Australian and New Zealand Gardening: BROMELIADS FOR NOVICES & ADDICTS - NOVEMBER 2012, 3 by works4me

works4me wrote:
Hi everyone, I’m back … did ya miss me? Bloody Telstra/BigPond … gggrrrrr

We lost our internet access a week ago, thanks Sue for letting everyone know. Anyway, Michael phoned BigPond, spoke to someone at an offshore call centre, who put him thru about an hour of testing looking for the fault. She said it was a faulty modem and she would arrange to have a new one sent out in 3-5 days. When it hadn’t arrived yesterday Michael rang to find out where it was. Guess what … no record of his earlier call, no report of a fault and no new modem on its way.

After explaining it all (again) and performing the same long series of tests (again), the second person said he couldn’t help and he would escalate the problem to a level two technician who would call us back within 5 days. Now, Michael has the patience of a saint but with me spitting the dummy in the background, he asked to speak to his supervisor and said that if he didn’t get a call back within 24hrs he would contact the Minister for Telecommunications AND the Ombudsman. He was assured that the level two tech would call us back within 24 hours.

Anyway, to cut a long story a bit shorter, Michael finally got to speak to someone who knew what he was doing. After another hour or so of testing, the technician said the modem was OK, but a ‘glitch’ in the system had caused us to lose the internet. So, after deleting everything and going through the initial long ‘set up of new user’ process he eventually fixed the problem. So, after having no internet for a whole week, we are back on line, gee I missed it.

Off shore call centres … I know it’s not their fault, with minimal training and a poor command of English, they do their best to help … but OMG it’s sooo frustrating.


Back to broms …

Sue, congratulations on your purchase. What a lot of work you have taken on but you obviously get a lot of enjoyment out of trying to wear yourself out. As Nev said, I’d be happy to give you a hand as well if we lived closer. I had a cortisone injection into my right hip yesterday and am feeling no pain at the moment (in the hip anyway). I’m feeling really energised and I was up early this morning as I slept well for a change.

Trish, sounds like you had a lovely big brom buying spree, isn’t it FUN. I know exacting what you mean ‘like a kid in a candy store’, Michael says the same thing to me, and I know the feeling well. And you certainly got some beautiful neos. Your neo Cliff Siverd looks great, I’d love a pup if and when you get a spare one, and the same goes for neo Red Earth and also if you ever have a spare pup of neo Amazing Grace ... don’t want much, do I. Should have lots of pups to swap soon.

Bree, I am pretty sure I sent you neo Medusa. Nice pics, Bree and Ian.

Wendy, no ensign pup, I’m sorry. I have an old ensign that I thought would never pup but I noticed one peeping thru the other day, much too small of course but I was thrilled to see it finally. I did see one on eBay though. Didn’t we have some storms last weekend. And talk about bad timing … we got quite a lot of free fill delivered a while back to build up the lower section of the property while it was dry. Would you believe we have waited months to have it levelled and drained and the dozer turned up last Friday … what a mess it is at the moment. Our Rebel is quite terrified of storms and won’t settle. There were a number of very close lightning strikes and huge claps of thunder … gave us all quite a fright a couple of times.

Nev, poor Colleen, she can’t seem to get a break lately. Lovely pics as always.

Colleen, if you are looking in, I hope you are well soon … take it easy.

Well, I guess I had better get going, I have had only a very quick read, so many posts, sorry if I left anyone out.

My pics are 1. Neo de Rolf 2. Bob and Grace (I hope it develops some white markings) 3. Ae Fasciata, I like the quilling effect, if that’s what it is called 4. Newly acquired Ae Fasciata variegata 5. Dozer working before the storms hit