Are you with me so far or have I gone too far back in time for you? The reason I am mentioning this is because of what happened last Wednesday week. Each year I am interviewed by Silver Chain and last year they were running so late with their appointments I didn't see anyone till March this year. At that time the lovely lady I saw said my next appointment was due in September this year. In order to bring it all up to date she gave me a number to ring and said to ask them if I could either have a home visit or a telephone interview some time in September. She obviously realised I don't get around too well and she was trying to really be helpful.
I then went on to ask about a telephone interview and she asked me to hold on a few minutes. She eventually came back and told me they only make phone calls to north of the river!!! I said that made no sense as it would cost them only a local call north or south but she said that was their ruling. I persisted that I felt a phone interview should be possible and she said she would get back to Lisa who by that time had gone home and ask Lisa to ring me in the morning. I asked that she phone me after 10am (we are late risers) and next morning I was up at about 9am but no phone call from Lisa. No call on Friday, Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday either!!!!
I decided I would wait till lunchtime Thursday and then ring them again but before I had a chance to do that I did receive a call from Silver Chain from an entirely different lady to the other four I'd spoken to last week. She said they'd make an exception and I could expect a call at 8.30am on a date in September. "Whoah" said I, "I'm barely out of bed at that time and really not compos mentis enough to do a long interview on the telephone". She said she was sorry but that was the only time of the day they made telephone calls. She suggested perhaps a home interview would be best so I am expecting a lady to call in October at a reasonable hour of 10.30am. I do also have to consider Phil as he tends, like me, to be a late riser, especially in the cooler weather. After all, he is from England and they, poor souls, do tend to feel the cold more than many of us Aussies do.
Phil went to his monthly poetry meeting this morning (I like some poetry but not enough to talk about it) and when he arrived home he handed me a a lovely bunch of daffodils. I couldn't help laughing when he said "They were really quite cheap." I told him that wasn't really an appropriate thing to say when handing a lady flowers but I realised he was telling me he'd not wasted a lot of money. Now, I ask you, would any lady think a gentleman was wasting money if he handed her a simple bunch of flowers? I think not but the sentiment was not lost and I appreciated them as the bunch of flowers he gave me last week had just been thrown out.
You lost me at 'Silver Chair' obviously it has something to do with your age and your country ...
ReplyDeleteHad you read down further you'd have realised it was Silver ChaiN and not ChaiR but never mind it was just me letting off steam. It's an organisation that looks after the health of the elderly and those that need care at home following hospitalisation etc.
DeleteSigh. I have been playing telephone tag all week with someone from a government department. And finding it intensely frustrating. Good luck with the visit.
ReplyDeleteLove the daffs too.
We may have that problem soon as well. Telstra, out of the goodness of their little heart, has sent us a new mobile phone and it has to be set up at a Telstra shop. I am sure I will be posting more about that in the near future.
DeleteYes, the daffs are still looking beautiful. Love that bright yellow colour.
Hope your telephone frustration will soon be resolved.
Hari OM
ReplyDeleteI know Silverchair as an OZ rock band... but I guess they don't make calls to seniors! I remember the days of landline telephony and proper message taking. That horse has bolted I feel... Gorgeous Daffys!!! YAM xx
See my explanation above. It was a typo and it is Silver Chain as shown a few paras down the page.
DeleteThe daffs truly are terrific. He's nice fellow my Phil. xx
Oh Mimsie ..... I feel your pain. Nothing is like it used to be I'm afraid but that's progress or so they tell us. I can remember those switchboard operator days and I can also remember that, in country towns, they mostly knew you personally. I also remember when we would go to a shop with a list, stand behind a counter and someone, always with a smile, would gather together all on that list, pack it, put it on our account and deliver it to our home at a convenient time. I do hope you get sorted.
ReplyDeleteYears ago a corner shop 4 doors from where I lived was run by Mr and Mrs Woods and yes, we'd take our list and later that day Mr Woods would knock at the back door with a box of groceries. No delivery charge, just a pleasant smile. What amazes me though is that we bought so much less in those days and possibly we made nearly everything at home so very few tins or packets in the order.
DeleteYes, I am sure all will now go well with a home visit.
How nice to get flowers after all that ridiculous phone-around business. shouldn't they be far better organised than that? I know if I had the choice, I'd opt for a home visit right away, interviews via phone are just impossible.
ReplyDeleteYes, my fellow often does the right thing at the appropriate time which is great.
DeleteI think you are right re home visit versus phone interview. Although we can turn up the volume on our phone some people have such soft voices it can be difficult to hear them and my poor old hand gets pins and needles if I hold the phone for too long.
.. wow.... what a lot of hassle you had. Sometimes it's hard to get people to understand what it is you want from them.. or for them to make compromises for their clients/ customers.. not good for business.
ReplyDeleteGlad it's all sorted now.. Barb xxxx
Yes, it surprised me that such a large organisation should have so much trouble in just setting up an appointment but we finally made it so all is good. xxx
Delete