Year: 2009

Full Day

SMH SunriseWe were treated to a nice sunrise from the second floor deck of the SMH. Grabbed a couple shoots through the screen on the porch and this is one that the camera didn’t actually focus on the screen (I didn’t even think that it could focus on something that close.)

The rest of the day was spent wandering around the back roads near Hendersonville with no particular destination in mind, but to capture a few of the 400 some odd caches within 25 miles of H-town that I have loaded into the GPS. Snagged a half dozen of them. The leaves are just starting to change around here, perhaps 20% or so are now yellow, orange or red which made the rural roads twinkle in brief flashes of color as we zipped down them.

SMH SunsetMy sister and her husband arrived at their southern home around mid-afternoon and we spent several hours catching up over dinner and a UCONN football game on ESPN. We didn’t see the sunset, but on our evening walk we were treated to some interesting reddish clouds.

Like the last time we met them here in late July, we spent one night at the SMH and then vacated the place so Allen’s sister and her husband could spend the night there. Like last time, they weren’t supposed to get to the townhouse until later. In July we left in the early afternoon and missed them, this time we hung around until about 8 PM and they still hadn’t showed up. We are getting together with Diane and Allen in the morning for breakfast at a local restaurant and we asked if the sister and brother-in-law would be joining us, but he laughed and said, not that early. 8:15AM? The last (and first) time we saw his sister and her husband was at Diane and Allen’s wedding about 20 years ago. My paranoid side is now convinced they are avoiding us.

Started up, went down, went up, back down, up again, down again, up once more, still up.
Miata Top Transitions since 10/24/08: 429

Half Day

We only worked a half day and after lunch at home we hit the road to the SMH. We grabbed three caches on the way up and had our first DNF in three weeks behind an abandoned shopping center in north Spartanburg.

Instead of driving the whole way from Newberry on I-26 as usual, after the miss in Spartanburg Donna let me finish the trip on US176 which parallels I-26 to Hendersonville, but is a lot more scenic and more of a Miata road – read windy, twisty, switchbacky.

Guess what we had for dinner? Right. Pizza at West One in H-ville. We opted for a change of flavor and went for the prosciutto pie. This is the third variety of pizza we have tried here and we are both hard pressed to pick a favorite.

Started down, went up, back down, up again, still up.
Miata Top Transitions since 10/24/08: 423

I Started Watching

Couldn’t take the blovations of the TBS crew any longer, so I stopped watching. I’ve listened to the last two innings the way I used to all season, on radio via the ‘net. The game is now officially half over and stands as a scoreless tie.

I can’t stay up any longer, so the FRS will just have to win (or lose) with out me.

Started down, went up, back down, still down.
Miata Top Transitions since 10/24/08: 420

Hey - It's October

Time for the Emperor to dress up for Halloween….

My What Big Teeth You Have

Started down, went up, went down, back up, back down, still down.
Miata Top Transitions since 10/24/08: 418

That Was Unexpected

Not too long ago we finally replaced our old warhorse of an electric frying pan. Because it is just the two of us we didn’t need anything too big, so we bought the only option we had in a 12″ square size. It preformed wonderfully and the only problem is the markings on the temperature dial didn’t last very long. After slightly overcooking something the weekend before last I surfed over to the manufacturer’s web site looking for picture of the dial so I could take a felt tip pen and crudely recreate the markings. Not finding any help on the site, there is only one image of the thing on there, I found the contact page and left a note explaining my predicament asking for a photo of the dial.

Dear Brian,

Thank you for contacting Oster, a brand of Jarden Consumer Solutions. We apologize for any inconvenience you have experienced with your SH12 and will be happy to help you.

Please respond via email with the exact date of purchase and a code located on the bottom of the unit or engraved on the outside of the metal prongs you plug into the wall to give the unit power. The metal prongs are located on the end of the power cord. This code should begin with one letter, followed by three numbers.

We appreciate your business and are happy to help if you have any further questions.

Sincerely,
Jennifer
Jarden Consumer Solutions
www.oster.com

I especially like that they told me where to find those tricky metal prongs you plug into the wall. I write back:

Jennifer,

I have no earthly idea when the unit was purchased, I am not expecting a replacement under warranty, I would just like a high resolution or spec drawing of the temperature dial so I can remake my existing unit.

The number engraved on the plug is “A201J”.

The label on the underside of the power section reads:
Model: TKSP-S008A-10
125Vac 60Hz 15A
E81296 (SP)
MADE IN CHINA P.N. 128149

Thanks for any help you can give me,
Brian

The next day I get this reply:

Dear Brian,

Thank you for contacting Mr. Coffee, a brand of Jarden Consumer Solutions. We apologize for any inconvenience you have experienced with your skillet and will be happy to help you.

We do have replacement options available for your SH12. Although we appreciate your willingness to repair the unit, we cannot send out internal components for both liability issues as well as certain patent concerns as many of our parts and schematics are considered proprietary company information.

Again, we do have replacement options available for your SH12. If you would like to discuss these options, please contact us at our toll-free number 1-800-334-0759. For your convenience we are available 9:00 am to 6:00 pm Monday – Friday, EST. Please have your electric skillet available when you call

Again, I apologize for any inconvenience. We appreciate your business and are happy to help if you have any further questions.

Sincerely,

Holly
Jarden Consumer Solutions
www.oster.com

At first I was a little miffed at the direction this was taking and then I noticed my poorly worded request. So I try one last time to get across that I just want a picture of the dial:

Holly, Jennifer or any other random CSR who gets this,

I believe I was misunderstood in my previous email because I said remake when I actually meant to say remark.

I just want an image of the temperature control dial so I can remark with a pen the missing settings, allowing me to be able tell what temperature I have it set at. I am not interested in a replacement part because it will, with shipping, handling and tax, probably end up costing more than if I were to drive to my nearest Walmart and purchase a whole new skillet. Which is exactly what I am going to do if you can not supply me with a picture, catalog image or hand sketch of said dial. And you can take a pretty good guess as to which brand I won’t include in my decision making.

Thanks in advance for your consideration in this manner,

Brian
Frustrated Consumer
www.mr-miata.net

Figuring that I was going to get another polite email suggesting I call about replacement parts, I was totally floored with their reply the next day:

Dear Brian,

Thank you for contacting Oster, a brand of Jarden Consumer Solutions. We apologize for any inconvenience you have experienced with your SH12 and will be happy to help you.

Unfortunately, we do not have a scan to send you or a replacement temperature control. Therefore, I have placed an order for a SH12 that you will receive within 2-3 weeks.

You will receive an order confirmation, shortly as well as a shipping confirmation when our item leaves our warehouse.

Again, I apologize for any inconvenience. We appreciate your business and are happy to help if you have any further questions.

Sincerely,

Holly
Jarden Consumer Solutions
www.oster.com

Thanks Holly/Jarden Consumer Solutions/Oster/Mr. Coffee, really nice way to turn a possibly crummy situation into a win for everybody.

Started up, went down, still down.
Miata Top Transitions since 10/24/08: 414

Pre SAD

There is no baseball game tonight, the regular season is over. The playoffs start Wed/Thurs, but it is the beginning of the end.

Today was a rainy, damp and relatively cold day (only got to around 60.) The leaves haven’t started changing yet, but they will. And then they’ll fall.

It is only 7:30 and the sun set nearly a half hour ago, it is fast becoming dark too soon.

I can hardly wait until spring…

Started down, went up, still up.
Miata Top Transitions since 10/24/08: 413

Give me a J! Give me a Z!

What’s that spell? Nothing, but it does finish up Alphabet Soup – South Carolina Style.

I mapped out a loop that took us almost to Columbia because that is where the closest Z cache resided. We also needed a J and there were two of those within a couple miles of the Z. SC302 to I-26 to US1, there were 14 caches within a 1/2 mile of the route and we did 6 of them.

Cross off one more county, Lexington and one more DeLorme page, 37.

Started down, still down.
Miata Top Transitions since 10/24/08: 412