Lookout Woolies ….. Dani is on the warpath

The following is a letter to woolworths, following a small confrontation at our local store.

I am writing today because frankly, I am disgusted by the treatment I have received at the Belconnen Woolworths store.   While shopping today, I came across a special tag in the cereals aisle, offering 2 for $10, on the Fruit Loops/Nutrigrain/Just Right 800+gm boxes of cereal.  I picked up a box of Fruit Loops and a box of Just Right, in the correct sizes for the special.  No more than 10 minutes later, I arrive at the register, to have both boxes scan incorrectly.  A request for a price check, sees the assistant who checked tell me I am wrong, that these brands were on special last week.  I accompany her back to the shelves, and sure enough, the tag has been removed.   As far as I am concerned, the tag was removed by the price check person, to avoid having to credit me for my purchase.

I don’t care if this tag was left by mistake.  As the customer, your failure to adequate train staff or manage turnover, is not my problem.  If an item is advertised (by a shelf tag) at a certain price when I enter the store and remove an item from the shelf, then that is the price I expect to pay.  To have a staff member remove a tag covertly, is offensive and disgusting behaviour, and I will not tolerate it.

It WILL NOT be enough to just compensate me for the cost of the cereal.  I am insulted and offended.  I expect an apology from the store manager, and a profound change in turnover policy.  I will not set foot inside this store again, and I will be making my disgust at this behaviour very widely known.

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Angry angry angry angry angry angry

At this point, I am incredibly angry and upset, and wondering if there is any point at pursuing this problem any further.  Nothing has been done with regards to my work environment, to help stop the pressure on my shoulder.  And I have suffered incompetance after incompetance in the treatment of my shoulder.

Today I was supposed to have an xray of my shoulder, clavicle and S.I. joints.  Which I did.  Pity that included an expensive xray of my hips.  The ultrasound focussed on my AC joint and burser, with no attempt to examine the front of the shoulder where the damn pain is.  As a result of the last 4 months of pain I assume, it did show that I have thickening in my burser …. which I imagine will get worse and worse, until I go through the giddy merry go round of painkillers and then surgery all over again.

I wasted almost all of my stimulus payment today, for an xray and ultrasound that will show absolutely nothing, and in one instance (my hips) was totally unnecessary.  That is $600 that would have been put to better use clothing and educating my children.   I should just resign myself to the pain and just get on with it.  Its obvious to me that I won’t ever get a satisfactory response from doctors … I am only female and I don’t matter.

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Husbands and shopping ….. torture???

Tony does not cope with shopping. He hates crowds, detests making decisions, and doesn’t cope with my habit of wanting to browse. I have recently decided that I need to browse only when I shop on my own. Inflicting browsing on him, just makes him cranky, and its a less enjoyable outing.

First stop ….. Bunnings. ……..we bought a ladder (to get to the light fittings) and the other stuff we needed. Walked out of the shop talking to each other in the same tone we used going in ….. so all is good.

Next stop …… Belconnen Markets. We went and looked at the Tagine he was interested in …. but have decided that it probably has the same impact as the slow cooker, and I just can’t store another piece of cooking equipment. Was seriously tempted to pick up the coffee pot …. but baulked at paying over $100 for a little pot. Bought all the meat I need for the fortnight, and got a stack of fruit and veg. Stopped in the deli, picked up some conchigloni, and a nice loaf of italian bread. Forgot the fresh spinach and ricotta …. but that is probably best picked up the day I make the dish anyway.

Have come home …… He has unwrapped the ladder, fixed the light fitting in Miss16’s room, installed a lovely bright bulb in my room, and is now happily pottering away with his bike. Best of all …. despite a couple of hours shopping …… he is the same mood he was in before we went out. Which to me is a much better outcome.

As women, we try to control our partners, expecting them to change their responses to match our own. Why not try accepting their own individual personality? ….. its not that big a stretch for me ….. and it means a much happier day.   I think it has a lot to do with motherhood ….. for years we control every aspect of a child’s life ….. when they eat, sleep, play …. and to a certain point … what they think.

Its good to remember that our husbands aren’t another child, who needs to have every aspect of their lives controlled and directed.

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Memories – Isabeau

Since there is a topic for each of the children, there should be one for Isabeau too ……. It was only a few short days in which to lay down some memories, but still they are there.

I have photos of me sleeping with both our surviving children, and it was no different with Isabeau.  She spent the night in my bed, just like Naomi and Nathan.  At one point in the evening, Tony went over and checked on her ….. at the time it just started a fit of the giggles for me ….. its not like she was rolling anywhere!

The day after she was born, Nathan came to see her, and was very interested, as only a 3 yr old can be.  Of course she was no different to any sleeping baby, so he did what any normal 3 yr old would do …. he poked her in the middle of the forehead to make her wake up.   We decided that was the time to say goodbye ….. she was too fragile to take a 3yr old’s curiosity.

One of the most special moments was a visit by my aunt (and best friend) Michelle.  She stayed during lunch, and held Isabeau while we ate.  Tony was holding Isabeau at the end of visiting hours, she gave me and Tony a kiss, and then leant down and lightly kissed Isabeau on the head.   It was the only time someone had acknowledged Isabeau as a baby …. and not a failed pregnancy.   I can’t begin to describe how much I appreciated such a thoughtful thing to do.

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Memories of toddlerhood – Naomi

When Naomi was a toddler, one of her favourite toys was a little plastic tower with plastic rings that stacked onto it, each smaller than the other. She took a couple of the rings into the bath with her one day … and then managed to slide her leg into the hole in the middle of the largest ring. She slid it up past the calf muscle, and no way was it coming off. I tried baby oil, shampoo, soap, warm water etc …. eventually I threw my hands in the air and said “Oh for gods sake, I will have to cut it off”. I went out to get the scissors, and when I came back, she was crying her eyes out. I asked her what was the matter, and she said …. “please don’t cut my leg off mummy”.

I felt about one inch tall ……

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Memories of toddlerhood – Nathan

Nathan when he was around the 4yr old mark ….. was one of these kids that had a question for everything. So this was one particular day … I was tired and warn out. We were baking biscuits and cakes. The questions were coming thick and fast:

What are you doing?
Why do you call it cream ? that was butter and sugar
Can I have a taste?
Why can’t I eat raw egg?
What does the egg do to the biscuits anyway?
Can I mix that?
What will you do if I spill it? I won’t spill it though, cause it has all this space
Are you making pikelets yet?
why is the flour falling through?
What is sifting?
Air is everywhere …. you can’t put it in stuff can you?
Is it time for pikelets yet?

After that for a couple of hours solid …. I was over it. It was time to pick up Naomi from school, and as I leant over him to fasten his seatbelt, he started making “pfftt” noises as my hair went into his face ….. and then he said:

Gee your perfume is nice Mummy. Wink ;)

That perfect sense of timing ….. is the only reason I didn’t go completely bonkers when he was a toddler.

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Legendary …….

My man outdid himself today.  It had to be quite possibly the most complex flatpacked piece of furniture we have bought so far, and he put it together.  Some of the moments were quite amusing ….. I have never seen a draw put together by sitting on it before …. but the desk is together, and functioning very well.

Thankyou babe …. I love my birthday pressie, and I love that you built it for me.

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Facebook isn’t all its cracked up to be

I am beginning to actively dislike Facebook.   Before, it was just a generalise wariness of the privacy risk …. but now it has developed into a dislike.

Like many, Facebook is my only real connection to some people in my life.   In essence it has replaced that yearly xmas letter we all included in our xmas cards, even though we never really talked to the people we send them to.  I have people on facebook, that I have never actually spoken to.  Some are relatives, cousins that grew up away from me.  Others are closer family members, who are going through intense times, yet the lack of regular conversation means that I never develop a significant relationship with them.  Others are longtime friends, long separated by distance and time.    Facebook, and its nature of snapshot banter, means that the depth is just not there.  I want to discuss, know detail, be more supportive.   I would love to do more than just post a picture of a hug to Zahne as she struggles with a baby who won’t sleep.   I wonder what prompts Wendy to post such an angry sentence.   How is BJ really coping with cancer?   Is Beryl healing well enough to handle the driving around Australia holiday they are planning?  Does Tammy have any worries about her pregnancy?  or moving?   Cynthy was a favourite cousin, yet I know nothing about her as an adult.  Does Charlie think about more than just joining a “I love boobs” group?  I haven’t been friends with my other Wendy for nearly 20 years   …. I want to know more about her and her family.

Facebook just doesn’t cut it …. in the friendship stakes.  Sure its a fun site, with lots of annoying little programs that ensure that your contacts are consistently irritated with useless info and games …… but there is no real connection.  No relationship that enables you to give and receive real friendship.

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Chest pain

My heart hurt today, a savage gripping pain that wouldn’t go away.  It still aches a bit now.

Its not a great concern, because I know what caused it.   I don’t understand why I can’t feel the way I want to …. why I can’t express the way I want to.   Yes it may mean I am unreasonable, and I cry …. but holding it in causes physical pain.    No idea really.

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Scary moment ………

This happened on Monday night …… frightened the bejesus out of me.

I was cooking dinner, and watching Top Gear. Something terribly funny happened, and I burst out laughing.

So far ….. nothing scary huh?

Well the problem I had ….. is that I had taken a big mouthful of water just as I laughed ….. so I sucked all that water straight into my lungs.
Shocked :O

I have only ever had that feeling once before, and adrenalin took care of the water quick smart (ie …. I chucked it up).

This time, I was just standing in the kitchen, with this awful, bubbley, savage wheeze …. trying to convince my husband I needed help ….. and desperately trying not to panic.

So … twice in my life I have felt like I have been drowning.
I don’t think I need to do it again.

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