Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Vets and Other Thieves...
So... last week my dog's babysitter (and my close friend) gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. And we're scheduled to go visit my sister this weekend in New Hampshire.
Thus begins my search for a good kennel to take my 80lb. puppy.
My husband calls the kennel, who lists the shots she needs to have and he calls the Vet who tells him that she's not up-to-date on her rabies among other things. He makes the appointment but we don't think we have to communicate in such high detail. She needs shots, she needs shots.
Off I go then, with the two kids and my poor, sweet, timid puppy in tow. We're going to get those shots. BTW it's already too late to board her, because the kennel we really like won't take her because she's been to the vet before in the last week, and might have gotten sick there, so she's staying in a hotel room with us--I'm sure I'll blog about that next week.
The vet tells me that she doesn't need rabies nor the kennel cough one, but let's test her for heart worm and something, something. And I decide to give her the kennel cough because I assumed that's what the kennel was missing and if I need to go back to my sister's, and blah, blah blah...
We do that, and when I go to pay the bill, they charged me $250!!! That's no typo! That's $250!!! That's more than my childrens' doctor charges the insurance company!
Why do people assume that it's okay to rip people off? I know it sounds naive and like I've been sniffing too many flowers, but why can't you just charge me a price, and be up front about it? I'll pay or not pay.
The lessons I've learned:
Thus begins my search for a good kennel to take my 80lb. puppy.
My husband calls the kennel, who lists the shots she needs to have and he calls the Vet who tells him that she's not up-to-date on her rabies among other things. He makes the appointment but we don't think we have to communicate in such high detail. She needs shots, she needs shots.
Off I go then, with the two kids and my poor, sweet, timid puppy in tow. We're going to get those shots. BTW it's already too late to board her, because the kennel we really like won't take her because she's been to the vet before in the last week, and might have gotten sick there, so she's staying in a hotel room with us--I'm sure I'll blog about that next week.The vet tells me that she doesn't need rabies nor the kennel cough one, but let's test her for heart worm and something, something. And I decide to give her the kennel cough because I assumed that's what the kennel was missing and if I need to go back to my sister's, and blah, blah blah...
We do that, and when I go to pay the bill, they charged me $250!!! That's no typo! That's $250!!! That's more than my childrens' doctor charges the insurance company!
Why do people assume that it's okay to rip people off? I know it sounds naive and like I've been sniffing too many flowers, but why can't you just charge me a price, and be up front about it? I'll pay or not pay.
The lessons I've learned:
- Keep better records--had I known that she had all that stuff, I could have avoided the whole thing.
- Put one person (me--because the husband is lost in space somewhere) in charge.
- Demand to know the price of everything up front.
- Don't get another animal--if it weren't for the dog and the cat I'd be rich.
- And never trust than anyone is dealing with you on the same level you're dealing with them.
- Be weary of veternarians and other strangers :)
Monday, May 01, 2006
Back in Business
It's been a long hiatus. I know you've been anxiously awaiting my return so here I am.
After three years of being told that selling my house would net me 10 billion dollars, there'd be bidding wars, and crazy fighting to buy in, I'm waiting for close to three months with no offers. It's a shame really. It's a great house.
I wouldn't be selling if my husband's commute wasn't two hours one way. Or if my mother didn't live in Brooklyn (1.5 hours) away. Or if 98% of my friends weren't in the city already. Or if this wasn't a crazy, gated community, where their primary concern wasn't imagined security--we live so far out on Long Island, you'd have get lost in order to find us in the first place.
Having said all that, it's a great place to raise kids, the 2% of my friends that are here are great, and we've cultivated a great backyard. It's fairly new; we're the first owners. It's very pretty, if not overly decorated. So why can't I sell?
Could it be that people are starting to wake up and understand that my postage stamp isn't even close to worth over $.5 million? That's my only hope at consolation. Because if I'm stuck in this hell hole I'm going to be really depressed.
My agent assures me that things are picking up, and the right family will be along any second. In the meantime I will be here, enjoying the playground, and my cherry blossoms now in full bloom, and my lilacs that are about to burst, doing my best not to be fined by the homeowners' association for not carrying the proper ID.
After three years of being told that selling my house would net me 10 billion dollars, there'd be bidding wars, and crazy fighting to buy in, I'm waiting for close to three months with no offers. It's a shame really. It's a great house.
I wouldn't be selling if my husband's commute wasn't two hours one way. Or if my mother didn't live in Brooklyn (1.5 hours) away. Or if 98% of my friends weren't in the city already. Or if this wasn't a crazy, gated community, where their primary concern wasn't imagined security--we live so far out on Long Island, you'd have get lost in order to find us in the first place.
Having said all that, it's a great place to raise kids, the 2% of my friends that are here are great, and we've cultivated a great backyard. It's fairly new; we're the first owners. It's very pretty, if not overly decorated. So why can't I sell?
Could it be that people are starting to wake up and understand that my postage stamp isn't even close to worth over $.5 million? That's my only hope at consolation. Because if I'm stuck in this hell hole I'm going to be really depressed.
My agent assures me that things are picking up, and the right family will be along any second. In the meantime I will be here, enjoying the playground, and my cherry blossoms now in full bloom, and my lilacs that are about to burst, doing my best not to be fined by the homeowners' association for not carrying the proper ID.
