Keep Your Damn Parade Macy's

At times I am terrible at picking up my mail,

especially when it's 112 outside 

 and when I finally do

(at 1 am in my pj's last night)

I remember why.

(stay with me to the end folks)

Because it often ticks me off.

I received a bill yesterday from Macy's for $2

Three months ago I ordered some 

products on line and had a balance of 

95.00 and change. I paid the bill in full, and mailed it 

10 days in advance of the due date.

I received the next month's bill with a 

29.00 late fee (32%) plus a 2.00 balance fee.

I called and never even made it to a living being, 

just an automated voice saying 
"if you are calling about your late fee we will gladly
 remove it from your bill". 
I punched 0 several times until I got a human and 

voiced my displeasure at the policy 
and that I appreciated the removal. 
I was informed I needed to leave 10-14 days
 for processing and that it had been
 "processed 1 day after the due date". 
I said my job was to get it

there on time, it was their job to process

it on time... and I may have commented 
on the lovely way for Macy's to add to their coffers.

Last month I receive a bill for 4.00.

$2 for minimum balance charge of the month before

and another $2 for the current month.

I paid it just to make it go away.

WHY? WHY?

 I know better - I was just not up for an argument,

or I got lazy, or stupid.

Yesterday's bill was another $2 charge 

attached to a bill I paid in full 3 months ago.

NOW I WAS up for an argument.

I got a human,

after an automated voice said

"If you are calling about the $2 charge,

 we will gladly remove it.

I punched 000000000000 

HA!

Obviously so many folks call about these charges,

that they automate their answer.

The human I spoke with 

read off Macy's apology from a card.

I know this because she repeated the exact words

 verbatim 3 times at least.

She finished with "because you have a 0 balance there 

is nothing I can remove for you today."

If only half of their customers have 

noticed this sneaky little deal,

 and only half complain, that still leaves

a big bunch of $2 charges being tacked on willy nilly 

each month, especially after claiming we all need to mail

14 days in advance as if the USPS wasn't doing their job.

Pretty clever huh?

We need to pay close attention my friends:

I don't trust the fat dude behind the curtain.

If I hear one more person say

"I don't care about politics"

"I don't "do" politics"

"It's all so corrupt I wash my hands of it all"

I just may scream

No, I know what I'll do instead.

I'll have an automated voice at the ready

"we are sorry for the inconvenience" - 

"We will gladly 

remove all your civil rights, 

 remove your reproductive rights,

remove all attempts to save the planet, 

remove quality education

remove aid to the ill and the poor,

remove health care

remove people due to race and ethnicity

remove the fish from the oceans, the trees

from the forests, the oxygen from the FRICKIN' AIR

YOU BREATHE!"

deep breath...

Not one of us can afford to be lazy or stupid right now.

Once you have a 0 balance, there 

is nothing more for them to remove.

Pretty floats and balloons cannot

disguise the seriousness of our times.

Keep your damn parade Macy's

I'm marching for a better cause.

wikipedia

Z

Remains Of the Days

This is what remains after two days of binge watching

with My Darling Daughter.

After Best Beau left last weekend she stayed on

through my Birthday, and this very little

tv viewer, mwah, watched 20 episodes of Vampire Diaries

in a day and a half.

She built a pallet of foam and pillows after removing 

the furniture from the den, and we ordered in food,

polished off some wine and some Moscow Mules.

Hannah had begged me to watch for months

 and so over a couple weeks 

I had made it through Seasons 1-5 

and 2 episodes of Season 6 before she arrived. 

She was thrilled. I struggled through Season 1 

not really into it and then like millions of other "girls"

(rolling my eyes here) I fell for 

Damon

Yep

That bad boy Ian stole my heart

as he vamped his way through

Mystic Falls.

Those of you who desire never to speak me again after

this admission, please know that I do understand.

But oh baby, is this guy ever the bad boy, gotta love em guy.

Season 7 is not on Netflix yet,

but once I can obtain, I will binge once more and 

then actually watch the final season as it airs.

This is embarrassing to admit but if 

Brooke Burke Charvet

can admit to incontinence,

er, I guess she says bladder leakage;

then I can admit to a slight

deviation from "high brow" television..

oh yeah and I also 

do Walking Dead

Game of Thrones

and I did True Blood

anyone sensing a theme?

anyone still speaking to me?

Z

Those of you who judge?

Watched Bachelorette, Duck Dynasty,

Housewives of (pick the city) or the Kardashians lately?

Now that I would NOT do! lol

Enjoy your weekends

with your secret obsessions

Studio Retreat

I have retreated to the studio big time.

Blasting a little Kenny Rankin, Alice Peacock,

 One Republic.

Then Eva Cassidy,

Joao Gilberto, Adele, Warwick and

Mathis.

But still loud.

I have struggled back and forth faithful to 

 paper or fabric. Last night

I fiddled with both.

Anything to keep my mind off

the world and it's madness.

Escape Retreat Reflection

Surprise!

Two of the kids were home last week.

Surprise visit

Darling Daughter and Best Beau

Celebrating their five year anniversary

Now they're off to do films!

Howie was over the moon,

with his best playmate here.

Those crazy two keep so busy.

My personality could not handle it,

but they seem to thrive on it.

The laughter and sweet tender looks 

back and forth gives this mama such joy.

*****

Focus on the good stuff

because the bad stuff is really bad

these days.

How do I hibernate even deeper than 

I already do?

Z

Musings and Insanities

Hello!

The quiet periods seem to be stretching out longer and longer

but that's OK for me and for others doing the same thing.

So here is what has been happening around oldgreymare.

Spent some time working on a new class I'll be teaching

at a brand new store The Paper Bunny.

I met the darling owner Mary when she came to my last

sale and she bought loads of my creations,

some furniture, and then toured the house.

After seeing my paper works in some of the rooms, 

she asked if I would teach. 

Sure enough!

THE STORM

We had a big one here.

Trashed my yard front and back, 

left me piles of hail

that looked like snow drifts and 

scared the daylights out of Howie.

That's hail still on the ground hours later

My driveway and street

Speaking of the pooch..

Once again we were at the vets in an emergency.

This time it was 9 am 

but the fear was just as severe.

He had started bleeding profusely and well,

I feared the worst.

Turned out to be colitis, (they think)

and we did a regime of more pills, more tests, more$$$$.

Bleeding stopped, tests came back fine, and

now we wait.

That's Howie storm sniffing at the fireplace grate.

I never need weather alerts, I have Howie alerts.

Long before the sky darkens, Howie starts the sniffing.

The World

Some days I cannot even bear to watch or read the news.

Insanity reigns.

Hitler's clone is running for our presidency

Trump supporters need to pick up a copy of Mein Kampf . Bet they'll love it

"If you win, you need not have to explain...If you lose, you should not be there to explain!” 

"If you tell a big enough lie and tell it frequently enough, it will be believed.” 

"I use emotion for the many and reserve reason for the few.” 

"The victor will never be asked if he told the truth. ” 

"The very first essential for success is a perpetually constant and regular employment of violence.” 

"Humanitarianism is the expression of stupidity and cowardice.” 

ALL ADOLF HITLER 

or did you think these were Trump's?

Brexit Regrexit

At least we are not alone in political

idiocy but I find no comfort in that.

Climate catastrophes all over the world.

Gun violence

Terrorism

Folks feeding the fear

I know the world has suffered many dark times,

but I cannot remember a time in my life

where it felt so universally doomed and damned.

I hibernate in the summer anyway

as you all know.

but this year is an extreme.

I was just telling DD 

that I filled the car up with gas on June 26th.

The last time I got gas before that

was April 23rd. 

Two months, one tank.

When you no longer "shop" for entertainment.

When you can walk to the market...

the savings add up.

I've cut my budget by one third in the last year.

I do feel good about that.

And of course I always feel good about the kids.

Dearest Son changed jobs with loads more

opportunity, responsibility, and $$$$ 

He's having a ball in the CA sunshine.

Darling Daughter is constantly working on films, 

often alongside boyfriend Blake. 

They are adorable and happy

and the three of them get together often,

doing crazy stuff like 

moonlight skating

and Mama is thrilled.

Hallelujah - gives me hope

Happy Summer to ya

Z