This is Why I Love Hewlett-Packard

As most of you know I have a small business. Because it's still small I have to be careful about every dollar I spend on business expenses. So when I accidently ordered three packages of Hewlett-Packard photo paper (from hp.com) with 25 sheets in each package when I meant to order the 50 sheets-per-package size (because the cost-per-sheet is lower), I immediately re-ordered the correct size, and then called HP customer service to arrange to return the first order.

Before I even tell you what happened today let me just mention that shipping for paper, ink, and many other essentials from HP is FREE, even for NEXT DAY DELIVERY. That's awesome. AND if you need to return something, you simply call and get a return number, print the return tag they provide, tape the box back up, attach the return tag to the box, and drop it off at the nearest FedEx pick-up point. AND the return tag includes postage! So returning items is not only easy, it's also FREE. Shipping charges add up so free shipping is always much appreciated. The last time I had to return something to HP my Paypal account was credited before I even took the package to FedEx. I love that.

Back to today. I telephoned the customer service department to get the return number and link to print out the return label. Can you believe it, the guy said, I'm refunding your account but you can just keep the paper.

Huh??? "Keep it??" I thought I'd heard him wrong.

He laughed, and said "I can do that, and I'm doing it right now. Consider it a small gift from HP."

Wow. Sure, it's only a little over $40.00; a drop in the bucket for HP, but it's a lot to me.

And did I mention I LOVE my HP photo printer?

Chat de Mer, and a new Blog of Note

We're going sailing tomorrow. Our friend, Leo, owns a 43-foot catamaran and has invited us out for the day. Here is a photo of Leo's boat, the Chat de Mer, as he is pulling up to his spot at the dock in the Richmond Harbor. The name is french and, translated, means "SeaCat." It's a gorgeous boat, with three cabins, two heads (with showers!), a very nice galley including a small fridge (and freezer!), a t.v. with DVD-player, solar panels, single side-band radio (in addition to the usual VHF), honestly, I don't even know what all he's got on there. Pretty much all the bells and whistles any sea-going captain could ever want.

I've never crewed on a catamaran before so I have a lot to learn. Luckily, Leo seems to be pretty patient and good-natured (unlike that last captain I sailed with) so I'm looking forward to a fun day. Mike will be crew, too, so that should bring him down a notch or two!

The only downside is that I will not be able to make it to a Jazzercise class tomorrow. I've managed to get to class for 10 (yes, TEN) days in a row, and now I'll have to miss a day. I briefly considered attending twice one day to make up for it, but I think I'll just modify my goal to be "25 classes in 26 days" or, since I will miss class the following Saturday too, to attend a PhotoShop laptop crop at Adobe HQ in San Jose with my friend Susan) I'd better make it "25 classes in 27 days."

Still, I think that's pretty great! Going to all the extra classes has been fun. I'm moving out of my comfort zone by going to classes with different instructors, at different times of the day, and even going to regular Jazzercise, instead of only Step classes. All the variations are good; it keeps me from using the same muscles over and over every day. Instead, I'm getting a great, overall workout. And my new shoes are fabulous! No blisters.

My BFF (best friends forever), Judy, has a blog!! I'm very excited. She writes in such an entertaining manner and always includes lots of details (which I'm usually too lazy to do, but am trying to improve). I've been urging her for awhile now to start a blog, and I think so have some of her other friends, and she's finally done it. I especially enjoy the photos she posts. Guess that's why I love blogs so much. It's like email, but illustrated. I've always been priveledged, via our frequent emails to each other, to "hear" Judy's stories (all true) and enjoy her philosophy of life, and the meaning she finds in everyday things; I'm happy to know that now lots more people will also get to enjoy them.

Judy: You Go, Girl!

Oh, and I'm tickled to be able to say I'm the FIRST to subscribe to your blog!!! Can't wait to see what you post next!