9 January 2013

Cold and Frosty


Morning Peeps :)


It's Cold and Frosty over at Christmas at Sweet Stampin this morning! Time for a new Challenge, and we'd love to see you. We're sponsored by My Mum's Craft Shop, so you have a good reason to join us, aside from it being a whole heap of fun to make Christmas cards in January! ;)

As you know, in our house, everything falls under strict categories...Pink Jobs or Blue Jobs. A Blue Job, for example, would be Very Understanding Hubby hurting his arm. An unofficial Pink Job, (several months later when the arm is still hurting) would be to Make Very Understanding Hubby Think It's His Idea To Go To The Doctors. After Very Understanding Hubby decides he needs to go to The Doctors, Getting an Appointment becomes a Pink Job and that's where the fun starts, Peeps!

I have a bee in my bonnet about the booking system at our surgery. It goes a little something like this:
  • Get sick
  • Phone up to book an appointment at Doctor's earliest convenience (i.e the next day or so)
  • Get told there are no appointments left to book until the following calendar month and you can't book them yet as you're only allowed to book appointments, in the current calendar month
  • Request next available appointment, with any Doctor
  • Get told there are no appointments left for that day
  • Ask how it's possible to obtain an appointment, with any Doctor, on any day, at some time before the next calendar month
  • Get told to phone back the next day at 8am
  • Consume some kind of calming tonic
  • Phone back at 8am the next day to find phone, unsurprisingly, engaged
  • Phone back at 8.01, 8.02, 8.03, 8.04, 8,05, 8.06, 8.07, 8.08 and 8.09 to find phone still engaged
  • Phone again
  • Get connected
  • Get cut off
  • Exclaim loudly... preferably in french if Sweet Cheeks is present as he has a habit of repeating the rude things I say, at the most inopportune moment
  • Phone back at 8.11, 8.12, 8.13, 8.14, 8.15 and 8.16
  • Drop phone on floor because someone answered and there is a real, live human on the other end of phone asking how they can help
  • Request appointment with any Doctor for that day
  • Get told to phone back at 12 noon
 Yet again, this is what happened to me on Monday when engaged in Pink Job Get Hubby To Doctor's Protocol 101. What happened next? Let me tell you...
  • Resist urge to explode, as it's not the person on the end of the phone's fault that the booking system was designed by a Complete Muppet
  • Request permission to offer feedback on how the current booking system makes it impossible to obtain an appointment and it's not surprising A&E have problems with people going there, when they should be going to The Doctor (there's a big push on this in our area)
  • Notice Very Understanding Hubby groan, shake his head and turn TV down for better listening pleasure
  • Give feedback, as described in above
  • Give feedback on how I've been on the phone for 15 minutes, getting cut off and finally told there are no appointments
  • Get asked if we can get to the Surgery in the next ten minutes as a 'Cancellation' has become available
  • Inform Surgery we will try our best, but it might be tight as parking at Surgery is a pain in the backside, even when you have time to spare (oops forgot to ask permission before offering feedback)
  • Get told Doctor will not see 'us' if we are late
  • Mention that Doctor's are generally running at least thirty minutes late, so arriving in the next ten minutes is not totally imperative
  • Get told Doctor's are not running 'that' late today
  • Mention that further discussions are cutting into my Get To The Surgery Time and offer thanks for assistance
  • Send Very Understanding Hubby to Surgery
 And that's about it. I think that went quite well!

Do stop by again, as I'll be running further Whinge Wednesday Sessions covering Topics such as Parking Next To Me So I Can't Open The Doors When I've Parked On The Opposite Side Of The Car Park And There Are 50 Other Available Spaces, Chucking All My Shopping Down The Conveyor Belt So Fast It All Ends Up In A Heap And There's No Space Left To Pack It Into Bags and Asking Me How Many Bags I've Used Today When The Shopping Is All In A Heap At The End Of The Conveyor and Not Packed Yet.

Have a great Day!!

Supplies... 
 

36 comments:

Suzie Q said...

Just say it as it is fluff you and me both live in the same world!!!!
well written i loved it so much i started again and read through x hee hee
now don't get me started on the cat that decided to wee in front room last night
oh yeah!!!
hugs
lil fruit and nut x

Mette said...

Haha - love your "I need to see a doctor" tale. Sounds very similar to when I call mine.
Stunning card, love the blues and the sweet details.

Hugs, Mette

Sandra said...

OH Faye. The palaver of seeing the Doctor has never been so much fun.
The words "I'll just go to the Hospital" tend to work wonders.

Super card too. Love the wee birdie.

Sandra T xxx

Catherine said...

I think we must be lucky here, we don't have too many problems getting an appointment... So far anyway ! Your card is gorgeous Fluff, I love the paper and the flourishes are so beautiful ! Hugs, blessings and love from Catherine

Beth said...

Hahaha! This post did make me chuckle! And I'm totally with you on the shopping conveyor belt thingy by the way! Grr!
Such a beautiful card, love the bling swirls!

Love Beth xx

Anne-Elise said...

Haha, Faye, you are too funny!! :) I love your gorgeous card! The bird is so pretty with all the gems and the snowflake! Hugs

Jane said...

Having a bad day? x

Sue said...

Yes, that sounds like my doctors too. You have to ring at 8 to get an appointment but it is always engaged and then when you finally get through it's too late!
Love your card, the colours and details are gorgeous.
Looking forward to next week's Whinge Wednesday Session!
Hugs Sue

Mrs A. said...

Almost same as getting The Doc an appointment. Got one ok just that is in the car park round the back at 7.30pm and ring the side door for entrance to building. The pass word wouldn't be Quack Quack would it!!!!!!!
p.s You been looking outside the front door for inspiration for your card havn't yer! Gorgeous by the way.
Luv Muver.

Doreen said...

fantastic card - so gorgeous
Hugs
Doreen xx

McCrafty's Cards said...

Our doctors is exactly the same, Your card is gorgeous I like the wee bird, the snowflake frame and all the bling.
Kevin xx

Shelly said...

SO FUNNY but sadley SO TRUE!!! THe doctor thing is what my mam has described to me about the UK... the supermarket thing is just ME ALL OVER, no matter where I park, be it 2km from the shop, someone with a clapped out, rusty old transit will park next to me with 2 inches of space to open the car door... WHY? I shall be partaking in you winge wednesday sessions... you've got to laugh otherwise you'd cry! On a positive, your card is just so sweet, I love the sparkle! xx

Carla S. said...

Sorry, I know it isn't really funny, but thoroughly enjoyed your story, Faye! LOL! Love your card, BTW! It's gorgeous!

Donna said...

Beautiful work my sweet Fluff and a really gorgeous elegant design...totally loving the bling!

Did you pause for breath when you typed this post?...I imagined you to be blue in the face at the end lol! :) Donna ♥ x

Tracey T said...

The appointment system at the doctors is the same here, too. Ridiculous - by the time you've got an appointment you're either cured or ... well, let's not go there, shall we. I LOVE this card. And blue is a very calming colour... xx

Shanna Shands said...

wow sounds like a normal doctor to me. They are always too busy and their staff are never polite enough!

Shanna Shands said...

O by the way I love your card an I am pinning it for inspiration!

Claire said...

I love reading your posts as you make me laugh to bits. I really sympathise as my doctors are just brilliant. I ring for an appointment and usually am able to get in on the same day, if not I have to ring back in a couple of hours and there is always an appointment and if you get really stroppy and demand or say that you will have to call the emergency doctor out, you get one there and then!! Your card is fabulous, love the colour and all those pearls. Hugs, Claire x

Lorraine said...

You're so right! Your post made me laugh today. You've described it brilliantly!
Hope Hubby actually got to see the Doc!?
Gorgeous card. Love the snowflake papers and fab colour.
Lorraine x

Anonymous said...

A totally gorgeous card Faye, love the design and loved your doctor tale too...you got it spot on, lol?
Helen x

catherine said...

Looks like your life is as ordinary as the rest of us Faye. Doctors surgeries!!!
go and be told you have a "Virus only"" and antibiotics won't help. wait three weeks until your really poorly and then they say "shall we try some antibiotics"" That's my life this week.
starting to feel better now already - amazing isn't it!!

great card and love the colour and layout.
x catherine

Unknown said...

Another blue card!!?? Whats going on??!! *lol* Love, love this card and the pretty details!!! Ouch...getting an doc's appointment seems to be a challenge...Good luck!! Hugs and sunshine

Debs said...

Oh Faye what a fan post today - loved it so much I came back and read it twice :o)
Sounds just like our Dr's too and I had the exact same experience at the supermarket at the weekend - until I gave the checkout girl 'the look' - she got the message to slow down.
Ooops nearly forgot - your card is stunning as always.
Debs xx

Lou said...

Hi! oh I can really see where you are coming from with this fab and perfectly written post Faye :)
There are just not enough words to explain how frustrating anything to do with the health service is!!
Really hope Hubby gets the help he needs and recovers very soon.
Your card is just gorgeous and love all the sparkle.
hugs Lou.xxxx

Fiona said...

lol Faye...must be the same booking system they use in our area too as that process you have gone through does sound very familiar!!

Fabby card btw...I want that die!!

Fi
x

coops said...

hahahahahaha oh my god hun please do let me know when your book is out, you are so true, my doctors isn`t too bad for appointments but phoning for repeat prescriptions is, you can only phone between 9.30and 11.30 and guess what, the phones either engaged or goes to answerphone.grrrrrrrr
On another note though, your card is beautiful.gorgeous diecuts and bling and i love the blue and bird :D

xx coops xx

Rachel said...

Oh my goodness faye, that sounds exactly like my GP surgery!! Rubbish!!

Gorgeous card, love the sparkle.
Wedgie xxx

Danni said...

Gorgeous card!!

I think we all can relate! I love your posts!

Davi said...

The card is absolutely Gorgeous!! My goodness Faye I say you have quite the controlled tongue!! I have been known to cut the old nose off to spite the face in similar circumstances...hard to keep a civil tongue :)

Anonymous said...

OMG, this is sooo funny! You really could be a writer Faye! I'd buy your book! It's exactly the same system in our doctor's. I've taken to going there at 7.30am on the morning I want an appointment and queuing up outside until the doors open at 8.00am!

Absolutely love your card!
xx

having a {me} day said...

Hey Fluffie! You need to have some of that calming fluid. Love your gorgeous sparkly BLUE card though. Just perfick! keeleyxx

Unknown said...

Oooh Faye, how did I miss this one?! It must be because I'm such a rubbish blogger right now - I'm really struggling to get back into it.

I have to admit I don't go to the Drs very often at all am very rarely sick (watch I'll get really ill now!) but hubby is there regularly (getting old related things) and he gets the same sort of reaction when trying for an appt!

I'm so old that I actually remember, when little, being taken to the drs to get an appt then being faced with the dragon of a receptionist who use to diagnose you before you were even allowed to see the Dr and being told they had no appts until next week - my mum used to swear something terrible on the way home!!! It's where I get my very rich language from.

I feel quite bluesy and fed up at the mo, but you really have cheered me up!

Sarah

PS - Beautiful card, goes without saying, so I almost didn't say it ;-)

Unknown said...

Ahhh and can I sympathise with the rest of your complaints as well, been there done that probably will happen tomorrow as well!

I would add my own personal favourites about show-ey off-ey mums at school but I don't know that I should - I might be going a bit too far there!!!

Marilyn said...

Your card is gorgeous... I love the deep blue colour - so elegant and striking.

Grenouille Greetings said...

A gorgeous cold and frosty card, Fluff! love the snowflake framing and all that bling! Sorry about your run in with the doctor's receptionist. Hope hubby's arm gets better! Hugs, Lesley

Natali said...

Gorgeous card. Little masterpiece!! Love everything on it!!
Hugs
Natali