Low key week, shaky customer service

The photo from Wednesday was taken in a hurry. Goodness those critters can move quickly! Yes, Saku has seen the pair that seem to be neighbourhood buddies. I caught a glimpse of the two of them one afternoon chasing one another in the tree. I've also seen one of them making a mad dash across the street to trees on the other side. 

Another week of not much happening around here. I did go shopping on Monday. A few groceries were needed, a new tea kettle as mine has gotten corroded and is leaking, a pair of pajamas were purchased at Value Village, and the Salvation Army provided a couple of books for reading.

I spent much of Tuesday morning on the phone. I tried called the Royal Bank (RBC) to arrange to change my address. I only have a small RRSP there, with no other accounts, thus I couldn't use on-line banking. I tried calling their customer service line. They've gone to a ChatBot/AI* that is supposed to direct your call. I kept telling it, that I did not have a bank card but it would not transfer me to a real live person without one. I searched and located an e-mail address and sent off a request. 

Next up was the autobody shop. Unlike the last time I had an accident, I can no longer make an appointment to have the vehicle looked at for an estimate. Instead I need to take photos and submit everything electronically. I'll receive an estimate by e-mail and then make an appointment to have the mirror replaced. However, since I have the mirror taped up, I'm waiting for warmer weather this weekend to take the photos. 

My second call was to the Canada Revenue Agency help-line for information on a recent change that requires I set up a trust account. Back in 2018, I assisted my daughter in purchasing her house. Because she did not qualify for the mortgage at the time, we had the title and mortgage put in my name. The rules for bare trusts such as this have changed as of December 31, 2023, and I now have to file returns for the trust despite there being no income. My daughter has been responsible for all of the expenses related to the property since 2018. There was some additional paper work to be completed, as the on-line system wouldn't allow me to submit it, so I printed everything off, signed and mailed it. Hopefully, I hear something in the next few weeks as the (nil) return and schedule must be filed by the end of March.

Later I received an e-mail from RBC, informing me they could not "discuss any financial information" as my e-mail was not sent via a secure server. What financial information? I just wanted to make an address change. I was given the standard answer, call the telephone number (that I'd already called) and ask to speak to an agent. The fellow did provide another phone number, so I tried that the following morning and spoke to someone outside of Canada who was able to make the address change for me.  

Back to the subject of pj's, I spent Wednesday in mine. I just feeling up to leaving the house so I didn't. That meant I missed Stitch and Chat. I had thought I'd pull out my stitching that afternoon; I didn't even do that, instead I binge watched NCIS-Los Angeles.

Another e-mail arrived from RBC on Thursday morning, from still another person suggesting they could resolve my issue. I was assured I could ask the ChatBot to transfer me to a live agent by telling I don't have a debit card who would set up an appointment for me at a branch. Or I could go directly into the branch to make an appointment. I responded, a little less kindly than I maybe ought to have informing this person who called themselves my "personal advisor" that their ChatBot did not transfer me when I told it I had no bank card and that making an appointment at the branch was not convenient, unless I could see someone that day to make the simple change I had requested. I also expressed my disappointment at the lack of customer service I've experienced. 

I headed over to Mahjong that afternoon. It was nice to visit with the other women though I didn't win a single game. Oh well, maybe next week. When I returned home, I took the photos and video of the damage to the driver's mirror and submitted them to the autobody shop. I hope to hear something early next week. Before I went indoors I cleared the sidewalks and driveway of a small of accumulation. I think most of it fell from the tree branches though we might have seen a bit overnight.

Friday was laundry day and I made a batch of buns and cinnamon buns too. When I was a child, my mom always did her laundry and baking on Monday. The memories of coming home to the aroma of fresh baked bread made up for the pile of ironing I was expected to help with. My favorite part of the loaf was the heel. Since I've never learned to shape a loaf properly, I stick to buns. Her cinnamon buns were better than mine too, but both my son and I are quite happy to eat the ones I make.

Today, I'll be watching provincial curling from our next door neighbouring provinces (Alberta and Manitoba). Even with the time difference, the games will overlap - that just means I'll have one playing on the television, the other on the computer screen. Since I have done nothing on my crocheting or stitching, one or the other will get some done as I won't be able to play on Ancestry. 

Oh, I had a distant cousin contact me from the U.K. last week. Her 6X great-grandfather and my 2X great-grandfather were brothers. She's taken over her mother's tree and is doing some clean-up and more research. I was able to provide a bit of info about her great-grandmother she didn't already have in her possession. I asked how she happened to be in the U.K. as the brothers emigrated to Canada about 1850. It turns out her mother was visiting family in the U.K., and met her future husband. 

Well, I'm off to park myself on the couch to wait for the first curling game. I've got my cup of tea and a book to read in the meantime. Have a wonderful week ahead everyone!

I'll leave you with a photo my daughter sent on Friday. She and Eli had friends visiting, and she and her friend took the kids to the outdoor skating rink. The girls didn't have skates of their own, but D was able to borrow the equipment, including helmets from the school. Until recently, Eli has needed a chair for support but not anymore!