In walking around Lincoln Park, sometimes I’ll venture down streets where school chums lived years ago and it gets me wondering where they are now? It’s not hard to remember where my buddies lived as I may have walked to or from school with them, or more than likely rode my bike over to their house. Sometimes I will stroll past the former homes of family friends, every one of whom have sadly passed away. While walking this morning, I saw an ad for a garage sale tacked onto a pole. Somehow that address seemed familiar to me, and it was on the way home, so I decided to meander by. Sure enough it was the former home of my good friend and high school pal Rosemary. There were many people parked nearby and also milling about in the driveway looking for bargains, so I went over to mingle with the crowd.
I haven’t been to this house in over four decades, but during the last few years of high school, our group of six school chums, spent more waking hours at this address, than at our respective abodes. I glanced surreptitiously toward the back yard. There was the sidewalk where we probably stretched out and laid in the sun, scorching ourselves to get a hint of tan. How different the yard looked now, with an above-ground pool and an entirely different landscape theme. I moved closer to the garage and ample driveway, remembering where the old turquoise Galaxy, our primary means of transportation, was kept all those years ago. I looked at the display of bargains, pausing to pick up a few items to feign interest in the sale, then I eventually left. As I walked down the driveway, I couldn’t help but look over my shoulder at the beautiful bay window out front – another new addition. If I were to close my eyes, I could picture all us girls lined up on the two white velvet sectional sofas near the picture window, incessantly yakking, as teenage girls do, and sharing a large box of chocolate-covered cherries between us. Rose remarked that we were like princesses sitting on a velvet tufted throne eating bon bons, and that image made us all erupt into laughter – just a fit of hysterical giggles. Somehow the box of syrupy, gooey chocolates teetered and got turned upside down onto the white upholstered pillows. Cherry syrup oozed out slowly from a crushed chocolate. Oops!! Well Rose leapt up to grab a roll of paper towels to blot the growing blob. Of course Rose’s younger sister, the perpetual brat, heard the commotion and rather than collaborating with us to get the stain out pronto, promptly announced “I’m telling Mom and Dad when they get home” … well thanks alot Kathy.
So much time was spent at this home with my girlfriends … we were inseparable the last two years of high school. Countless hours were spent clustered in Rose’s bedroom, sitting cross-legged on the floor, under the large Burt Reynolds centerfold with the strategically placed arm ripped out of Cosmopolitan, and talking about our hopes and dreams for our respective futures and of course gossiping about our peers. Oh, to be that young again, full of expectation for wherever life’s path would take us. We girls had a brief reunion, just the six of us, in 1978 and we learned Rose and Kathy’s parents divorced shortly after Kathy moved out of the house and the home was sold.
I’ve touched on my relationship with this group of girls before in an earlier post: Rosemary, Diane, Sheila and three of us were named Linda. I’ve also written before that we soon lost contact with one another, within months of graduation from high school. There were only six of us, but we went in different directions – geographically or otherwise. Unlike young people today who keep abreast of one another’s adventures and day-to-day mundane activities via social media, in the early 70s, the only way to keep in contact was picking up the telephone or a face-to-face visit. No Facebook status posts, no Twitter or Instant Messenger or texting – not even the old Myspace. Of course, there was no e-mail forty years ago and cell phones were non-existent … in our circle, anyway. How easy it is now to multi-task, or chat on the cell phone while doing something else. But not in ‘73. Then we quit getting together – how sad. Rose met a guy, got pregnant and then soon married and moved to Plymouth. Diane moved out of the house to parts unknown. One Linda moved up North. The remaining “Lindas” worked and started school at local colleges, and Sheila, or “Sam” as we often called her, left for Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Michigan to begin the pharmacy program. She always called me “Little Sister” since I was the youngest of the bunch, barely seventeen when we graduated high school. Sheila was homesick for friends and family, and in the beginning her parents gave her extra money to permit her to call one of us every weeknight until she got settled in and adjusted to being away from home. My phone call night was Tuesday. I was a little peeved at that time since Tuesday was the night I watched “Happy Days” and this was before VCRs were available to record a program to view it later. Peeved – well, really, Linda. You pitted a television program against a friend reaching out to you? Eventually Sheila made new friends and quit calling. In retrospect, today I could probably catch up on those missed episodes on Nickelodeon, but I can never again hook up with Sheila Howard as she passed away of ovarian cancer nearly five years ago according to a friend of the family that I ran into at the mall. Too late smart would be the morale of that story.
Here is a nice quote about life that I send out to Sheila – may you rest in peace. ~~ Your Little Sister
“Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.
Life is beauty, admire it.
Life is bliss, taste it.
Life is a dream, realize it.
Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it.
Life is a game, play it.
Life is a promise, fulfill it.
Life is sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it.
Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is a tragedy, confront it.
Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is luck, make it.
Life is too precious, do not destroy it.
Life is life, fight for it.”
—Mother Teresa
Linda Schaub
WALKIN', WRITIN', WIT & WHIMSY 
That is a lovely post Linda! I enjoyed reading it and could relate. My gang of friends I hung out with in high school, soon split up, even though 2 of them attended the same university in Toronto, they were way on the other side of campus and I seldom saw them. Two others dropped out of school for financial reasons and got married really young. I run into one or two who still live in the area once in awhile and we chat, but they are all caught up in their kids and now grandkids, and think someone who doesn’t have any, can’t possibly have much of a life! I would never think that of them, even though I know many marriages (and children) aren’t happy or don’t work out the way you expected – but there seems to be a judgement there. I haven’t talked to the single friend I used to travel with for about five years, as she doesn’t live in my area and doesn’t do any social media, so is hard to stay in touch with. Now I’m wondering if she is still well, as your friend dying of ovarian cancer, has reminded me that people our age are now starting to die. I hope you got the chocolate/cherry mess out of the sofa. When I drive past one friend’s house I always think of us sitting there and giggling while eating that alcohol infused cake one Christmas!
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Glad you enjoyed it Joni, and see … once again we have similarities. We told one another, as young women often do, we will stay friends forever, and stand up in each other’s weddings, name our first born after you … of course “Linda” would be first and foremost since there were three Lindas. The truth be told, there were two girls working … the first met someone, got pregnant, got married at six months’ pregnant. None of the five other girls were in the wedding, and it was a big wedding. We were just invited.
Her sister, whom she was never close to, stood up for her. By the time of the wedding, we already were no longer hanging around together and it was like polite strangers sitting at the table – at least we were put in close proximity to one another. I visited her in the hospital to take an outfit my mom had knit, and the others weren’t there, and I never spoke with her until we met in 1978. For six girls who were joined at the hip, you’d never have known it. Since I posted this, in November of 2017 I scanned in all my photo albums, trip, family, friends and scrapbooks. I have a picture of the six of us taken the first Christmas after we graduated. I should really amend this post and include it because I don’t know if I can eke out another post about us, unless I do it for the 50th class reunion in 2023. (Wait 50 years since high school graduation… did I just say that?)
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That’s sad, but seems to be what happens.
50 year reunion. That does sound scary – I can remember going to my 10th year one and thinking I was old! It’s snowing out now, crazy for Mar 30th…..
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I’ve not gone to any of mine – we had 613 kids in our graduating class and I think I mentioned that when they set up a site on Facebook for the 40-year reunion, about 1/3 of the class joined. I’ve stayed in the group, connected to a handful of people, but didn’t recognize most of them, not even the guys who would have had the same last name.
But high school here, was like anywhere – very clique-y. Snowing here too according to the last news cast. Crazy weather!
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That’s funny! I didn’t go to my university class 30th reunion (I share my career with your friend who died who went to Ferris State), but after when they sent a photo around of the people who went I hardly recognized any of them! The names weren’t on the photo, but I’m like, who are these people??? I wasn’t close to many of my classmates in my last two years of school, as I lived off campus with two computer science students (the only two girls in their class in the 70’s! so they were real pioneers), and a friend who had failed 2nd year and switched into English and became a teacher – they were from Toronto and way up in Northern Ontario. I have found two of them on Facebook, but we live too far to get in touch. As for those people in the photo, well, well I got my magnifying class out and went over their faces, and still didn’t know most of them!
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That’s amazing isn’t it? I know we had a lot of kids in our class but the entire high school was not that large – just two floors and only three grades (10th through 12th – we didn’t have grade 13). They have a site on Facebook for “Deaths at Lincoln Park High School” and the ones from my year – I’ll go down the list and don’t know most of them. The few friends on Facebook that I went to high school with will say “so and so is ill, or died” … never heard of any of them. I didn’t realize your career was in pharmacy. I knew you were in the medical field and for some reason thought it was research. Sheila had to go to Ferris State as it was the only school that offered that course/curriculum in the state if I remember correctly. If she had not gone to Texas that Summer, I wonder if she would have completed her schooling and stayed here? Those two computer major girls certainly were pioneers because now we hear alot about girls going into the STEM fields … never before, always male dominated fields.
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I wish I had gone into research – one of my classmates is doing the most amazing cancer research. I worked in hospital for most of my career (which is why I could retire early as I have a small pension), which I enjoyed, but after my small hospital amalgamated and I lost my job (I was non-union, and the bigger hospital was union), the last ten years in retail not so much – lots of rude angry people mad because their drug plans don’t pay for things, high Rx volumes, long shifts, no staff, lots of stress, plus worry about narcotic-seekers and robberies now – it has deteriorated a lot, so I was happy to get out. We only had Toronto as a choice, now there is U of Waterloo, and you have to have an undergraduate degree, whereas I went in from high school, so they are pumping out about 400 kids a year who now can’t get jobs. With the supply up, then salaries go down, and the kids have mega debt. At least when I graduated I had zero debt. I’m only mentioning this here, as we are on an old post, as I am always very vague about what I did/do. Plus I feel like I have left all that behind, and am now exploring my more artistic side! Journalism was my third choice in high school (after dietitian 2nd), but to do journalism you had to go all the way up to Ottawa and I don’t speak french, the only other course at Western needed an undergrad degree. I’d better get the computer shut down. The lights have flickered here twice – I hope we don’t lose hydro again – there’s only an inch of snow so I’m not sure why, but they seem to be having problems lately. Goodnight Linda – get some rest!
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I actually shut down shortly after writing you because I did not want to undo all that good sleep I had earlier in the day having left the alarm off. I decided I should be a little more productive today. I sure do not blame you for getting out of this business … we have two large pharmacies where most people fill their prescriptions – they are CVS and Walgreens. But they are also regular stores that selll things like food, makeup, plus toiletries and the like. Maybe your Rexall is like that now? We have very few pharmacies dedicated to just selling drugs and they, as well as the CVS and Walgreen are always getting robbed. We have a huge opioid crisis over here. In our City people OD right on the streets. Not every day and not right near me, but a mile away on the other side of the City. I follow the crime reports for our City on Facebook – just amazing what goes on and I am never out in the dark … I am home as soon as I finish walking or errands and it’s been that way for years. The drug addicts will rob the pharmacies for drugs as you are aware, or the man on the street and kill them for a few bucks to support their habit. I try not to think of that when I venture out, even to the grocery store where muggings take place. Years ago my mom said “our City is going downhill – we should move” but I was working hard at work – some overtime as well (bringing stuff home) and taking care of outside and more inside as my mom got older and couldn’t do it – the house was just the way I wanted it … small and enough work as it was, so I was not eager to go to a new house, start from scratch re: decorating, yard, etc. This house has been paid for long before my father left and taxes are not too bad. But I often think we should have moved, though crime is even in the nicer areas. Did you not have to take French in school starting at grade one? I know we had to take it and I was not fluent with it when we moved here (I was just 10) and even taking French in school several years, I still wouldn’t feel comfortable using it … it’s been years now, so I rarely admit I took French. So much of it was “book French” … you memorized the lessons (a couple who went to the train station, a park, a restaurant) and all the vocabulary, and you did well in class. I took a class where we could not speak English and gave book reports, speeches etc. in French and I still could not feel comfortable with it. Oh well. I am going to try and be productive today. Hopefully. No walk – they say it is icy out there – not looking forward to going and running the car and I may wait til later to do so.
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I worked for a chain similar to CVS which was ok for the first five years, but then they got bought out by Loblaws grocery store and it all went downhill – it was all about money and quotas and the bottom line, not what I signed up for at all, plus the flu shots and immunizations etc and I never liked needles. The narcotic situation is bad here too, when the doctors got stricter at giving them out, then the street crime increased, as their drug source dried up. I never thought I would end my career handing out nalonone kits so someone can take all they want and not OD…..it seems crazy that the government provides them for free when we have very few rehab facilities? I don’t care where you live, it’s bad all over. My neighbourhood is safe, but last year the corner store got robbed twice – by a 19year old desperate for drug money. They seem to target the smaller independent pharmacies more, as their alarm systems are not as sophisticated. I know of two indie stores where they staff were made to lie on the floor and the guy had a gun pointed at them. I’m glad I’m done with it all – it’s not what I signed up for. I really feel like I had the best years. I’ve sometimes wondered if you feel safe when walking in your lovely parks, but maybe they are not frequented by drug dealers? We have one small park here that is known as a haven for them, lots of needles around, and one park which is fine. I wouldn’t move either, as the problem is all over the place, and if your house is paid for, why start over. I can’t even motivate myself to start my kitchen reno. House prices here have skyrocketed. I can’t imagine taking on the kind of debt these young couples do. They only know low interest rates. I would like a one floor as I get older, but my taxes are reasonable too, so I can’t see moving any time soon. As for the French, I was never good at it in high school, and dropped it as soon as I could (grade 10), and don’t remember much of it, although I could probably read it a bit, like on a cereal box! The snow has stayed on the ground and I am not liking it one bit. I was supposed to go to the local Home Show today to look at home reno stuff, but it was too cold so just stayed in.
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That is such a sad way to end your career Joni – you were good to get out because they target the big pharmacies here too. The small pharmacies close down at night so they will try to get into their stores (as you say, they don’t have elaborate burglar alarm systems). Most CVS stores are open 24 hours a day, and store robberies as well as Rx robberies are commonplace here. I chitchat with the other walkers if I pass them by or sometimes will walk along with them, but 90% or the time or more, I walk alone. I don’t go early on a Sunday morning and if I do go fairly early due to the heat, I stay on the side that it wide open, even though it is not as hot there. In any of the parks I go, I won’t go on any of the secluded trails or areas. It is not worth taking chances. I understand there is drug activity at night at Council Point Park and I think I gleaned that info from the Crime Forum that is on Facebook for our City. I check it every day to know what is going on in this town, even to check and see if there are loose animals running around the City. This is what I saw yesterday (going to cut-and-paste it from the Crime forum). This is at the post office, which is about 1 1/4 miles from me. There is a post office in my grocery store, so the only time I’ve gone to this one, is to certified mail in conjunction with my green card. Now this terrifies me. And our cops carry narcan on them to reverse an opioid dose and a few weeks ago, a Lincoln Park officer injured himself trying to save a person who had overdosed … it even made the national news. It’s terrible. Like you, the older I get, the less maintenance I want – I’m not happy with our neighborhood, but it can happen even in good neighborhoods, and all cities have crime now. I would not dream of going out after dark yet I came home from downtown on the bus and had to walk home in the pitch dark in the Winter time and leave for work and walk to the bus stop and never really worried. I worked downtown for years. No, not anymore. The house is small but paid for – my new worry after that Polar Vortex (and the threat of more erratic weather swings) is thinking about getting a generator for Winter. I don’t worry about the food loss, but my worry is frozen pipes. The price for them is horribly expensive – I’ve even priced those sleeping bags like campers use for extreme conditions – as much as $300.00 to $400.00 … I’d even invest in that if the power went out. We have warming centers at the police station and a church (church is in a bad area of town), but it doesn’t help the pipes out much. I thought about it when we had the worst Polar Vortex we’ve had to date – the generators are about $5,000.00. That seems extreme … but burst pipes would cost a pretty penny, and such a mess as well. This is the story – it makes me afraid to go out of the house. I do carry pepper gel and a whistle but I have to admit, this coat I’ve been wearing of my mom’s does not have all the little pockets like my squall coat. If I have to unzipper the big coat, reach in the zippered vest to retrieve it, I’d likely be dead by then.
Today at 1:20pm on Fort Street across from McDonalds and Arron’s rental there were 2 Black males (19-25) one in Gray sweat pants n gray zip up hoodie 5ft 8 inch 165lb medium completed short black Afro and second male black sweat zip hoodie around same height n weight. Darker complected. They were Beating on a white male 19-25ish in the grassy area between north n south Fort street. They were kicking him in the face and head while he was balled up in fetal position on ground. Screaming at him to give them his puma high top shoes. I was in my car in the turn around screaming at them to stop and police were on the way. They just continued the beating. I layer on my horn all the while. Several other drivers come to a stop to help. These two men just continued to beat/kick this man.and WALK across fort street like no worries in front of all these witnesses. Several drivers followed them. Ambulance and police responded to this Attack. The man was transported to hospital bleeding from mouth and head. Very disoriented. This was a very violent beating in broad daylight. In a high traffic area. The victim said he did not know who the were and they just started following him wanting his money. He said he did not have money and then they wanted his shoes. Be Very careful walking on Fort street. “This is has been happening on fort street” according to one officer. On the Bright side Several residents stopped Black/White/Hispanic Male and female (one very pregnant woman)and aided this man. Makes reaffirm my belief in my fellow mankind. This man was well on his way to being beaten to death. Thank you to everyone that stopped. The Lincoln Park police responded quickly.
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Wow that is a horrible story…..and all for a pair of running shoes! These addicts are so desperate they will steal anything to get money for drugs. Lately on my news station they have been reporting a lot of bank robberies in broad daylight. I used to have a whistle on my car key chain, when we locked up the store at night, (and I did a lot of evening shifts) it was just me and the cash supervisor, so I was always on hyper-alert. I would drive her home a few blocks, because she had the store keys on her, and I didn’t think it was safe, even though she walked on the nights I didn’t work. I never had keys, only the front store managers, thank god. I have even read a few news reports of little old ladies getting their purses grabbed in parking lots. Re your basement, I don’t think I would spend that much on a generator! Next winter I am going to get a small electric fireplace for my basement, as there is only a small rad down there, to supplement it on really cold nights. I’ve had a frustrating evening, as when I turned on the computer after supper, I got an email saying my internet provider is discontinuing service the end of April and I must find a new one before then. They billed me but used the Bell phone lines and Bell Canada provided the service. The email from the internet provider suggested we call another provider, who had a bundled rate of $99 for Tv/phone/internet, but that sounds too good to be true? Probably would have lousy service for that cheap price or no tech support. So then I called Bell to see what price they could provide direct and she was just in the middle of checking,, when we got cut off. When I called back, it said they were closed at 9pm – what? They couldn’t even have finished a phone call. So now I have to call back tomorrow, and get some quotes, and decide. It all sounds so complicated. Then will have to get this modem taken out and replaced with theirs – etc. all at their convenience of course. I was so happy last week it was finally fixed, and now it’s d/c? I’m not surprised as it wasn’t popular anymore but you’d think they’d allow a little more notice than that. I find with bundling they give you a cheap price for a year, then it’s higher than ever. My old provider had a cheap rate because I’d had it for years. It’s always something…..breaking down or needing fixing. Last week I had to get mom’s garage door opener fixed, and a new sump pump for the spring rains as she’d had a flood a few years ago and her neighbour said to replace it every few years – he replaced it for us, as he is a nice guy. This home maintenance is for the birds!
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Oh, I am so with you on the home maintenance. My handyman says I should have the bricks power washed with a bleach substance (a two-trip event for him). I looked and yes the bricks, which are light-colored, in some places do look a little black from where the rain has pelted against them, then not dried properly as we had weekend after weekend, and many other days of constant rain. I okayed it but didn’t ask – sometimes you know it has to be done so why ask? You have to do it, but it leaves a big chunk out of your pocketbook at any rate. When he comes every Spring to do gutters, tar the perimeter of one side of the house, do a roofcheck, repair flashing, and do cement work where the cold has heaved some small pieces up, it is usually at least $500.00. That is hefty, but have I told you what happened with the last handyman who did our outside items for 20 years? If not, I’ll tell you that story. It is sad what happened … I don’t like our world today … wish I’d been around in an earlier time to be honest Joni.
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No, you didn’t tell me? I had the exterior of my house the white siding power washed a couple of years ago, esp on the north side of the house, as there was a lot of mold/mildew from where it doesn’t dry out, and it was $400 for that plus to wash the decks, which I thought was enough for an afternoon’s work, but I was working then. I’m going to ask my grasscutter if he has a power washer as it’s now just on the North side again. Spend over an hour on the phone with Bell this morning (call centre in the Phillipines) and to get internet from them is about the same price as my old provider, but I’d already hung up when she emailed me the quote, which said my phone would go up $30/month??? (I had the loyalty program before.) She didn’t even mention it to me – maybe thought I wouldn’t notice? That doesn’t even make sense – I’m adding a service (internet), and now my existing phone price will increase – I thought with bundling it was supposed to go down? So now I think I’ll just go into the Bell store at the mall and see what they can offer, plus call Cogeco cable – I know they will bundle, but they are sneaky too as they give you a good rate for a year, then double it the next. Nobody seems to be honest anymore. I found it frustrating trying to deal with home renos, and figure out who to believe. I went to Lowe’s today for a quote on the kitchen reno, and after 3hours sitting there watching the lady draw and erase on graph paper, my head was spinning. (I had already taken all the measurements). So I asked her how long she had worked there, and she said, she just started. I could tell! They have to send it to some design centre, before they can give me the quote, but I already know I’ll have sticker shock. Maybe I’ll just paint the cupboards or live with the old ugly ones. This is why I stopped renovating five years ago, after doing all the major stuff. It was just too exhausting.
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Hi Joni, I signed off early last night … I know Jim, the handyman, said this had some type of bleach and was a powerwash and he had used it for his home and others. He is expensive and I will hold my breath for sure. The price of internet/cable is staggering, and they want to bundle it – I don’t have my phone through my internet provider. We have that service at work and every time the internet goes out, the phone goes out. Comcast used to call me once a month to ask if I want phone service – I tell them “no” and finally said that I’m sticking with AT&T probably the rest of my days, at least while I am working anyway. My phone bill is $55.00 every month and never the same which I don’t get. I don’t make interzone calls and I can’t make long-distance calls … I took off the interzone/long-distance calling off my plan years ago as I never call out of my zone or long distance … it cost $9.00 to remove that service (a one-time deal) then I think at that time I was saving $5.00 a month. My mom had a senior plan for years and unbelievably paid $14.99 a month for years. When she passed away in January 2010, I called all the utility companies to put the bill in my name (you’re supposed to do that here if a family member had a discount for fraud purposes, though I rode the bus with a girl who lived with her mom, the mom died and she kept the service for years). Anyway, by bill jumped about $25.00 a month, then I added caller i.d. since I get a ton of junk calls – to me $55.00/month is outrageous. I never use the cellphone … it is just for safety. I just charged it … every week or so, I call the house to run the phone, then recharge it to keep the battery good. My parents had the cupboards “faced” in the kitchen in 1976 and my mom had a butcher block put in plus a double stainless steel sink instead of a single white enamel one … it was a big mess … every night having to deal with a mess after they left. I can honestly say we never had, nor have I, an inside contractor who cleaned up after themselves … always a big mess. I don’t envy you having that job done – I’d just repaint the cupboard if it was me.
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I am thinking painting might be the better option, or just replacing the doors, if I could find someone to do it. Had no luck today with internet pricing, as the guy at the Bell store says I have to wait for the Phillipines quote to expire on Tuesday as he can’t override an existing quote! Nothing is simple. My $66 phone bill (loyalty program) would jump to $86 if I add the internet for $67 & tax, as the loyalty program would no longer be honoured – makes no sense to me. No wonder people get rid of their landlines, but I can’t see myself carrying my cell phone around the house?
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But I think if there is a big emergency and the cell towers go down, it is problematic for the cellphones, but for me – I would not be calling anyone anyway. I would have to keep my landline as long as I am working. I really don’t make all that many phonecalls the rest of the time and I get a lot of junk calls, so I am glad for caller I.D. I bet I get at least 5 a day, if not more. Comcast does contact me about bundling … I told them I don’t watch TV anymore and we have Comcast at work and it goes out every time the internet goes out … plus you have to get new wires and everything in – it is probably lazy on my part, but I am used to AT&T, but the price is outrageous and there is no longer a senior discount – they abolished that. Also my mom had a discount for DTE (hydro) and they raised that when I changed the account into my name. Everything is expensive and our state is the highest for car insurance in the entire U.S. – this is because we have a catastrophic fund for people involved in auto accidents – it will pay for their care, physical therapy or long-term care, no matter the amount, the rest of their lives. They just raised it $28.00/year. So every driver is paying $220.00/year. I have my car listed as a pleasure car as I drive so few miles – it will be 10 years old in September and I’ve only gone about 5,600 miles in it, plus I have Onstar to prove the mileage – nope, they will not reduce my rate.
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That’s interesting to hear what other people pay. I seldom get telemarketer calls as I have had an unlisted number for years. We only have two big companies here, Bell and Cogeco, and lots of smaller cheaper companies which I don’t want. But it looks like I will be switching to Cogeco, as Bell has been impossible to deal with. This morning I spent an hour on the phone trying to get them to cancel the old quote which expires Apr 9, so I could get a new one at the store, and the guy ended up extending it instead, so it now expires Apr 11. I called the Canadian sales line to get the quotes cancelled so I could start over, and the first lady told me she cancelled them, but then emailed me the same quote with the same expiry date. When I called back the second guy said it was impossible to cancel a quote, it just has to expire, a week from now. I give up, I can’t wait another week to get a quote, which they may not even change. I called Cogeco instead and got some rates, but that will mean installing cable, and a new modem, and will be cheap for a year but then increase. $143 for all three, but my neighbour pays $218 for three now. Car insurance is expensive here too…..we have no fault insurance, but I don’t know if it covers medical are. My car is 13 years old this year, has about 140,000 km, and the mechanic says it can go for another few years, it’s a Honda, and they last forever. It is in good shape, but I maintain it well, as I hate the thoughts of trading it. This is the first Honda I have bought, I always bought GM before, mostly because I had a great uncle involved in the early days of the car industry in Detroit, so we were a GM family. I hope it’s not freezing rain tomorrow, as I plan on going to the home show – I didn’t miss it last weekend after all, as I had the dates mixed up!
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Rates for everything are astronomical … my number has been unlisted since we moved here and one day I heard about this number that you could plug in your phone number to get your street address. On a lark I did it … my number came up. Grrrr. I got on the phone with AT&T and said “why do you charge me extra for an unlisted number and it is retrievable?” They took it off right away … amazingly, they did not charge to do that. Hopefully you can get in a visit to the home show … we have rain this morning and sleety mixture to the north – SMH. And foggy tomorrow morning – hard to catch a break with the walking, but I’m more flexible on the weekends at least. I did not forget about the handyman story – trying to stay afloat here and busy at work.
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Don’t stress about the handyman story, I know you’re busy. I just got off the phone from switching to Cogeco, $121 bundled for all 3, plus tax. Relieved I made a decision, and don’t have to talk to Bell anymore.
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I don’t blame you Bell wasn’t very cooperative at all and seemed to give you the runaround. I’ve heard of Cogeco and it seems to me that a co-worker who lived in Windsor had her e-mail with them. $121.00 sounds good to me for the bundle – is that expire in a year or for good?
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Yes, that price is only for 12 months, but she said I could re-negotiate it then. Cable internet will be $90 (ouch), phone ($55 less than my current $66 with Bell), and the Cable TV (starter pack will stay the same at $50 – they took $5 off for loyalty), so I am ok with 2 of the 3 but the $90 internet is double the $45 I currently pay (with Bell but that was a 15 year old price), so it may be close to $200 with taxes which is what my neighbours pay, although I doubt they attempted to renegotiate. We have a startup cable company in the area which is competing with Cogeco, so they are more open to negotiating now. Bell is just hopeless, they are more into cell phones, and their internet technology is out of date, people are dumping landlines, so I think they just don’t care. They will have to lay the cable, and I asked about moving the patio bricks at the back of the house where the tv cable enters, but she said I wasn’t to worry, as they will figure out a way. I generally have bad luck with stuff like that, so I hope it’s smooth sailing.
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Yes, my Comcast is $92.00 – alot because I don’t bundle with anything. Glad you don’t have to pull up the patio bricks – that would be really terrible … what an ordeal you have gone through this last month.
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Ps. I am curious what happened to your last handyman? when you have time….
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OK, I will tell you later then. This morning I have to do errands and give the car a run – that will have to suffice as today’s walk unfortunately and we’re having rain/sleet/snow (one of the three, they are not sure) tonight/early morning. Likely no walk tomorrow and now maybe rain on Friday. It is exasperating. I am trying to stay caught up at work but busy and not done the invoices yet … usually out the first of the month. Hoping I don’t have to work this weekend. I would rather work at night if need be than on the weekend. I did yesterday’s post late Monday night, then had the problem with the captions, so had to finish it yesterday morning.
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