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I never imagined that when I was rear ended and through no fault of my own I would have so much stress, tears and headache associated with this whole ordeal.
If you (like myself) have never been in an auto accident before, you are more and likely ignorant to everything (like myself). You want to believe in the good of the insurance companies. You want to believe that they aren't as evil as lawyers make them out to be.
You think, "okay,I was hurt, they will pay my medical bills as they come". Only, they don't. They won't pay until you settle. If you are like the majority of Americans and don't have health insurance, and your OWN insurance PIP (MedPay) is exhausted in hospital bills, you are virtually screwed.
(Before I go any further, I want to say I love my insurance company, State Farm, they have gone out of their way to reach out to the at fault company and help me, they have made calls on my behalf to get the adjuster(s) of the at fault company to call me back when they otherwise had given me the run around. I think having a policy with them, has proven time and again that they are a wonderful company with hearts. I won't mention the name of the at fault driver's company for legal reason, but it is an insurance giant. THANK YOU LORD, for my insurance, with out them I would have been royally hung out to dry. It also reaffirms my decision in keeping them for all my Dad's new construction policies, they are there when you need them, they don't dodge ball you, I'd recommend them to ANYONE)..
With no money to pay them yourself, and kids to feed, you know you are hurt, but you stop treatment in order to try and hurry a settlement so that your bills will be paid in a timely manner.
You realize any attorney will take 1/3rd of your settlement, and with your medical bills being high, and no real guarantee or no set in stone number of what they will even ask for during consultations, and you are told by attorney after attorney that they can't guarantee even your medical bills will be covered after their fees, you are left to your own devices.
You act as your own paralegal, you collect all your medical bills, you make copies of everything, calculate your mileage and fuel costs and out of pocket expenses and you prepare a demand letter to submit to the at fault insurance company.
You call them and nag them every other day, sometimes you give them a week.
Your bills are coming in and you are being threatened by the hospitals to have your account turned to collections. You are given the run around by all parties involved (those you owe money to, and those who owe money to you).
Your stress causes heartburn, your anxiety causes lost sleep and you don't know huge legal terms and kind of try to wing it.Eventually you do hear from the at fault insurance company who offers to pay all your medical but says they can only give you $1,000 for your personal injury/pain and suffering. Mind you your under duress and you have stopped treatment just in order to get the bill collectors at the facilities you were treated at off your back and to rush a settlement. You ask for slightly more. You tell them about your med pay and they offer to reimburse your med pay and hospital expenses.
You are left to think about it over night, meanwhile the big insurance giant knows they have you where they want you.
AND with all do respect, I know they have a job to do, but it just sucks you're unfortunately at their mercy, even when the accident was not your fault.
Two days go by and you call and call. No one calls back, so you ask to speak to their supervisor, only it's a message machine (always is). You inform them that you have done all you could on your part, you've done the leg work to collect all the bills, you've submitted everything accordingly and you demand a settlement or you will take their policy holder to court (who in turn can take their insurance agent to court for bad faith).
15 minutes later (literally) you get a call from your adjuster. You feel bad for calling on them, because it is their job, but you also feel bad for yourself because you're swamped in bills you should not have to be up to your ears in.
They offer $500 more. So at this point you have your medical bills being offered to be paid out (your main concern), your 2 thousand dollar med pay reimbursed to you and $1,500 from them. You say "I accept", just please pay these bills soon.
You are told, once you sign and fax this release, (releasing their policy holder and them from all future medical claims) and scan and upload it to them, they will cut you a check and pay out your providers within the next day. You read it over have a few questions but ultimately sign your life away and sent it over.
Within two hours the claims website emails you to notify you a check has been issued do your portion of the settlement.
After re reading the release you notice strange language, that includes property damage, and you think, "oh dear lord, did I just screw my insurance company out of their subrogation"?? You panic, you're up all night calling your insurance and theirs (mind you your insurance has yet to contact you about subrogation and you have no idea how it even works, just that you may of signed your rights away and become responsible for paying it back and your personal settlement doesn't even cover collision damages).
You're sick to your stomach, you cry your eyes out, you feel tricked and deceived and you submit a quick letter to the claims website asking to retract your signed release due to the fact "money is not in hand" as the contract states and that you felt you were not given all information needed and signed it under duress with out a witness.
The very next morning you get a call from the at fault company bright and early, promising that it's only a medical release and nothing more,promising subrogation will still be paid out. You feel relieved but still skeptical, so you record the entire conversation and the phone messages. You get a letter back from said insurance company promising it is only a medical release. You feel relieved...
FOR THE TIME BEING.
An attorney tells you it can be a trick, your insurance company says it should be fine and you're left praying this person has a heart and won't screw you over.
That is where I am today, two months exactly after my accident. A check is on the way - which will go directly to savings and untouched for a long time until all this is over - just in case. And your medical bills have yet to be paid off - STILL.
The icing to the cake? You get a final notice from the hospital today, to pay the remaining $2,500 you owe, even though your insurance company just forked them $2,000 in med pay. You ask for an extension until the at fault company pays it off and let them know you just settled and it will be any day now. They tell you, "no" and say you have 18 days to pay or you go to collections, you ask to set up a payment plan and are told it could take a week.
I am praying that this will all be over soon. I am praying so hard I never have to deal with this again. Someone who is injured through no fault of their own should NEVER have to go through what I have gone through. NEVER.
My spinal, and neck vertebrae are still dislocated, my stress is so high my blood pressure is higher than it's ever been, and my anxiety is insane. When I drive I always get a horrible burst of anxiety as some one gets too close or speeds up on my tail end. I don't feel I will ever be the same - EVER.
Was all this worth a $1500 settlement? I'd say NO, but when you have kids and need the bills off your back, it is.
My advice next time? (God forbid)? Go attorney shopping, find a good one. One who will not RUSH through the consult, one that wants to MEET with you IN PERSON, as opposed to just their paralegal. Sure an attorney is 1/3 contingency fee, BUT, they KNOW what they are doing (you do not), and chances are big insurance also knows this and will toy with your emotions.
It's worth it to not have the stress. COMPLETELY.
I pray to god it wasn't worse, and I am thankful to God, my children were not with me that one time (as any other time they would have been). I am so thankful. I am however very upset with the turn of events.
I am thankful that this will hopefully be all over as soon as my medical payments are paid out and I am no longer in credit limbo for something I did not do.
I want to cry - STILL.
I am sensitive, and I stress easily, it's hard to take care of your kids when you are stressed to death, and you can't pick them up because your lower back is aching.
There are a lot of "woulda, shoulda, and coulda's" involved. I just want the nightmare to end.
I want to never see a commercial with that smiling little insurance character EVER again. - Sadly one is right by my house (agh).
Again, I should say I have no real hard feelings for my adjuster, she is just doing her job, and is probably up to her neck in claims. If only people would learn to pay attention when they drive, be considerate of others they share the road with, and if only you had magical powers to make your car disappear when someone is fixing to hit you.
If only....
I don't wish this on my worst enemy.
30 Kasım 2012 Cuma
Summer's No Fun When Your AC Unit Dies..
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..Summers. Normally they can be enjoyable; time in the sprinkler or pool, warm weather, lots of outdoor fun with the kids, a tall glass of iced tea. No, not this summer. It's been the hottest summer in Fayetteville, since I can remember. It's so hot, we've spend many a day inside cooling off and letting the 105+ humid days roll by, praying for a nice long fall to not skip us again this year.
And then, one day, as luck would have it, I am sitting in the den when my breaker box starts making an on and off buzzing or humming noise, the lights begin to flicker and I am like "great, we have an electrical issue, wonder how costly this is going to be".
After isolating it to the breaker controlling the air conditioning unit, we replace the breaker switch, just to learn it wasn't the problem. So instead, to avoid a risk of a possible fire (I guess, I don't know it didn't sound too nice, don't want to take my chances), we turn the a/c off and wait until morning.
So, at this point, I am not sure who to call. The A/C is running fine, but the breaker box wants to sound like it's going to burst when it's on. Do I call an HVAC tech or do I call an electrician? hmmm, I think a while..
I call a random electrician here in Fayetteville, I explain my problem, tell him I replaced the breaker switch, tell him it's ONLY when the a/c comes on and the lights flicker the box makes a loud noise. I ask, "honestly, do you think this is an electrical issue or an hvac issue". He tells me, "it's electrical". I ask what is fee to diagnose the problem is, he tells me "$75 service fee and then $69 an hour to fix it". I tell him "okay, come on by".
He shows up, he and his assistant turn my oven burners on the highest heat setting EVER, leave them on and my smoke alarm goes off and my house smells like death. After a while he turns it off, does more testing with a meter at the breaker box then says, "let me try the a/c" - which is what i told him it was to begin with mind you! After that he says, "it's your ac" I say, "I know, so is it something on your end you can fix"? He says, "no you'll need an hvac tech". okaaaaay?? Did I not just ask him this? Did he just waste 20 minutes to test my oven which isn't even on the same circuit as my a/c to tell me what I told him on the phone?
So I feel kind of "duped" and when I am ready to pay I am expecting to pay the $75 service charge. Only he tells me $95!? I mean, I am all for paying the $75 because he came out, but why am I being charge $20 for 20 minutes?! NOTHING was fixed! There was no electrical issue, $20 is a lot to me. Anyway I don't say anything and pay it, but I can't help but feel totally blind sided and taken advantage of. I semi want to tell the world who the company was, but am hesitant. AND the kicker?! He has me make a personal check out TO HIM, not the COMPANY? He must be the owner..but very shoddy, to take advantage of apotential client and know the problem isn't electrical but weazle your way in to get 95 bucks..YOU'RE WELCOME sheister!! But do know you won't get reference in the market I work in :)) Bad call for you!
Moving along, we called our usual a/c guy, who will come today to diagnose it, which is a $65 service charge..part of me thinks it is going to be a pricey part, and the unit is old, I pray he can fix it for the time being, but I feel it is going to need a new unit.
I have no idea what a new unit will run for a just under 1300 sq. ft. home with existing duct work. I'm sure it's 3k+ and to be honest that exhausts both my savings and credit line.
(SIGH)..ooooh a/c, why couldn't you wait to take your final sputters towards fall. Why during the hottest summer in God's Green earth when times are already tight must you decide it's time to commit suicide.
If by chance an hvac tech happens upon this post and lives in my area, and wants to qoute me for a new unit, I'd be more than happy to consider it.
As it stands, I have a migraine, I want to cry and my luck just comes in the worst assortment.
THANK GOD I have been doing well with couponing..or else I'd really barely get by. Well, so much for budget remodels, more issues have suddenly sucked me dry of money.
It really is, waaaaaaaaaaay to hot for the a/c to be down :((
And then, one day, as luck would have it, I am sitting in the den when my breaker box starts making an on and off buzzing or humming noise, the lights begin to flicker and I am like "great, we have an electrical issue, wonder how costly this is going to be".
After isolating it to the breaker controlling the air conditioning unit, we replace the breaker switch, just to learn it wasn't the problem. So instead, to avoid a risk of a possible fire (I guess, I don't know it didn't sound too nice, don't want to take my chances), we turn the a/c off and wait until morning.
So, at this point, I am not sure who to call. The A/C is running fine, but the breaker box wants to sound like it's going to burst when it's on. Do I call an HVAC tech or do I call an electrician? hmmm, I think a while..
I call a random electrician here in Fayetteville, I explain my problem, tell him I replaced the breaker switch, tell him it's ONLY when the a/c comes on and the lights flicker the box makes a loud noise. I ask, "honestly, do you think this is an electrical issue or an hvac issue". He tells me, "it's electrical". I ask what is fee to diagnose the problem is, he tells me "$75 service fee and then $69 an hour to fix it". I tell him "okay, come on by".
He shows up, he and his assistant turn my oven burners on the highest heat setting EVER, leave them on and my smoke alarm goes off and my house smells like death. After a while he turns it off, does more testing with a meter at the breaker box then says, "let me try the a/c" - which is what i told him it was to begin with mind you! After that he says, "it's your ac" I say, "I know, so is it something on your end you can fix"? He says, "no you'll need an hvac tech". okaaaaay?? Did I not just ask him this? Did he just waste 20 minutes to test my oven which isn't even on the same circuit as my a/c to tell me what I told him on the phone?
So I feel kind of "duped" and when I am ready to pay I am expecting to pay the $75 service charge. Only he tells me $95!? I mean, I am all for paying the $75 because he came out, but why am I being charge $20 for 20 minutes?! NOTHING was fixed! There was no electrical issue, $20 is a lot to me. Anyway I don't say anything and pay it, but I can't help but feel totally blind sided and taken advantage of. I semi want to tell the world who the company was, but am hesitant. AND the kicker?! He has me make a personal check out TO HIM, not the COMPANY? He must be the owner..but very shoddy, to take advantage of apotential client and know the problem isn't electrical but weazle your way in to get 95 bucks..YOU'RE WELCOME sheister!! But do know you won't get reference in the market I work in :)) Bad call for you!
Moving along, we called our usual a/c guy, who will come today to diagnose it, which is a $65 service charge..part of me thinks it is going to be a pricey part, and the unit is old, I pray he can fix it for the time being, but I feel it is going to need a new unit.
I have no idea what a new unit will run for a just under 1300 sq. ft. home with existing duct work. I'm sure it's 3k+ and to be honest that exhausts both my savings and credit line.
(SIGH)..ooooh a/c, why couldn't you wait to take your final sputters towards fall. Why during the hottest summer in God's Green earth when times are already tight must you decide it's time to commit suicide.
If by chance an hvac tech happens upon this post and lives in my area, and wants to qoute me for a new unit, I'd be more than happy to consider it.
As it stands, I have a migraine, I want to cry and my luck just comes in the worst assortment.
THANK GOD I have been doing well with couponing..or else I'd really barely get by. Well, so much for budget remodels, more issues have suddenly sucked me dry of money.
It really is, waaaaaaaaaaay to hot for the a/c to be down :((
Happy Fall Y'all!
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I don't often post photos of my children much anymore. Much to my dismay, my website has been mirrored and copied a few times (not sure why, it's not even one of the very top sites on the web). But needless to say, it still peeves me a bit. - Not to mention having to file copy right complaints - which tend to be tricky when the creepy person stealing your information has a .ca domain :( Shame on you! - You really should be ashamed of yourself for taking my work and copying my entire website. The things I do are special to me, and it's a shame you take credit for them.
So as a result, I have decided to be persistent with water marking my images. (which I hate) :(
Anyway, here are a few photos of my children that I took with the new studio lighting. I must say, it makes a difference :)) I will, however, purchase some higher wattage bulbs for my umbrella lights!
We have been enjoying the fall (even though some days the temperature still gets hot and humid).
So far this October, the kids have visited a local (very busy) pumpkin patch, picked pumpkins at a local farmer's market and went on to harvest the pecans and grapes from our backyard. - I am hoping to plant pumpkin seeds next so that next year we will have our very own mini pumpkin patch :) Can you imagine the fun that would be??
(Below: Ethan showing off the grapes and pecans he picked in the backyard today.)
(Below: MiMi showing off one of her pecans from the yard)
(Below: Just an image of a grape cluster growing the the back yard.)
As some of my readers know, I have a slight Gymboree obsession, however, I will only shop with sales or gymbucks for the most part. Over the summer and during the last huge online sale they had, I gradually built up this collection and decided it would be perfect for MiMi's school photos. What do y'all think??
(Below: A whole lot of cherry!! Gymboree's cherry line makes for a great back to school girl's outfit!)
What else is new as far as the house is concerned? Well, little progress. Still waiting to complete the den flooring - I guess as time and money allows, but right now with the holidays fast approaching and being on a budget, it looks like the den will have to wait. It's come a long way, baby, with a lot of time and love - why not a little longer? ;) - It will happen! And, when it does, you'll be the first to see!! Bless! <3 p="p">
I don't often post photos of my children much anymore. Much to my dismay, my website has been mirrored and copied a few times (not sure why, it's not even one of the very top sites on the web). But needless to say, it still peeves me a bit. - Not to mention having to file copy right complaints - which tend to be tricky when the creepy person stealing your information has a .ca domain :( Shame on you! - You really should be ashamed of yourself for taking my work and copying my entire website. The things I do are special to me, and it's a shame you take credit for them.So as a result, I have decided to be persistent with water marking my images. (which I hate) :(
Anyway, here are a few photos of my children that I took with the new studio lighting. I must say, it makes a difference :)) I will, however, purchase some higher wattage bulbs for my umbrella lights!
We have been enjoying the fall (even though some days the temperature still gets hot and humid).
So far this October, the kids have visited a local (very busy) pumpkin patch, picked pumpkins at a local farmer's market and went on to harvest the pecans and grapes from our backyard. - I am hoping to plant pumpkin seeds next so that next year we will have our very own mini pumpkin patch :) Can you imagine the fun that would be??
(Below: Ethan showing off the grapes and pecans he picked in the backyard today.)
(Below: MiMi showing off one of her pecans from the yard)(Below: Just an image of a grape cluster growing the the back yard.)As some of my readers know, I have a slight Gymboree obsession, however, I will only shop with sales or gymbucks for the most part. Over the summer and during the last huge online sale they had, I gradually built up this collection and decided it would be perfect for MiMi's school photos. What do y'all think??
(Below: A whole lot of cherry!! Gymboree's cherry line makes for a great back to school girl's outfit!)
What else is new as far as the house is concerned? Well, little progress. Still waiting to complete the den flooring - I guess as time and money allows, but right now with the holidays fast approaching and being on a budget, it looks like the den will have to wait. It's come a long way, baby, with a lot of time and love - why not a little longer? ;) - It will happen! And, when it does, you'll be the first to see!! Bless! <3 p="p">
'Tis the Season to Ignore Your Loyal Customers..
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For as long as I can remember, I have been a fan of Build a Bear Workshops. Bad day? Kids been good, but have a tendency to become bored? Nothing a trip to Build a Bear doesn't fix for about $30 a pop. And so every other month I take the kids to go pick out an animal, have it stuffed, and if the budget is right, get a small outfit with the pet.
They love their stuffed animals from build a bear.
Build a Bear has a program called "stuff for stuff". Basically for every dollar you spend, you earn points, that during certain parts of the year, Build a Bear sends you a redemption certificate to earn free items.
Only November came and went, and I never received mine. No sweat, it was probably an oversight, right? I checked my spam folder, to no avail. I went on their social media (face book) page to inquire if other patrons received theirs. And, of course, they did. And two weeks prior to my inquiring at that.
I was asked to call their customer service line (an 800 number) after sitting on hold for 30-45 minutes two days in a row, I decided it was a lost cause. I inquired twice by email - that was over a week ago - no word what so ever from the folks over at Build a Bear.
I kindly asked for assistance on their facebook page once again, no reply, no word..silence..
I hear crickets chirping...
I know it's the holidays, folks are busy...
It happens..but, when I have tried multiple avenues to reach out and no one seems interested in helping me, or it becomes a back and forth passing game with customers service, I feel slighted.
Why? Oh, only because during the earning period I have purchased 10 bears at full price, and just 2 weeks ago I purchased 3 more as gifts for my niece and nephew along with my cousin's little girl.
No coupons, just purchased them because they were cute.
And, because I had the mind set, well, at least I will earn my stuff for stuff points :) Right?
Not happening..
Want to know something else? I had a similar situation with Gymboree, want to know what they did? they wrote me back on facebook, they wrote me back via email AND they returned my phone call the same day and corrected the situation in minutes. NOW THAT is model customers service.
Build a Bear? I am sorry I can not say the same for you. :(
And I'd love to continue to shop at your establishments, as my children are fond of your products, however, I just can't get past the fact there is no way what so ever to get a hold of anyone on your end to pass along or issue me the stuff for stuff points I rightfully earned.
It would be nice to hear from some one, preferably before the stuff for stuff points would expire, but it appears I would be running in circles.
Instead? Well, instead I have chosen to take it to the blog. I love to give rave reviews, and believe I've only written one bad review in my life during the 3 years I've had my blog. But, the truth is the truth, and customer service is everything to me as a mother of 2 who loves to support business' in a tight economy.
But, I think I will pass the almighty dollar onto local establishments that pride themselves in customers service.
I will be skipping on Build a Bear this year for the holidays.
They love their stuffed animals from build a bear.
Build a Bear has a program called "stuff for stuff". Basically for every dollar you spend, you earn points, that during certain parts of the year, Build a Bear sends you a redemption certificate to earn free items.
Only November came and went, and I never received mine. No sweat, it was probably an oversight, right? I checked my spam folder, to no avail. I went on their social media (face book) page to inquire if other patrons received theirs. And, of course, they did. And two weeks prior to my inquiring at that.
I was asked to call their customer service line (an 800 number) after sitting on hold for 30-45 minutes two days in a row, I decided it was a lost cause. I inquired twice by email - that was over a week ago - no word what so ever from the folks over at Build a Bear.
I kindly asked for assistance on their facebook page once again, no reply, no word..silence..
I hear crickets chirping...
I know it's the holidays, folks are busy...
It happens..but, when I have tried multiple avenues to reach out and no one seems interested in helping me, or it becomes a back and forth passing game with customers service, I feel slighted.
Why? Oh, only because during the earning period I have purchased 10 bears at full price, and just 2 weeks ago I purchased 3 more as gifts for my niece and nephew along with my cousin's little girl.
No coupons, just purchased them because they were cute.
And, because I had the mind set, well, at least I will earn my stuff for stuff points :) Right?
Not happening..
Want to know something else? I had a similar situation with Gymboree, want to know what they did? they wrote me back on facebook, they wrote me back via email AND they returned my phone call the same day and corrected the situation in minutes. NOW THAT is model customers service.
Build a Bear? I am sorry I can not say the same for you. :(
And I'd love to continue to shop at your establishments, as my children are fond of your products, however, I just can't get past the fact there is no way what so ever to get a hold of anyone on your end to pass along or issue me the stuff for stuff points I rightfully earned.
It would be nice to hear from some one, preferably before the stuff for stuff points would expire, but it appears I would be running in circles.
Instead? Well, instead I have chosen to take it to the blog. I love to give rave reviews, and believe I've only written one bad review in my life during the 3 years I've had my blog. But, the truth is the truth, and customer service is everything to me as a mother of 2 who loves to support business' in a tight economy.
But, I think I will pass the almighty dollar onto local establishments that pride themselves in customers service.
I will be skipping on Build a Bear this year for the holidays.
Immigrants' arrests put firms in spotlight: Fourteen illegal immigrants were found in a Verizon contractor's van this week in Virginia Beach.
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Byline: ChrisFlores And Mike Holtzclaw
May 9--VIRGINIABEACH -- Verizon Communications has been using an army of contractors toaggressively replace its old phone lines with an expensive fiber-optic systemin Hampton Roads and nationwide.
The company's mainVirginia contractor doing this work -- Greensboro, N.C.-based Ivy H. Smith Co.-- was caught by Virginia State Police with 14 illegal immigrants in a vanduring a routine traffic stop Monday in Virginia Beach.
The detainment ofthe illegal workers sheds light on a question frequently facing majorcorporations today: Are businesses responsible for the hiring practices oftheir contractors? Verizon isn't the only party that will need to answer thisquestion for federal immigration investigators.
Ivy H. Smith,which has an office in Norfolk, is one of 28 subsidiaries of publicly tradedDycom Industries. Virginia state regulators have been dealing with complaintsfrom cable and gas companies about Ivy H. Smith and its contractors digging upcable lines for more than two years.
As problems mountedwith Ivy H. Smith and other Verizon contractors, Fairfax County tried to helpits residents. One of the promises that Verizon made was to ensure "eachwork crew would have one individual that can effectively communicate inEnglish."
Mike Netherland isassistant special agent-in-charge for the U.S. Immigration and CustomsEnforcement, or ICE, office in Norfolk. He said the illegal immigrants were alladult males, 12 from Mexico and two from El Salvador. They were riding in a vanowned by Ivy H. Smith.
Netherland saidICE had begun "actively investigating the employer" but said hecouldn't comment further on that matter. A woman who answered the phone at IvyH. Smith said the company had no comment.
Verizon said itregularly reviewed the performance of its contractors and had terminated somein the past. Verizon is reviewing this incident with Ivy H. Smith.
A state policespokesman said officers pulled the van over for a registration violation onInterstate 264 and found the 14 men in the vehicle.
Upon receiving thecall from state police, Netherland said, ICE determined the immigration statusof the men and then took them into custody to begin the process of deportation.He said the detention and removal section of ICE was now handling the matter,waiting to see whether the men will accept deportation or fight it.
"Individualscan stipulate to the order of removal, or they can challenge their removal andappear before an immigration judge," Netherland said. "These men arebeing detained pending those proceedings."
Based on previousICE cases, Verizon is unlikely to face any repercussions unless Ivy H. Smithsays it was specifically asked to hire illegal workers.
"It is thecontractor who is liable for the work force because they're vouching to thecompany that is hiring them that the work force is authorized," said PatRiley, an ICE spokeswoman in Washington.
There's a highburden to prove that a company knew its contractors were using illegal workers,but it happens occasionally. ICE reached a settlement with Wal-Mart afterdocuments surfaced showing the company knowingly hired cleaning contractorswith illegal workers.
The question ofVerizon's supervision over its Virginia contractors was raised two years ago byCox Communications in Northern Virginia. Cox was more concerned that Ivy H.Smith contractors were cutting cable lines while digging and repairing themwith tape.
A Cox executivesaid at the time that Ivy H. Smith officials said Verizon had 1,500 contractorsdoing this work and that they were paid for each foot of cable buried. Coxcomplained that this gave the contractors an incentive to try to move quicklywithout repairing lines.
The problems havecontinued into Hampton Roads and were bad at first in Virginia Beach. ButVerizon and Ivy H. Smith have improved quite a bit since the Northern Virginiaproblems, said Thom Prevette, the Cox spokesman for the region. "They'veadhered to, and abided by, a lot of our joint agreements we've workedout," Prevette said.
Under fire fromWall Street for the cost of the mammoth undertaking, Verizon has said in recentyears that it's working to reduce the costs of installing the lines.
The work inHampton Roads started in Virginia Beach about two years ago. Then Verizon begandigging in Newport News, where it started selling television service two weeksago.
Ivy H. Smith'sparent company, Florida-based Dycom, specializes in doing contract work withtelecommunications companies. Verizon's building boom has become the key tomaking Dycom the company it is today.
For the yearending in July 2005, Dycom received 25 percent of its revenue from Verizon --by far its largest customer. The previous year -- before Verizon startedbeefing up its fiber optics -- Dycom received only 3.7 percent of its revenuefrom Verizon.
Byline: ChrisFlores And Mike Holtzclaw
May 9--VIRGINIABEACH -- Verizon Communications has been using an army of contractors toaggressively replace its old phone lines with an expensive fiber-optic systemin Hampton Roads and nationwide. The company's mainVirginia contractor doing this work -- Greensboro, N.C.-based Ivy H. Smith Co.-- was caught by Virginia State Police with 14 illegal immigrants in a vanduring a routine traffic stop Monday in Virginia Beach.
The detainment ofthe illegal workers sheds light on a question frequently facing majorcorporations today: Are businesses responsible for the hiring practices oftheir contractors? Verizon isn't the only party that will need to answer thisquestion for federal immigration investigators.
Ivy H. Smith,which has an office in Norfolk, is one of 28 subsidiaries of publicly tradedDycom Industries. Virginia state regulators have been dealing with complaintsfrom cable and gas companies about Ivy H. Smith and its contractors digging upcable lines for more than two years.
As problems mountedwith Ivy H. Smith and other Verizon contractors, Fairfax County tried to helpits residents. One of the promises that Verizon made was to ensure "eachwork crew would have one individual that can effectively communicate inEnglish."
Mike Netherland isassistant special agent-in-charge for the U.S. Immigration and CustomsEnforcement, or ICE, office in Norfolk. He said the illegal immigrants were alladult males, 12 from Mexico and two from El Salvador. They were riding in a vanowned by Ivy H. Smith.
Netherland saidICE had begun "actively investigating the employer" but said hecouldn't comment further on that matter. A woman who answered the phone at IvyH. Smith said the company had no comment.
Verizon said itregularly reviewed the performance of its contractors and had terminated somein the past. Verizon is reviewing this incident with Ivy H. Smith.
A state policespokesman said officers pulled the van over for a registration violation onInterstate 264 and found the 14 men in the vehicle.
Upon receiving thecall from state police, Netherland said, ICE determined the immigration statusof the men and then took them into custody to begin the process of deportation.He said the detention and removal section of ICE was now handling the matter,waiting to see whether the men will accept deportation or fight it.
"Individualscan stipulate to the order of removal, or they can challenge their removal andappear before an immigration judge," Netherland said. "These men arebeing detained pending those proceedings."
Based on previousICE cases, Verizon is unlikely to face any repercussions unless Ivy H. Smithsays it was specifically asked to hire illegal workers.
"It is thecontractor who is liable for the work force because they're vouching to thecompany that is hiring them that the work force is authorized," said PatRiley, an ICE spokeswoman in Washington.
There's a highburden to prove that a company knew its contractors were using illegal workers,but it happens occasionally. ICE reached a settlement with Wal-Mart afterdocuments surfaced showing the company knowingly hired cleaning contractorswith illegal workers.
The question ofVerizon's supervision over its Virginia contractors was raised two years ago byCox Communications in Northern Virginia. Cox was more concerned that Ivy H.Smith contractors were cutting cable lines while digging and repairing themwith tape.
A Cox executivesaid at the time that Ivy H. Smith officials said Verizon had 1,500 contractorsdoing this work and that they were paid for each foot of cable buried. Coxcomplained that this gave the contractors an incentive to try to move quicklywithout repairing lines.
The problems havecontinued into Hampton Roads and were bad at first in Virginia Beach. ButVerizon and Ivy H. Smith have improved quite a bit since the Northern Virginiaproblems, said Thom Prevette, the Cox spokesman for the region. "They'veadhered to, and abided by, a lot of our joint agreements we've workedout," Prevette said.
Under fire fromWall Street for the cost of the mammoth undertaking, Verizon has said in recentyears that it's working to reduce the costs of installing the lines.
The work inHampton Roads started in Virginia Beach about two years ago. Then Verizon begandigging in Newport News, where it started selling television service two weeksago.
Ivy H. Smith'sparent company, Florida-based Dycom, specializes in doing contract work withtelecommunications companies. Verizon's building boom has become the key tomaking Dycom the company it is today.
For the yearending in July 2005, Dycom received 25 percent of its revenue from Verizon --by far its largest customer. The previous year -- before Verizon startedbeefing up its fiber optics -- Dycom received only 3.7 percent of its revenuefrom Verizon.
29 Kasım 2012 Perşembe
How was Halloween in the neighborhood? Lots of trick-or-treaters? Here's our rundown of folks on Twitter talking about it
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How was your Halloween? I heard some good things and some bad things, and saw a fair amount of little ones trick or treating. I also compiled these Twitter posts about it, seems like a wide range. The most interesting one is from Jonathan O'Connell from the Post. There definitely did seem to be more white families than in the past, and a lot more people in general than the past few years -- though last year had a lot as well.
Movember fundraiser at Lou's City Bar on Tuesday night
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If you want to help fight prostate cancer while enjoying some good food and drink deals at Lou's, check this out for tomorrow:
If you want to help fight prostate cancer while enjoying some good food and drink deals at Lou's, check this out for tomorrow:Happy Movember! Join us for a mid-month fundraiser for DC Bocce's Movember Team: http://us.movember.com/team/520241
A $10 donation gets you great food & drink specials for the evening, plus we will be holding a raffle with some rather awesome prizes (see below, with more to come)! Come by and check out the best looking Movember team in the DC area, bar none. The first 10 attendees get a free Peroni as part of their generous donation! And if you can't attend, please donate to our team: http://us.movember.com/team/520241
DRINK SPECIALS
$4 Peroni and Blue Moon drafts
$5 rail drinks from the bar
$4 drafts from our private beer tap tables
FOOD SPECIALS
Lou's juicy new sliders at 2-for-$5 or 4-for-$9 including:
- Turkey Burger Slider
- House-made Veggie Slider
- Portobello Slider
- Classic Hamburger Slider
RAFFLE ITEMS (with more to come!)
- Lou’s City Bar: free party at your own beer tap table
- Rosetta Stone: 1-year subscription for the language of your choosing (2 available)
- Off Road Indoor Cycling: 5-class pass (choose between indoor cycling, boxing, TRX, and power circuit)
- The Pretzel Bakery: coupon for a half dozen free pretzels (4 available)
- DC Brau: growler with unlimited refills in December (limit one per visit)
Are you in DC for Thanksgiving? What are you planning to do?
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While I'm sure a lot of folks in our area are heading elsewhere for Turkey Time, many are remaining in town. I've mostly gone home, but a few times I've stayed in town, eating with friends or hosting family who came to town. Plus there are folks who are DC natives.
It's kind of fun to be here for the holiday, the city is a lot emptier and there's still some things to do -- I remember going to a very empty but fun Black Cat one Thanksgiving night after eating with friends.
So what are your plans? Let us know in the comments! I'll run a post later with possibilities for things to go.
It's kind of fun to be here for the holiday, the city is a lot emptier and there's still some things to do -- I remember going to a very empty but fun Black Cat one Thanksgiving night after eating with friends.
So what are your plans? Let us know in the comments! I'll run a post later with possibilities for things to go.
Columbia Heights Metro by the numbers, and a video of all WMATA trips
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Lately a lot of data-crunching has come out about Metro ridership -- WMATA makes its data available, meaning people (and nerds) can crunch and explore it, and recently they just did a big data dump from May, 2012 on their PlanItMetro blog -- and here are some results!
The first, and most visually interesting, is this map showing each trip on Metrobus and Metrorail over the course of a day. As time goes on, you can see the city start to fill up, and 16th, 14th, Sherman and Georgia are pretty evident. Pretty fun to watch and gape at a bit. (h/t to DCist for noticing it.)
Now to the more hardcore data-y: the blog Greater Greater Washington did an analysis of which Metro stations are most popular during AM and PM rush hours, and which are popular late night and mid-day. I was a bit surprised Columbia Heights isn't on there for PM rush hour, as it's pretty crowded, but I guess compared to somewhere like Farragut North it's no contest. What's interesting though is that Columbia Heights is the 3rd most busy exit point for the evenings after Dupont and Gallery Place -- evening being the time after PM rush hour to midnight. That's probably due to folks coming to shop after work or going to our various bars and restaurants. Nice to see that.
The City Paper also did some analysis, but on the single-trip basis, mostly. Columbia Heights doesn't appear on the most or least popular trips for the most part, but it turns out that Gallery Place-Columbia Heights is the single most popular late night trip. Woo!
Pretty fun stuff. Anything interesting you notice? Or have you done any analysis on your own of it? If I get a chance, I'll check it out soon!
The first, and most visually interesting, is this map showing each trip on Metrobus and Metrorail over the course of a day. As time goes on, you can see the city start to fill up, and 16th, 14th, Sherman and Georgia are pretty evident. Pretty fun to watch and gape at a bit. (h/t to DCist for noticing it.)
Now to the more hardcore data-y: the blog Greater Greater Washington did an analysis of which Metro stations are most popular during AM and PM rush hours, and which are popular late night and mid-day. I was a bit surprised Columbia Heights isn't on there for PM rush hour, as it's pretty crowded, but I guess compared to somewhere like Farragut North it's no contest. What's interesting though is that Columbia Heights is the 3rd most busy exit point for the evenings after Dupont and Gallery Place -- evening being the time after PM rush hour to midnight. That's probably due to folks coming to shop after work or going to our various bars and restaurants. Nice to see that.
The City Paper also did some analysis, but on the single-trip basis, mostly. Columbia Heights doesn't appear on the most or least popular trips for the most part, but it turns out that Gallery Place-Columbia Heights is the single most popular late night trip. Woo!
Pretty fun stuff. Anything interesting you notice? Or have you done any analysis on your own of it? If I get a chance, I'll check it out soon!
Columbia Heights Christmas Tree lighting Dec. 1, plus charity happy hour after!
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Our neighborhood's annual tree lighting is upon us -- it's Saturday, Dec. 1 at the Columbia Heights Civic Plaza (the triangle bordered by 14th, Park and Kenyon.) The event is sponsored by the District Church, Giant, local anti-poverty nonprofit Collaborate to Impact, plus Cava and The Coupe. It starts at 6:30 pm. Here's more about from their Facebook page -- there will also be Christmas carols from local musicians and hot beverages. Sounds like fun.
And if you want to continue the holiday spirit afterwards, a number of local bars and restaurants are holding a charity happy hour afterwards! You can get tickets at the tree lighting, at participating spots, the Latin American Youth Center, or online from Collaborate to Impact. The event benefits the Homeless Playtime Project, the Latin American Youth Center, and the Parkview Kids Zone.
(Click the flyer for more.)
Here's the schedule for the charity happy hour:
Our neighborhood's annual tree lighting is upon us -- it's Saturday, Dec. 1 at the Columbia Heights Civic Plaza (the triangle bordered by 14th, Park and Kenyon.) The event is sponsored by the District Church, Giant, local anti-poverty nonprofit Collaborate to Impact, plus Cava and The Coupe. It starts at 6:30 pm. Here's more about from their Facebook page -- there will also be Christmas carols from local musicians and hot beverages. Sounds like fun.And if you want to continue the holiday spirit afterwards, a number of local bars and restaurants are holding a charity happy hour afterwards! You can get tickets at the tree lighting, at participating spots, the Latin American Youth Center, or online from Collaborate to Impact. The event benefits the Homeless Playtime Project, the Latin American Youth Center, and the Parkview Kids Zone.
(Click the flyer for more.)
Here's the schedule for the charity happy hour:
7:00pm – 9:00pm
Coffy Café
Holiday Cookie Decorating
Specials:
• Holiday cookies to decorate
• Mini Crepe Special
7:30pm
Alero
Rudolf Raffle Drawing
TBA
8:00pm -8:30pm
Lou’s City Bar
Santa’s Merry Match Game
Holiday Photo Booth
Specials:
• $2 off Seasonal Beers
9:00pm- 11:00pm
The Getaway
District Karaoke Caroling
Late Night Dance Party
Specials:
• Free Holiday Cocktail
• $5 Special:
-Smokin’ Apple Cocktail
-Night Harvest Cabernet
-Night Harvest Chardonnay
28 Kasım 2012 Çarşamba
Postcard from the Road
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Yesterday we were among those 883,000 Marylander's on themove for the Thanksgiving holiday. Yesterday afternoon Peanut and I flew out ofBWI airport for our annual trek to my sisters home inSt. Augustine Beach Maryland ," said AAA spokeswoman RaginaAverella. "We're in a really good location on the East Coast, with manydestinations two to four hours away. For a family with two or three children,it's cheaper to drive than fly."
I can attest to that. Even with taking advantage of earlydiscounts, the round trip cost for Peanut and I to fly south was almost athousand bucks.
It’s worth it though. We’ll spend a few days here withfamily and head back home before we've had a chance to do too much damage. Asmy mother used to say, “after three days, out of town guests and fish start tostink.”
Happy Thanksgiving.
Yesterday we were among those 883,000 Marylander's on themove for the Thanksgiving holiday. Yesterday afternoon Peanut and I flew out ofBWI airport for our annual trek to my sisters home in
I can attest to that. Even with taking advantage of earlydiscounts, the round trip cost for Peanut and I to fly south was almost athousand bucks.
It’s worth it though. We’ll spend a few days here withfamily and head back home before we've had a chance to do too much damage. Asmy mother used to say, “after three days, out of town guests and fish start tostink.”
Happy Thanksgiving.
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
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Friday afternoon my sister asked me if I had an American Express card.
I do.
“Did you get your free money?” she asked. I had no idea whatshe was talking about.
“If you have an American Express card you can get a $25.00credit if you use the card to patronize any of their small business clients onSmall Business Saturday.”
I didn't get that memo. Fortunately, it wasn't too late so Iwent to the website and signed up. Last night, after I got home, I picked up asix pack of New Belgium 1554 from Kelly’s Liquors inEllicott City , realizing a net gain of about fifteen bucks.
That’s the good.
Last night Mama Wordbones and I decided to catch the eight o’clockshowing ofLincoln at the AMC Theatres indowntown Columbia .I purchased the tickets around six o’clock on Fandango. Unlike the Regal Cinemas at Snowden, the AMC Theatres do not allow you to print out the actualticket at home. For AMC you need to pick up at the box office or at one oftheir automated ticket stations outside the entrance. At the downtown AMC Theatres there are five of these. Last night only one was functioning. The linefor remaining machine rivaled that of the box office. We decided to split up tocover both in the event that one turned out to move faster.
They both moved slowed. After a time, a gentleman in an AMCshirt stepped out of the doors of the theatre and started talking into amicrophone. The sound quality was on par with that a subway car announcementand nobody around me at least could make out a single word he said. Someone yelled out andasked him if the customer service window was open. He nodded, briefly, beforeretreating back inside.
That was the bad. You’d think that the theatre would gear upfor the Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend, but apparently no one at AMC got thatmemo either.
About a month ago I started experiencing problems withDisqus, the commenting widget that I employ here at To2C. I thought that Icould fix the issue by simply upgrading to the latest version. I thoughtincorrectly.
Several readers and a couple of regular commenter’s havetold me that they continue to have problems posting comments. I’m sorry. Please bear with me. I realizethat the fix is beyond my limited technology skills. For all I know I might havemade a bad situation worse with the upgrade.
That’s the ugly. Hopefully the offer of help from my friendJamie Howard is still valid and a solution to this problem will soon be found.I hope he get’s this memo.
Friday afternoon my sister asked me if I had an American Express card.
I do.
“Did you get your free money?” she asked. I had no idea whatshe was talking about.
“If you have an American Express card you can get a $25.00credit if you use the card to patronize any of their small business clients onSmall Business Saturday.”
I didn't get that memo. Fortunately, it wasn't too late so Iwent to the website and signed up. Last night, after I got home, I picked up asix pack of New Belgium 1554 from Kelly’s Liquors in
That’s the good.
Last night Mama Wordbones and I decided to catch the eight o’clockshowing of
They both moved slowed. After a time, a gentleman in an AMCshirt stepped out of the doors of the theatre and started talking into amicrophone. The sound quality was on par with that a subway car announcementand nobody around me at least could make out a single word he said. Someone yelled out andasked him if the customer service window was open. He nodded, briefly, beforeretreating back inside.
That was the bad. You’d think that the theatre would gear upfor the Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend, but apparently no one at AMC got thatmemo either.
About a month ago I started experiencing problems withDisqus, the commenting widget that I employ here at To2C. I thought that Icould fix the issue by simply upgrading to the latest version. I thoughtincorrectly.
Several readers and a couple of regular commenter’s havetold me that they continue to have problems posting comments. I’m sorry. Please bear with me. I realizethat the fix is beyond my limited technology skills. For all I know I might havemade a bad situation worse with the upgrade.
That’s the ugly. Hopefully the offer of help from my friendJamie Howard is still valid and a solution to this problem will soon be found.I hope he get’s this memo.
Toy Story
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Despite intense competition from big box retailers andonline shopping, small independent toy stores continue to thrive. According tothis story by Lorraine Mirabella in The Sun, “more than three-quarters ofindependent business owners said they believed consumers are more aware of thevalue of locally owned businesses.”
The best independent toy store for my money is Mumbles and Squeaks onMain Street in Ellicott City . The twenty year old toy store has established a regional reputation for having unique and hard to findtoys.
“The shop, which is spread out over four rooms on two floorson Ellicott City's Main Street, competes by focusing on quality, customerservice and "trying to stay cutting-edge,…"
It's a strategy that works. I've been shopping there for years.
Despite intense competition from big box retailers andonline shopping, small independent toy stores continue to thrive. According tothis story by Lorraine Mirabella in The Sun, “more than three-quarters ofindependent business owners said they believed consumers are more aware of thevalue of locally owned businesses.”
The best independent toy store for my money is Mumbles and Squeaks on
“The shop, which is spread out over four rooms on two floorson Ellicott City's Main Street, competes by focusing on quality, customerservice and "trying to stay cutting-edge,…"
It's a strategy that works. I've been shopping there for years.
Clover or Wildflower
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At the last Second Sunday Market, I stopped by the Apex Bee Company booth. With the onset of cold weather, we tend to go through honeyquicker than in the warmer months. If you've ever warmed your pipes with tea, whiskey and honey you’ll know what I’m talking about.
“Would you like clover or wildflower,” the beekeeper asked.
I didn't know there was a difference. I thought honey washoney. I’m not very well versed in apiculture. She offered a taste of both.They were different. I thought the clover was a little less interesting thanthe wildflower. I went with the wildflower.
Honey isn't just for whiskey either. In this post by JamesByrne on the Scientific American blog I learned that it “has some prettyamazing properties, it’s broadly antimicrobial and seemingly able to promotehealing.”
“While only preliminary, it seems honey and its variouscomponents might have more secrets to unveil which will further develop ourunderstanding of the anti-microbial nature of this environmental product and atthe same time its pro-immune responses elicited when we use it.”
Byrne suggests that you “should rub honey on your everywhere."
Sweet!
According to a tag affixed to the jar, my wildflower honeycame from Honey Bee Restoration Project Hive #2 located inFreeland , MD.
That’s good stuff.
At the last Second Sunday Market, I stopped by the Apex Bee Company booth. With the onset of cold weather, we tend to go through honeyquicker than in the warmer months. If you've ever warmed your pipes with tea, whiskey and honey you’ll know what I’m talking about.
“Would you like clover or wildflower,” the beekeeper asked.
I didn't know there was a difference. I thought honey washoney. I’m not very well versed in apiculture. She offered a taste of both.They were different. I thought the clover was a little less interesting thanthe wildflower. I went with the wildflower.
Honey isn't just for whiskey either. In this post by JamesByrne on the Scientific American blog I learned that it “has some prettyamazing properties, it’s broadly antimicrobial and seemingly able to promotehealing.”
“While only preliminary, it seems honey and its variouscomponents might have more secrets to unveil which will further develop ourunderstanding of the anti-microbial nature of this environmental product and atthe same time its pro-immune responses elicited when we use it.”
Byrne suggests that you “should rub honey on your everywhere."
Sweet!
According to a tag affixed to the jar, my wildflower honeycame from Honey Bee Restoration Project Hive #2 located in
That’s good stuff.
Are Drive Thru Lanes a Gender Issue?
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Yesterday, in the county council work session on a developers request to permit drive thru lanes in a Transit Oriented District,Marsha McLaughlin pointed out that the Planning Board voted along gender linesin rejecting the change. Jacqueline Easley, the sole female member of the fivemember board, pointed out that drive thrus are helpful when you have three kidsin the car. She cast the only vote in support of the change.
The three women on the council seemed to empathize, thoughCalvin Ball and Greg Fox both pointed out that they were dads and therefore notunsympathetic to the challenge of dealing with three kids in the car. Gregappeared to support the Planning Boards decision.
The bottom line is that drive-through lanes, particularlyfor fast food, are bad. According to this post on the Sierra Club blog, carsidling in drive thru lanes are a big waste of energy.
“Taking the fast-food industry as an example, and takinginto account that the average McDonald's drive-through wait is 159 seconds, wecan calculate that the company's consumers burn some 7.25 million gallons ofgas each year. The figure for the entireU.S. fast-food industry? Roughly 50million gallons.”
There is also the health issue. It seems to me that gettingthose three kids out of the car and moving around is a good way to negate the impactof eating fast food.
Then again, I am a man…and a dad.
The three women on the council seemed to empathize, thoughCalvin Ball and Greg Fox both pointed out that they were dads and therefore notunsympathetic to the challenge of dealing with three kids in the car. Gregappeared to support the Planning Boards decision.
The bottom line is that drive-through lanes, particularlyfor fast food, are bad. According to this post on the Sierra Club blog, carsidling in drive thru lanes are a big waste of energy.
“Taking the fast-food industry as an example, and takinginto account that the average McDonald's drive-through wait is 159 seconds, wecan calculate that the company's consumers burn some 7.25 million gallons ofgas each year. The figure for the entire
There is also the health issue. It seems to me that gettingthose three kids out of the car and moving around is a good way to negate the impactof eating fast food.
Then again, I am a man…and a dad.
27 Kasım 2012 Salı
A Little Pintereality - Birthday Decoration Style
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In three short weeks, my little love will be celebrating his FIRST birthday!
I've been spending hours on Pinterest, browsing for party ideas, making myself feel totally inadequate for my lack of craftiness and creativity.
I admit, I momentarily considered buying a decoration package from an Etsy shop - perfectly coordinated b-day banners, cupcake toppers, posters - you know, something that to my guests would appear homemade - but would lack the imperfections that my handiwork would be sure to leave behind.
Snapping out of my moment of crazy, I realized, he's turning one. ONE. It's very likely he won't remember the party when he wakes up the next morning. Why pay someone to make decorations? And why stress myself over creating a picture picture, themed day, when I know that's really not my forte. Create a fun day for the little man and put out a spread of great food - those are things I CAN do!
But...I'm not saying that I want the house to look same old, same old for N's big day. I do have a color scheme in mind (red, blue, and green)and a few decoration ideas that I think even I can handle (photo banner, printables).
Tonight's project was an attempt at recreating a printable I found on Pinterest, pictured below. The Pinterest link was broken, so I wasn't able to link to the original poster. Know that I DID NOT create this image.
At the bottom of the picture is a quote from the Dr. Seuss Happy Birthday To You! book.
"Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive you is you-er than you."
This became the inspiration for my own customized printable - below.
It's a work in progress, but I'm pretty happy with the results so far. I'd love to download some interesting fonts (free, of course) and play around with the layout and colors. If you know of a website with free fonts, send it my way!
Dr. Seuss sure was right, Nolan - no one is "you-er than you!" :)
I've been spending hours on Pinterest, browsing for party ideas, making myself feel totally inadequate for my lack of craftiness and creativity.
I admit, I momentarily considered buying a decoration package from an Etsy shop - perfectly coordinated b-day banners, cupcake toppers, posters - you know, something that to my guests would appear homemade - but would lack the imperfections that my handiwork would be sure to leave behind.
Snapping out of my moment of crazy, I realized, he's turning one. ONE. It's very likely he won't remember the party when he wakes up the next morning. Why pay someone to make decorations? And why stress myself over creating a picture picture, themed day, when I know that's really not my forte. Create a fun day for the little man and put out a spread of great food - those are things I CAN do!
But...I'm not saying that I want the house to look same old, same old for N's big day. I do have a color scheme in mind (red, blue, and green)and a few decoration ideas that I think even I can handle (photo banner, printables).
Tonight's project was an attempt at recreating a printable I found on Pinterest, pictured below. The Pinterest link was broken, so I wasn't able to link to the original poster. Know that I DID NOT create this image.
At the bottom of the picture is a quote from the Dr. Seuss Happy Birthday To You! book.
"Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive you is you-er than you."
This became the inspiration for my own customized printable - below.
It's a work in progress, but I'm pretty happy with the results so far. I'd love to download some interesting fonts (free, of course) and play around with the layout and colors. If you know of a website with free fonts, send it my way!
Dr. Seuss sure was right, Nolan - no one is "you-er than you!" :)
It's been a nightmare..
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I never imagined that when I was rear ended and through no fault of my own I would have so much stress, tears and headache associated with this whole ordeal.
If you (like myself) have never been in an auto accident before, you are more and likely ignorant to everything (like myself). You want to believe in the good of the insurance companies. You want to believe that they aren't as evil as lawyers make them out to be.
You think, "okay,I was hurt, they will pay my medical bills as they come". Only, they don't. They won't pay until you settle. If you are like the majority of Americans and don't have health insurance, and your OWN insurance PIP (MedPay) is exhausted in hospital bills, you are virtually screwed.
(Before I go any further, I want to say I love my insurance company, State Farm, they have gone out of their way to reach out to the at fault company and help me, they have made calls on my behalf to get the adjuster(s) of the at fault company to call me back when they otherwise had given me the run around. I think having a policy with them, has proven time and again that they are a wonderful company with hearts. I won't mention the name of the at fault driver's company for legal reason, but it is an insurance giant. THANK YOU LORD, for my insurance, with out them I would have been royally hung out to dry. It also reaffirms my decision in keeping them for all my Dad's new construction policies, they are there when you need them, they don't dodge ball you, I'd recommend them to ANYONE)..
With no money to pay them yourself, and kids to feed, you know you are hurt, but you stop treatment in order to try and hurry a settlement so that your bills will be paid in a timely manner.
You realize any attorney will take 1/3rd of your settlement, and with your medical bills being high, and no real guarantee or no set in stone number of what they will even ask for during consultations, and you are told by attorney after attorney that they can't guarantee even your medical bills will be covered after their fees, you are left to your own devices.
You act as your own paralegal, you collect all your medical bills, you make copies of everything, calculate your mileage and fuel costs and out of pocket expenses and you prepare a demand letter to submit to the at fault insurance company.
You call them and nag them every other day, sometimes you give them a week.
Your bills are coming in and you are being threatened by the hospitals to have your account turned to collections. You are given the run around by all parties involved (those you owe money to, and those who owe money to you).
Your stress causes heartburn, your anxiety causes lost sleep and you don't know huge legal terms and kind of try to wing it.Eventually you do hear from the at fault insurance company who offers to pay all your medical but says they can only give you $1,000 for your personal injury/pain and suffering. Mind you your under duress and you have stopped treatment just in order to get the bill collectors at the facilities you were treated at off your back and to rush a settlement. You ask for slightly more. You tell them about your med pay and they offer to reimburse your med pay and hospital expenses.
You are left to think about it over night, meanwhile the big insurance giant knows they have you where they want you.
AND with all do respect, I know they have a job to do, but it just sucks you're unfortunately at their mercy, even when the accident was not your fault.
Two days go by and you call and call. No one calls back, so you ask to speak to their supervisor, only it's a message machine (always is). You inform them that you have done all you could on your part, you've done the leg work to collect all the bills, you've submitted everything accordingly and you demand a settlement or you will take their policy holder to court (who in turn can take their insurance agent to court for bad faith).
15 minutes later (literally) you get a call from your adjuster. You feel bad for calling on them, because it is their job, but you also feel bad for yourself because you're swamped in bills you should not have to be up to your ears in.
They offer $500 more. So at this point you have your medical bills being offered to be paid out (your main concern), your 2 thousand dollar med pay reimbursed to you and $1,500 from them. You say "I accept", just please pay these bills soon.
You are told, once you sign and fax this release, (releasing their policy holder and them from all future medical claims) and scan and upload it to them, they will cut you a check and pay out your providers within the next day. You read it over have a few questions but ultimately sign your life away and sent it over.
Within two hours the claims website emails you to notify you a check has been issued do your portion of the settlement.
After re reading the release you notice strange language, that includes property damage, and you think, "oh dear lord, did I just screw my insurance company out of their subrogation"?? You panic, you're up all night calling your insurance and theirs (mind you your insurance has yet to contact you about subrogation and you have no idea how it even works, just that you may of signed your rights away and become responsible for paying it back and your personal settlement doesn't even cover collision damages).
You're sick to your stomach, you cry your eyes out, you feel tricked and deceived and you submit a quick letter to the claims website asking to retract your signed release due to the fact "money is not in hand" as the contract states and that you felt you were not given all information needed and signed it under duress with out a witness.
The very next morning you get a call from the at fault company bright and early, promising that it's only a medical release and nothing more,promising subrogation will still be paid out. You feel relieved but still skeptical, so you record the entire conversation and the phone messages. You get a letter back from said insurance company promising it is only a medical release. You feel relieved...
FOR THE TIME BEING.
An attorney tells you it can be a trick, your insurance company says it should be fine and you're left praying this person has a heart and won't screw you over.
That is where I am today, two months exactly after my accident. A check is on the way - which will go directly to savings and untouched for a long time until all this is over - just in case. And your medical bills have yet to be paid off - STILL.
The icing to the cake? You get a final notice from the hospital today, to pay the remaining $2,500 you owe, even though your insurance company just forked them $2,000 in med pay. You ask for an extension until the at fault company pays it off and let them know you just settled and it will be any day now. They tell you, "no" and say you have 18 days to pay or you go to collections, you ask to set up a payment plan and are told it could take a week.
I am praying that this will all be over soon. I am praying so hard I never have to deal with this again. Someone who is injured through no fault of their own should NEVER have to go through what I have gone through. NEVER.
My spinal, and neck vertebrae are still dislocated, my stress is so high my blood pressure is higher than it's ever been, and my anxiety is insane. When I drive I always get a horrible burst of anxiety as some one gets too close or speeds up on my tail end. I don't feel I will ever be the same - EVER.
Was all this worth a $1500 settlement? I'd say NO, but when you have kids and need the bills off your back, it is.
My advice next time? (God forbid)? Go attorney shopping, find a good one. One who will not RUSH through the consult, one that wants to MEET with you IN PERSON, as opposed to just their paralegal. Sure an attorney is 1/3 contingency fee, BUT, they KNOW what they are doing (you do not), and chances are big insurance also knows this and will toy with your emotions.
It's worth it to not have the stress. COMPLETELY.
I pray to god it wasn't worse, and I am thankful to God, my children were not with me that one time (as any other time they would have been). I am so thankful. I am however very upset with the turn of events.
I am thankful that this will hopefully be all over as soon as my medical payments are paid out and I am no longer in credit limbo for something I did not do.
I want to cry - STILL.
I am sensitive, and I stress easily, it's hard to take care of your kids when you are stressed to death, and you can't pick them up because your lower back is aching.
There are a lot of "woulda, shoulda, and coulda's" involved. I just want the nightmare to end.
I want to never see a commercial with that smiling little insurance character EVER again. - Sadly one is right by my house (agh).
Again, I should say I have no real hard feelings for my adjuster, she is just doing her job, and is probably up to her neck in claims. If only people would learn to pay attention when they drive, be considerate of others they share the road with, and if only you had magical powers to make your car disappear when someone is fixing to hit you.
If only....
I don't wish this on my worst enemy.
If you (like myself) have never been in an auto accident before, you are more and likely ignorant to everything (like myself). You want to believe in the good of the insurance companies. You want to believe that they aren't as evil as lawyers make them out to be.
You think, "okay,I was hurt, they will pay my medical bills as they come". Only, they don't. They won't pay until you settle. If you are like the majority of Americans and don't have health insurance, and your OWN insurance PIP (MedPay) is exhausted in hospital bills, you are virtually screwed.
(Before I go any further, I want to say I love my insurance company, State Farm, they have gone out of their way to reach out to the at fault company and help me, they have made calls on my behalf to get the adjuster(s) of the at fault company to call me back when they otherwise had given me the run around. I think having a policy with them, has proven time and again that they are a wonderful company with hearts. I won't mention the name of the at fault driver's company for legal reason, but it is an insurance giant. THANK YOU LORD, for my insurance, with out them I would have been royally hung out to dry. It also reaffirms my decision in keeping them for all my Dad's new construction policies, they are there when you need them, they don't dodge ball you, I'd recommend them to ANYONE)..
With no money to pay them yourself, and kids to feed, you know you are hurt, but you stop treatment in order to try and hurry a settlement so that your bills will be paid in a timely manner.
You realize any attorney will take 1/3rd of your settlement, and with your medical bills being high, and no real guarantee or no set in stone number of what they will even ask for during consultations, and you are told by attorney after attorney that they can't guarantee even your medical bills will be covered after their fees, you are left to your own devices.
You act as your own paralegal, you collect all your medical bills, you make copies of everything, calculate your mileage and fuel costs and out of pocket expenses and you prepare a demand letter to submit to the at fault insurance company.
You call them and nag them every other day, sometimes you give them a week.
Your bills are coming in and you are being threatened by the hospitals to have your account turned to collections. You are given the run around by all parties involved (those you owe money to, and those who owe money to you).
Your stress causes heartburn, your anxiety causes lost sleep and you don't know huge legal terms and kind of try to wing it.Eventually you do hear from the at fault insurance company who offers to pay all your medical but says they can only give you $1,000 for your personal injury/pain and suffering. Mind you your under duress and you have stopped treatment just in order to get the bill collectors at the facilities you were treated at off your back and to rush a settlement. You ask for slightly more. You tell them about your med pay and they offer to reimburse your med pay and hospital expenses.
You are left to think about it over night, meanwhile the big insurance giant knows they have you where they want you.
AND with all do respect, I know they have a job to do, but it just sucks you're unfortunately at their mercy, even when the accident was not your fault.
Two days go by and you call and call. No one calls back, so you ask to speak to their supervisor, only it's a message machine (always is). You inform them that you have done all you could on your part, you've done the leg work to collect all the bills, you've submitted everything accordingly and you demand a settlement or you will take their policy holder to court (who in turn can take their insurance agent to court for bad faith).
15 minutes later (literally) you get a call from your adjuster. You feel bad for calling on them, because it is their job, but you also feel bad for yourself because you're swamped in bills you should not have to be up to your ears in.
They offer $500 more. So at this point you have your medical bills being offered to be paid out (your main concern), your 2 thousand dollar med pay reimbursed to you and $1,500 from them. You say "I accept", just please pay these bills soon.
You are told, once you sign and fax this release, (releasing their policy holder and them from all future medical claims) and scan and upload it to them, they will cut you a check and pay out your providers within the next day. You read it over have a few questions but ultimately sign your life away and sent it over.
Within two hours the claims website emails you to notify you a check has been issued do your portion of the settlement.
After re reading the release you notice strange language, that includes property damage, and you think, "oh dear lord, did I just screw my insurance company out of their subrogation"?? You panic, you're up all night calling your insurance and theirs (mind you your insurance has yet to contact you about subrogation and you have no idea how it even works, just that you may of signed your rights away and become responsible for paying it back and your personal settlement doesn't even cover collision damages).
You're sick to your stomach, you cry your eyes out, you feel tricked and deceived and you submit a quick letter to the claims website asking to retract your signed release due to the fact "money is not in hand" as the contract states and that you felt you were not given all information needed and signed it under duress with out a witness.
The very next morning you get a call from the at fault company bright and early, promising that it's only a medical release and nothing more,promising subrogation will still be paid out. You feel relieved but still skeptical, so you record the entire conversation and the phone messages. You get a letter back from said insurance company promising it is only a medical release. You feel relieved...
FOR THE TIME BEING.
An attorney tells you it can be a trick, your insurance company says it should be fine and you're left praying this person has a heart and won't screw you over.
That is where I am today, two months exactly after my accident. A check is on the way - which will go directly to savings and untouched for a long time until all this is over - just in case. And your medical bills have yet to be paid off - STILL.
The icing to the cake? You get a final notice from the hospital today, to pay the remaining $2,500 you owe, even though your insurance company just forked them $2,000 in med pay. You ask for an extension until the at fault company pays it off and let them know you just settled and it will be any day now. They tell you, "no" and say you have 18 days to pay or you go to collections, you ask to set up a payment plan and are told it could take a week.
I am praying that this will all be over soon. I am praying so hard I never have to deal with this again. Someone who is injured through no fault of their own should NEVER have to go through what I have gone through. NEVER.
My spinal, and neck vertebrae are still dislocated, my stress is so high my blood pressure is higher than it's ever been, and my anxiety is insane. When I drive I always get a horrible burst of anxiety as some one gets too close or speeds up on my tail end. I don't feel I will ever be the same - EVER.
Was all this worth a $1500 settlement? I'd say NO, but when you have kids and need the bills off your back, it is.
My advice next time? (God forbid)? Go attorney shopping, find a good one. One who will not RUSH through the consult, one that wants to MEET with you IN PERSON, as opposed to just their paralegal. Sure an attorney is 1/3 contingency fee, BUT, they KNOW what they are doing (you do not), and chances are big insurance also knows this and will toy with your emotions.
It's worth it to not have the stress. COMPLETELY.
I pray to god it wasn't worse, and I am thankful to God, my children were not with me that one time (as any other time they would have been). I am so thankful. I am however very upset with the turn of events.
I am thankful that this will hopefully be all over as soon as my medical payments are paid out and I am no longer in credit limbo for something I did not do.
I want to cry - STILL.
I am sensitive, and I stress easily, it's hard to take care of your kids when you are stressed to death, and you can't pick them up because your lower back is aching.
There are a lot of "woulda, shoulda, and coulda's" involved. I just want the nightmare to end.
I want to never see a commercial with that smiling little insurance character EVER again. - Sadly one is right by my house (agh).
Again, I should say I have no real hard feelings for my adjuster, she is just doing her job, and is probably up to her neck in claims. If only people would learn to pay attention when they drive, be considerate of others they share the road with, and if only you had magical powers to make your car disappear when someone is fixing to hit you.
If only....
I don't wish this on my worst enemy.
Summer's No Fun When Your AC Unit Dies..
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..Summers. Normally they can be enjoyable; time in the sprinkler or pool, warm weather, lots of outdoor fun with the kids, a tall glass of iced tea. No, not this summer. It's been the hottest summer in Fayetteville, since I can remember. It's so hot, we've spend many a day inside cooling off and letting the 105+ humid days roll by, praying for a nice long fall to not skip us again this year.
And then, one day, as luck would have it, I am sitting in the den when my breaker box starts making an on and off buzzing or humming noise, the lights begin to flicker and I am like "great, we have an electrical issue, wonder how costly this is going to be".
After isolating it to the breaker controlling the air conditioning unit, we replace the breaker switch, just to learn it wasn't the problem. So instead, to avoid a risk of a possible fire (I guess, I don't know it didn't sound too nice, don't want to take my chances), we turn the a/c off and wait until morning.
So, at this point, I am not sure who to call. The A/C is running fine, but the breaker box wants to sound like it's going to burst when it's on. Do I call an HVAC tech or do I call an electrician? hmmm, I think a while..
I call a random electrician here in Fayetteville, I explain my problem, tell him I replaced the breaker switch, tell him it's ONLY when the a/c comes on and the lights flicker the box makes a loud noise. I ask, "honestly, do you think this is an electrical issue or an hvac issue". He tells me, "it's electrical". I ask what is fee to diagnose the problem is, he tells me "$75 service fee and then $69 an hour to fix it". I tell him "okay, come on by".
He shows up, he and his assistant turn my oven burners on the highest heat setting EVER, leave them on and my smoke alarm goes off and my house smells like death. After a while he turns it off, does more testing with a meter at the breaker box then says, "let me try the a/c" - which is what i told him it was to begin with mind you! After that he says, "it's your ac" I say, "I know, so is it something on your end you can fix"? He says, "no you'll need an hvac tech". okaaaaay?? Did I not just ask him this? Did he just waste 20 minutes to test my oven which isn't even on the same circuit as my a/c to tell me what I told him on the phone?
So I feel kind of "duped" and when I am ready to pay I am expecting to pay the $75 service charge. Only he tells me $95!? I mean, I am all for paying the $75 because he came out, but why am I being charge $20 for 20 minutes?! NOTHING was fixed! There was no electrical issue, $20 is a lot to me. Anyway I don't say anything and pay it, but I can't help but feel totally blind sided and taken advantage of. I semi want to tell the world who the company was, but am hesitant. AND the kicker?! He has me make a personal check out TO HIM, not the COMPANY? He must be the owner..but very shoddy, to take advantage of apotential client and know the problem isn't electrical but weazle your way in to get 95 bucks..YOU'RE WELCOME sheister!! But do know you won't get reference in the market I work in :)) Bad call for you!
Moving along, we called our usual a/c guy, who will come today to diagnose it, which is a $65 service charge..part of me thinks it is going to be a pricey part, and the unit is old, I pray he can fix it for the time being, but I feel it is going to need a new unit.
I have no idea what a new unit will run for a just under 1300 sq. ft. home with existing duct work. I'm sure it's 3k+ and to be honest that exhausts both my savings and credit line.
(SIGH)..ooooh a/c, why couldn't you wait to take your final sputters towards fall. Why during the hottest summer in God's Green earth when times are already tight must you decide it's time to commit suicide.
If by chance an hvac tech happens upon this post and lives in my area, and wants to qoute me for a new unit, I'd be more than happy to consider it.
As it stands, I have a migraine, I want to cry and my luck just comes in the worst assortment.
THANK GOD I have been doing well with couponing..or else I'd really barely get by. Well, so much for budget remodels, more issues have suddenly sucked me dry of money.
It really is, waaaaaaaaaaay to hot for the a/c to be down :((
And then, one day, as luck would have it, I am sitting in the den when my breaker box starts making an on and off buzzing or humming noise, the lights begin to flicker and I am like "great, we have an electrical issue, wonder how costly this is going to be".
After isolating it to the breaker controlling the air conditioning unit, we replace the breaker switch, just to learn it wasn't the problem. So instead, to avoid a risk of a possible fire (I guess, I don't know it didn't sound too nice, don't want to take my chances), we turn the a/c off and wait until morning.
So, at this point, I am not sure who to call. The A/C is running fine, but the breaker box wants to sound like it's going to burst when it's on. Do I call an HVAC tech or do I call an electrician? hmmm, I think a while..
I call a random electrician here in Fayetteville, I explain my problem, tell him I replaced the breaker switch, tell him it's ONLY when the a/c comes on and the lights flicker the box makes a loud noise. I ask, "honestly, do you think this is an electrical issue or an hvac issue". He tells me, "it's electrical". I ask what is fee to diagnose the problem is, he tells me "$75 service fee and then $69 an hour to fix it". I tell him "okay, come on by".
He shows up, he and his assistant turn my oven burners on the highest heat setting EVER, leave them on and my smoke alarm goes off and my house smells like death. After a while he turns it off, does more testing with a meter at the breaker box then says, "let me try the a/c" - which is what i told him it was to begin with mind you! After that he says, "it's your ac" I say, "I know, so is it something on your end you can fix"? He says, "no you'll need an hvac tech". okaaaaay?? Did I not just ask him this? Did he just waste 20 minutes to test my oven which isn't even on the same circuit as my a/c to tell me what I told him on the phone?
So I feel kind of "duped" and when I am ready to pay I am expecting to pay the $75 service charge. Only he tells me $95!? I mean, I am all for paying the $75 because he came out, but why am I being charge $20 for 20 minutes?! NOTHING was fixed! There was no electrical issue, $20 is a lot to me. Anyway I don't say anything and pay it, but I can't help but feel totally blind sided and taken advantage of. I semi want to tell the world who the company was, but am hesitant. AND the kicker?! He has me make a personal check out TO HIM, not the COMPANY? He must be the owner..but very shoddy, to take advantage of apotential client and know the problem isn't electrical but weazle your way in to get 95 bucks..YOU'RE WELCOME sheister!! But do know you won't get reference in the market I work in :)) Bad call for you!
Moving along, we called our usual a/c guy, who will come today to diagnose it, which is a $65 service charge..part of me thinks it is going to be a pricey part, and the unit is old, I pray he can fix it for the time being, but I feel it is going to need a new unit.
I have no idea what a new unit will run for a just under 1300 sq. ft. home with existing duct work. I'm sure it's 3k+ and to be honest that exhausts both my savings and credit line.
(SIGH)..ooooh a/c, why couldn't you wait to take your final sputters towards fall. Why during the hottest summer in God's Green earth when times are already tight must you decide it's time to commit suicide.
If by chance an hvac tech happens upon this post and lives in my area, and wants to qoute me for a new unit, I'd be more than happy to consider it.
As it stands, I have a migraine, I want to cry and my luck just comes in the worst assortment.
THANK GOD I have been doing well with couponing..or else I'd really barely get by. Well, so much for budget remodels, more issues have suddenly sucked me dry of money.
It really is, waaaaaaaaaaay to hot for the a/c to be down :((
Happy Fall Y'all!
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I don't often post photos of my children much anymore. Much to my dismay, my website has been mirrored and copied a few times (not sure why, it's not even one of the very top sites on the web). But needless to say, it still peeves me a bit. - Not to mention having to file copy right complaints - which tend to be tricky when the creepy person stealing your information has a .ca domain :( Shame on you! - You really should be ashamed of yourself for taking my work and copying my entire website. The things I do are special to me, and it's a shame you take credit for them.
So as a result, I have decided to be persistent with water marking my images. (which I hate) :(
Anyway, here are a few photos of my children that I took with the new studio lighting. I must say, it makes a difference :)) I will, however, purchase some higher wattage bulbs for my umbrella lights!
We have been enjoying the fall (even though some days the temperature still gets hot and humid).
So far this October, the kids have visited a local (very busy) pumpkin patch, picked pumpkins at a local farmer's market and went on to harvest the pecans and grapes from our backyard. - I am hoping to plant pumpkin seeds next so that next year we will have our very own mini pumpkin patch :) Can you imagine the fun that would be??
(Below: Ethan showing off the grapes and pecans he picked in the backyard today.)
(Below: MiMi showing off one of her pecans from the yard)(Below: Just an image of a grape cluster growing the the back yard.)
As some of my readers know, I have a slight Gymboree obsession, however, I will only shop with sales or gymbucks for the most part. Over the summer and during the last huge online sale they had, I gradually built up this collection and decided it would be perfect for MiMi's school photos. What do y'all think??
(Below: A whole lot of cherry!! Gymboree's cherry line makes for a great back to school girl's outfit!)
What else is new as far as the house is concerned? Well, little progress. Still waiting to complete the den flooring - I guess as time and money allows, but right now with the holidays fast approaching and being on a budget, it looks like the den will have to wait. It's come a long way, baby, with a lot of time and love - why not a little longer? ;) - It will happen! And, when it does, you'll be the first to see!! Bless! <3 p="p">
I don't often post photos of my children much anymore. Much to my dismay, my website has been mirrored and copied a few times (not sure why, it's not even one of the very top sites on the web). But needless to say, it still peeves me a bit. - Not to mention having to file copy right complaints - which tend to be tricky when the creepy person stealing your information has a .ca domain :( Shame on you! - You really should be ashamed of yourself for taking my work and copying my entire website. The things I do are special to me, and it's a shame you take credit for them.So as a result, I have decided to be persistent with water marking my images. (which I hate) :(
Anyway, here are a few photos of my children that I took with the new studio lighting. I must say, it makes a difference :)) I will, however, purchase some higher wattage bulbs for my umbrella lights!
We have been enjoying the fall (even though some days the temperature still gets hot and humid).
So far this October, the kids have visited a local (very busy) pumpkin patch, picked pumpkins at a local farmer's market and went on to harvest the pecans and grapes from our backyard. - I am hoping to plant pumpkin seeds next so that next year we will have our very own mini pumpkin patch :) Can you imagine the fun that would be??
(Below: Ethan showing off the grapes and pecans he picked in the backyard today.)
(Below: MiMi showing off one of her pecans from the yard)(Below: Just an image of a grape cluster growing the the back yard.)As some of my readers know, I have a slight Gymboree obsession, however, I will only shop with sales or gymbucks for the most part. Over the summer and during the last huge online sale they had, I gradually built up this collection and decided it would be perfect for MiMi's school photos. What do y'all think??
(Below: A whole lot of cherry!! Gymboree's cherry line makes for a great back to school girl's outfit!)
What else is new as far as the house is concerned? Well, little progress. Still waiting to complete the den flooring - I guess as time and money allows, but right now with the holidays fast approaching and being on a budget, it looks like the den will have to wait. It's come a long way, baby, with a lot of time and love - why not a little longer? ;) - It will happen! And, when it does, you'll be the first to see!! Bless! <3 p="p">
'Tis the Season to Ignore Your Loyal Customers..
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For as long as I can remember, I have been a fan of Build a Bear Workshops. Bad day? Kids been good, but have a tendency to become bored? Nothing a trip to Build a Bear doesn't fix for about $30 a pop. And so every other month I take the kids to go pick out an animal, have it stuffed, and if the budget is right, get a small outfit with the pet.
They love their stuffed animals from build a bear.
Build a Bear has a program called "stuff for stuff". Basically for every dollar you spend, you earn points, that during certain parts of the year, Build a Bear sends you a redemption certificate to earn free items.
Only November came and went, and I never received mine. No sweat, it was probably an oversight, right? I checked my spam folder, to no avail. I went on their social media (face book) page to inquire if other patrons received theirs. And, of course, they did. And two weeks prior to my inquiring at that.
I was asked to call their customer service line (an 800 number) after sitting on hold for 30-45 minutes two days in a row, I decided it was a lost cause. I inquired twice by email - that was over a week ago - no word what so ever from the folks over at Build a Bear.
I kindly asked for assistance on their facebook page once again, no reply, no word..silence..
I hear crickets chirping...
I know it's the holidays, folks are busy...
It happens..but, when I have tried multiple avenues to reach out and no one seems interested in helping me, or it becomes a back and forth passing game with customers service, I feel slighted.
Why? Oh, only because during the earning period I have purchased 10 bears at full price, and just 2 weeks ago I purchased 3 more as gifts for my niece and nephew along with my cousin's little girl.
No coupons, just purchased them because they were cute.
And, because I had the mind set, well, at least I will earn my stuff for stuff points :) Right?
Not happening..
Want to know something else? I had a similar situation with Gymboree, want to know what they did? they wrote me back on facebook, they wrote me back via email AND they returned my phone call the same day and corrected the situation in minutes. NOW THAT is model customers service.
Build a Bear? I am sorry I can not say the same for you. :(
And I'd love to continue to shop at your establishments, as my children are fond of your products, however, I just can't get past the fact there is no way what so ever to get a hold of anyone on your end to pass along or issue me the stuff for stuff points I rightfully earned.
It would be nice to hear from some one, preferably before the stuff for stuff points would expire, but it appears I would be running in circles.
Instead? Well, instead I have chosen to take it to the blog. I love to give rave reviews, and believe I've only written one bad review in my life during the 3 years I've had my blog. But, the truth is the truth, and customer service is everything to me as a mother of 2 who loves to support business' in a tight economy.
But, I think I will pass the almighty dollar onto local establishments that pride themselves in customers service.
I will be skipping on Build a Bear this year for the holidays.
They love their stuffed animals from build a bear.
Build a Bear has a program called "stuff for stuff". Basically for every dollar you spend, you earn points, that during certain parts of the year, Build a Bear sends you a redemption certificate to earn free items.
Only November came and went, and I never received mine. No sweat, it was probably an oversight, right? I checked my spam folder, to no avail. I went on their social media (face book) page to inquire if other patrons received theirs. And, of course, they did. And two weeks prior to my inquiring at that.
I was asked to call their customer service line (an 800 number) after sitting on hold for 30-45 minutes two days in a row, I decided it was a lost cause. I inquired twice by email - that was over a week ago - no word what so ever from the folks over at Build a Bear.
I kindly asked for assistance on their facebook page once again, no reply, no word..silence..
I hear crickets chirping...
I know it's the holidays, folks are busy...
It happens..but, when I have tried multiple avenues to reach out and no one seems interested in helping me, or it becomes a back and forth passing game with customers service, I feel slighted.
Why? Oh, only because during the earning period I have purchased 10 bears at full price, and just 2 weeks ago I purchased 3 more as gifts for my niece and nephew along with my cousin's little girl.
No coupons, just purchased them because they were cute.
And, because I had the mind set, well, at least I will earn my stuff for stuff points :) Right?
Not happening..
Want to know something else? I had a similar situation with Gymboree, want to know what they did? they wrote me back on facebook, they wrote me back via email AND they returned my phone call the same day and corrected the situation in minutes. NOW THAT is model customers service.
Build a Bear? I am sorry I can not say the same for you. :(
And I'd love to continue to shop at your establishments, as my children are fond of your products, however, I just can't get past the fact there is no way what so ever to get a hold of anyone on your end to pass along or issue me the stuff for stuff points I rightfully earned.
It would be nice to hear from some one, preferably before the stuff for stuff points would expire, but it appears I would be running in circles.
Instead? Well, instead I have chosen to take it to the blog. I love to give rave reviews, and believe I've only written one bad review in my life during the 3 years I've had my blog. But, the truth is the truth, and customer service is everything to me as a mother of 2 who loves to support business' in a tight economy.
But, I think I will pass the almighty dollar onto local establishments that pride themselves in customers service.
I will be skipping on Build a Bear this year for the holidays.
26 Kasım 2012 Pazartesi
Grocery Shopping Trips - Week of 4/1/12
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The bulk of my weekly grocery shopping is complete, between trips to Aldi and Harris Teeter.
I spent $29 at Aldi and walked away with enough produce to feed the neighborhood. For $1.29 per 3 pack of bell peppers, I had to stock up! I plan to freeze some and roast a few others. I expect that much of the produce should keep well to carry us into next week's meals.
I bought:
2 heads of cauliflower1 lb broccoli2 pints cherry tomatoes1 artisan lettuce1 cucumber1 pint baby bella mushrooms6 bell peppers1 bag baby carrots2.5 lbs bananas1 avocadostrawberriesdried cranberriesalmondstortilla chipswhole grain wafflesparmesan cheesepork chops
On my way home, I made a quick stop at Harris Teeter to pick up a few free Kashi meals and $0.49 half gallons of milk. I also added in a few items that I couldn't find at Aldi - black beans (ok, Aldi has them, but I think they're gross), brown rice, and whole wheat couscous. I would have spent $6.50 on these items, but I paid with a Visa Gift Card, which was a rebate from Harris Teeter purchases I made earlier this winter.
I would love to say that my shopping is done for the week - seeing that I'm WAY under budget - but the warm weather seems to be making me forgetful, and I know I'll need to head back out before the week is over.
How did your grocery shopping go this week? Have you already done it, or do you wait until the new sale ads begin on Wednesdays?
I spent $29 at Aldi and walked away with enough produce to feed the neighborhood. For $1.29 per 3 pack of bell peppers, I had to stock up! I plan to freeze some and roast a few others. I expect that much of the produce should keep well to carry us into next week's meals.
I bought:
2 heads of cauliflower1 lb broccoli2 pints cherry tomatoes1 artisan lettuce1 cucumber1 pint baby bella mushrooms6 bell peppers1 bag baby carrots2.5 lbs bananas1 avocadostrawberriesdried cranberriesalmondstortilla chipswhole grain wafflesparmesan cheesepork chops
On my way home, I made a quick stop at Harris Teeter to pick up a few free Kashi meals and $0.49 half gallons of milk. I also added in a few items that I couldn't find at Aldi - black beans (ok, Aldi has them, but I think they're gross), brown rice, and whole wheat couscous. I would have spent $6.50 on these items, but I paid with a Visa Gift Card, which was a rebate from Harris Teeter purchases I made earlier this winter.
I would love to say that my shopping is done for the week - seeing that I'm WAY under budget - but the warm weather seems to be making me forgetful, and I know I'll need to head back out before the week is over.
How did your grocery shopping go this week? Have you already done it, or do you wait until the new sale ads begin on Wednesdays?
It's been a nightmare..
To contact us Click HERE
I never imagined that when I was rear ended and through no fault of my own I would have so much stress, tears and headache associated with this whole ordeal.
If you (like myself) have never been in an auto accident before, you are more and likely ignorant to everything (like myself). You want to believe in the good of the insurance companies. You want to believe that they aren't as evil as lawyers make them out to be.
You think, "okay,I was hurt, they will pay my medical bills as they come". Only, they don't. They won't pay until you settle. If you are like the majority of Americans and don't have health insurance, and your OWN insurance PIP (MedPay) is exhausted in hospital bills, you are virtually screwed.
(Before I go any further, I want to say I love my insurance company, State Farm, they have gone out of their way to reach out to the at fault company and help me, they have made calls on my behalf to get the adjuster(s) of the at fault company to call me back when they otherwise had given me the run around. I think having a policy with them, has proven time and again that they are a wonderful company with hearts. I won't mention the name of the at fault driver's company for legal reason, but it is an insurance giant. THANK YOU LORD, for my insurance, with out them I would have been royally hung out to dry. It also reaffirms my decision in keeping them for all my Dad's new construction policies, they are there when you need them, they don't dodge ball you, I'd recommend them to ANYONE)..
With no money to pay them yourself, and kids to feed, you know you are hurt, but you stop treatment in order to try and hurry a settlement so that your bills will be paid in a timely manner.
You realize any attorney will take 1/3rd of your settlement, and with your medical bills being high, and no real guarantee or no set in stone number of what they will even ask for during consultations, and you are told by attorney after attorney that they can't guarantee even your medical bills will be covered after their fees, you are left to your own devices.
You act as your own paralegal, you collect all your medical bills, you make copies of everything, calculate your mileage and fuel costs and out of pocket expenses and you prepare a demand letter to submit to the at fault insurance company.
You call them and nag them every other day, sometimes you give them a week.
Your bills are coming in and you are being threatened by the hospitals to have your account turned to collections. You are given the run around by all parties involved (those you owe money to, and those who owe money to you).
Your stress causes heartburn, your anxiety causes lost sleep and you don't know huge legal terms and kind of try to wing it.Eventually you do hear from the at fault insurance company who offers to pay all your medical but says they can only give you $1,000 for your personal injury/pain and suffering. Mind you your under duress and you have stopped treatment just in order to get the bill collectors at the facilities you were treated at off your back and to rush a settlement. You ask for slightly more. You tell them about your med pay and they offer to reimburse your med pay and hospital expenses.
You are left to think about it over night, meanwhile the big insurance giant knows they have you where they want you.
AND with all do respect, I know they have a job to do, but it just sucks you're unfortunately at their mercy, even when the accident was not your fault.
Two days go by and you call and call. No one calls back, so you ask to speak to their supervisor, only it's a message machine (always is). You inform them that you have done all you could on your part, you've done the leg work to collect all the bills, you've submitted everything accordingly and you demand a settlement or you will take their policy holder to court (who in turn can take their insurance agent to court for bad faith).
15 minutes later (literally) you get a call from your adjuster. You feel bad for calling on them, because it is their job, but you also feel bad for yourself because you're swamped in bills you should not have to be up to your ears in.
They offer $500 more. So at this point you have your medical bills being offered to be paid out (your main concern), your 2 thousand dollar med pay reimbursed to you and $1,500 from them. You say "I accept", just please pay these bills soon.
You are told, once you sign and fax this release, (releasing their policy holder and them from all future medical claims) and scan and upload it to them, they will cut you a check and pay out your providers within the next day. You read it over have a few questions but ultimately sign your life away and sent it over.
Within two hours the claims website emails you to notify you a check has been issued do your portion of the settlement.
After re reading the release you notice strange language, that includes property damage, and you think, "oh dear lord, did I just screw my insurance company out of their subrogation"?? You panic, you're up all night calling your insurance and theirs (mind you your insurance has yet to contact you about subrogation and you have no idea how it even works, just that you may of signed your rights away and become responsible for paying it back and your personal settlement doesn't even cover collision damages).
You're sick to your stomach, you cry your eyes out, you feel tricked and deceived and you submit a quick letter to the claims website asking to retract your signed release due to the fact "money is not in hand" as the contract states and that you felt you were not given all information needed and signed it under duress with out a witness.
The very next morning you get a call from the at fault company bright and early, promising that it's only a medical release and nothing more,promising subrogation will still be paid out. You feel relieved but still skeptical, so you record the entire conversation and the phone messages. You get a letter back from said insurance company promising it is only a medical release. You feel relieved...
FOR THE TIME BEING.
An attorney tells you it can be a trick, your insurance company says it should be fine and you're left praying this person has a heart and won't screw you over.
That is where I am today, two months exactly after my accident. A check is on the way - which will go directly to savings and untouched for a long time until all this is over - just in case. And your medical bills have yet to be paid off - STILL.
The icing to the cake? You get a final notice from the hospital today, to pay the remaining $2,500 you owe, even though your insurance company just forked them $2,000 in med pay. You ask for an extension until the at fault company pays it off and let them know you just settled and it will be any day now. They tell you, "no" and say you have 18 days to pay or you go to collections, you ask to set up a payment plan and are told it could take a week.
I am praying that this will all be over soon. I am praying so hard I never have to deal with this again. Someone who is injured through no fault of their own should NEVER have to go through what I have gone through. NEVER.
My spinal, and neck vertebrae are still dislocated, my stress is so high my blood pressure is higher than it's ever been, and my anxiety is insane. When I drive I always get a horrible burst of anxiety as some one gets too close or speeds up on my tail end. I don't feel I will ever be the same - EVER.
Was all this worth a $1500 settlement? I'd say NO, but when you have kids and need the bills off your back, it is.
My advice next time? (God forbid)? Go attorney shopping, find a good one. One who will not RUSH through the consult, one that wants to MEET with you IN PERSON, as opposed to just their paralegal. Sure an attorney is 1/3 contingency fee, BUT, they KNOW what they are doing (you do not), and chances are big insurance also knows this and will toy with your emotions.
It's worth it to not have the stress. COMPLETELY.
I pray to god it wasn't worse, and I am thankful to God, my children were not with me that one time (as any other time they would have been). I am so thankful. I am however very upset with the turn of events.
I am thankful that this will hopefully be all over as soon as my medical payments are paid out and I am no longer in credit limbo for something I did not do.
I want to cry - STILL.
I am sensitive, and I stress easily, it's hard to take care of your kids when you are stressed to death, and you can't pick them up because your lower back is aching.
There are a lot of "woulda, shoulda, and coulda's" involved. I just want the nightmare to end.
I want to never see a commercial with that smiling little insurance character EVER again. - Sadly one is right by my house (agh).
Again, I should say I have no real hard feelings for my adjuster, she is just doing her job, and is probably up to her neck in claims. If only people would learn to pay attention when they drive, be considerate of others they share the road with, and if only you had magical powers to make your car disappear when someone is fixing to hit you.
If only....
I don't wish this on my worst enemy.
If you (like myself) have never been in an auto accident before, you are more and likely ignorant to everything (like myself). You want to believe in the good of the insurance companies. You want to believe that they aren't as evil as lawyers make them out to be.
You think, "okay,I was hurt, they will pay my medical bills as they come". Only, they don't. They won't pay until you settle. If you are like the majority of Americans and don't have health insurance, and your OWN insurance PIP (MedPay) is exhausted in hospital bills, you are virtually screwed.
(Before I go any further, I want to say I love my insurance company, State Farm, they have gone out of their way to reach out to the at fault company and help me, they have made calls on my behalf to get the adjuster(s) of the at fault company to call me back when they otherwise had given me the run around. I think having a policy with them, has proven time and again that they are a wonderful company with hearts. I won't mention the name of the at fault driver's company for legal reason, but it is an insurance giant. THANK YOU LORD, for my insurance, with out them I would have been royally hung out to dry. It also reaffirms my decision in keeping them for all my Dad's new construction policies, they are there when you need them, they don't dodge ball you, I'd recommend them to ANYONE)..
With no money to pay them yourself, and kids to feed, you know you are hurt, but you stop treatment in order to try and hurry a settlement so that your bills will be paid in a timely manner.
You realize any attorney will take 1/3rd of your settlement, and with your medical bills being high, and no real guarantee or no set in stone number of what they will even ask for during consultations, and you are told by attorney after attorney that they can't guarantee even your medical bills will be covered after their fees, you are left to your own devices.
You act as your own paralegal, you collect all your medical bills, you make copies of everything, calculate your mileage and fuel costs and out of pocket expenses and you prepare a demand letter to submit to the at fault insurance company.
You call them and nag them every other day, sometimes you give them a week.
Your bills are coming in and you are being threatened by the hospitals to have your account turned to collections. You are given the run around by all parties involved (those you owe money to, and those who owe money to you).
Your stress causes heartburn, your anxiety causes lost sleep and you don't know huge legal terms and kind of try to wing it.Eventually you do hear from the at fault insurance company who offers to pay all your medical but says they can only give you $1,000 for your personal injury/pain and suffering. Mind you your under duress and you have stopped treatment just in order to get the bill collectors at the facilities you were treated at off your back and to rush a settlement. You ask for slightly more. You tell them about your med pay and they offer to reimburse your med pay and hospital expenses.
You are left to think about it over night, meanwhile the big insurance giant knows they have you where they want you.
AND with all do respect, I know they have a job to do, but it just sucks you're unfortunately at their mercy, even when the accident was not your fault.
Two days go by and you call and call. No one calls back, so you ask to speak to their supervisor, only it's a message machine (always is). You inform them that you have done all you could on your part, you've done the leg work to collect all the bills, you've submitted everything accordingly and you demand a settlement or you will take their policy holder to court (who in turn can take their insurance agent to court for bad faith).
15 minutes later (literally) you get a call from your adjuster. You feel bad for calling on them, because it is their job, but you also feel bad for yourself because you're swamped in bills you should not have to be up to your ears in.
They offer $500 more. So at this point you have your medical bills being offered to be paid out (your main concern), your 2 thousand dollar med pay reimbursed to you and $1,500 from them. You say "I accept", just please pay these bills soon.
You are told, once you sign and fax this release, (releasing their policy holder and them from all future medical claims) and scan and upload it to them, they will cut you a check and pay out your providers within the next day. You read it over have a few questions but ultimately sign your life away and sent it over.
Within two hours the claims website emails you to notify you a check has been issued do your portion of the settlement.
After re reading the release you notice strange language, that includes property damage, and you think, "oh dear lord, did I just screw my insurance company out of their subrogation"?? You panic, you're up all night calling your insurance and theirs (mind you your insurance has yet to contact you about subrogation and you have no idea how it even works, just that you may of signed your rights away and become responsible for paying it back and your personal settlement doesn't even cover collision damages).
You're sick to your stomach, you cry your eyes out, you feel tricked and deceived and you submit a quick letter to the claims website asking to retract your signed release due to the fact "money is not in hand" as the contract states and that you felt you were not given all information needed and signed it under duress with out a witness.
The very next morning you get a call from the at fault company bright and early, promising that it's only a medical release and nothing more,promising subrogation will still be paid out. You feel relieved but still skeptical, so you record the entire conversation and the phone messages. You get a letter back from said insurance company promising it is only a medical release. You feel relieved...
FOR THE TIME BEING.
An attorney tells you it can be a trick, your insurance company says it should be fine and you're left praying this person has a heart and won't screw you over.
That is where I am today, two months exactly after my accident. A check is on the way - which will go directly to savings and untouched for a long time until all this is over - just in case. And your medical bills have yet to be paid off - STILL.
The icing to the cake? You get a final notice from the hospital today, to pay the remaining $2,500 you owe, even though your insurance company just forked them $2,000 in med pay. You ask for an extension until the at fault company pays it off and let them know you just settled and it will be any day now. They tell you, "no" and say you have 18 days to pay or you go to collections, you ask to set up a payment plan and are told it could take a week.
I am praying that this will all be over soon. I am praying so hard I never have to deal with this again. Someone who is injured through no fault of their own should NEVER have to go through what I have gone through. NEVER.
My spinal, and neck vertebrae are still dislocated, my stress is so high my blood pressure is higher than it's ever been, and my anxiety is insane. When I drive I always get a horrible burst of anxiety as some one gets too close or speeds up on my tail end. I don't feel I will ever be the same - EVER.
Was all this worth a $1500 settlement? I'd say NO, but when you have kids and need the bills off your back, it is.
My advice next time? (God forbid)? Go attorney shopping, find a good one. One who will not RUSH through the consult, one that wants to MEET with you IN PERSON, as opposed to just their paralegal. Sure an attorney is 1/3 contingency fee, BUT, they KNOW what they are doing (you do not), and chances are big insurance also knows this and will toy with your emotions.
It's worth it to not have the stress. COMPLETELY.
I pray to god it wasn't worse, and I am thankful to God, my children were not with me that one time (as any other time they would have been). I am so thankful. I am however very upset with the turn of events.
I am thankful that this will hopefully be all over as soon as my medical payments are paid out and I am no longer in credit limbo for something I did not do.
I want to cry - STILL.
I am sensitive, and I stress easily, it's hard to take care of your kids when you are stressed to death, and you can't pick them up because your lower back is aching.
There are a lot of "woulda, shoulda, and coulda's" involved. I just want the nightmare to end.
I want to never see a commercial with that smiling little insurance character EVER again. - Sadly one is right by my house (agh).
Again, I should say I have no real hard feelings for my adjuster, she is just doing her job, and is probably up to her neck in claims. If only people would learn to pay attention when they drive, be considerate of others they share the road with, and if only you had magical powers to make your car disappear when someone is fixing to hit you.
If only....
I don't wish this on my worst enemy.
Summer's No Fun When Your AC Unit Dies..
To contact us Click HERE
..Summers. Normally they can be enjoyable; time in the sprinkler or pool, warm weather, lots of outdoor fun with the kids, a tall glass of iced tea. No, not this summer. It's been the hottest summer in Fayetteville, since I can remember. It's so hot, we've spend many a day inside cooling off and letting the 105+ humid days roll by, praying for a nice long fall to not skip us again this year.
And then, one day, as luck would have it, I am sitting in the den when my breaker box starts making an on and off buzzing or humming noise, the lights begin to flicker and I am like "great, we have an electrical issue, wonder how costly this is going to be".
After isolating it to the breaker controlling the air conditioning unit, we replace the breaker switch, just to learn it wasn't the problem. So instead, to avoid a risk of a possible fire (I guess, I don't know it didn't sound too nice, don't want to take my chances), we turn the a/c off and wait until morning.
So, at this point, I am not sure who to call. The A/C is running fine, but the breaker box wants to sound like it's going to burst when it's on. Do I call an HVAC tech or do I call an electrician? hmmm, I think a while..
I call a random electrician here in Fayetteville, I explain my problem, tell him I replaced the breaker switch, tell him it's ONLY when the a/c comes on and the lights flicker the box makes a loud noise. I ask, "honestly, do you think this is an electrical issue or an hvac issue". He tells me, "it's electrical". I ask what is fee to diagnose the problem is, he tells me "$75 service fee and then $69 an hour to fix it". I tell him "okay, come on by".
He shows up, he and his assistant turn my oven burners on the highest heat setting EVER, leave them on and my smoke alarm goes off and my house smells like death. After a while he turns it off, does more testing with a meter at the breaker box then says, "let me try the a/c" - which is what i told him it was to begin with mind you! After that he says, "it's your ac" I say, "I know, so is it something on your end you can fix"? He says, "no you'll need an hvac tech". okaaaaay?? Did I not just ask him this? Did he just waste 20 minutes to test my oven which isn't even on the same circuit as my a/c to tell me what I told him on the phone?
So I feel kind of "duped" and when I am ready to pay I am expecting to pay the $75 service charge. Only he tells me $95!? I mean, I am all for paying the $75 because he came out, but why am I being charge $20 for 20 minutes?! NOTHING was fixed! There was no electrical issue, $20 is a lot to me. Anyway I don't say anything and pay it, but I can't help but feel totally blind sided and taken advantage of. I semi want to tell the world who the company was, but am hesitant. AND the kicker?! He has me make a personal check out TO HIM, not the COMPANY? He must be the owner..but very shoddy, to take advantage of apotential client and know the problem isn't electrical but weazle your way in to get 95 bucks..YOU'RE WELCOME sheister!! But do know you won't get reference in the market I work in :)) Bad call for you!
Moving along, we called our usual a/c guy, who will come today to diagnose it, which is a $65 service charge..part of me thinks it is going to be a pricey part, and the unit is old, I pray he can fix it for the time being, but I feel it is going to need a new unit.
I have no idea what a new unit will run for a just under 1300 sq. ft. home with existing duct work. I'm sure it's 3k+ and to be honest that exhausts both my savings and credit line.
(SIGH)..ooooh a/c, why couldn't you wait to take your final sputters towards fall. Why during the hottest summer in God's Green earth when times are already tight must you decide it's time to commit suicide.
If by chance an hvac tech happens upon this post and lives in my area, and wants to qoute me for a new unit, I'd be more than happy to consider it.
As it stands, I have a migraine, I want to cry and my luck just comes in the worst assortment.
THANK GOD I have been doing well with couponing..or else I'd really barely get by. Well, so much for budget remodels, more issues have suddenly sucked me dry of money.
It really is, waaaaaaaaaaay to hot for the a/c to be down :((
And then, one day, as luck would have it, I am sitting in the den when my breaker box starts making an on and off buzzing or humming noise, the lights begin to flicker and I am like "great, we have an electrical issue, wonder how costly this is going to be".
After isolating it to the breaker controlling the air conditioning unit, we replace the breaker switch, just to learn it wasn't the problem. So instead, to avoid a risk of a possible fire (I guess, I don't know it didn't sound too nice, don't want to take my chances), we turn the a/c off and wait until morning.
So, at this point, I am not sure who to call. The A/C is running fine, but the breaker box wants to sound like it's going to burst when it's on. Do I call an HVAC tech or do I call an electrician? hmmm, I think a while..
I call a random electrician here in Fayetteville, I explain my problem, tell him I replaced the breaker switch, tell him it's ONLY when the a/c comes on and the lights flicker the box makes a loud noise. I ask, "honestly, do you think this is an electrical issue or an hvac issue". He tells me, "it's electrical". I ask what is fee to diagnose the problem is, he tells me "$75 service fee and then $69 an hour to fix it". I tell him "okay, come on by".
He shows up, he and his assistant turn my oven burners on the highest heat setting EVER, leave them on and my smoke alarm goes off and my house smells like death. After a while he turns it off, does more testing with a meter at the breaker box then says, "let me try the a/c" - which is what i told him it was to begin with mind you! After that he says, "it's your ac" I say, "I know, so is it something on your end you can fix"? He says, "no you'll need an hvac tech". okaaaaay?? Did I not just ask him this? Did he just waste 20 minutes to test my oven which isn't even on the same circuit as my a/c to tell me what I told him on the phone?
So I feel kind of "duped" and when I am ready to pay I am expecting to pay the $75 service charge. Only he tells me $95!? I mean, I am all for paying the $75 because he came out, but why am I being charge $20 for 20 minutes?! NOTHING was fixed! There was no electrical issue, $20 is a lot to me. Anyway I don't say anything and pay it, but I can't help but feel totally blind sided and taken advantage of. I semi want to tell the world who the company was, but am hesitant. AND the kicker?! He has me make a personal check out TO HIM, not the COMPANY? He must be the owner..but very shoddy, to take advantage of apotential client and know the problem isn't electrical but weazle your way in to get 95 bucks..YOU'RE WELCOME sheister!! But do know you won't get reference in the market I work in :)) Bad call for you!
Moving along, we called our usual a/c guy, who will come today to diagnose it, which is a $65 service charge..part of me thinks it is going to be a pricey part, and the unit is old, I pray he can fix it for the time being, but I feel it is going to need a new unit.
I have no idea what a new unit will run for a just under 1300 sq. ft. home with existing duct work. I'm sure it's 3k+ and to be honest that exhausts both my savings and credit line.
(SIGH)..ooooh a/c, why couldn't you wait to take your final sputters towards fall. Why during the hottest summer in God's Green earth when times are already tight must you decide it's time to commit suicide.
If by chance an hvac tech happens upon this post and lives in my area, and wants to qoute me for a new unit, I'd be more than happy to consider it.
As it stands, I have a migraine, I want to cry and my luck just comes in the worst assortment.
THANK GOD I have been doing well with couponing..or else I'd really barely get by. Well, so much for budget remodels, more issues have suddenly sucked me dry of money.
It really is, waaaaaaaaaaay to hot for the a/c to be down :((
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