Sunday, December 30

Gripes & Grizzles.

Before I get to the gripes & grizzles, here is a sunny picture of SG taken around Novemeber at his Pre School. He had lost both of his lower, front, baby teeth, & now has 2 new teeth growing beautifully sharp & new! His hair is much lighter in real life, so I am not sure why it looks so dark in this photo.
He is fascinated with skeletons, so I got him this shirt last year, when I was in New Zealand, & it is one of his favourites. Would not be my choice!

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What is it about Carpet Salesmen?
I have discovered they rate somewhere between Used Car Salesmen & Lawyers in my List of Beware!

As you may remember, we recently had a mishap with our drains, which caused a flooding into our passage of sewagey waste water. This caused us to have to replace the carpet, which luckily was insured.

We also had a ceiling & roof repair as a result of storm damage, & it was just coincidental that these things happened at almost the same time. The roof was repaired, the ceilings repainted, & the fact that a patch of paint in the lounge is now cracking, will need to be addressed.

The carpet was a different claim, & a different story. The original carpet had been in the house for approximately 24 years. It had worn a little in patches, but on the whole was not really in bad condition, considering it's age. Which would seem to indicate to us that the carpet had been reasonably good quality, to have withstood much traffic & wear & tear over the course of 24 years.

We duly went & looked at carpets, & hummed & hahed over what we would like to replace the carpet. We consulted with cunning carpet salesmen, whose eyes would gleam with joy once they heard it was to be an Insurance claim. A couple even rubbed their hands together with glee. One rushed off into the office & did a little tap dance!

We were quoted approximate prices of the range we could expect to choose from. We even got quotes done for replacement, & were told exactly what price we could expect to have an acceptance of, from the Insurance Company.

We tried to ask all the right questions as to durability & stain resistance etc. We brought home samples, & 'test drove' them on our floors to see how we liked the colours. I would say here that there were wild variations on the replacement price for supposedly & apparently, similar or equal quality to the original carpet. I couldn't see why they varied so much, really, but we went with the one who allowed us the better quality - ie higher priced- carpet, including a better quality of underlay.

The carpet we chose is a creamy goldy colour. A Neutral, just as the old one had been, but much fresher of course. We were assured it was stainresistant, durable, & ideal for heavy traffic, dogs, etc.

It has been laid since July. We have had the edges refastened twice, & still it is lifting from the edge at the wall, in places. There is a huge bulge in one spot in the lounge.

As to the look of it... well, it has stains which seem to be solidly permanant! I have tried the stain remover that never fails me... to no avail. To say I am bitterly disappointed would be to understate the matter. If it looks so shabby after only approximately 6 months of wear & use, what will it look like in 24 years? I just cannot believe it is of the same quality in any way, as the old carpet!

I like to think I take action instead of just whining about things. I am not sure what to do about this. Is it buyer beware? The shabby laying should be addressed better than it has. The layer -is that the term?- told us it had been cut a little 'meanly' in the lounge, hence the lifting. He got out the 'stretcher the second time he came... now there is the bulge.

Another complication is the fact that we have since changed our Insurance Company. They are essentially the same company, but we were insured under a different company name before. I suppose this is all something we will have to deal with in the New Year.

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I never sleep in. I sometimes have a snooze in the afternoon, when it is hot.
I went back to bed yesterday morning, after getting up at 6am. At 8am, I felt deathly tired. I slep until 10am, & still did not really want to wake, even then. I did feel better later, but still went off to bed fairly early last night.


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I have been having very vivid dreams that haunt me all day. It is over 10 years since my Mother died. I have recently started seeing her in all my dreams.

When she was first gone, I wished I could see her in my dreams. I never seemed to see her at all. The idea of her was there, but never her person. Now I see her smiling face, & small figure almost every night. It is very curious.

I miss her just as much, after 10+ years, as I ever did. The scars just get a little thicker, but the wound of losing her, remains. A sort of psychic umbilical cord.


Crowded House, Time On Earth, the whole double CD.






19 comments:

Anonymous said...

I frequently meet my grandfather in my dreams. Just this week we had a conversation that remained vivid when I woke up. I find it very comforting. I hope that your mother comforts you in your dreams.

As to carpet - no idea really, but I hope you sort it out soon.

Joyce said...

I feel for you with your carpet woes. I hope the insurance company or the store will come through for you. I don't think there is anything made nowadays with anywhere near the quality that was normal 24 years ago.

LBA said...

You seem to be handling it better than me. Just reading about your carpet, I envisioned myself crying, screaming, stomping my feet and threatening to sue whoever.

I *hate* it when new stuff is shite .. which seems to be often, these days...

The carpet in our bedroom is original Westminster, from the 1950's. Apart from a small waterstain in one corner, it is MINT.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7711688@N04/849128798/in/set-72157600058306544/

I doubt we'd be able to replace it with such a quality ever again.

Mike said...

Don't even get me started on carpet sale/installation people. I have had some very bad experiences with both.

My dad died almost 3 years ago now and I have dreams about him at least once a week. Sometimes they are good and sometimes they aren't. I'm glad I have them though. They are reassuring to me somehow though.

Stomper Girl said...

I think you should definitely complain. If only to get the gripes out of your system and into theirs....

Linda G. said...

Oh Meggie, how frustrating and disapointing to have carpet problems after all you went through with the plumbing and getting the carpet replaced! It seems both products and workmanship are shoddy nowdays and doesn't look to be getting better....

Here's wishing you a Healthy, Happy, Problem Free 2008!

Ali Honey said...

It's worth a try Meggie...they certainly won't do anything more unless you complain!

Hope you are not sickening for anything. Take care!

Roll on 2008!

Aunty Evil said...

It's the squeaky wheel that gets the oil Meggie. Complain, see where it takes you!

As for your mum, you will miss her forever. I can't imagine I'll ever stopping missing my mum after she goes.

smilnsigh said...

Glad you stayed in bed, when you felt like it. Our body knows what we need... Like rest. Even when we don't know it, ourselves. I think we are wise to heed what our body tells us.

Wishing a Happy and Healthy New Year to you.

Mari-Nanci

Angie said...

Dang, I hate that about your carpet, Meggie, and isn't it one of those things that just nags at you every time you see it or it hits your mind. :/ Lovely picture of your GS, he's a cutie! :D My Mom has been gone 11 years this Dec. I miss her all the time. The week before Christmas I was standing out under the stars looking straight up, and Mom popped in my mind. I just said "Ma, are there you?" and I swear to you that before I hardly got the words out of my mouth I saw a shooting star. I haven't seen a shooting star in years!!! Yes, my Ma is here!!! :D

Christine Thresh said...

Carpet woes -- perhaps that's why we do not have carpets. We just have plain wood floors with a few rugs here and there.
I'm sorry to hear about your problems. Teresa of "Guam Quilter" blogspot had miles of carpeting installed in the house she is building. Now, she can't stay in the house for more than a few hours because she gets dizzy. There is a link to her blog on mine.
Your grandson is a cutie pie. Happy new year to all.

Catalyst said...

Meggie, the carpeting in our (new, as of 7 years ago) home is also buckling up in places, mainly in my den. Maybe a partial fix along the lines of Christine's above - area rugs - is the way to go.

I think the reason you're now dreaming of your mother is that your mind has relaxed and you're no longer consciously demanding those dreams. Or not.

meggie said...

Hi All
I have wished we had nice polished floors but we couldnt afford to have them laid- the underfloor is yuk.
Seeing we have complained twice already about the laying problems, it is just a pain. They keep sending the young man out, who did the laying. Perhaps we should demand the Sales Rep come & inspect it.
It has been a sneaking suspicion that my skin itches are related to this wretched carpet too- the time frame fits.

That is an interesting theory, about the dreams, Cat. I often talk to my mother, & I often hear her voice, but I never thought about why I didnt see her in my dreams, just wondered at the fact that I didn't. She seems happy when I see her, now, & she is invariably smiling. Sometimes I get to speak to her, or she speaks to me, so I find her a comfort really. As she always was, in my life, when alive.

Joke said...

Carpet salesmen...who knew?

-J.

Joke said...

Carpet salesmen...who knew?

-J.

Blue Moon Girl said...

My parents had the same problem a few years ago with their carpet. They had this hideous burnt orange carpet in their house that didn't have any real issues except that it was UGLY. So they got it replaced and had no end of problems with the "new" carpet. They have since moved and I think that's for the best! I hope you manage to get it figured out. I think that having the sales person come out to look at it might be a good idea if you can manage it!

I dream about my grandparents all the time. My mom (they were her parents) never does and she has wished that she could. So I tell her about my dreams and she appreciates it. I think I dream of them (especially my grandmother) because Mr. B and I have her dog.

To end on a happy note - very cute picture of sg! I love that toothless smile!

Mary Johnson said...

Maybe it's the quality of the carpet and labor these days that's to blame. We put new carpet in the Marietta house when we moved in 5 years ago and before we left last year it was already looking like old carpet and the seam in our living room was showing wear. My son mentioned that they'd tried to clean it recently but it still looks worn.

Tanya Brown said...

There's an engaging-looking young man! Of course he likes the skeleton shirt. Not only does it have a skeleton but it's a cool skeleton which is playing a guitar.

I'm sorry to hear about the carpet woes. Carpet salesmen, used car salesmen, politicians - they're all from the same genetic stock.

ancient one said...

Last carpeting we bought, maybe four years ago now?, I asked my husband did I have to pick something I'd have to live with forever... he said no... so I got a cheaper mingled up carpet, that really isn't all that pretty, but I cannot tell you how many people have said they wished they had that in their homes as it does not show dirt and wear. (that's what I was going for)

Your GS is so precious. And I loved his shirt!!

I still dream of relatives that have gone on before. Probably my grandmother more than the others.