Rock My World!

This morning we were celebrating Michael’s completion of his 3^rd class this month which meant that he would meet the deadline for student teaching in January. He has been working like crazy for the past few months in order to get it all done and his school counselors didn’t think it was possible. But he proved them wrong with the help of God and we are so excited for him!

We were sitting on the couch and he was working on his student teaching resume when there was a loud crash and the entire house shook. We were startled and looked at each other and around the room (even James) to see if it was something inside that caused the commotion. The city has been doing road work outside so we just figured it was something to do with that. Michael just shrugged it off and James went back to playing. I just didn’t feel easy and tried to peek out the windows. I couldn’t see anything on the road and was about to shrug it off as well when I heard more loud, metallic clanging and an engine revving.

I opened the front door and that’s when I saw it. Our neighbor’s teenage son’s red sports car was in our yard with the chain link fence caught over the top. He was trying to reverse the car back under the fence, uphill and not scratch the paint any more than it already had been.  Michael and I ran out to find out what had happened and to help the poor kid.

It turns out that the night before our neighbor had moved his son’s car to get his out of the driveway and when he parked it he left it in gear (it’s a manual transmission). The son was unaware it was in gear and this morning while getting ready for school he used his remote start. He was in his house at the time and was just as confused at the loud crash as we were.

The car had gone perfectly between the posts in our fence and hit the corner of our house. As far as we know right now there is only cosmetic damage to the vinyl siding, but we will know for sure tomorrow. Their insurance is paying for a professional to inspect the structural integrity of the house since the entire house shook and it is a modular home (it’s just resting and attached to the foundation unlike a stick built which is built in to the foundation.)

After everything Michael turned to me and said, “I feel like I should be very upset and angry, but all I really want to do is laugh!” I nodded in agreement. I might have said more to him but I haven’t had a voice in a week. (I hate being sick. :P)

p.s. we weren't able to get the insurance company on the phone this morning so we drove down to their office and on the way we saw 5 red gas containers fly off the trailer of a yard work truck in the middle of an intersection. Fortunately, they all slide into the gutter and a couple of other cars stopped to pick them up and put them on the sidewalk. It was an eventful day to say the least...

Update- Our neighbor came over this evening to let us know that his friend, Dennis, was going to come over tomorrow to look at the damage to our house. I asked if he had my husband’s cell number and he said, “No, I don’t but Dennis already has it.” I was very confused. I know Michael hadn’t talked to anyone named Dennis so how could he possibly have his number? I asked what company Dennis worked for, he didn’t know but he was very confident in his friend. Michael and I have been a little nervous about it because if your neighbor had his way they would just replace the siding and not report it to the insurance. So for an unknown friend from an unknown company to come over to inspect the house made us understandable nervous.

A little while later I got a phone call from an unknown number. Since I have no voice and didn’t know who it was, I didn’t answer. I listened to the message later and it was our ward Bishop. Our neighbor, who is not LDS, had gone over to see him about the accident and asked if he would look at the damage. It was then that it dawned on me, our Bishop’s first name is Dennis, he lives across the street, his job is to inspect buildings for damage that have been reported to insurance companies. Our neighbor asked him to check things out for us. Once I realized all of that, I called Michael and we are infinitely more comfortable whatever the outcome. Huge Blessing!

 

Diatribe on the Local Grocery Store

I usually enjoy my weekly grocery shopping. I buy lots of fresh fruits and veggies. I have a new selection of snacks. And it gives me a chance to spend money! I love spending money, but as a SAHM I don’t have much, if any, frivolous money to spend so any chance I have to swipe a card I enjoy.

This morning I made a list (no small feat when you are fighting off a baby who wants to do everything you are doing). We went to our local grocery store (not Walmart) and had a lovely time strolling up and down the aisles.

While going through the store I passed a store manager several times who was congratulating each employee on the previous month’s numbers being so great. I flashed back to the several jobs I’ve had and how important numbers seem to be to management. 

My father has been a manager for as long as I can remember, so I know how stressful it can be when the numbers are not where they should be. At the time I was impressed at the manager for what he was doing.

Then I got to the checkout and my opinion of their numbers changed. I had done some WIC shopping so I stood in line at the only cashier. All self-checkout terminals were open and normally I would willingly go through self-checkout. But I knew I needed an actual clerk and was waiting patiently.

Out of nowhere this little 18 year old cashier turns up, grabs my cart (and baby) away from me and pulls it over to the self-checkout. I tried to protest, but she wasn’t listening. Just before she started ringing up my items I inform her that I have some WIC checks.

She looked at me like I had lost my mind and said rather annoyed, “I can’t do WIC at self-checkout. You need to go through the regular lines for that.”

Before I could say anything she was pushing my cart (and baby) and heads back to the “regular” checkout lines. I’m doing my best to not roll my eyes at her and to bite my tongue to keep from saying “I was in the regular checkout line!”

She was considerate in that she didn’t make me go stand back in line, she called up another cashier to open a line just for me. As soon as my cart was unloaded they closed the line again to the dismay of the three people standing in the other checkout line.

This new cashier was very efficient, although not good and making conversation.

Cashier, “Asparagus, huh?”

Me, “Yes.”

“Zucchini, huh?”

“Yes.”

“Mushrooms, huh?”

This continued through my entire basket. “Eggs, huh? Soy milk, huh? Pumpkin puree, huh? Chicken, huh?”

I know from past experience that cashiers are encourage to smile and talk to customers. But this was just ridiculous. I neither wanted nor felt compelled to explain the contents of my shopping basket. I appreciated the fact they were trying to help me checkout faster, but I don’t think they went about it in the best way. They were more concerned about keeping their numbers low and following the “rules” than they were about my needs as a customer.

My mother used to be a loyal customer at this particular grocery chain until they started focusing more on their numbers than their customers. She prefers to use a regular cashier run checkout line than the self-checkout. However the store really pushed their self-checkouts. It became very frustrating to her because she had a lot of groceries and wanted help checking out and bagging, but they wanted her to do it all herself. She wrote a letter to the company headquarters complaining about their lack of customer service and received a form letter in return congratulating themselves on the speed and efficiency of their self-checkout systems. 

That was the straw that broke the camel’s back for her. After a lifetime of devotion to that chain, she left it in favor of the more customer friendly Walmart.

Even knowing of her struggle, I continued to shop at this chain because they offered a better selection of products, fresher produce, and they offer free fresh fruit as children snacks. It’s closer and slightly less expensive than the local Walmart. However, I have experienced firsthand how little they care for their customers and how important their numbers have become.

 
As a customer I say, take a chill pill! I know when self-checkout is needed and when it is not. Forcing me to go to three different terminals before helping me and refusing to listen when I protest these moves is NOT good customer service. I’m not ready to leave them for Walmart yet, but if this treatment continues I may follow in my mother’s footsteps.