Thursday, October 31, 2013

Pooches, Kitties, and Kisses

It's a dog and cat world. I've seen the mobile grooming trucks in the National Cathedral neighborhood, but have not seen one on Capitol Hill until recently. It was parked right outside of St. Peter's where a wedding was taking place. When we had our Borzoi in Wisconsin, I was responsible for her grooming and really enjoyed doing it. She had really silky fur and didn't need a lot of baths but did require a lot of brushing. Her tail fur was almost a foot long!  Doing toenails was always dicey and she didn't care for it either. I'm not sure if I would ever have used a mobile service but apparently a lot if people must. I really like dogs but for some reason this seems over the top. Folks must not have a lot of time and a lot of money. But then again, what do I know?



Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Comcast Successful Visit - Issue Resolved!

On October 20 I wrote a blog about poor Comcast Service. After spending a lot of time on a chat call our issue was not resolved. A couple days later I was checking my blog for comments and there was one written from a Comcast rep who asked that I send them an email with a phone number that they could reach us. I sent them a note and shortly thereafter they called to learn more about the issue and scheduled a service call. The tech came even earlier than the scheduled time, but It was not successful. He requested that another crew come by and check external factors. They appeared soon after and after a couple hours and in to the evening the issue was finally resolved. We also received two follow up calls to see if the problem was rectified. I'm happy that the service issue was finally resolved and appreciated all the attention and follow up. But we still paid full price for service we did not have for a six week period. For someone who consistently pays the bills the same day an invoice is received, reported an issue that was not resolved the first time, and the issue was external to us and outside our control, some sort of a refund would be appropriate. I know I would never get away with poor service in health care where demanding patients and families insisted on better. We're talking television channels  - not a matter of life or death, but an inconvenience to us and not worth full price for lost service during that period of time. I read somewhere that blogging about things like this may get attention. I guess it did. In all fairness I also wrote about a very successful Comcast interaction a year or two ago that was filled with compliments. Fair is fair.   


Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Flu Shots at CVS, Giant, and Library of Congress

It was time to get flu shots. My husband doesn't like going to the medical office just for that so we went back to the same CVS he visited last year. Unfortunately, the nurse had just taken off for lunch. Rather than wait around we noticed that the Giant Food Store right next door was also handing the shots out. It was strange to have it done at a pharmacy connected to a grocery store, and the tech or pharmacist who gave it seemed like it was the first time. I got my flu shot today at work. The scene was much different in the magnificent Madison Hall in the Library of Congress Madison Building. It's an employee perk, I filled out the paperwork beforehand, a very short wait, and really easy all around. Working in health care thirty years it was not an option to get a flu shot - you had no choice.  Here, it's just a good idea. And there are so many ways to get one. 







Monday, October 28, 2013

Flents Quiet Please Earplugs

I've been using earplugs for over thirty years. I guess you could call me an expert on good earplug products. I've tried several, but have found that Flents Quiet Please work the best. You really need to follow directions, or they won't work. The last time we went to the drugstore for replacements, Flents could not be found. They only had another unfamiliar brand. I was very reluctant to try them, and it turned out I was right. So I decided to head straight to Amazon and order up a big supply that would last awhile. And of course, they had them in as many sizes as you wanted. Too bad I didn't order it before the minimum purchase amount for free delivery was changed! Anyway, the box with 100 pair arrived shortly after it was ordered. And the large volume plastic container came with a little green travel case. How convenient! My husband recently found that using earplugs occasionally helps him sleep...it muffles out annoying sounds like water dripping from leaky pipes, a common problem in this town. So we will add earplugs to our list of bulk, large volume items that we need but necessarily can't find around town - filters for everything, and decaf tea. Now I just need to find space for all this junk in our tiny place. 




Sunday, October 27, 2013

Marine Corps Marathon on the Mall

The dreary morning turned in to a brilliant afternoon. And since it was Sunday, it was time for our weekly walk on the Mall. My husband keeps heading to the Mall every morning after he drops me off at work at the Library, but I get there less often. We knew something was up because Independence Avenue was heavy with traffic. We also knew the Marine Corps Marathon was taking place this weekend with about 30,000 participants. Once we hit the Capitol Building, and heard a marching band, you could see them all making their way around the Mall. So we followed the path a bit, against the grain. There were a lot of supporters all along the way, and a very strong Marine corps presence, and helicopters flying overhead. It was a little chilly for us, but probably the perfect temperature for the participants. It was definitely disappointing for those who like to drive to the Capitol grounds, park on the quiet Sunday streets, and meander along the sidewalks on the Mall.  I'm glad we don't need to think about it, and get to enjoy the events even without having any idea we may run in to them. 












Saturday, October 26, 2013

Middleburg Dog Show

I need to get my dog fix at least once year - especially to see the Borzois. We had a beautiful Russian Wolfhound in Milwaukee, and I love to see them and talk to some of the owners at a dog show. We went to several dog shows in the Milwaukee area to get an idea what kind of dog we might be interested in. I knew right away when we saw the Borzois - beautiful and not a peep out of them. As we headed out for the hour drive, the biggest surprise was seeing a bald eagle right by the Pentagon along the George Washington Parkway on our way to the Middleburg Dog Show at the Oatlands Plantation in Leesburg, Virginia. I'm glad I brought my winter coat! It was very windy, but the sun was brilliant, making for a great ride along the side streets with the autumn backdrop. We were there just in time to catch the Borzoi judging and wandered about to see some of the other sights, dogs, and owners. People really love their animals and there is something there for everyone. But once we saw the wolfhounds, I wasn't really interested in anything else. One of these days we need to come back and see the actual plantation house that sits up the way from the entrance. We did miss our friends who came with us last year. Maybe next time. 















Friday, October 25, 2013

On the Hunt for Halloween Decorations in Alexandria and Capitol Hill

It's a pretty sad state of affairs. I thought since this weekend is the last one in October before Halloween, certainly the decorations would be up in full force. Boy, was I wrong! Either the economy has gotten everyone down, or we were in the wrong places. My husband told me that Halloween sales were down about 25% and it became quite obvious as we searched for interesting haunts on Capitol Hill and Alexandria. In years past, there was always something quite unusual to gaze at. If a decoration was up, it was quite lame... just a few pumpkins and mums. The only places that had something a little more festive and interesting were the shops, and even they didn't have much to show. I don't know which one was worse...Alexandria or Capitol Hill. The fake spider webs were overwhelmingly the product of choice, but just didn't pack the punch of the season. Or maybe it's just us? What happened to all the spooky stuff? Maybe everyday life has taken it's place!