Things forgotten... and remembered

As I begin to ponder my annual Christmas greeting epistle, I am in the midst of a project to digitize the family ‘home’ movies - all those VHS tapes chronicling the kids from birth until we got out of the habit of filming (likely during the awkward pre-teen years!).  The films are precious beyond belief to me, to my kids and to their father, not just because they are the star attractions, but also because the videos allow us to see and hear my father and mother, and my ex-husband's mother - all of whom are no longer with us. These films also remind me of things I had forgotten.

I had forgotten:

•  how sweet and loving my daughter Kate was, and is
• how engaging and charming my son Scott was, and is
• how funny and handsome my son Jamie was, and is

I had forgotten:

•  the love that surrounded us all
• the creativity and wonderment that oozed from their every pore
• Jamie’s determination in figuring out how things worked, moved, came apart
• Scott’s exuberance, his joie de vivre, and
• that Kate’s imagination is innate and has always been magical

I had forgotten:

•  how much I have missed the sound of my father’s voice
• how much I sound just like my sister
• how much I miss being able to pick my children up in my arms and make    everything right in their world

But I have never forgotten that my life has and is blessed with love, joy and laughter.

This moved me... but the compassion of animals often does.

The gentleness and spirit of these dogs comes blazing from the photos.  Take a look... and try not to tear up a little.

Seeing Eye Dog for a fellow Canine

Customer Service???

This week I have had two experiences in retail stores that leave me scratching my head.  I am puzzled as to why, in the current economy, that sales staff would treat customers in anything but a stellar way.

Example 1:

I am at the cash of Long Tall Sally, having tolerated the obsequious sales clerk dogging my heels at every move, and finally selecting an awesome red dress that I am purchasing for a sum that can only be described as exorbitant; but I digress.  I am at the cash waiting behind another shopper who asks for her government discount.  What, what? I think.  I've never heard of this.  So I ask "what government discount?"  Oh, the girl replies, we give 10% off to government employees.  You just have to show your ID.

At this point, I am both happy and pissed off - happy to save some money, pissed because no one mentioned this discount a month ago when I spent $600 on new winter boots, fancy shoes, and another pair of highly priced shoes.  So I said: "I wish someone had mentioned it last month when I spent a small fortune on shoes and boots."

The reply:  "Oh we don't like to mention it unless we actually see someone's ID because we lose money when we give a discount."

WTF?

Example 2:

I was looking for a VCR to be able to play old VHS tapes of family movies so that I could transfer them to digital versions and preserve them until the next technology revolution.  Tough to find VCRs these days!  After researching on line, I found that Canada Computers carries them at a reasonable price... and as luck would have it, they've just opened a new store close to my place.  Bonus.  I pop in there on the way home from work, and after wandering dazedly among the techno-mass, I ask a clerk for help.  His immediate reply:  "We don't carry those".  "Funny, I reply, "your company website begs to differ."  Well, he says, let me go take a look.

We trudge through the laden shelves to the back of the store, where he consults a computer and says:  "The Orleans Store has two, Merivale has one."  "Could you ask them to send you one here for me?" I ask.  "It'll take about 2 weeks", he replies.  "That's fine"  "Well, he says, "it really is a lot of hassle to get things from other stores, and frankly not worth the bother.  Merivale is like 15 minutes from here so you can drive there".

WTF?

I don't WANT to drive to Merivale.  And now I don't want to shop in your store ever again.  Get it?  I will NEVER shop in a Canada Computers store again.  And I will tell this tale over and over again to anyone I can because it is a perfect example of how poor customer service is these days.

I went to the nearby Best Buy.  Paid $40 more than what Canada Computers was supposedly selling these machines at, but I didn't have to waste an hour battling traffic to get to another Canada Computers store where I am sure I would have been treated equally well.  NOT.

What is wrong with people?