DOING LIFE

A BELATED BIRTHDAY GIFT AND CREATION - Thursday, 1 March 2007

I am sure you are all, just as me, in awe of how fast TIME flies. One sixth of 2007 is history and our bodies' clocks still ticks over for January. But then I also believe that if time flies by quickly it is a sure sign firstly, that we are filling our days and making the most of each moment and secondly, that we are getting older faster! Now the latter really scares me when I am still feeling like a teenager. But enough of all this mumble jumble.

Valentines Day 2007 is also history. Me and Conroy met on Valentine's Day in 1983 at a beach party in Port Elizabeth whilst we were students. He would, from the day we met, every Friday afternoon, put a red carnation in my res post box. It started off with one carnation the first Friday and increased by one carnation as the weeks went by. By the time we got married 10 months later, you can imagine the huge bunch of carnations I got the last Friday before we got married. This year I was spoilt with huge hugs, kisses, two huge bunches of Strelitzia flowers, two huge bunches of Protea flowers (my favourite flower) and a shiny red bag with a huge bottle of Chanel No.5 Perfume and a very personal card. If this is not being spoilt, I don`t know what is. Fortunately, this happens all year round and not just on special days. For us though it is not what we receive but what we give of ourselves to each other which is the most important!

My darling husband's birthday was on 12 January and this year I really wanted to spoil him (not that he gets spoilt otherwise) . Check out my diary entry below:

NOKIA N93 NUISANCE - Monday, 15 January 2007 Well, Conroy is in desperate need of a cell phone upgrade - one comes to realise this when serious speed dial training is requested. I had this wonderful exciting vision of handing Conroy a huge box filled with paper and paper and paper ... amongst which a valuable little box with a N93 Nokia phone would appear out of the blue. This vision was supposed to materialise on his actual birthday Friday, 12 January 2007.

I shopped/phoned around for some prices and 'CA Cellular' http://www.cacell.co.za/nokia-n93-p-309.html had the best deal on the internet, if you want to buy a phone without a contract. So, the eager beaver I am, I ordered, paid and confirmed telephonically on Tuesday, 9 January. Delivery was guaranteed for Wednesday, 10 January.

So true to CA Cellular's promise a delivery was made on Wednesday. Whilst the courier was driving out the gate, I was frantically opening up the parcel. To my horror it was the wrong Nokia - excitement turned into disgust!

So whilst on my high horse I got on the phone with CA Cellular informing them what has just happened. They did not even sound shocked (probably happens all the time). Apparently Postnet (Gallo Manor branch) received three cell phone orders from CA Cellular and had to dispatch them to the various buyers. So they 'very cleverly' put the three address labels on the envelopes, but 'stupidly' swapped the phones around before putting it into each envelope. So my order went off to George and I received the person's order residing in George.

CAC assured me that I will have my Nokia N93 between 10 and 11am the next day (Thursday). So 11am came and went on Thursday and nothing happened. So I was on the phone again to CAC who this time gave me the lady at Postnet's (Gallo Manor) name to follow up myself (passing the buck). Postnet's representative assured me that the parcel has not been dispatched for Johannesburg International Airport and they will ensure that I receive the parcel on Friday morning.

So Friday morning came and went and on the phone I got again to both Postnet and CAC who this time assured me that the parcel will without a doubt arrive between 2 and 3 pm on Friday afternoon. Friday, 3pm came and went and no sight of a delivery. So on the phone I got again to CAC and requested a refund for my order. Once again I was assured that the phone will definitely arrive before 3:30pm on Friday. So Friday 4pm arrived and nothing happened.

So on the phone I got again to CAC throwing out several toys from my cott. By now the apologies was flowing from CAC. CAC informed me that they have just spoken to the Manager of the courier company in Durban who assured them that the parcel is leaving Durban right at that moment and it will be delivered within a half an hour. Friday, 4:30pm came and went.

So on the phone to CAC I got once again. I now demanded to have the courier company's contact number, which I was bluntly refused on numerous occasions by Postnet. CAC provided me with 'United Express'' telephone number and contact person which they have just spoken to and who informed them that they will do their utmost to have the Nokia N93 delivered the next day (Saturday).

So it goes on. On the phone I got to 'United Express' who now (5pm Friday afternoon) informed me that my parcel is actually still sitting at George Airport. But they will do their utmost best to have it flown back to Johannesburg and from there to Durban and from Durban to Kloof. They requested my home address and said that they will definitely have it delivered on Saturday. The weekend came and went and no sight of a Nokia N93.

So Monday morning I got on the phone to CAC for the emptiest time demanding to have my order cancelled. This time around I was informed that they will dispatch another Nokia N93 immediately and I will DEFINITELY have it on Tuesday morning. I snapped back and asked why they did not dispatch another phone Wednesday last week when I received the incorrect phone. I set an ultimatum that if I don't have the phone on Tuesday morning (a whole week overdue), the order will be cancelled.

Just to set things straight - I do not think that it was CAC's mistake, but Postnet's mistake who had the wrong order placed in the labelled envelopes, but that CAC could have dispatched another phone to me, the same day they got my call informing them that I have received the wrong phone. This was just another instance of how unprofessional some businesses operate.

------------------ Conroy is enjoying his Nokia N93 and I am quite jealous of him being able to browse the net wirelessly on his mobile.

I have also created this layout with some photo's I took of us together on his birthday in our garden. The photos was taken in direct morning sun and the exposure is very poor, but at least I have a record for when we both page through my scrapbooks at the young age of 90+, whilst sitting in our rocking chairs on 'Shady Pines' stoep!

Here's also some of my latest beading creations up for sale.

Necklace & bracelet sets: R400

- Signing off with Bundu fever running high!