Waterloo Nissan - Bad Customer Service

We live in a society that is no longer interested in good, basic, respectful customer service. There was a time when the customer was always right. There was a time when complaints were treated with respect and good purveyors earned respect by doing whatever they could to satisfy their customer's needs. You weren't put on hold, there were no emails to ignore and a business owner did not send you somewhere else so that they didn't have to deal with the complaint themselves. Even if there is nothing that can be done to satisfy the issue, they would at least go to great lengths (or even a few phone calls) to make sure that "absolutely nothing" could be done.

Unfortunately, companies don't seem to need word of mouth advertising as they once did. Now multi-million dollar advertising campaigns make sure that the brand sells itself. And if there are only limited businesses that sell the brand then you buy from them... regardless of the customer service. Nissan would make you believe that they make quality vehicles and so you would think that if there was a factory defect they would go out of their way to make sure that it was corrected. Nissan would also make you believe that any dealer that represents the Nissan brand would behave in a similar manner. Well, Nissan, its all make-belief. Some people by no fault of their own buy your defective vehicles and have to suffer through the condescending nature of your representatives to no avail. Ian Murdoch of Waterloo Nissan won't even answer an email complaint beyond a one word comment (perhaps he is busy with his Rotarian responsibilities).

I have rarely met a person who hasn't had issue with either Bell or Rogers but still subscribes to either of these companies' services because there is no other choice. They hope for the best and that they will never need to talk to Emily. Luckily, I live in a rural area that has its own telecommunications company (Quadro) and I am treated like a human being if I have an issue because an actual person answers the phone on the first ring! Real people feel accountable to real people.

It seems that corporations who feed millions of consumers just don't care if a small percentage are unhappy. And that small unhappy percentage if you ignore them long enough they will go away and eventually consume from another company who will eventually fail them again. 

It makes me never want to buy another product from a corporation. It makes me want to buy from local producers, not just what I eat but what I wear, use in my home and entertain myself with. It seems impossible right now but if companies continue to misrepresent themselves and ignore our complaints, more people will find other ways to fulfill their needs for material things, maybe go without many of them completely. Hey, I'm proof of an easy and enjoyable life without a cell phone or a tv (still working on the internet addiction :) 

And I'm seriously considering putting in my order for an Amish horse and buggy set.

My Creative Life #9 - Yo Yo Yogurt Loaf

Ahhh baking... it just makes me smile. I began baking when I was sucking bad in college. I was supposed to be a creative person but the work I did felt stale, I felt unproductive and robotic... anti-creative. Good ideas but less than adequate skills of execution. Things just didn't turn out the way that I expected. 

But baking was different. The results were almost always the same as my expectations. It made me happy and best of all it made other people happy. Even if the finished product isn't perfect, people always make the best of baked goods. It is just so fun to eat something that has been created by hand in the kitchen. 

A no-fail recipe is the ultimate in satisfaction. This yogurt loaf is one of those recipes. I have made it a few times and it always turns out well. Even when it is a little undercooked it is still tasty. The best thing about this recipe is I have discovered why my loaves always overcook... the outside edges burn while the centre is mushy. My oven is too hot!

This recipe suggests a lower temperature than most with a longer cooking time. The result is a perfectly browned loaf with a lovely moist inside. The yogurt makes it almost creamy to eat. It is also more "lite" than a traditional loaf due to more yogurt and less butter. Of course I use the super creamy hi-fat mediterranean style yogurt but the original recipe admits that a lighter yogurt is fine. I used alternative sweeteners since I am trying to avoid refined sugar. I have also made this as a raspberry, white chocolate and lime loaf. My next will involve blueberry and orange! Date and orange with walnuts would be nice too... ohhh, peach, pecan and blueberry... endless variations.

This particular loaf was made for a lovely lunch at a friend's home on Saturday hence the space-aged wrapping job.

Blueberry Lemon Yogurt Loaf

• 2 cups flour
  
• 2 tsp baking powder
  
• 1/2 tsp salt
  
• 1/2 cup butter softened
  
• 1/2 cup turbinado sugar
  
• 1/4 cup honey
  
• 4 egg whites
  
• 1/2 cup yogurt
  
• 1 tsp vanilla
  
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
  
• 1 cup blueberries
  

Optional glaze for super lemony loaf:

• 3 tbsp lemon juice
  
• 3 tbsp sugar
  

Heat oven to 325˚ and butter loaf pan. Stir together flour, baking powder and salt, set aside. In a large bowl beat butter and sugar. Beat in the egg whites, yogurt, vanilla and lemon juice until well blended. Add flour mixture until just blended. Fold in blueberries. Spread into loaf pan and bake for 70 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes then remove from pan to cool completely. Dissolve sugar into lemon juice, poke holes in loaf and pour glaze over top.

My Creative Life #8 - In The Hood

I live on the rough side of town... if you count gravel roads. Living in the country isn't for everyone but I know it's for me. The quiet, the simplicity and lack of neighbours infringing on my space are all of the reasons that I love it. I am a natural born introvert who overcompensates with extrovert tendencies, in other words "I vant to be alone" (because being with other people exhausts me). Although, I still can be fun at a party... go figure. Besides the Amish and a few local Hicks my neighbours are mostly of the four legged variety. Come on... let me introduce you to a few...

On my daily bike ride I visit some of these adorable neighbours. Yes, I am the crazy lady who talks to the animals. I often stop at the Amish goat farm around the corner. I stare at the goats and they come closer to the fence and stare at me. To my shear delight who do I find amongst the goats of all ilks? 

Baby Cow! It concerns me that Baby Cow may end up with some severe species dysmorphia... am I a Gow or a Coat? Why does my moo sound like a maa? Sometimes I feel like I just don't fit in. I want to steal Baby Cow and make her my own, unfortunately Baby will one day be a Biggie and I just don't have the space.

I was surprised to see this big feller under a tree in a field that normally is reserved for nothing, as most fields seem to be... yes, I have much to learn. I taunted him with my camera and then realized the only thing separating us was a thin wire (albeit electric). I promptly hopped on my bike.

Another quaint Amish farm is the home to a bevy of blond and beautiful horses. The Playboy mansion of horse farms. My absolute favourite is the one with the brown mane with blond roots. Her hair just shimmers when she shakes off the flies. 

There is an animal sanctuary one road over so I will be making a little visit... they have donkeys! My ultimate animal friend. I figure I should spend a bit of time with them before pushing my Beau into building a barn. 

My Creative Life #7 - Veggie Garden Blues

Vegetable gardens are lovely... when all goes well. Luckily these pictures were taken when my garden was at the height of perfection. You can see the tomatoes touching the sky in the background... two days later they were wilted and on their way to dead. It seems the wet soil on top was not indicative of the dry soil below. We thought the garden was getting plenty of water meanwhile the roots were starving. I cut back the tomatoes drastically and they finally seem to be coming back... but my dreams of canning sauces and salsas for the winter are devastated. I may have to buy a bushel of tomatoes to make up for it.

I did invest in canning supplies and have already made a few jars of pickles utilizing the bounty of pickling cukes which bounded out of the soil... until they withered and died off too. The peppers seem to be thriving still... but they also seem to be staying green even though I originally bought red and yellow pepper plants. 

Perhaps the beauty of gardening is that of life. You don't know what you've got until its gone. Or on a more positive note... a few seeds can feed you for all seasons. Next year I will plan a bit better, more space, more plants and plenty more water.

Finnigan seems to enjoy the garden or maybe he just loves me so much...

My Creative Life #6 - Begins at home

I suppose the issue with trying to have a creative life is not taking the time to write about it. I really need to be more diligent. I have been reading The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron, its really the bible for creativity. I recall being told about it when I was in college but it has taken me this long to actually read it. The book is set up as a workshop of sorts so I will discuss the chapters more thoroughly as I work through the assignments. The most difficult thing is pinpointing exactly what I want to do to be more creative... write, draw, paint... when I really just want to think more creatively. Live more creatively. To not be constrained by a conventional lifestyle. This is difficult to do when the love of my life enjoys routine. I suppose I have my own routine of never being on time and never getting enough done.

In keeping with our habit of visiting well known homes, my Beau took me to visit another Frank Lloyd Wright house on the long weekend. The Darwin Martin House is a sprawling prairie style home in the middle of Buffalo. There are actually a number of Wright homes in Buffalo because at the turn of the century it was considered one of the richest cities in the United States. Many champions of industry resided there. As per most Wright houses, this one is being renovated due to excessive wear over the years. It seems Wright was not only ahead of his time with ideas but also beyond the materials accessible to him. It is interesting to see this very modern home in contrast to the Victorian style mansions surrounding it.

This is not The Darwin Martin House...

This is our house! Changing rapidly due to The Beau’s diligence. The front enclosure is gone and now the schoolhouse looks like a schoolhouse. We plan on having a cottage style garden in front to obscure the view from the road. It's funny how much work is involved to return this house to its original form. May be awhile before we have a new bell tower although we do have a bell!

Here is the before for comparison: