Thursday, February 23, 2006
Mardi Gras here we come!
I haven't lost my mind, I swear. We're not doing the crazy-New Orleans-booby flashing-Mardi Gras. We're doing the not so crazy-Mobile-keep your shirt on-Mardi Gras. My family lives in Mobile and I lived there until I was 32 years old. I was involved, and went to parades for the first 32 years of my life... then I moved to Georgia. The first 2 years I was here, the girls didn't live with us, and Jake was only in kindergarten (so it didn't matter if he missed school) and Mark was in preschool, so we went down for Mardi Gras. I now haven't been in 2 years, though, and I'm starting to really miss it! This year the kids have an extra day off school on Friday (for "teacher sick of school day", as I call it), and we're packing up and heading down to at least get 3 days worth of Mardi Gras, which is way better than nothing!
Now, as I'm sure that none of you know, Mardi Gras BEGAN in Mobile. If you don't believe me, go here and check it out. Mobilians just don't get as much publicity as New Orleans because they keep their shirts on (or go to jail). My grandfather, uncles, cousins, mom, & grandmother were all members of different parading organizations. I remember as a little girl not being able to wait until I grew up and get to go to the balls. I loved the formal dresses, and let's face it, there's not a man alive that doesn't look good in tails. My grandparents have passed away, but my Uncles and cousins are still members and so is my mom. One of my uncles will ride on Saturday night!
The girls have never been to Mardi Gras, so I am really looking forward to thier reactions to things. I hope it stays clear and on the warmer side, as being downtown in the rain and cold can be miserable! If you're a true Mobilian, you understand - you will stand in the rain and the cold to see some drunks go by on a float while they throw things at you. If you are not a true Mobilian - like my husband - then you bitch and moan the entire time as you huddle in any warm, dry spot you can find. I can't wait!
Ok, so I'm off to finish packing the car....
Now, as I'm sure that none of you know, Mardi Gras BEGAN in Mobile. If you don't believe me, go here and check it out. Mobilians just don't get as much publicity as New Orleans because they keep their shirts on (or go to jail). My grandfather, uncles, cousins, mom, & grandmother were all members of different parading organizations. I remember as a little girl not being able to wait until I grew up and get to go to the balls. I loved the formal dresses, and let's face it, there's not a man alive that doesn't look good in tails. My grandparents have passed away, but my Uncles and cousins are still members and so is my mom. One of my uncles will ride on Saturday night!
The girls have never been to Mardi Gras, so I am really looking forward to thier reactions to things. I hope it stays clear and on the warmer side, as being downtown in the rain and cold can be miserable! If you're a true Mobilian, you understand - you will stand in the rain and the cold to see some drunks go by on a float while they throw things at you. If you are not a true Mobilian - like my husband - then you bitch and moan the entire time as you huddle in any warm, dry spot you can find. I can't wait!
Ok, so I'm off to finish packing the car....
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
DHL Freakin' SUCKS!
Don't ever use DHL to ship your packages. Period. They suck, they suck, they suck.
Last year, my mother sent a package to the kids for Valentine's Day. She sent it (overnight) on February 6. We received it March 13. And that was after daily calls from both me and my mother to the DHL hotline. I think that they just got so tired of hearing from us that they went out and bought what was in the box and sent it to me (they knew what was sent because my mother & I both had to describe it over and over again so that the box and its contents could be "found").
After that fiasco, my mother sent the kids a package every couple of months... and yes, she always used DHL. It's not that my mom is a glutton for punishment, it's just that her company uses DHL, so she's kind of just used to the packages getting lost. Not one time in the past year has one of the packages gotten to me on time (except for last month when Mom broke down and sent the package using FedEx, but shipping it cost more than what was in the box!).
OK, so fast forward to this Valentine's Day. Once again, the package was sent overnight delivery to be delivered on the morning of Tuesday, February 14. At 8:30 am, Mother calls me and tells me that the package is on its way. I, at that very moment, go sit down at my computer, type a letter in HUGE letters that states, "DHL Driver: Please leave any packages on the porch if no one answers the door." I then signed my name with a blue sharpie (I used blue so that the driver would know that it was an original signature, not a copy), and taped the letter to my front door, at eye level. At 9am, I got into the shower. At 9:20 am, I was in my kitchen loading the dishwasher - no package. I then got dressed. At 12 noon, I left my house - no package. The note was still securely taped to the front door. At 2:45 pm, I returned home. Still no box. I tracked the package online, and the online package tracker stated that the driver had tried to deliver my package at 10 am. I called the DHL hotline and explained the situation. "Maya" said that she would contact the local station and have the driver return to my house with the package. I then called the local station in Bogart. Again I was told that the driver would return to my house with the package that night. Fast forward to 8pm. Still no package. The next morning, I call the local Bogart station again and speak to "Mike." "Mike" tells me that they have no outgoing scan on this package and he has no idea where it is. I have absolutely no idea how this group of men can have the package on Tuesday, but on Wednesday, they have no idea where it is... and I tell "Mike" that... very loudly. Again I call the DHL hotline. I file a formal complaint against the Bogart Station. "Sylvia" tells me that I can file a "lost package" claim, and she is going to send me some "DHL Dollars" (yeah, like I'd ever send a package through DHL). I tell her not to bother. Another call to "Mike" at the Bogart station. He still has no idea what has happened to my package.
This morning, I left the house around 7:30 am, and returned around 8:30 am. Low and behold, what was on the porch? A GIGANTIC box... I have no clue how it got there, but it was there. The local station didn't even know how it got there.
I really do not know how DHL stays in business. And I REALLY don't know how their drivers stay employed. We've had the same driver on this route for more than a year.... every single time he tries to deliver my package to my neighbor's house. See, there are only 3 streets in my entire neighborhood - 2 of them have the same name, except that one is a DRIVE and the other is a COURT. I live on the COURT one. There is a 1081 on the drive one, just like on the court one. 1081 Drive gets my packages every single time. How can this guy be so stupid? Why does my name not instantly register on his radar? This is a monthly stop! And monthly, he gets bitched out about delivering to Drive instead of Court! What the hell? Is he a retard? A couple of months ago he "delivered" my package and when I called to complain that I hadn't received it, he drove back to my house, took all of the packages out of his van, looked at me and said, "I don't have your package. I already delivered it." Hmmm.... I was the only one who'd been home all day. Nope, I hadn't seen him at all that morning. He had no explanation for that. When I asked him if he had actually "delivered" the package to this house (and I pointed to my house), he said, "I can't remember." What the f......?!?!
I've never been so dissatisfied with a service that I felt prompted to rant about it in my blog, but I just can't take the stupidity of DHL any longer.
Last year, my mother sent a package to the kids for Valentine's Day. She sent it (overnight) on February 6. We received it March 13. And that was after daily calls from both me and my mother to the DHL hotline. I think that they just got so tired of hearing from us that they went out and bought what was in the box and sent it to me (they knew what was sent because my mother & I both had to describe it over and over again so that the box and its contents could be "found").
After that fiasco, my mother sent the kids a package every couple of months... and yes, she always used DHL. It's not that my mom is a glutton for punishment, it's just that her company uses DHL, so she's kind of just used to the packages getting lost. Not one time in the past year has one of the packages gotten to me on time (except for last month when Mom broke down and sent the package using FedEx, but shipping it cost more than what was in the box!).
OK, so fast forward to this Valentine's Day. Once again, the package was sent overnight delivery to be delivered on the morning of Tuesday, February 14. At 8:30 am, Mother calls me and tells me that the package is on its way. I, at that very moment, go sit down at my computer, type a letter in HUGE letters that states, "DHL Driver: Please leave any packages on the porch if no one answers the door." I then signed my name with a blue sharpie (I used blue so that the driver would know that it was an original signature, not a copy), and taped the letter to my front door, at eye level. At 9am, I got into the shower. At 9:20 am, I was in my kitchen loading the dishwasher - no package. I then got dressed. At 12 noon, I left my house - no package. The note was still securely taped to the front door. At 2:45 pm, I returned home. Still no box. I tracked the package online, and the online package tracker stated that the driver had tried to deliver my package at 10 am. I called the DHL hotline and explained the situation. "Maya" said that she would contact the local station and have the driver return to my house with the package. I then called the local station in Bogart. Again I was told that the driver would return to my house with the package that night. Fast forward to 8pm. Still no package. The next morning, I call the local Bogart station again and speak to "Mike." "Mike" tells me that they have no outgoing scan on this package and he has no idea where it is. I have absolutely no idea how this group of men can have the package on Tuesday, but on Wednesday, they have no idea where it is... and I tell "Mike" that... very loudly. Again I call the DHL hotline. I file a formal complaint against the Bogart Station. "Sylvia" tells me that I can file a "lost package" claim, and she is going to send me some "DHL Dollars" (yeah, like I'd ever send a package through DHL). I tell her not to bother. Another call to "Mike" at the Bogart station. He still has no idea what has happened to my package.
This morning, I left the house around 7:30 am, and returned around 8:30 am. Low and behold, what was on the porch? A GIGANTIC box... I have no clue how it got there, but it was there. The local station didn't even know how it got there.
I really do not know how DHL stays in business. And I REALLY don't know how their drivers stay employed. We've had the same driver on this route for more than a year.... every single time he tries to deliver my package to my neighbor's house. See, there are only 3 streets in my entire neighborhood - 2 of them have the same name, except that one is a DRIVE and the other is a COURT. I live on the COURT one. There is a 1081 on the drive one, just like on the court one. 1081 Drive gets my packages every single time. How can this guy be so stupid? Why does my name not instantly register on his radar? This is a monthly stop! And monthly, he gets bitched out about delivering to Drive instead of Court! What the hell? Is he a retard? A couple of months ago he "delivered" my package and when I called to complain that I hadn't received it, he drove back to my house, took all of the packages out of his van, looked at me and said, "I don't have your package. I already delivered it." Hmmm.... I was the only one who'd been home all day. Nope, I hadn't seen him at all that morning. He had no explanation for that. When I asked him if he had actually "delivered" the package to this house (and I pointed to my house), he said, "I can't remember." What the f......?!?!
I've never been so dissatisfied with a service that I felt prompted to rant about it in my blog, but I just can't take the stupidity of DHL any longer.
Friday, February 10, 2006
Nothing. Nada. Zip. Zero. Zilch.
Got nothing important to say today.
My husband is still getting on my nerves, this time about taxes (why the hell do we have to do this shit every year?).
Jake's in trouble for trying to go to school without brushing his teeth (how can he be my kid and be so disgusting?).
Morgan's in trouble for coming down 6 times last night and telling me that she "can't sleep" (what the hell does she want me to do? Drug her?).
Shaunne is PMSing, as usual (and there ain't enough MIDOL on the planet to get her over it) plus, she's just 15 and has that wonderful teenage attitude that the whole world sucks and is out to get her... her dad is stupid, I am stupid, everyone is stupid except for her and her friends (nevermind that the lot of them share one freakin brain...). Hell, she even gave her little sister hell last night at dinner for "being judgemental" and "stereotyping" people (Shaunne would qualify as one of the "freaks" and her little sister is one of the popular "cheerleader" types).
Mark? Well, let's just suffice it to say that he's 6 (and is working on perfecting his "obnoxious" skills to one day use on his wife).
And Emily, bless her heart, hasn't gotten on my nerves yet today because she's still sleeping (but hey, it IS only 8am... give her time).
What the hell was I thinking having so many kids? Why didn't I stop at 1? I love them dearly, but DAMN! Sometimes Mom just needs a break! Not to mention that I'm on day 10 of the "hormone from hell" regiment. Two more days to go before I can start relaxing... right now, I am so wound up that if you startled me, I'd probably explode...
OK, so now I get to spend the day with my mother-in-law. We're having a yard sale tomorrow (oh joy!)! Oh, and of course, it has been absolutely B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L every day this week, but tomorrow morning they are calling for rain/snow showers. YAY! At least I am going to get rid of the mountain of crap that has been accumulating in my garage. Hey, maybe I can just hold it in the garage and clear ALL of that crap out... including the golf clubs and boat! Nah, don't think that would go over well....
My husband is still getting on my nerves, this time about taxes (why the hell do we have to do this shit every year?).
Jake's in trouble for trying to go to school without brushing his teeth (how can he be my kid and be so disgusting?).
Morgan's in trouble for coming down 6 times last night and telling me that she "can't sleep" (what the hell does she want me to do? Drug her?).
Shaunne is PMSing, as usual (and there ain't enough MIDOL on the planet to get her over it) plus, she's just 15 and has that wonderful teenage attitude that the whole world sucks and is out to get her... her dad is stupid, I am stupid, everyone is stupid except for her and her friends (nevermind that the lot of them share one freakin brain...). Hell, she even gave her little sister hell last night at dinner for "being judgemental" and "stereotyping" people (Shaunne would qualify as one of the "freaks" and her little sister is one of the popular "cheerleader" types).
Mark? Well, let's just suffice it to say that he's 6 (and is working on perfecting his "obnoxious" skills to one day use on his wife).
And Emily, bless her heart, hasn't gotten on my nerves yet today because she's still sleeping (but hey, it IS only 8am... give her time).
What the hell was I thinking having so many kids? Why didn't I stop at 1? I love them dearly, but DAMN! Sometimes Mom just needs a break! Not to mention that I'm on day 10 of the "hormone from hell" regiment. Two more days to go before I can start relaxing... right now, I am so wound up that if you startled me, I'd probably explode...
OK, so now I get to spend the day with my mother-in-law. We're having a yard sale tomorrow (oh joy!)! Oh, and of course, it has been absolutely B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L every day this week, but tomorrow morning they are calling for rain/snow showers. YAY! At least I am going to get rid of the mountain of crap that has been accumulating in my garage. Hey, maybe I can just hold it in the garage and clear ALL of that crap out... including the golf clubs and boat! Nah, don't think that would go over well....
