Winter in New England

A couple of weeks ago Lizzie and I went for a long walk to get some winter shots. Here are few to wet your appetite for the snow :-)

Sister Mary Martha

I just ran across this blog by a nun. She has some pretty funny ways to explain her stance on various church related issues. Give her a read when you get a chance!

I also put her on the sidebar links for quick access to nun humor!

Delta Update #2

I know, I know yet another Delta update. I am getting as tired of writing these as you may be reading them, but I have vowed to keep you all posted and so I shall.

Since I was too upset to talk Allen kindly offered to carry the burden of the dreaded Delta phone call.

Sunday evening he made contact with a Delta Customer Service Representative over the phone. The call went something like the following (edited to save time):

Allen explains the situation and our being short changed.

The Delta CSR (I call him Jim) says, "Well, in looking at the note from the Manchester, NH Com Air Baggage Claims Department (yes he did just blame it on another company), it looks like they told us to cut a check for $100.00 (mind you the car seat cost $159.99 plus tax). It is out of our hands, since the airport employees are the ones that told us how much to pay out. You will need their okay for any additional amount."

Some reiteration from both Allen and then Jim occurs getting no where, so Allen angrily, but politely ends the conversation determined to call back another day.

Fast forward to today.

Allen calls Com Air and gets Com Air CSR "Bill" and explains the situation even more thoroughly this time than last. Bill take a number of minutes to find the info in the computer and then says, "I see it here, but it looks like the people in Manchester specifically noted that the car seat was only worth as much as $100.00, and that you chose to go outside that amount by selecting a car seat of a different brand and price range."

Allen, "But, we were never told a price range, and all we were told to do was find a car seat comparable to what we had, which we did. It happened to cost more because our car seat wasn't there and I don't see why we should pay the extra money when we were never told to keep it under $100 (in fact the amount discussed at the Delta counter was $150)."

Bill, "I completely understand what you are saying, but there is nothing I can do from my end of things. You should contact the Delta Corporate Customer Care Loss Prevention Department(you know things are bad when they have a department for something that obscure)...Hopefully they can help you out."

So that is it, which means yet another letter in the mail to Delta. What a mess!

Note: "Bill" was really great to deal with, just had no authority to do anything for us. Jim on the other hand was less than pleasant to deal with.

Delta Update #1

So, I finally was able to send the letters out to Delta this past Wednesday. Yesterday Lizzie gets a letter in the mail from Delta. It is a check. Great, a reimbursement check, right?

WRONG!!!

Refund for a little over half of what the new car seat cost us (as the receipt we gave Delta clearly showed).

Fuming Mommy?

You bet!!!

So, add another unnecessary phone call to the mix of complaints about Delta Air Lines. That will be for later though, I am too mad to speak intelligently, right now.

Purple Piggy

So a few days ago Lizzie stubbed her toe (it happens) then a couple days ago she stubbed the same toe (what can I say she comes by it honestly).

She cried and had a tear or two, no biggie. But this red little piggy gradually became purple and was still painful for her when it hit anything even days later.

This afternoon we took her to the doctor to see if maybe it was infected or something. Turns out our tough little girl probably broke her toe. They can't do anything for such small toes, so they didn't x-ray, they just told us to tape it to the toe next to it.

I think maybe Lizzie is trying to bond with her Auntie Lissa (queen of broken bones) from afar.

The Tax Man Cometh

So we're in a Boston Market, sitting down to enjoy our dinner, and Ellie is just about done with the day (we had taken a day trip to visit the Yankee Candle flagship store in Western Mass.). Having just smiled and charmed a man in his late 30s or early 40s, she begins to fuss. On his way back to his seat, said charmed man responds to the crying, "Oh come on, kiddo, you're too young to even know what a 1040 form is..."

Much laughter.

Hello!

Ellie has figured out how to stand still, bend over and look behind her between her legs. Needless to say, the scene is hilarious.

To My Editors, Whomever You May Be

Hello everyone.

After an eventful flight experience both to and from the Pacific Northwest I decided a letter to Delta was required. Having never written such a letter as this I thought perhaps I could get some much needed help from family and friends who may or may not have written letters like this:

Draft 7: (Thanks to those who have helped out so far. I tried to keep your comments in mind when making my changes)

And per Laura's advice I hope to write to the following people:

Edward H. Bastian (President, Chief Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)

Glen W. Hauenstein (Executive Vice President of Network Planning and Revenue Management)

Richard H. Anderson (Chief Executive Officer and Director)

Daniel A. Carp (Chairman on the Board of Directors)

Richard H. Anderson (Chief Executive Officer, and Director on the Board of Directors)

Edward H. Budd (Director, Chairman of Audit Committee, Member of Executive Committee, Member of Finance Committee and Member of Personnel & Compensation Committee on the board of Directors)

John F. Smith Jr. (Director, Chairman of Finance Committee, Member of Audit Committee, Member of Executive Committee and Member of Corporate Governance Committee on the Board of Directors)

David R. Goode (Director, Chairman of Personnel & Compensation Committee, Member of Executive Committee and Member of Finance Committee on the Board of Directors)

Dear Sir:

I am not the sort of person to complain or be “disgruntled” in anyway. In fact, I am by personality quite the opposite. However, my family’s (My husband, 2 year old daughter, and 1 year old daughter) and my recent journey from Manchester, NH to Portland, OR has given me no choice, but to make my small voice heard as loudly as I am capable of making it.

Now I could spend the rest of the letter going on a long 10 page diatribe of our Delta Experience, but instead of wasting both your time and mine, I will simply give you the lowlights.

• Our original flights were changed by your company. I spent 2 hours on the phone rearranging our flights so that we would have a layover longer than 30 minutes .

• The first flight (12/15/07, Delta Flight 4465 from MHT to ATL) didn’t get to Atlanta until almost an hour and a half late due to a “fuel spill” and flight traffic, which may not have been solely Delta’s fault, but was frustrating none the less.

• We made it to the next flight (12/15/07, Delta Flight 1287 from ATL to PDX) just as they were boarding. However, our luggage wasn’t so lucky. We waited to see if our luggage came on the next flight from Atlanta. When, our luggage did arrive in Portland, it was drenched and the car seats were covered in road grime. Our girls rode home late at night in sopping, cold, wet seats thanks to your baggage handlers. We stayed up a few hours just washing the once clean clothing, that was now dripping wet.

• Our return flight (1/01/08, Delta Flight 698 from PDX to CIN) went perfectly with one exception, the film choice. Honestly, when you have families on board your plane, do you think it appropriate to show RUSH HOUR 3 on every screen so that whether or not you want to see naked women, you are forced to? What a true lack of class.

• Now for the worst flight, Delta Flight 5169 from CIN to MHT (scheduled 1/1/08 left 1/2/08). We should have departed at 7:35pm, instead we waited 5 hours before we were actually on the plane and ready to take off. Our first take off attempt failed, and was followed several minutes later by a shaky, 1 am take off. We arrived in Manchester around 2:30 am.

• When picking up our luggage we found one of our car seats was destroyed. We received a loaner, and claim form with instructions. The following day we were told to disregard the original instructions and instead to purchase a new seat, then return to the airport with the loaner, old seat and receipt (mind you it takes us over an hour to get to Manchester). Once, at the counter we handed over the seats and receipt, waiting for a check. Instead they said they would send it to us. We requested a copy of our receipt and are now waiting for our check.

What a hassle to get back a little of what we had going into this!

Now, I understand that things such as fuel spills and air traffic delays are not directly your company’s fault, but you must understand that as a low income family of four, trying to get by while my husband works his way through seminary, the Delta Experience we had is simply unacceptable. Please, know I won’t be picketing outside your doors. I just want to be heard and to tell you that everyone I know will hear about what a horrible airline Delta Air Lines is and why I will not be flying with you again anytime soon!

Please note that I am posting this letter and picture of our car seat as well as any subsequent replies (with your permission) on my blog.

Hoping to See Changes for the Better to Come,

Stephanie Hutchison
Hopeful future Delta Customer
(insert my address here)

Thoughts?

Name

Lizzie used to call her sister, "Anna".


Now, apparently, it's "Annie."

Lizzie's car seat

Thank you Delta Airlines for buying Lizzie a new car seat. Mainly because you destroyed her original one.