Sunday 3 June 2012

What a Week

Well that's a week I don't want to repeat - I thought I was going to land up in the loony bin.... I suggest you make yourself comfy and grab a cuppy before you read this, it's quite a saga!!


Last Sunday my washing machine died a particularly gruesome death - now I know perfectly well that you're not supposed to put underwired bras in washing machines, but hey, we all do it... One naughty underwire was dragged out of my bra by the machine, then managed to lodge itself next to the glass door and shredded the rubber all the way round, it also damaged the glass and there were white ceramic bits in there for good measure!! As if that wasn't bad enough the door refused to open, keeping half of my clothes hostage. So I googled it and managed to work out that I'd have to get in through the top to unlatch the door from the inside..... well instead of screws, the top was help on with little bolts which were the wrong size and not very accessible. So after a small temper tantrum I managed to get the top off - it wasn't pretty!! But it got  the job done and I got my clothes out. 


So after I'd emptied it I decided I'd need to get it out of the kitchen to make room for a new one - I forgot that washing machines basically contain a concrete block in them for stability. But another temper tantrum enabled me to drag it through the kitchen, down the hall, over the doorstep and outside - isn't adrenaline amazing stuff?
So this is where the drama started. I checked out a number of sites online and Argos appeared to be the one that could deliver quickest. So I went on and ordered a new machine - all through the ordering process it stated that I would get delivery within 3 days. Then I got my confirmation email which said that I would be contacted within 3 days to arrange delivery.....mmmmm that sounds a bit fishy, but I let it go. Fast forward to Wednesday and I went onto the Argos website to track my order where it said there had been a problem with my order, they had tried to contact me and that I should call on the given number. Now I don't think they tried very hard to contact me because I had no missed calls or messages! Anyway, I spoke to a very nice lady who was very apologetic, she couldnt understand why nobody had contacted me because they couldnt get stock of the model I had ordered until the 20th June!! Well I had a bit of a meltdown but we managed to select another model that was showing as a 3 day delivery, so she said she'd process that and someone would call me later that day to arrange delivery. NOBODY called me on Wednesday. I called on Thursday morning because the online tracking was still showing the same message about there being a problem with my order and the woman I talked to said it would be processed later today and someone would call me. By lunchtime the order status hadn't changed so I called again and the woman I talked to this time advised me that I would get my machine delivered on the 8th June - I told her that wasn't acceptable, I had been told delivery would be in 3 days, and she said no, it takes 3 days to process the order ?!?!? So I had to cancel the order and now have to wait up to 5 working days before the refund goes onto my card. 
Luckily, Graham's wages went into the bank on Thursday, so I started calling all the chain retailers who sell washing machines, to see if any of them could deliver the following day. All the big chains ie Currys, Comet, John Lewis, Appliances Online etc couldn't deliver until the 8th June, some said it was because of the Jubilee, some said it was due to the postcode - incidentally, it's an Aberdeen postcode, not Timbuktoo. So I then tried to find some independents - that wasn't easy, what happened to them all? Called one in Inverurie, he said they couldnt deliver til after the Jubilee, and the second one I called in Inverurie, Sound & Tech - what a star, the salesman said that yes he certainly could deliver next day, in fact if I had called in the morning he would have been able to deliver the same day!!
So I have a new machine, and today I finally managed to get caught up with all the washing.


I had a fab day at The Papeterie on Saturday, thankyou to everyone who came to see me. I'll be back soon with some of my samples, and some sneak peeks for the GJWTHF this Saturday and I'll be demoing some fab new colouring pencils alongside promarkers the following Saturday at The Papeterie, so look out for more info on that.
Thanks for visiting, 
I appreciate any comments 
Debz x

11 comments:

Pamela said...

What a nightmare! It doesn't take long to get behind with the washing does it? I longer wash my bras loose in the machine, I use a laundry bag for bras and socks.

MagsB said...

Oh hon, what a marathon with your washing machine! I really feel for you (hate those underwired bras, they always stab me in very tender places!) I hope your next week is just wonderful to make up for last week!

love Mags B x

Kat said...

What a nightmare Debbi. When my kids were young I wouldn't have been able to cope more than a day without a washing machine! Not so bad now there's just the two of us. I'm not surprised about Argos and others taking ages to deliver. Last year my dishwasher died and I checked out the usual places online. Then I tried a shop in Peterhead that has various shops selling just about everything. We went up there and came home with a new dishwasher in the car. They could have delivered quite quickly too and they weren't any more expensive than the so called cheaper places. Good for the independents.

Kat xx

Tonya said...

Oh my goodness I would have been so mad. Not good customer service for sure. I am happy you finally received a new washing machine; it looks very lovely too. :o)

Suze Bain said...

Oh what a pallaver Debbi, I suppose you could have started hand washing and then rung them out with your grand caliber! Nice to know that a local company came up trumps! xx

Pamela said...

What a nightmare! Glad you got sorted - think we need more independent traders!

Pam x

Paula (PEP) said...

One of those sagas where something very straightforward turns out a nightmare!!
Glad you have the washing under control again & look forward to seeing what you're up to with pencils.........
Paula (PEP)

Cards By MI said...

Such an adventure! LoL Typical of the sales places to mask their deliveries. Happens here (Sweden) often too but now there is so many that want to sell that they need the delivery service to work, otherwise no selling for that firm. LoL
Take care!
Love n hugs
Marie

Marianne's Craftroom said...

Oh Debbi, I have just read thw full saga, what a nightmare. Whatever you do, don't put your bras in ther. i bough a mesh laundry bag and out mine in one of them and that seems fine. I once had a wire pulled out but luckily it didn't damage the machine. Happy washing.

Susieqt said...

I can feel your pain having also had the dreaded 'underwire of death' in a washing machine. Easy solution is to get one of those were net bags and zip the offending articles in there before throwing them in the machine... Anything to avoid hand washing!

Susie

akilli melek said...

lol, that sounds like the day I had yesterday. Thankfully the week got better today ;-)

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