Pink Mohair

Bugaboo Bullies New Mom

I am now writing the conclusion to the entire Bugaboo Stroller Saga. To summarize, last week the CEO of Bugaboo's U.S. division got very angry with me. He decided to leave my FULL NAME and UNLISTED TELEPHONE NUMBER in the comments section on my blog along with an irate comment.

That's right. He left ALL OF MY PERSONAL INFORMATION for everyone to read. "Don't they have a privacy policy?" you might wonder. Yes they do and no, they did not adhere to it. I have been told (but have not confirmed) that to do this in Europe is illegal. Is it illegal to disclose customer information in the USA, or just unethical?

So, if you happened to read my comments last week, you could have taken my NAME AND UNLISTED PHONE NUMBER and thus found out my address. YOU NOW KNOW MY NAME. I am meticulous about my privacy and as bloggers many of us take this extremely seriously. I only post photos of my baby, as a bald baby is unidentifiable. I did not expect Bugaboo to disclose my identity on the internet, and now husband wants to change our phone number.

While the CEO claimed in his comment that I couldn't provide the stroller serial number (see first comment), the truth is that he never asked for it. It is easily seen on the stroller and I would have readily given it. What I now realize, is that if I go to the store that Bugaboo arranged to look at my stroller, they will report my serial number and Bugaboo will have my credit card information via the website where it was purchased. They can then release my name, phone number AND credit card information. Would you like my DEA number as well, Bugaboo?

All this despite their privacy policy: "At Bugaboo we take great care in protecting your privacy. Our policy states how we do that." and "Bugaboo respects your privacy and will not share your information with any third party" (readers, aren't you considered a third party?) and "Bugaboo is committed to protecting your privacy..."

Ladies of childbearing age: You are Bugaboo's main consumer. You get the baby home only to find out that your $1000 carseat/stroller combination doesn't work. You're in pain. You're exhausted. Every time you laugh you pee your pants. Bugaboo customer service blows you off. You write more emails and letters and still nothing. You give them the benefit of the doubt and wait three months. Nada. You blog about it because your high end product does not work. You request a carseat because customer service admitted that the carseat recommended by Bugaboo was difficult to use, and you cannot use it without hurting your baby. You have an email from them stating this! They make you jump through hoops rather than send you the carseat and you agree to it. You do, however, work full time outside the home and don't realize you were placed on a deadline. On your day off you plan to take in the carseat to determine if there is a problem. Instead, your daughter ends up in the ER. You're home with her while she recovers and you then have houseguests. Are you expected to take time off to see if your adaptor truly does have a problem? If only you had a wife! What about the three months you had off for maternity leave - you had plenty of time to take it to to their diagnosticians then. Oh, that's right - Bugaboo was ignoring you. Now, the CEO is angry that your answering machine is broken, so rather than using the address or email that he has for you (or just leaving a "Please contact us" comment on your blog) he leaves your NAME and UNLISTED TELEPHONE NUMBER in your comments for the World Wide Web to see. He has now potentially put your family at risk by disclosing your personal data.

Sir: When dealing with customers whom you've marginalized "I'm sorry" goes a long way. Bullying customers, especially new mothers, makes you look bad. NOBODY likes a bully.

As far as I am concerned, my interactions with Bugaboo are over, and while we still don't have a working carseat/stroller combination, the sad news is that they've placed me in a position where I cannot safely deal with them any longer. Caveat Emptor: Who has YOUR personal information, and can they be trusted not to share it?

NOTE: BUGABOO RESPONDED THIS MORNING (MONDAY.) TO SEE THE LETTER AND MY RESPONSES, LOOK ABOUT 20 COMMENTS DOWN.

Street Cred

In the scheme of things, it's much better to have big brothers rather than big sisters if you are a boy. Like it or not, this is what happens. On a daily basis.

Think Pink

It's funny what happens when you decide to paint your ugly taupe dining room fuchsia. Suddenly, the air is pinker. There is a spring in everyone's step. Husband declares it "Perfect."

You begin to crave alcohol and your husband who has been up for forty hours pops open a bottle of vino. Ahhh, Saturday at 1pm...how Continental to imbibe. This is the first time you have dined in the dining room. The hummus which was lovingly prepared with a mortar and pestle accompanies fresh farmhouse Low-Fat Triscuits bread from the oven.

The tykes enjoy whipped cream in their milk and you split the single Krispy Kreme and take turns dunking it's remnants into the goblet, clearly displaying how easily your Continental affectations are quashed.

Note: No frilly pink dresses were hurt making this vignette (refer to first photo); they were merely redesignated as "Painting Dresses." (A little hint to mothers whose daughters are given obscene lovely frocks to which same daughters build altars.)

Art and Song

Abstract paintings My Mary Ann Wakeley available here.

Husband being Irish and all, we got a wee chuckle from this.

Blythe

Recently, I ordered a Blythe doll. I thought about it for several months and I think their accessories, hairstyles, outfits and interiors are very fun. I've never been into dolls but one look at this Blythe lounge converted me.

Realizing I could have some great mod outfits for a Blythe and really do up a fun dollhouse (Yes! another project!) spurred me on. Here are a few interiors I found on Flickr. The best ones have locks on them so I couldn't download them and there is plenty of BAD interior design.

An aqua kitchen

Check out this furniture!

For the most fabulous table you've ever laid eyes on, go here.

Groovy colors

Kitchen with great wallpaper

Little Mod Riding Hood. Are these clothes neat, or what?!

Love the red hair and white dress!

Reath

Courtney at Style Court posted about the child silhouettes at Reath a few days ago. I had a look and thought that the Tizio lamp and Eames chair were also pretty neat. She has a selection of fabrics from which to choose for the background and will do custom silhouettes as well. She is the great great niece of Jim Thompson, the Thai silk importer; I've read quite a lot about him and find this link quite interesting.

Parasols

I love parasols. I had several as a child and broke every one of them. I am considering hanging a couple in my kids' room, parasols on my daughters side and some paper lanterns on my son's side. I don't want to turn it into a "theme" room, though, so I'll need to be careful. The colors leave me so happy and I would love them to wake up to such happiness every day. Here are some photos for inspiration.

Monks holding parasols

Wonderful wedding idea

Parasols in L.A's Chinatown

Wynn Hotel, Las Vegas

The morning light in China

Freshly painted parasols in Thailand, drying in the sun.

Sundresses

I just ordered my daughter two summer dresses from Etsy seller Pretty Me. Her fabrics and clothes are very sweet. I love how the dress on the right has a simple vintage button for adornment and is below the knee, plus she only charges $1.00 for shipping. Before you go to Gap or Gymboree for kiddie clothes have a look on Etsy for gorgeous frocks such as these and support independent businesses.

Did any of you have these Saltwater Sandals when you were little? I can't believe they are still around. Wonder if I convince Juniorette to prefer these over Crocs?

Kid Diplomacy

My daughter's little friend left her hair bow here the other day. Needless to say, my kid REEEEEALLLY wants a bow that belongs on a circus elephant. I told her that it definitely looked better on top of this flea market lamp but you can imagine how that went over. She really wants Crocs as well, like hair bow friend and I told her "No" because they were tacky (sorry, Croc wearers, I know I have plenty of tacky stuff but at least it's individual and doesn't make my feet smell.) She of course went and told her friend's mom "My mom says Crocs are tacky."

This so reminds me of the satin shorts in the seventies that my little friend had. They were ocean blue and shiny as a teenaged boy's face. Well, my mom relented, after much persistence on my part, and bought me a pair. It pretty much made my life. That's the problem with remembering what life was like at age three. So, I've decided to do Crocs or a bow, otherwise she'll probably become a Crocs executive just to spite me and we'll all have to wear them. Any advice?

Marital Diplomacy

Yesterday, as I took Junior to get his shots I noticed he smelled different. Not baby-like, more like my old Italian ex-boyfriend. I didn't think much of it until I climbed into the shower today and saw THIS. Now, I really appreciate that husband gives our kids their baths, but (forgive me folks, the following words should never be uttered aloud) Honey, PLEASE would you not wash the baby with Old Spice? I'm glad he smells kind of good, but that smell should be saved for when he's twenty-five and he comes to you for the Camaro keys so he can take his girlfriend Brianna for beers at the Blue Spruce. Thanks.