Tip your florist's delivery driver!❤

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day.  If you're expecting flowers, or even if there is a remote chance you may get flowers, keep a few bucks near the door.  Don't go cheap on the delivery person.

❤❤Share the LOVE ❤❤

Tips on cleaning your computer monitor

Warren Buckleitner of the New York Times has some great advice in today's Gadgetwise column about the right way to clean your iPad He gives instructions on iPad cleaning that is important. http://gadgetwise.blogs.nytimes.com/

Plus, additional information on cleaning your computer monitor and the like:

"For grime on older, regular glass screens, DVDs, keyboards, mice and handheld game systems, make your own home-brew a cleaning solution for a small fraction of the price of store-bought mixtures.

"Flush out the nozzle of an empty pump-spray bottle with distilled water. Fill about halfway with a 50/50 mix of pure alcohol and distilled water, both available at your local drugstores. If you have a stubborn spot, like a crayon mark, use more solution and wipe longer; don’t press. Each manufacturer has its own guidelines, so read the manual before using this on any gadget."

eBay Customer Service .... NOT

One would think that the behemoth eBay would be able to get their customer service together. What a joke.

I purchased a $8.99 product feature on their "Deal of the Day" last month. A set of over-the-door swivel hangers. No charge for shipping.

A longtime believer of "you get what you pay for" I knew this was not going to be the most attractive or substantial closet organizer I'd ever own, but I hoped it would at least hold my collection of Pashmina scarves in place. Hmmm, no. After having to put it together (no mention of 'assembly required' in the item description" the darn thing kept falling apart. The arms would slip off, and my scarves along with them.

After three failed attempts at contacting the seller I resorted to the eBay Resolution Center. Follows is the communication. I've deleted certain identifying words.

From eBay
Mar-11-10
We're sorry there's a problem with your purchase. We've received your information and we'll contact the seller about your issue and get back to you by Mar 18, 2010. If you are able to work things out with the seller, please close this case in the Resolution Center.

Details you've provided:
Problem: The item is not as described
You have tried contacting the seller
You paid on Feb 28, 2010
You contacted the seller through eBay Messages
The item is damaged
The seller has not responded to you
The seller isn't working with you to solve the problem
You entered the phone number of "111-222-5555"
We will not share your phone number with the seller.

Additional information:
"It does not stay together, the arms fall off. I sent two emails via Ebay and one via their customer service email. customerservice@websbestdxxxx.com Three emails in four business days and no response"

You want:
A full refund

Mar-18-10
Hi ClutterFairy,

Have you heard from the seller about this case yet? If you haven't, please contact eBay Customer Support so we can help.

If you were able to work this out with the seller, please go to the Resolution Center and close this case. You can also view the details of this case in the Resolution Center.

Mar-19-10

eBay Customer Support has made a final decision. You can view the details of this case in the Resolution Center.
Details:
Decision:
This case was decided in your favor.
Comments:
You must ship the item with tracking information and submit the tracking information in the Resolution Center. Once the item has been delivered to the seller, you will be issued a full refund. The seller's shipping address and shipping instructions are available in the Resolution Center. Please remember to submit your tracking information by Mar 26, 2010.

Message: Case #: xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I am trying to reach the person who told me to ship back the item to the seller for the refund. Shipping it back will cost more than the item itself. I want a refund for the shipping.

Mar-19-10
Dear ClutterFairy,

Thank you for writing eBay in regard to the cost of returning back the item for a full refund. I am more than happy to help you with that. In order for you to receive a refund you need to return the item. I understand why you would be frustrated in having to pay to ship the item back to the seller when it was not as described. It would be great customer service for the seller to cover the cost and we do encourage it but, we can?t force them to do so. Unfortunately, it is the industry
standard that the customer pays for return shipping when returning an item. It would be the same scenario with any company - it is the customers responsibility to get the item back to the seller. However, you may ask the seller to shoulder it or split the cost. I would suggest that you contact seller for by doing this, you would be able to get direct and immediate response from seller about return shipping cost refund.

Should you have further question please don't hesitate to contact us.

It is my pleasure to assist you. Thank you for choosing eBay.

Sincerely,
Marvelyn L.

eBay Customer Support


March 20
Re: Case #: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Received: Mar-20-10
From: eBay Customer Support Expires: Mar-20-11

The seller never responded to any of my three emails; why would they respond to this request? Maybe I will try the PayPal buyer protection and see if their policy is any fairer

It will be interesting to see if the seller responds to the negative feedback I left

ClutterFairy


Dear ClutterFairy,

Thank you for contacting eBay in regards to item in dispute. It can create a very frustrating experience when an item arrives differently than described in the listing. I can assure you eBay is just as interested in resolving this issue as quickly as possible.

I understand your concern in returning the item. I would like to reassure you by saying we have already found this case in your favor. At this point we are simply waiting to confirm the item is returned to the seller. Once we are able to confirm delivery back to the seller we will
be able to issue you a full refund for your item.

It is important that you send the item back with tracking information that is verifiable online and that you upload the tracking information to the case within 7 days of our decision. Please keep in mind that the case will be closed automatically and no refund will be issued if tracking information is not added to the case within that time. Also, if the purchase price of this item was over $250 you will need to get signature confirmation for the shipment.

Here are the steps to upload tracking information:

1. Hover over ?Help? in the top right corner of the page
2. Select ?Resolution Center? from the drop-down menu
3. Click "Take Action" to the right of the case
4. Click the blue ?Respond to case? button
5. After selecting ?Provide a tracking number?, click on ?Enter tracking number?
6. Input the tracking number and shipping carrier (such as UPS, Fedex,
etc.) into the relevant boxes
7. Click "Submit"

We appreciate your patience and cooperation and thank you for being a valuable member of the eBay community. I am confident you will be able to quickly resolve this situation and I look forward to assisting you with your many future eBay transactions.

Sincerely,
Brett G.

Are these people for real? I left a negative feedback for the seller. It's not worth my time to send it back. I'll eat the $9 and change (I was charged tax as it was a Florida seller) and people ready the feedback.

In the cold

South Florida is under siege - by dropping temperatures. My closet has been turned upside down as I dig out the wool socks, shirts and leggings I normally save for trips north. As I haven't been north during the winter in a long time, it was a deep dig.

I know I had some stylish thermal-type underwear...really thin stuff you can wear under a dress or shirt. No clue as to where it went. ..maybe my daughter's room?

I need my gloves. I need new boots. I need to be warm so my fingers can type again!

Buy American

This came in an email today:

One light Bulb at a Time

A physics teacher in high school, once told the students that while one grasshopper on the railroad tracks wouldn't slow a train very much, a billion of them would. With that thought in mind, read the following, obviously written by a good American.

I was in Lowes the other day for some reason and just for the heck of it I was looking at the hose attachments. They were all made in China . The next day I was in Ace Hardware and just for the heck of it I checked the hose attachments there. They were made in USA . Start looking.

In our current economic situation, every little thing we buy or do affects someone else - even their job. Let's do this!

My grandson likes Hershey's candy. I noticed, though, that it is marked made in Mexico now. I do not buy it any more. My favorite toothpaste Colgate is made in Mexico now. I have switched to Crest. You have to read the labels on everything.

This past weekend I was at Kroger. I needed 60 W light bulbs and Bounce dryer sheets. I was in the light bulb aisle, and right next to the GE brand I normally buy was an off brand labeled, "Everyday Value. " I picked up both types of bulbs and compared the stats - they were the same except for the price.. The GE bulbs were more money than the Everyday Value brand but the thing that surprised me the most was the fact that GE was made in MEXICO and the Everyday Value brand was made in - get ready... the USA in a company in Cleveland , Ohio

So throw out the myth that you cannot find products you use every day that are made right here.

So on to another aisle - Bounce Dryer Sheets . . . yep, you guessed it, Bounce cost more money and is made in Canada . The Everyday Value brand was less money and MADE IN THE USA ! I did laundry yesterday and the dryer sheets performed just like the Bounce Free I have been using for years and at almost half the price!

My challenge to you is to start reading the labels when you shop for everyday things and see what you can find that is made in the USA - the job you save may be your own or your neighbors!

If you accept the challenge, pass this on to others in your address book so we can all start buying American, one light bulb at a time! Stop buying from overseas companies!

(We should have awakened a decade ago .. . . . . . )

. . Please help our fellow Americans keep their jobs and create more jobs here in the USA !

Facebook is really ticking me off

I have been unable to log onto my Facebook account since last weekend. I check on feeds through my iPhone, but can't get online via PC. The not-very-good techies at FB know about the problem and have a "We're sorry" on their help page, but it seems with all that profit they'd be able to pay a couple of people to fix the flaw.

Keep your Slap Chop, Go Cuisinart. My review

The ads for the Slap Chop device are compelling. Slap, slap, slap...chop, chop, chop. I was intrigued. Until I read the online reviews. The majority were really negative. "Flimsy" "Hard to clean" "Doesn't cut well" "Won't do tomatoes"

Those stopped me in my tracks.

Cruising the aisles at my local Bed, Bath & Beyond yesterday I saw it on the shelf. But right next to it sat a Cuisinart brand Food Chopper. I bought two. One for me; one for my sister-in-law. I know the name Cuisinart. I know the quality of their products. I didn't have to be sold.

Plus, it was $14.99 (less my BB&B 20% coupon!) vs. the Slap Chop price of $19.99.

I got it home and used it in preparing dinner. It's great. And it cleans up well.

Don't be fooled by yet another infomercial. Get the real deal.

How to shop for electronics...camcorders, tvs etc

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2008/11/18/technology/personaltechspecial/20081118-pogue-o-matic.html .

Gotta love David Pogue... he thinks of everything. It's a little old but a good article.

Where has the summer gone...or the year?

OMG I can't believe I haven't blogged in six months. my bad

I'm now into Twitter. Yes, I have a brand new twitter feed: http://twitter.com/clutterfairy It will be so much easier for me to get my messages out to you lovely followers.

Stay tuned

McDonalds disses employee - shame on them!

Here's the MSNBC Headline:

McDonald's Employee Shot At Work Entitled to Worker's Comp?

Here's part of the article:

"Last August, a McDonalds employee was shot after he intervened in a domestic fight. He survived, but his employers insurer now says, they're not responsible. After fighting for his life in the hospital, McDonalds employee Nigel Haskett may now be fighting for reimbursement of his nearly $300,000 worth medical bills. On surveillance tape of the day of the incident, a man apparently slaps a woman in the face. With seconds Haskett tackles him. Seconds after Haskett re-enters the store and then collapses. Police say he was shot multiple times. A judge in the criminal proceedings called Haskett a hero. But now, the insurance agency representing McDonalds says he doesn't qualify for Worker's Compensation in this incident. And the franchise owner of that McDonalds says: don't jump to conclusions. "We are all grateful to Nigel and that's why it is so unfortunate that he's having a difficult time with the insurance claim however, the fact of the matter is t hat I do not have control over whether my employee's claim is paid by worker's Compensation. It is my understanding that there has not been a final determination by the Arkansas Worker's Compensation Commission. I am taking this very seriously, and doing what I can to help and I hope his claim will come to a quick resolution and the right thing will be done for my employee." But Haskett's attorney says he's entitled to the money, and will fight the insurance company for it in court. "They do everything they can not to pay a client."

Okay - shame on them. According to CNN, Haskell reportedly doesn't qualify for worker's comp because he went against company policy by interfering with a dispute between two customers. Oh Come On! The Judge was right. Haskell is a hero. And until MickyD's sees that, I know my family will not go anywhere near the Golden Arches.

Cleaning up with Mr. Clean

I finally tried the Magic Erasers by Mr. Clean. I love them! Great for getting fingerprints off the walls, cleaning around light switches, the yucky radio buttons and window switches in the car and particularly around the kitchen counter.

Non abrasive yet there is a little something that makes it work. Nice job Mr. Clean.

the best site for hurricane tracking

I've become addicted following the hurricanes. Of course, every Floridian and Gulf Coast resident needs to know what is going on in real time.

I used to go to the NOAA site: http://www.noaa.gov/ Which is pretty good.

Then I discovered Storm Pulse http://www.stormpulse.com/ My kids like the bright colors. I like the buttons that allow you to see all the models with wind probabilities, the history and the forecast models. When Hurricane Hanna loomed we watched it hook north. When Hurricane Ike came we saw it go south.

You can't view it on a PDA so our Treo and Blackberrys are useless, we revert to the NOAA site. But on our home computers it's the best website for watching and tracking hurricanes.

I can't wait until the season is over and I can remove it from my daily favorites.

Endless Love for Endless Shoes

Nordstrom's - watch out. I've found a new shoe love. www.endless.com Amazon.com sent me an email announcing their new affiliation. Put shoes in the email message and I've opened it faster than you can say Donald J Pliner.

They carry Pliner. And Anne Klein Flex. And Crocs And Kenneth Cole and BCBG and Sketchers and a few dozen other brands.

Here's the "kicker" They ship free overnight and there are free returns.

FREE SHIPPING AND FREE RETURN SHIPPING? YES. And unlike Zappos.com which is full retail prices, these are good prices with lots of sale stuff too.

SALE PRICE, FREE SHIPPING, FREE RETURNS.

Ah - I feel an Imelda Marcos moment (or month or year) coming on.

My tootsies are going to be very happy. And I don't have to spend time and gas to get my shoes on. Did I say FREE SHIPPING??????

Ped Egg for your feet- big zero

I saw one of those Ped Eggs on sale at CVS this week. For under $10 I thought I'd give it a try for in between pedicure time .

SAVE YOUR MONEY. The PedEgg does not work. The time it takes scrapes off the dead skin on your heels with this little gadget which is essentially a mini-cheese grater in a plastic egg is longer than the time spent getting a professional pedicure. And I don't even have really rough feet. And when I turned it over to try my other foot, the dead skin (yuck) came out through the holes.

Spend $1 on a course nail file. Put your foot over a waste paper basket. File. You will get the job done in a fraction of the time and it will be a far better result. Peddeggs- rotten eggs.

To shop or not to shop

It's five o'clock on Christmas. It's really quiet as everhyone is exhausted from all the tumult from the last few weeks. I just read the paper and face a huge dilemma. To shop or not to shop - that is the question. Macys is having a sale that starts at 7am with a coupon good from 7 until 1pm. Bloomingdales has sweaters on sale that would be perfect for my friend's January birthday. And Sears has a some wonderful jeans the kids wear on sale.

IF I get to the store when it opens I have a fair shot at a decent parking spot. I'm not into walking long distances at mall parking lots these days. After that poor woman and her 7-year old were murdered in Boca Raton outside Sears, there is something to be said for Valet Parking - even in the light of day.

I'm off from work all week. I could be productive and buy new sheets, some bras (buy 2 get 1 free) and pick up some holiday wrapping for next year.

Or I could sleep in and pay retail.

Keep your music to yourself

What I cannot tolerate however is the holiday music blaring from my neighbors' houses. Let them keep FPL in business with all the lights - that's their pleasure. But why do the speakers face OUT to the street and not back at their own bedrooms? When it cools off enough here in South Florida we open the windows. I don't want to hear their digital recordings over and over and over again while that can be heard even with our television on.

I downloaded some of Josh Groban's NOEL songs from iTunes to enjoy in our home this December. Why do my neighbors think their music should be imposed on me? I want to hear what I want to hear - not their noise. For even the most lovely music is noise when it's not wanted.

After six weeks (one of the houses starts in early November) I finally said something. The answer was " My kids like it so I play it." Fine, So play it when your kids are home and awake with the speakers in their rooms, not the street.

To each his and her own. Let us each take pleasure in our own songs at our own level.

Merry Christmas

those little grey hairs make me nuts

I have grey hair. Only a tiny bit - in front of my ears, a few at my hairline. I color my hair myself (have been since I'm 27 to give my natural color a boost).

A few years ago I discovered these little crayons that you can color those greys. They're very oily and yucky. Then I tried the mascara type wands that you brush over the grey. A bit better....I use an eyebrow brush to blend it in.

Then, I found JUST FOR MEN, the hair color guys use to color their beards and moustaches. Not the one-application box, but the one with the two little tubes that you squirt a bit of color out and a bit of developer and blend with a little plastic spatula and apply to your greys. IT'S NOT JUST FOR MEN.....Ladies, this is THE best stuff to use in between the touch-ups at home or the salon.

Clairol makes some kind of root touch-up which is crazy because it's just one application. A box of this Just for Men is good for about ten touch ups... I guess it depends on how much you need.

Bed Bath & Beyond vs Linens & Things - no contest

The Bed Bath & Beyond and Linens n Things are on opposite corners in my town, as they are in many communities. Linens and Things makes a big show of advertised specials, but they are no competition for BB&B.

For one thing, Bed Bath always has lots of friendly and knowledgeable employees on the selling floor who when asked for the location of an item, will walk you there to make sure you find it. Just locating help in LNT is a chore.

I was in both stores today, having been given a $20 gift card for LNT I figured I'd go pick up some overpriced Braun Oral B toothbrush replacement heads. With a coupon (which you can use only two) I'd get what I needed and pick up something else to use up the card. It was a challenge finding something useful for under $10. I finally picked out a new clothes hamper for the kids.

Then I went across the street to Bed Bath & Beyond. Coupons in hand (you can use up to six and they can be expired - something LNT doesn't permit), I purchased a new vacuum cleaner. 20% off meant a $30 saving. My son got the retractable iPod ear buds he was looking for (also 20% off with coupon). My biggest delight was the new health & beauty aids section that was introduced about three months ago. I can't believe I hadn't been in the store since before it's debut! Great variety of everyday items ranging from soap and toothpaste to drugstore type cosmetics and hair color. And super low prices made even better with, yes, coupons! My L'Oreal mascara was about $5.69, less 20%. It's normally around 8 or 9 bucks at CVS or Wal-mart. My hair color was about 8.50.... I usually spend 9.99 at the drugstores. And yes, with my coupon, a bargain.

I didn't ask if they accept manufacturer's coupons too, but if so, they'd nearly be paying me to take the stuff out of the store.

I have $1.25 left on that Linens N Things gift card. I doubt I'll ever go in there again to use it.

up the rear and I don't like it

I've been "tapped" on the rear in my car twice in the last month as I pulled to a stop at red lights. Once by a young woman about age 18, and today by another woman about age 30. Were they on their cell phones? What is going on?

The summer is over as soon as the kids are back to school

I can't get over the fact that schools in Florida are in session from mid-August to the end of May. I grew up in the northeast where you ended summer with Labor Day and finished in June. July and August were THE summer months. Camp or summer school started the last week of June and ended with just enough time for a family vacation at the end of August before school started.

We had a heck of time this summer scheduling a summer get-together with family from NY and Pennsylvania because of everyone's summer obligations. My kids went to day-camp in June and July, My nieces and nephews were a month behind. So compromises were made to accommodate the kids who couldn’t leave sleep away camp.

We spent a week at the beach in New Jersey. Five families – four generations in two rental houses a block from each other on Long Beach Island. Why is it I never go to the beach here in Florida but relish the sand and fun of NJ beaches? Or Long Island NY beaches? Or beaches anywhere? I guess it’s because a vacation beach isn’t the same as the hours spent ten miles from home thinking about schlepping beach chairs, refreshments, the cell phone, how far it is to a bathroom and then cleaning off to get back into the car.

It’s still 90 degrees out, it will rain later and Labor Day isn’t for another 10 days…but it might as well be the week before Thanksgiving because we’re now in the homework and soccer practice mode. O bla dee…o bla da