Fab Customer Service - yes it truly exists!

This week has been a lesson in customer service...

Once upon a time there was a bed. A large, nay kingsized bed, which was incredibly comfortable.

One day, the fair damsel heard a loud cracking noise as her faithful hound used the said bed for trampoline practise..

Alas, thought the maiden, verily I cannot find my email receipt for this lovely bed and it has a large crack running down the leg.

Suffice to say, on phoning the helpful company who sold the bed, they were able to immediately trace the order (oh how we marvel at the whirlygig they call a computer) and order a replacement bed as well as offer a refund.

That company, good friend was Argos. Aka known in our family as 'Argiles' courtesy of my dear, mad as a hatter lovely old Grandma...

Learning at the weekend!

This week I have been away on a course. What! At a weekend? I hear you cry. Well, I have to say that I thought it was a fabulous way to spend the weekend; I attended a course of new social media which was great.

I now have visions of sitting in my garden, drinking lemon tea and spending my life among the flowers, twittering, blogging and facebooking away. Then I came home and it was raining so that daydream died a death...

Am I turning old and doddery?

I'm slightly embarrassed today. I managed to catch the bus from the station to continue my journey to work; for once a bus rolled up as I was ambling towards the bus stop which, sad as it sounds, makes me feel as if I have scored some sort of personal victory over the public transport system.

Having sat down and deposited my luggage a sweet elderly couple got on and the driver kindly let them ride for free. They wanted to go to the hospital on the route but were nervous as to missing their stop. I overheard them and assured them it was before my stop, but I'd warn them when to get off.

So, a few minutes later I rang the bell and the sweet old couple ambled off, having thanked me profusely for helping them get to the appointment they were anxious not to miss.

And then we came rumbling towards my stop.

Embarrasingly, I managed to get my wheeled suitcase stuck and with a handbag and rucksack in the other hand, not holding on, I had all the grace of a rampaging rhino as I flew threw the air. On my harris I went (cockney rhyming slang - look it up!) only to be helped my an elderly gentleman...

Generation favour repaid, me thinks....

Finding a gem

Sometimes the smallest things can be the most satisfying...

I have a pretty eclectic taste in music and with my lovely chap, like to enjoy as much live music as possible. Anyway, I also like discovering new music - well music new to me, anyway.

Recently, in one of my jaunts into the world of You Tube and various bizarre videos, I chanced across this fabulous singer from Sweden called Lykke Li. And I like very much. So much so I spent pennies at Amazon downloads....

If you want to see what the fuss is about, here you go...Lykke Li's website

Sparkle shiny shiny!

As Ms Monroe put it, "Diamonds are a girl's best friend." Although my dog would kind of strongly contest that presumption. Anyway, as I was saying, there is nothing like sparkle to make a girl smile. Only some of us can't stretch to diamonds. Well, not on a Monday anyway.

So this lunch break I hotfooted it from my office up to Regent Street to Swarovski  Crystalise. Now, for those of you who didn't realise it, this shop stocks different products from your typical Swarovski store. And boy does it have some twinkling sparkle shiny shiny...

So, having spotted the most exquisite shiny pendant in a Bridal magasine, I decided what I wanted to wear on my wedding day. And I have to say that the gorgeous bauble certainly put a sparkle into my day!

Weekend woes!

Contrary to popular belief, the weekend is not a time for rest, relaxation and recouperation. No. It is a time for doing a hundred and one things that you don't get time to do in the week. To put it bluntly, it's nice to go back to work for a rest...a weekend of post-wedding shindigs with newly-wed chums, booking honeymoons and meeting dress designers has taken its toll!!

This wedding planning malarky is exhausting, sweeties!!!

I dooooooooooooooooooo!

A year today and I will be saying, I do...

It seems soooooooooo long but I now that if I so much as blink it will be upon me and I have a raft of things to do.

So I have started by going on a diet - started a week before I meet my wedding frock designer. I have deceided to ask for the dress to be made a size smaller than I am. This means I have turned into some kind of diet whore who thinks anything delicious tasting is the spawn of the antichrist.

Not helpful when there is a delicious French bakery next door to my office with the tasty treats in the window flirting cocquettishly (look at me I am sooooooo gorgeous and full of chocolate and cream!), tempting me like a Amsterdam night worker to a boy's rugby trip....

Chocolate

Easter is now over. I am wondering what will be the next over-commericalised event the retail industry will next foist upon us.

Is it prudent or just mean to wait until Bank Holiday Monday to buy the nearest & dearest's easter egg in the sale, half price???

Suffice to say, I joined an on-line slimming site today..Fat Club or something...

Don't forget your toothbrush!

I know what I want for Christmas. Time management. I do hope Santa can oblige.

Today saw me pack and head away for a few days. I think I packed more than the Spanish Armada did...needless to say I filled my car, which as a result decided the extra weight was carte blanche to drink more fuel.

As for time management...I managed to leave 4 hours later than I had scheduled...and I still had to stop en route and buy a bloody toothbrush - not sure how the toll on the M25 triggered my memory of failing to pack a toothbrush. I am sure Freud would have some psychobabble explanation for that association....

Not a gossip girl!

Oh what a morning! It's Friday so technically, according to popular culture, the weekend starts today. So I should be in a state of anticipatory headiness. Instead, I am running around like a woman possessed, trying to squeeze tasks that would keep an army of women busy, into one day...on my tod.

Still, the weather is glorious; it's as if nature is trying to lend a helping hand. Which is great as I have my washing out, windows open and am scurrying back and forth like an ant on speed, emptying my car of a lot of bric-a-brac that I have inherited.

The most fabulous event of the day so far has been to encounter the local gossip, of whom I have been subject of their interest. But whether it was the weather or the onset of spring, or at last the influence of my wonderful friends who keep telling me not to be so nice, I told gossip that they are incredibly nosy and that they should mind their own business.

You always know when you have hit a nerve and p*ssed someone off when the childish response of "well you don't have to tell me, I didn't want to know anyway" is their parting shot as they rush off.....