I am giving livejournal a try.

http://mrshoppes.livejournal.com/

After an on-going battle with a nameless, faceless entity I finally got my part. 

I have this machine:

http://www.epinions.com/content_223180131972

The slinger (as it's called) that hold the disc in place broke on me.  To be fair, I use it a LOT.  I called two weeks ago about a replacement part.  They have it.  Told me how much it would cost.  (Not expensive, but still did not have the money at the time.)  I said great and would call back in two weeks to order it.  I called back yesterday and talked with one person.  He had no clue what the part was I was even talking about even though I had the model number AND the assembly number from the owner manual.  Then I was told to order on line that I could not order over the phone.  I don't order on line.  It is something I don't see myself ever doing unless it were a dire emergency and there were no other options left.  Then the guy got a bit huffy and mumbled "Won't order on line.  Great."  Then he asked if I have a fax machine.  Uh.  No.  Then he asked for my e-mail address.  Ok.  I gave it to him and he said he would send me a picture to see if that is what I was talking about and would call me back in a half an hour.  He sent me the link.  It didn't work.  He never called back.  I went to the Bosch website, found my machine, clicked on "replacement parts" and the link was broken.  I called back yesterday afternoon after everyone left.  I got a different person.  She said she could not help me, but took my phone number and said somebody would call me back in an hour.

This morning, I get a phone call.  One ring and a hang up.  But the Bosch number showed up.  I called THAT number back and was transferred to customer service.  I may as well have called the 800 number back.  I start the whole process over again and the woman gets snotty with me when she decides she doesn't know what I am talking about.  I ask to speak to her supervisor and she said "No."  I said "Look.  I don't care who you transfer me to.  You supervisor.  Your supervisor's supervisor.  The owner of the company.  I do not care.  I just want to talk to SOMEONE who knows what I am talking about."

"Do you have a fax machine?"  (Fax machines are important to these people and they seem to think the average person has one laying around.)
"No.  May I talk to someone else, please."
"No.  Do you have an e-mail account?"  (She knows I do because I told her about the previous e-mail.)
"Yes, but my computer is inaccessable by three children ages four and under.  May I PLEASE speak with someone else."
"Fine.  Hold on and I will get my supervisor."

I speak with the supervisor.
"Do you have a fax machine?"  (AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!)
"Look.  All I want is this one little piece.  Do you have a picture of my machine on your computer?"
"Yes."
"Do you see the pretty little disks?"
"Yes."
"I need the part that holds those disks in place as it is shredding my food.  It is part D in the manual."
"The piece is not available by itself.  You have to get the whole housing unit."
"I KNOW THIS.  I WAS TOLD THIS AND I REPEATED IT BACK TO YOU GUYS EACH AND EVERY TIME I HAVE SPOKEN WITH YOU."
"Well, I have the form here.  I will give you back to ____ to take the order."

So the opinion of this person is the Bosch products are great.  Customer service sucks.  But my part should be here in a week. 

Agh!  I lost most of my vegetables.  They didn't actually make it into the ground.  They were still is containers, but they got left outside.  Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid!  I didn't realize that it was supposed to hit freezing last night.  I thought it was only supposed to get down to around 40 and starting TONIGHT was supposed to hit freezing.  But, I was wrong.  Grrrr.

C, C, D, and R came over today and including my children, there were eleven children in this house.  C ended up leaving with her three because she had things to do.  C left her son here at one point so she could take her husband to work or school or something.  She came back and hung out for a while longer.  Today, we were supposed to be working on the yard sale stuff, but we ended up all just hanging out talking and watching the children run, play, argue, run, watch Veggie-tales, run, eat, run, shove cheese down the heat vent, run, scream, run.  After R and her children left, C, D, and I went over La Leche League type stuff.

George went to church tonight and I am very happy that he did.  I'd like for all of us to make a more concerted effort to attend Wednesday night service.  With three small children, I know that is difficult, so the times we can't all go, I'd at least like to see him go.  I realize that may times by the end of the day, he is done and can't move.  We've talked about this in the past and now it's time to put forth the effort.  Nothing for him past noon physically speaking on Wednesdays. 

Remind me to fill out the paperwork to appeal the denial of Hannah as a dependent.  CHAMPVA says we have not proved her dependency.  So I need to call them and ask what they need.  We are going to have very expensive bills from AP&S if this does not get fixed.