Zenfish'n

We have been experiencing a virus...no... not a computer one . The real deal. It has laid waste to us for the past two weeks plus. That is why it has taken so long to post. It is a doozy of a disease. There were days when I could barely drag myself out of bed to take an asprin. The cough is still persistent. Hopefully I can shake it this week. I haven't coughed like this since I smoked. Other than the illness ...we are plugging along.

On December 22 the EMT's kicked in our door. Don't get me wrong ...it was the right thing to do. My wife had a little mishap and needed help. The alert USA ignored the message to call me at work first... and called 911 even though it wasn't a pressing emergency. It was an error, but they erred on the side of safety. I cannot fault them for that. This started a two month process of trying to get a door installed.

We started by calling one guy through Christmas week and he kept missing appointments. After a week of this on December 29th, I begin the installation process with Lowe's. The estimate process was quick ( it was handled by the installer, not Lowes. The contractor did make a mistake...but that was discovered much later.). By January 7th Lowe's had what it would take to install our new door. They called me on the tenth to come pick out a door.I brought pictures of the door...pics of what the door looked liked before getting kicked in, they had the measurements ( or so I thought). I selected a door was given an estimate of $80 to $120 for the door, ensured the fee they charged for giving the estimate would be applied to the purchase price. ( do not believe them when they tell you that...other mysterious fees will arise.) Then they came across a measurement for the hinges they could not find on the estimate. I told them as they were milling on site, they would adjust then. Lowe and behold Lowe's ordering system won't let you bypass this measurement. They asked if I could come back in to try ordering again. The next day, they had spoke with the installer and we tried again. No luck the system would not let us proceed pass the door lock mechanism measurement this time. I get the " I'll call you when we figure this out." no call after four days. I begin emailing their head office. Lowe and behold, the very next day i get a call saying the door is on order and will be ready in two weeks. We are about three weeks into the process now. Plus the two weeks Five weeks. Against my gut feeling I agree to their estimate ( The door was now $200 plus installation). I go in and sign the contact.

Five weeks no phone call. Fire another email to head office. Lowe and behold, I get a call the very next day saying their will be a two week delay. No expalnation as to why. I fire another email off to head office expressing my disappointment and offering advice on how the cutomer service process should work. Week seven begins.

They are phoning me now. My emails accomplished that much. We arrange a date which is complicated because we live in a condo and there is great demand for elevator time. We finally arrange for the 21 of February. the next day I get a call saying I have to pick out the kick plate,hinges and weatherstripping. I explain its not necessary. They insist. I sat its a custom door it is unlikely you will have what I need. So I go in and look at what they have. Nothing that will work save the weather stripping...which helps to keep the sound down.

Installation day finally arrives. The carpenter comes in. We exchange pleasentries, he looks at the door lock mechanism and says..." I can't install this its not a residential lock. " Great so now we have to call a locksmith to install the door knob. Two month, six trips to the store, five angry emails and countless phone calls to get one door partially installed. Lowe's, an apt description of their customer service standards.

While I may not have been writing here I have been dealing with other issues. Lowe's is just the tip of the iceberg. 2008 has turned out to be the year for me to be writing angry letters and emails. The year of the rat has turned out to be the year of dealing with rats.

Anyway we hope y'all are doing fine.