Beef about the fast-food restaurant. Today I ordered $10 takeout and was asked if I wanted a bag for 35 cents. This is takeout! What next?
BOUQUET To Andrea, a stranger who left her name and number on my new car, who banged one of my doors and took off the paint and left a dent. Thank you.
BEEF If the CPP will be reduced or cut off, we will see more tents on our streets or people living in their cars, see a pilgrimage going toward an empty food bank. The most vulnerable population will suffer. Good night Canada.
BOUQUET To the Nanaimo News Bulletin for a fascinating Remembrance Day supplement. Every year you find local stories and interesting articles to read in these pages.
BEEF To the dictionary for being the only place you will find success before work.
BOUQUET To the lovely gentlemen working in the produce area in the Cedar Country Grocer. You overheard me and my husband chatting about broccoli not being in stock and being disappointed about not being able to make the Sunday casserole I had planned. You promptly went to go look for the organic broccoli in the back. Thank you for the kind, unasked-for gesture. We had some happy tummies because of you.
BEEF I would like the mall to take action and have the extra large posters removed outside the clothing store by the food court. They are revealing young women with minimal clothing. I do not see how this helps sales. Have spoken to mall management with no success.
BOUQUET To the gentleman who surprised me with paying for my latte at Javawocky after the Remembrance Day celebrations. With a "have a nice day" he was gone. Made my day and now I'm looking forward to paying it forward. Thank you so much.
BEEF To the beefer complaining about being in the ER at 5 a.m. and seeing no activity and complaining about the wait time. You have no idea how many people are behind closed doors working. They could be delivering a baby or performing life-saving treatments on someone, or God forbid, having a short break because that's the first time they were able to catch their breath all night. Have a little compassion for a health-care system that's already stretched to breaking.
BOUQUET To Red Door Yoga for the opportunity to attend the Seva yoga classes to raise money for the food bank. Red Door donates the studio, yoga teachers donate their time and participants bring cash and non-perishable food.
BEEF To the beefer who complained about wait times at NRGH. I have been deathly ill, was taken in instantly, had my life saved. Showed up needing stitches, I waited four hours. This is called triage. The most serious cases are seen first.
BOUQUET To the staff down at Victoria General Hospital. I had to go down for surgery and every part of me was nervous and super anxious, every single staff member that came by to talk to me was being friendly and from just observing they knew how nervous I was. Thank you for making it less nerve-racking.
BEEF To our 'emergency' medical system. I checked into NRGH ER with severe abdominal pain at 5 p.m. and didn't see a doctor until midnight. He ordered a CT scan which revealed intestinal inflammation and infection. Back I went to the waiting room with IV antibiotics and pain meds. At 3 a.m. I was admitted and moved to a recliner in the ER then a gurney in a hall and finally an overflow ward where I stayed with no doctor seeing me, and only tea and juice, for 44 hours.
BEEF To the beefer who thinks one can directly compare 1965 to today and has the gall to suggest that people simply "spend less than you can afford." That $1.25 equates to about $12 dollars today, while your average home price of $18,500 would be equivalent to about $180,000 today. I encourage them to, as they suggested, "do the math compared to today."
BOUQUET To whoever leaves those little bookmarks on the branches along the trails at Neck Point. I have found several of them. The words of wisdom inside are heartwarming too. What a thoughtful person you must be. Now every time I go to Neck Point I look for them.
BEEF To all you people who think you are making enough money on your pensions you must be rich. I am 73 making $2,563; my rent alone is $2,000 plus all my other bills. We are lucky we have a little coming in from my other half but we are having a hard time living so yes, OAS and CPP should be more. There are old-age pensioners who are losing their houses and are out on the streets.
BOUQUET Many times this summer while walking Buttertubs I've approached the new condo building and smiled as I hear the strumming of a guitar. The sound carries to make that stretch so enjoyable.
BOUQUET I would like to thank Sid from north Nanaimo for picking up my cellphone. Also for meeting me by the schools for its return. I lost it kicking a ball back up to the kids on the playground.
BEEF Who decides to take out much-needed parking on Wallace Street in favour of a grossly wide sidewalk and a go-nowhere bike lane? We've already been inconvenienced for the last year while a new apartment building went up, and more often than not, people who work on the block and customers of the businesses have had to circle for blocks to find parking.
BOUQUET To everyone who prepares recyclables correctly and learns what goes where: blue bins, depot, etc.
BEEF To the naturopath who I went to for the first time. Poor listening skills, condescending attitude and a somewhat creepy manner, as well as plainly trying to maximize my visits and financial commitment. You know nothing about client service and are in the wrong field. Maybe that's why your lobby is empty.
BOUQUET To Dione, Carol and Karen M. at the Stitcher's Muse Needleart for making my needlework classes so much fun. You're the best.
BOUQUET To Lilly for her letter to the editor, 'Ditch daylight saving for true time.' It is a sensible and very well-written letter. My husband and I agree 100 per cent with her. This has been talked about for many years, and now is the best time for someone in B.C. politics to get this passed by law, so we can stay on 'true time' come March.
BEEF To the big box store for sending me many and mixed messages about online deliveries. Hard to filter through 'it's on time to be delivered,' 'it's being filled by staff,' 'it's on it's way,' 'it's been delivered,' 'we're unable to cancel your order,' and a few minutes later, 'your order cannot be filled.' What the heck ? Makes me wonder who in the AI world is running the system.
BOUQUET To the gentleman in front of me at the customer service till in Country Grocer. He whispered something to the cashier and paid for the flowers I was purchasing. You made my day full of smiles with your thoughtfulness. You were gone before I had a chance to know what your secret was. Thank you very much.
BEEF To the pub that offered strange service on Remembrance Day. Although it clearly had space for us two, we were put on a list and shuffled outside (in November) to wait. We were not given an estimated wait time. After 20 minutes we went back inside to check things out and were told it would probably be another 45 minutes. Starting to feel like a nightclub lineup, which is not a great vibe.
BOUQUET To the lovely workers at Opa of Greece. Not only do they make the best food, they are so patient and friendly.
BEEF About the fast-food restaurant. Today I ordered $10 takeout and was asked if I wanted a bag for 35 cents. This is takeout! What next?
BOUQUET A huge shout-out to Kelly, Craig and John at Island Mediquip Nanaimo. They obviously love their work, and they have consistently provided me with amazing and timely service.
BEEF To the driver who struck the pedestrian. Driving irresponsibly and driving under the influence is a rising epidemic in Nanaimo. I've never felt so unsafe as a pedestrian, and that's coming from someone who lived in Calgary. Some of you do not deserve licences or the responsibility of operating a vehicle. We need serious reform.
BOUQUET To Trustys Mobile Automotive, he came by to install my winter tires on my car. Very handy service for people with busy lives. Topped up all my fluids, tires and let me know of my brake measurements. Support small business.
BEEF The Cowichan hospital replacement project is now a minimum four times over budget and climbing. Is anyone ever held responsible or accountable at the top for the mismanagement of public funds. Incompetent people should be fired, no?
BOUQUET I was shopping at Global Village and I saw staff concerned about an elderly shopper. She said she was waiting as someone was taking her home. They found her ride and made sure she and her parcels arrived at the car. The care, concern and help of the staff was lovely.
BEEF To businesses who have long hold times and terrible, repetitive hold music. I would much prefer the sound of silence than that tinny, awful noise loosely referred to as music. Why can't you hire more staff to answer your phones, eliminating the need for this?
BOUQUET We recently did a major bathroom renovation and had excellent service from several local entrepreneurs. A big 'shout out' to Lucas Williams (Legacy Electric), Brayden and Brady (Miratile) and Bryce (Surcan Construction). Young men who were incredibly professional, great communicators and delivered beyond our expectations. We look forward to working with them on our next project.
BEEF To companies that say 'we are experiencing high call volumes.' If that's the case, hire more people.
BOUQUET Went to McLaren Lighting after failed attempts to find suitable lighting at several big box stores. We had very good service from Sean, who was patient but not overbearing, helpful to the exact degree that I wanted and provided fantastic customer service. Felt great to support a local business and I will be a return customer.
BEEF to the dog walkers at the top of Ninth Street where it joins the Parkway Trail. Picking up after your dog is great but don't throw it in the trees on our property, there is a garbage can right there. How would you like it if was thrown in your yard? Just because there are trees there doesn't mean it isn't private property.