The Week that Was

A couple of weeks ago while viewing QVC, TempTations Dinnerware was on special. I've admired one pattern in particular (Old World) for sometime, and on that day decided I would order 2 sets of dinnerware or 8 place settings, plus additional serving pieces.

Happily my order arrived Monday just in time for Thanksgiving. Upon opening the first box, I found one chipped cup. Upon opening the second box I began compairing and checking each piece. What did I find? No more chipped cups, but.......(1) the dinnerplates were not the same size, (2) the salad plates were also not the same size, (3) there was a dramatic difference in the colors in both boxes. So much for quality control. So I called customer service immediately to find their computers were down and thus no assistance available until the following day.

I called the following morning and spoke with a very helpful lady who offered to express mail another set with no delivery cost. Well...the 3rd set arrived yesterday. Don't laugh please - the color was better, but one dinnerplate out of the 4 was smaller than the others. Groan!!! What to do as love the pattern and the additional serving pieces that had also arrived. Ultimately the kitchen was covered with all 3 sets of dishes & assorted boxes, styrafoam & plastic packing while I compared the color and size of each piece with the hope of garnering an 8 place matching setting. Did I succeed? Well, almost. In the end, 7 dinner plates are the same size with one a bit smaller. The salad plates are acceptable although 4 are a tad smaller which is okay.

So, in the end, we have some new dinnerware and TempTations has a very negative comment on the QVC site for everyone to view. I could have sent everything back, but it's such a pain to do so, and I really do like the pattern alot. End of this story.

A week ago today, Clint noticed he was running low on his pain medications so I called his doctor to renew the prescription which is narcotic & therefore has a stringent distributation protocol. In addition, not all pharmacys carry this medication. Generally we travel to the clinic to obtain the script and hand carry it to one of the Mayo pharmacys. This time, Kathy, our nurse indicated she could send it in inter-company mail to the pharmacy of our choice - St. Marys.

I called St. Marys on Monday...not there, yet. Called Tuesday & advised script filled and ready. One has to understand that when going to any Mayo pharmacy there is always a huge parking issue...into a ramp, etc. and then walk a mile. So off we go to St. Marys, park and walk for this very important and expensive medication. Well.....after waiting in line, I was advised the prescription was not there, but at the Subway pharmacy located in the Mayo Building in downtown Rochester. After having a little snit, off we go to find another parking place and to pick-up the drug. Walk another mile to the pharmacy, stand in line again. The prescription is there, and while I'm paying, I look at the container and noticed there are only 20 pills or enough for 10 days. Another snit followed as well as a discussion with the pharmacist who informs me that apparently the prescription was written incorrectly and there is nothing she can do. We need a new prescription from the doctor.

By this time, frustration has really set in bigtime, but I immediately call the NE Clinic to request a corrected prescription....and wait and wait and wait for a body to answer the phone. No answer!!! By this time, we've had it and decide to call it a day and head home to make that telephone call. Finally, an answer and another wait for a nurse to call back for further information. The wait is over, the prescription will be waiting for us to pick-up at the clinic. So....Clint does so yesterday and it is now 7 days since the initial call was made. We still have to refill it, and because Clint is now in the Medicare "do-nut hole" it will cost around $1200.00. So it goes!!!

Yes, this was the week that was. There were more happenings, but that is for another day and another blog.