Author: Rubyletters

Dear *insert name of guesthouse here*

So I’ve been making use of your establishment for a total of 16 nights now.  The place is absolutely lovely.  It is so lovely with the little (read not so little in the current flood situation) river running just below, the splash pool and the general calm and tranquility that seem to be the atmosphere you try to create.

In the time that I have been here I’ve only come across 2 things worthy of complaint.  Firstly, and I do understand that this is a bed and breakfast you run here, but surely it’s my choice if I want to partake in the breakfast?  Last week I was simply just running late every morning and couldn’t afford to go and have a sit down breakfast.  The two weekends that i spend here I try and relax as much as possible, considering that the job is highly stressful and that I’m not at home and in a super relaxed environment.  I was amazed to find out that you only serve your breakfast between 7 and 9 in the morning.  While 9am is perfectly fine for a weekday if you are in town for business…..there is no way that I’m going to drag myself out of bed and get myself presentable to face a whole bunch of people for breakfast before 9 on a saturday/sunday morning if I didn’t wake up early to begin with.  In my opinion this is my choice and I’m free to do so…I am after all paying the full amount regardless of whether I’m making use of your breakfast facilities or not.  I do NOT think it is on that your manager approaches me over the weekend to inform me that she considers it rude of me NOT to attend breakfast. WHAT THE HELL??

Secondly….I love the fact that your staff comes in every morning around 11 to clean my room and make sure everything is super clean and tidy when I get home after work.  It’s nice to walk into a fresh smelling room with clean towels and sheets every day.  And until today I would not have complained about this.  But today I got back and the door to my room was wide open.  Not just unlocked, oh no, WIDE OPEN.  It had been wide open since 11 this morning when you guys finished cleaning it.  Leaving all my personal belongings open for all and sunder who have to walk past my room to get to theirs to investigate.  While I’m extremely grateful that nothing was taken I would just like to inform you that this is not on.

Yes, crime statistics in Namibia are much lower than what they are in SA.  But you know what? It doesn’t matter.  It’s a matter of principle.  You don’t just leave my things that I have entrusted into your care open for the whole world to look at.  You had no right.  And I’m sure your response would be…it was a mistake, we’re very sorry.  But you know what…if you want to run this kind of establishment you can not afford to make these types of mistakes.  It is completely and utterly unacceptable.  I think my annoyance became even greater when I was unable to locate your manager to complain about this.  According to you guys there is a manager on site 24 hours a day…yet, although I looked everywhere and I rang the bell I could not locate this so-called manager.

Please, you really need to sort this stuff out.  Other than that you run a really awesome little guesthouse.  But I’m not exactly happy at the moment.

Regards

Ruby

The view
The view from my own personal little patio at the guesthouse

Dear Kiki

Oh my word Cuz! I’m so incredibly worried about you:(  I’ve been waiting for this news for a couple of days, and now I’m kind of wishing i didn’t get the news:(

(Let me just interrupt my little letter here and explain something to you…Kiki and Dee are my two cousins who live in the States.  My uncle married an American, and while they lived in Swaziland for a long time they moved to the US when Dee and I were about 16.  Kiki is 2 years younger than Dee.  We get along like a house on fire and I love them dearly. Ok, now back to the letter)

Earlier this week we were informed that you were in hospital.  The details were sketchy at best, all I knew was that there was bleeding in your brain and that things weren’t looking good.  You were admitted to a hospital in Italy, as that’s where you are currently stationed, and your parents and Dee were making the 6 leg journey of 2 days to get to you.  We’ve all been waiting with bated breath to find out exactly what’s going on.  And we’ve all been praying.

So tonight I finally heard from Dee after they were able to visit you in hospital and speak to the doctors. Turns out you were born with a knot of veins and arteries very deep inside your brain.  After many years this has finally started hemorrhaging.  The tricky thing is that it’s so deep in your brain that they can’t operate without causing damage to a lot of other parts of your brain.  The good news is that they’re starting you on a non-invasive procedure to see if that might help…but they have no answers…they just don’t know if it will work.  If it doesn’t, surgery is your only option and who knows what damage that will cause.

I feel sorry for your folks and Dee.  They’re in a strange country where they don’t understand the language, so while you are receiving the best care possible the hospital is not being very helpful towards them, because they’re not italian.  The fact that when you are awake, your incredible sense of humor is still alive and kicking is serving as a bit of stress relief for everyone.

So my dearest Kiki….my heart is in a very sad place tonight.  Please always remember that you are in our prayers.  Wish we could be there with you, but obviously logistics won’t allow for that.  Remember that we love you very much!

Love

Ruby
xxxxx

Kiki being silly:)

Happier times with Kiki and her family:)

Dear Morningside MediClinic

Right now I am not a happy camper…as in not at all.  I can’t believe what you guys have done, it is shocking to say the least.  But let me back up and explain.

In December I came to your clinic one friday morning because my hand was in agony and because the growth that had steadily been growing there over a couple of months had reached alarming proportions.  The staff was absolutely fantastic.  I spent the day being sent from emergency to X-rays to sonars and back to x-rays and finally to a specialist, who booked me for surgery 4 days later.

When I was admitted to emergency that friday morning I paid the fee required of me based on the coloured rating I got.  I was quite happy to do this as I’m only on a hospital plan and a lot of things aren’t covered.  I didn’t hear from you again.  My bills for the actual surgery were mostly covered by the medical aid and the small amounts not covered by the medical aid were subsequently paid by me.  The whole thing was rather pleasant as far as hospital visits go.

Since then I haven’t had one single statement, e-mail, sms, phone call or any other form of communication from you.  Then my old office sent me a message stating that there were a number of letters that came in the post while I was in Namibia.  So, as I was home for 5 days before heading back to Namibia I popped past the office to pick them up.  Great was my surprise when there was an envelope marked ‘final demand’ from you guys.  The really ridiculous part was that I had been handed over to lawyers and they were now demanding money from me, but the amount being demanded was R0.00.  See Exhibit A:

 

Exhibit A

 

Initially I found it rather amusing.  So I scanned the document and e-mailed it to the person mentioned in the letter as a contact person, stating how ridiculous the whole thing is and explaining that this is the first time in almost 4 months they’ve contacted me and now they are demanding I pay them…well, nothing?  I didn’t hear anything back from this person, so after a couple of days I resent the e-mail again, just to make sure that I did my part.

Then today I receive a sms informing me that a summons has been issued in the Magistrate’s court for an amount of R114 (Please note this does not agree to the R0 amount stipulated in the first and ONLY letter i got) and that my name will be published in the official debtors Gazette which is used by credit managers.  It also states that I will be liable for all your legal fees.

Now excuse me….but in all the documentation I had to fill in when I was admitted to the emergency that day I had to fill my cell phone number and my e-mail address in on numerous occasions, so that you guys can get a hold of me.  I also specified that I would like to receive any statements/invoices from you guys via e-mail.  I remember this quite clearly in fact.  So why, for the love of apple pie, didn’t you guys e-mail, sms or call me to inform me that there was an amount outstanding?? And then, why do you send me a final demand letter telling me that this is a final demand for an amount of R0 and then I suddenly receive a sms (oh wait! so you guys CAN contact me on my cell phone, so why didn’t you do so before???) to tell me that I will now be served by the magistrates court for a different amount than shown in the final demand.

Don’t get me wrong. If I do, in fact, owe you R114, I am quite happy to pay it.  What I don’t understand is why you ignore me for almost 3 months.  You had a whole array of communication lines open to you and you didn’t use a single one.  And then suddenly you not only threaten me with legal action for owing absolutely nothing, you also want to blacklist me for an amount I never even knew I owed.

Trust me, this is NOT the last you’ve heard of me.  I’ve e-mailed the so-called contact person again, and I WILL come and give you guys a piece of my mind as soon as I’m back in Jozi.

Regards

Angry Ruby

Dear readers

Sooooo, I haven’t written you guys a letter in quite some time.  And as bad as I feel about neglecting you guys I’m not about to apologize:P It’s been a hectic 2 weeks.  The first week I spent trying to get all my affairs into gear and the second marked my first week in my new job as forensic investigator….*does excited little happy dance*.

SO I’ve decided to start off my new blogging streak with a dear readers post..you know, the little game I play where i start a sentence and then you get to finish it the comments section of the blog…play nice:)

I discovered….. That I really really love my new job:) it makes me feel alive and happy and passionate.

I do not….. in any way feel guilty bout building a case against someone who cheats and steals and embezzles for a living.  I look forward to knowing that I helped with something like that.

Spider……. bites are not ideal:/  2 in a week, even more so.  The left side of my face is currently completely swollen and I can barely see out of my left eye thanx to one of those scary, monster like, 8 legged freaks I’m so incredibly petrified of.

Friends….can be made over a glass of wine if you’re willing to take the risk of getting to know them.

That being said…. making friends with strangers….. can result in a situation you really don’t want (thank goodness I managed to dodge that bullet)

Eating….. the same breakfast every single day can get a bit boring…regardless of how elaborate and luxurious that breakfast may be.

The things…… I’ve missed the most in the last week has been my best friend and my house.

I love…my mac:)

Bad things….. happen to good people too:/

Not having access to internet….. can result in a big gap in information.  I only learned about the earthquake and the tsunami late on the evening it happened…as I only had access to internet after i got home from dinner.

OK my lovelies…off you go.  Your turn:)

Love
Ruby
xxxxx

Dear Mr. Bossman and company

I can’t believe it’s time to say goodbye.  While I always knew the time would come at some point…it’s arrival has caught me off guard.

It’s been 6 years (can you believe it’s been that long??) of ups and downs.  Filled with growing pains and loads of hard work for all of us.  But looking back on it all I can truly say that it’s been mostly ups…there have been very few downs in the last 6 years, and the ones we did have, have been written off to experience and personal growth.

Friday was my official last day at the office, but we were filled with smiles and laughing throughout my farewell because we all knew we’d see each other again on monday morning when I would be popping in to drop off my laptop and office keys….my final goodbye.  I managed to stick to my motto of ‘no tears’ on friday until numerous clients started responding to my final e-mail saying farewell.  My last hour at the office was filled with phone calls and e-mails…many of which drove me to teary eyes.  Not only will I be missed by my colleagues, but also by clients.  I’ve spent 6 years building up relationships with these people, and just like that it’s over.

Monday morning was the worst.  You became all emotional and even gave me a hug when I finally left the office, without a key, a remote or a computer.  My final connection to the office has been severed.  You informed me that your morning had been filled with clients phoning, asking you to send their regards and well wishes when you did speak to me.  It was hard saying goodbye to the staff…people who I have come to call my friends. It was a moment of absolute sadness….followed by a moment of excitement.  The future is shining bright and I can’t wait to go and do my thing.

Thank you so much for the support you have given me in the last 6 years.  Thank you for your support and well wishes in my choice to make a life change.  Thank you for believing in me and giving me the chance to do the best that I could in the last 6 years.

With fond memories

Ruby
xxxxxxxxxx