!!

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If you have something to say about it, just stick out your thumb, and I'll slow down so you can hop aboard! But hang on, 'cause I'm movin' on down the road!!! No time to waste!!!