Monday, February 07, 2011

Ups and Downs

"Don't let one problem discourage your goals."
~Bunny Year Lucky Dinner fortune from my Fortune Cookie

Up

Considering my whine earlier last week, it seemed interesting that this was my fortune during Bunny Year dinner. Weird...I guess the noodles were trying to tell me something. Bunny Year dinner was very yummy. Potstickers, soup, noodles, rice and king pao chicken with enough leftovers to last me a couple of days. I love leftovers!

Down

Tried to do the right thing despite coming across the most incompetent receptionist ever. Not delivering messages and blatantly eating food on the phone does not exude good customer service to me. Don't make me mad with bad customer service either because even though I am a cranky-ass, my previous profession was all about making customers have a lovely stay and be happy. I know! Hard to believe. But on Friday, happy due to my Happy Bunny Day dinner, I found a credit card in the lobby of my building and tried my hardest to get it back to it's owner. I used my mad Google skills, found where it belonged to even though the owner of the card doesn't even work in my building. I should be a frickin' detective. I think I missed my calling. Anyways, I called the office and told the dumb receptionist to please give this man a message that I had something that belonged to him and could he please call me or pass by my suite.

Ever get the feeling on the phone that the person on the other end isn't even listening, let alone writing it down? Yea. I had that feeling. But I gave this guy the benefit of the doubt. At the end of the day, I call back and ask if he gave the owner my message. His response, "what message?". I could have jumped through the phone and choked him. Are you serious! At that point, I was mad. If he had delivered the message, the owner would have his card. Instead, the owner is on his way back home...3 hours away. I got the owner's phone number to let him know that I'd had his card since the morning and I had hoped to reunite him with it if he had only gotten my message. I can only hope he gets it back since I followed his instructions to give it to someone else. Sometimes doing the right thing is a frickin' hassle! But better I had grabbed the card versus leaving it there for who knows what to happen.

All I know is that if I happen to lose my credit card somewhere, that some kind soul out there will try to get it to me intact so that I didn't have to be without a credit card and go through the hassle of canceling it. That receptionist totally screwed it up!

Up

Met up with a bestie and caught up, had dinner and watched No Strings Attached. Usual fluffy chick flick with humor. Entertaining but nothing to write home about.

Down

I don't know what Scottish bagpipes and the ringing of a bell mean to you but to me, it is the saddest sound on the face of the earth and enough to bring me to tears. Spent the day celebrating the life of a coworker who succumbed to lung cancer. Despite the loss, I try to think that Dave is in a happy place because he is reunited with his wife, Connie, who he lost to breast cancer a year ago. After so many years, it was so apparent that they were deeply in love and that loss hit Dave hard. Now they are back together. But the cry of the bagpipes and the ringing of the "last call" makes me choke up and re-evaluate.

Up

Ever feel like you need a complete wardrobe change? I'm feeling that way. My clothes are either old, faded, stretched out or need mending. Not to mention my niece told me I had mom jeans?! It was time to shop and I actually felt like it. That's rare. I went outlet shopping in 75 degree weather. It was gorgeous and I got a good dose of Vitamin D not to mention found some incredible bargains! I am so happy. I had fun. I found nice clothes for a total deal and even bought a little black dress in a single digit size! I don't know how that happened but maybe that is incentive enough to go to the gym so I can ensure that I can still fit in it when I have the chance to wear it!

So I'm on a up...I hope it stays that way!

Stitching

I've been stitching on Valentine Rose this past week but it's been busy and I've maybe managed one hour each day which isn't a lot but it's better than nothing. I find that I need that hour (at least) to keep me sane. Considering the overall time, I guess I've done ok. That house is huge! I've put on the roof and installed the windowframes and doorframe but am still laying the brick. Lots and lots of bricks. I'm planning on stitching for the rest of tonight so I wonder if I can finish the bricks and do the cement stuff between the bricks. I forgot what it's called. I'll show a photo in a couple of days. No photos today but I'll share a new obsession.
Chatelaine Frosty Knotgarden

Chatelaine Evening in the Park

Someone get me off the Chatelaine site! Holy Crap. Each time I go there, I see a new one I like. I now have a couple of patterns; Taj Mahal and Frosty Knotgarden. I think I'm too scattered to understand the chart...they look confusing! I am debating which one to start my Chatelaine obsession with...I can't decide. Um, not to mention figure out how in the world to fit it into my so-called rotation. *sigh* I need more hands.

Time to blowdry my hair and lay some bricks on this here house. Hope you all had a fun weekend!

Until next time...

23 comments:

Pumpkin said...

Gee, you don't need to go to the amusement park to go on the roller coaster! That was a very nice thing you did despite the fact that you didn't get much help.

Oh yes, those 'are' lovely patterns but you won't see me doing one ;o) LOL!

Margaret said...

What an idiot for not delivering your message about the CC! Geez! I would definitely appreciate your efforts if it were my card! Glad you had good ups -- the shopping sounds great, as does the get-together with your friend. Bummer about the downs though. And ps -- 75 degrees. Lucky.

Catherine said...

I do hope that if I ever lose my card, that you are the one to find it!!

So sorry to hear about your co-worker.

Your ups sound pretty good though! New clothes, friends and stitching! Those patterns are amazing!

Natasha said...

Okay Valerie I have to say I truly enjoy reading your posts almost as much as I enjoy hanging out with you ;)

Yes I agree the bagpipe is such a mournful song try paring that with Oh Danny Boy... Makes me cry every time I hear it, experince, many times over from Irish funerals.

I need to go clothes shopping. But hate to shop alone, you are my new shopping buddy LOL you up for it? Can you believe I have every Saturday off this month. I have no idea what my bosses are doing but hey Im not complaining LOL

I admire those desings they are so beautiful.

Hope your week is smooth sailing. Take Care

Unknown said...

I am glad that you ended with an up. It is amazing when you were trying to do the right thing, the other folks didn't even seem to care - go figure. And yes, bagpipes and tolling bells are tough. Sorry for your coworker, it sounds like he not only was suffering from the cance but also the grief. He really is in a better place now.

I have seen these Chatelaine projects on other peoples blogs, and they are incredible. Never could do one, but they are cool!

Sylvia said...

Great post - I am glad you were so diligent about the card. Some people are so incompetent, you wonder how they stay in their job. '

The shopping sounds lovely - congrats on the single digit dres- gotta love that.

Anonymous said...

I enjoyed reading about your ups...and downs too :) Good for you for trying to do the right thing about the CC - I think I would have reported the receptionist to his manager.

Glad you're managing to get some stitching time in and yay for the new clothes!

Giovanna said...

Hehe, it won't be me pulling you off the Chatelaine site, I'm a great fan. Evening in Park was the first huge one I stitched.

cathymk said...

Yep Chatelaine is a dangerous designer... right now I'm trying to resist her Chinese Garden Mandala (it's on her blog).

What a tumultuous couple of days you have had!!

Hazel said...

Oooh have you seen the new chinese garden one from chateleine? Thats another beauty too. I have never done one. They look like far too much work for me but i have seen people's wips and they are incredibly beautiful.

Carol said...

Sounds like your week had more ups than downs and that's progress! Great to hear about the new wardrobe and the LBD--woo hoo! I am truly jealous of the 75 degree weather, though. We had even more snow again last night--beautiful, but I'm so tired of it!

I'll watch YOU stitch those Chatelaine patterns--beautiful, but way too complicated for me :)

Hope this week brings you lots to smile about, Valerie!

barbara said...

Finding a black dress in a single digit size would be enough to carry me over the clouds, I am sure!!! :D

Hope you stay on that up. Jettison the 'downs' and go for it! :D

Rachel S-H said...

You did your best!

That Evening in the Garden has been tempting me for the longest time. So far I can resist it. I'm losing my willpower.

Katrina said...

Love the Chatelaine pieces!!!! They are so pretty.

Woohoo on the new clothes too :-). And it was so nice of you to go to so much trouble to return a credit card. I would have shredded it and called it a day, LOL.

Christina said...

I understand your frustration Valerie - last week when doing the weekly food shop I noticed the car parked beside me had its headlights on. I found the security guard in the shop and let him know make and reg of car? Did I hear an announcement on the tannoy as I wandered around doing my shopping? Did I heck!
I'm still loving 'Evening in the Park'...I think it may find it's way onto my birthday list!

Chocolates4Breakfast (Terri Malinovich) said...

Whew! I'm exhausted! The shopping for new clothes sounds awesome - that always picks me up.

Good luck with the Chatelaine's - they are WAY beyond me!

Myra said...

Wow! You had some times there didn't you? Whooo hoo on the new clothes - that always brightens my day, especially when I find something that fits right. :o)

Natalia said...

Valerie, what an ordeal with the darn card !!! It was so nice of you to try to get it to its owner...
Quite a few ups and downs, but going shopping always makes everything look brighter :-), at leas for me.
I am so sorry about your co-worker. I agree that the scottish pipes are a sad sound, but also a beautiful one.

Deb said...

I wish I could help you get off the Chatelaine kick, but I'm a fan of them too even though I'm not working on one right now, but I do have two in progress. If I tried to forget about them my BFF would hit me over the head. She's working on Baroque (stunning), just received Swan Lake and signed up for the Chinese one. They are gorgeous and you'll have some remarkable pieces when you've finished them.

Lois said...

I always find that bagpipes, even if they're playing something upbeat have a tone to them that always gives me a lump in my throat. Played at a funeral, well, no wonder you felt as you did. As for not delivering your message about the cc!!! You have to wonder why that person has that job given that that's alot of what they have to do - pass messages on! Sounds like nice weather!

Dani - tkdchick said...

I kinda ODed on Chatelaines a few years ago and haven't touched one in a few years now.

Siobhán said...

Chatelaine---aren't they gorgeous?? Such amazing designs, and the pictures don't hold a candle to how they look in person. (So says a person with a Chatelaine UFO of many years, ahem...).

YGG on being a good person and trying to reunite the cardowner with his credit card. Bad customer service and phone skills drives me INSANE. I have been wigging out on people lately over it, too. :P Hopefully karma will come back to you and you'll reap the benefits of your kindness.

Julie said...

I love to see the Chatelaines, a couple of ladies at our meet ups do them, they are amazing to see, but not something i could tackle

I'm sorry you lost a friend {big hug}