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Smidge and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
Chapter One
Don’t get me wrong.. I love Apple
{ not “apples”, silly, “Apple” }
I waited for decades years for my wireless contract with Roger’s to expire
and would still have to wait
TWO MORE
so that I could upgrade my vintage cell phone and finally buy the new
iPhone 5
…then make the switch to Telus.
Why Telus, you ask?
Did you know that Telus is the only company that offers service on the
TRANS CANADA HIGHWAY..
{ the Big Highway that spans Canada }
so it really becomes a safety issue when you’re traveling on the road alone,
and your car breaks down.
Unfortunately, Rogers doesn’t see it that way and although I will try to fight it..
I’m sure I’ll have fines for breaking my existing contract.
Chapter Two
Did you know you also need to give Rogers 30 days notice you are breaking your contract?
Well, neither did I! Despite asking an agent at the Roger’s Store I popped into..
just to make sure that I was cancelling my account properly.
Now I’ll have to fight that one as well. I expect the phone call will go something like this..
“This call may be recorded for quality assurance purposes,
please do not raise your voice.
Unfortunately, we are unable to discount your amount owing,
because you have signed a binding contract.
It is very unfortunate that we there is no signal on the Trans Canada Highway..
hopefully a strange man in an 18-Wheel Truck
will offer you a ride to the next town if your car breaks down.
We can absolutely guarantee your cell phone will work there.
Most of all.. THANK YOU for Calling Rogers and HAVE A GREAT DAY!”
Chapter Three
I plugged my iPhone 5 into my trusty little MacBook and it instructed me to
update to the newest iTunes.
Did you know that some MacBooks are too old to support the newest iTunes update?
Not.Cool.
Chapter Four
I went to plug my iPhone into my car so that I could play music..
and guess what?
The iPhone 5 has a new end connector thingy.
♥
Would I have bought the iPhone 5 had I known all of this.. probably,
because I have a self-diagnosed new technology addiction.
♥
I’m on the “cloud” now, not “meringue” but the
And most definitively, not on Cloud Nine,
unless this phone stays current for longer than
TWO YEARS!
Chapter Five
You thought the story had ended?
So did I!
I stepped out of my car yesterday, iPhone in hand,
rushing to join a Realtor’s Caravan
(where we travel from house to house to see each other’s listings)
when I slid on a patch of ice and…
shattered my new iPhone’s screen
Did you know that when you buy a phone through a phone company
You still need to buy an Apple Care Plan?
Neither did I.. or my phone would have been replaced for free.
I was thinking of moving to Australia.. but
“Some days are like that, even in Australia.”
I suppose my little Cappuccino Panna Cotta’s with Meringue iClouds
would have been the perfect recipe for this post, eh?
Instead I’ve got a Slow Cooker Recipe..
{ because sometimes slow technology is a good thing }
Spicy Sauce Slathered Pulled Pork on a Bun
- Sauce
- 2 cups store-bought chili sauce
- 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp sweet paprika
- 1/2 tsp tabasco sauce
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 3-lb boneless Pork Blade Roast
- 8 Kaiser or large rolls, sliced in half
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, mix together the chili sauce through to the cinnamon. Bring to a boil then reduce heat slightly and simmer for 5 minutes. Let cool. Stir in 3/4 cup water.
- Put roast in the slow cooker. Pour the sauce over the roast in the slow cooker.
- Cover with the lid and cook on Low for 8-10 hours or on High for 4-6 hours (mine took 4), until meat is tender.
- Remove meat from sauce and let stand for about 10-15 minutes. Then shred using a fork or carve into slices. Put meat on one half of the bun and top with the sauce and the other half of the bun.
Drama finished with a lovely treat. I LOVE pulled pork. So yummy.
Yes.. it’s a good one to stuff oneself with to put oneself out of her misery..
They really should do something about the screen. My friends and I all got our screens shattered. Definitely NOT cool. Here I had to pay 60€ to replace it. I could have bought 2 regular mobile phones with that money.
I believe these things are all designed to self-destruct:)
Blimey… I can’t read any more – I hate phone companies with a passion. Still, mine gives me 30% off for life :D. Great looking treat at the end though.
Now.. how did you get 30% off.. you have a way with people, frugal, honestly!!
Nah, my friend gave me a discount code when he worked there :). I think it’ll work for more than one contract too 🙂
Smidge had a Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Rotten-to-the-Core, Very Bad Nasty Nasty Day, and I’m so sorry to hear it!!! If we’re honest we might as well admit, life was a whole lot simpler before Bill Gates or Steve Jobs decided to improve it for us. But, at the end of the day, (and no thanks to them) there’s always comfort food (or drink)…or in the case of the day our good Smidge had, both in abundance!! xox
Oh.. perhaps a glass of wine and some delicious food from, say, Provence, would do just fine, now wouldn’t it:) xx
That would be JUST the ticket, love! (only add 1 glass more to the 1 you’ve accounted for!)
Wow! Super!
Thanks!!
I’m sorry to hear about all your phone catastropes! Was it wrong of me to find it slightly amusing? I put it down to your fantastic writing ability Barbara. I’m just trying to get into your good books now so you won’t be cross with my amusement. The pulled pork looks mouth watering, because my mouth is watering looking at your photo. X R
Hahaha, It is totally hilarious.. if it wasn’t so costly!! I’m glad I made you laugh, it’s what I was hoping for:D Thanks, Rhoda!
You make me laugh! Oh dear. We’re struggling with ancient Apple computers and awaiting new iPhones, too. Can’t live without them! That BBQ should smooth over a lot of that frustration though.
It’ll totally be funnier, in about 2 years, when I have to upgrade my phone again, lol!! xx
I used to love Apple and have been a Mac evangelist and expert for 20 years, but since they became a phone company, as opposed to a computer company, IMHO they’ve become the new Microsoft and I feel betrayed 🙁
Haha, had to google IMHO.. the new “smaller” ipad are awfully close to the huge “Samsung” phone I saw yesterday.. it would be like holding a “plate” to your head, lol!
That looks so good. It still find it hard to come to terms with the phrase “pulled pork”. It reminds me of Chevy Chase “European Holiday”:)
Hahaha.. Loved that show:D
Oh my oh my oh dear oh me
Glad it was the screen
That cracked and not thee
Hahaha.. yes, I fell on my “good” knee.. just a little scraped, with a bruised wallet!!
Awwww Smidgey Poo! You have had a rough and slippery patch of things as of late. Hope all is settled down and no more slip sliding away for you. xx
Hahaha.. that “Smidgey Poo” has a ring to it:D No more slip sliding for me!! xx
You poor thing. Isn’t Rogers a pleasure to deal with? Not? I’ve numerous wonderful experiences dealing with them as well. Hang in there. Are you in the Toronto area? I have a place that will replace a screen.
Poor you.. bad ice.. ICE!! wait.. You have ICE!! oh no.. I hate my phone, actually there is a song in that! No seriously i hate my phone so i went to the man at the shop and he showed me the new i phone, you have to have an a adapter he said, anyway it was 200 dollars to upgrade and I said . OH.. but he said if you want the one before this one.. it will be free.. well i said all I want to do is call people and txt people.. will it still do that? sure he said but it won;t upgrade new programmes, i said i don’t want those programmes..I just want to phone and txt.. so i am going to go back and upgrade to an OLD model!!! ha ha ha i am laughing.. i have a dumb android and i hate it.. anything will be better!! good luck in the clouds! c
OH MY GOSH!! This is AWFUL!! I am so sorry to hear about your screen. BAH! The story telling was great though, and I couldn’t help but smile despite the AWFUL chain of events! I hope the phone company waives your bill. Damn that ice though..
Oh Barbara! I hate that you had such a hard time! I would have cried. And while I pressed the “like” button here I was thinking if this was your Facebook status I wouldn’t have! I ‘dislike’ that you had to go though all this. Hate phone companies in Canada, period. But that pulled pork, I like, a lot!
Gosh sorry you had to go through so much drama my friend! That is just not the done thing! Technology – you gotta love it but it is such a killer too! And with phone companies added to the mix… *sigh*
Anyhow at least there is a delicious treat at the end 🙂
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Arrgh mobile phone providers can be the pits ‘we expect to answer your call in less than ten minutes’ etc etc. Oh no, I am so sad that you damaged your new phone when you dropped it. Whenever I get a new phone the sales assistants always try to sell me insurance, I have never taken it out, instead I list my iphone for full replacement value and all risks on my home insurance policy, I have never been charged extra for doing so.
Oh poor you! I decided to buy the 4s for a few reasons: 1/ all my adapters will work with it. 2/ it will have google maps (well that’s not entirely true because when I upgraded to OS7 apple kindly erased google maps ap and you tube from my phone) 3/ I got it for $99. I’ve been with Telus for about 20 years. The devil you know.
Apparently iPhone 5s have a much more delicate screen than any other. I have a case on mine because most people I know have their screens smashed!
This dish sounds great and I bet it was wonderful to come home to the aromas after such a bad day.
PS. After almost 30 years with Rogers, we cancelled our cabel and so far no one has cared enough to call and ask us why. I feel your pain.
We live in interesting times where we are promised that communication is fast, easy and transferable. I could go on about the business strategy behind all of this, but I rather just look at your wonderful photos and visualize taking a bite and then another and another…
What a carry on …. So glad I have my nearly 10 years old Nokia … and on pay as you go.
Love that sauce and that bun photo – just stepped out of my screen.
That recipe looks divine! What a crazy story with your fancy new phone! Some days everything just goes wrong…
Aaargh! What a huge pain all of that has been for you! I wish I could tell you things are better in Australia, but they’re not always (but hey, the weather is nice at the moment! :)). Phone plans are complicated things shrouded in mystery, and I’m equally annoyed that the iPhone5 has a different connector, because I’ve only just bought the car kit for the 4S. I think slow cooked pork was essential after all this drama, preferably washed down with alcohol. 🙂
Sounds like you had a tough time of it. I had technology woes with my previous laptop, so I sympathise. I hope it all gets sorted out OK soon. 🙂
We Brits just cant do slow cooking like you West-of-the-ponders. As for tech; I am dilly-dallying over whether to buy a Mac Pro – I just cant see myself getting a windows laptop but the apple things are so expensive
Sounds like the typical experience when you upgrade….always that fine print…so don’t feel alone…been there….:)
Oh Smidge! I did know some of those things, because I’ve had similar experiences… Technology, it’s supposed to make life easier, right?!! Hopefully the pulled pork made things better – I had a pulled pork eggs benedict this morning that was delicious 🙂
I cringe as I read this….I am SO sorry, what a mess!! Sending hugs your way, STAT! I can relate, sadly. Mine wasn’t an iPhone, it was a Windows laptop, years ago. We despised each other, apparently. To make a long story short, I took it out to the driveway and drove over it. It felt pretty good….but I could have used some spicy pulled pork afterwards.
Pork on a bun is still a good thing, though leftover birthday cakes probably would have been good, too! I’m sorry you had such a horrible time, Smidge!
That pork looks so tempting! Great photo!
Having just traversed a similar minefield, Barb, I truly sympathize. I’ve dealt with Apple Cares and they are very good. They replaced my iPad because the volume control button got stuck. Seemed like overkill but who was I to argue? I hope you find an agreeable customer service rep and together you work something out.
Now, this pulled pork sammich looks incredible! Just last Sunday I made short ribs and feasted on leftover sammiches for the early part of the week. I can see myself have a very similarly delicious Sunday dinner and sammich-filled week in the not too distant future, thanks to you.
You could have moved here for less snow and the same problems! However, our cellphone coverage is pretty good. Have a great Sunday 🙂
Oh dear not good! I must admit I bought a very smart flip white case for my iphone the same day I bought it because of the worry of dropping it. Hope next week goes more smoothly 🙂 for you.
Much sympathy for the trials and tribulations of upgrading hardware. I am a Mac addict too but I spent most of last summer weeping (yes really) with rage and thought I was going quite mad when I finally upgraded my hardware after eight years with my old stuff. Files that wouldn’t open, photo libararies that wouldn’t do what they were supposed to do. All quiet at the moment (shhhh, don’t let them know I am talking about them). Much love and hope it gets better from here on in xx J
Aw definitely a day for some pulled pork! Hugs x
You would need a pulled pork roll after a day like that. I can certainly tell you that we do indeed have days like that here in Oz but if you moved here you would be welcomed with open arms. We don’t have Rogers here – when you’re on the phone to them fighting over their ridiculous one-way contract, please tell them not to set up business here – even of their types are already here xx
Glad I read this tonight Smidge. I’m making pulled pork in the slow cooker this week and hadn’t picked what to put in it yet. Now I know. Thank you. I’m so sorry you had one of those days. Those are the worst. I can’t believe Rogers doesn’t have service on the highway. How is that possible?! Wow.
Gosh I’m so sorry that you had such a dreadful series of events ! I was just saying to my hubby last night that when technology works, it’s EXCELLENT – how could we live without it and some of the innovations they have come up with have truly made our lives easier. But goodness, when it breaks down, (my) whole world disintegrates.
And there’s got to be some super smart propeller-heads and lawyers that are specifically employed by telcos to make buying a phone and the accompanying plans so complicated and confusing that most people just nod, smile and go “please take however much you want out of my account”.
Your post started to make me all cross with telcos (I had to decipher my bill over the weekend), and then I got to your pulled pork recipe and then everything was good in the world again 🙂
These darn companies are the same the world over! What a bother Smidge!
What a fantastic pulled pork bun!
🙂 Mandy
Hi Smidge, I am writing this from Australia to aassure you that a couple of years ago I tripped while running across the road and not only faceplanted myself right in front of 3 lanes of traffic, I stretched out my phone hand to break my fall and broke my screen at the same time. Yep. Stuff happens here to. The only good thing is that once your 24 month contract expires you are free to go away whenever and you MUST buy Smart Cover with an iPhone… it helps. Though… Have you tried going to Apple instead of your phone co? I did and they swapped it for a new one without any insurance excess! Give it a try!
PS Love pork shoulder roast.. great for sinking away sorrows!
Makes you wonder how we managed before cells doesn’t it. This is why I can’t decide what to do about my 4 year old iPhone.
I keep advising people to switch over to Android and have a bit of freedom but people never listen 🙁 Sorry to hear about your phone catastrophe though… that must have been so annoying (even if it was an iPhone ((evil-grin)). Hope everything is running a bit more smoothly now 🙂
Oh Smidge, I’m so sorry! If you can believe it, I slipped in a parking lot once and did the same to my blackberry. Phone companies have increasingly become so difficult to deal with. Makes me want to chuck my cell phone at times. But then I’d panic if I couldn’t text my girls. Lol! I hope your day got better! Love, love this pulled pork. Looks so delicious and a family fave. Pining and posting on my Facebook page. Yum!
I think it is absolutely horrible that you have had such a terrible time of late. At least you didn’t break any of your parts…they take much longer to repair. You certainly did create a comforting meal to help a terrible day get better.
Just to update my comment. My husband just purchased a new iPhone and I reminded him to buy the extended care package…thanks for making everyone know that bad things can happen to something new.
Hi Smidge, sorry to hear about all your trouble… on these occasions I’m somewhat relieved to be a fringe luddite ;-). Your pulled pork looks fantastic though!
A nice comforting meal to put behind all the trouble. I hate dealing with the phone companies. I switched three times from one to another and they are all just full of you know what… XOs
Our family loves that book! Sorry for your true life version of it, though it looks like you made the best of it with that yumminess.
So sorry to hear about your horrible day Smidge!
Some days are plain nasty and all one can do is keep it together and say this too shall pass
ouch. kudos for you to get a post out in spite of all that. Does help to share though.
Pulled pork would equally mend my saddened state. Chin up my dear… hopefully it can only get better now.
I have a new i phone that I am not liking much, but your experience sounds a lot worse than mine. Too bad about your phone but I love pulled pork, on a bad day it’s nice to have comforting food.