I was looking forward to today. I was planning on picking up my Chili Pepper Red umbrella cover from Crate&Barrel and actually, finally, sitting under the umbrella outdoors. And since fall decided to come early to Chicago I would've had nice cool weather to tinker around with the cover and frame without being completely drenched in sweat (I'm sure another Urban Idiot moment will be coming). But, unfortunately no umbrella cover for me today.
They lost my order. Between the online customer service (who couldn't ship me a backordered cover because I used my rewards to pay for part of it) and the store, the order vanished. Thank God for a very persistent, and helpful, associate at Geneva Commons Crate&Barrel. It took her almost two hours but she found it. She was just as confused as to where it went I was because the warehouse was full of Chili Pepper Red umbrella covers. We spent so much time on the phone this afternoon that I ended up telling her our umbrella saga. Perhaps that fueled her efforts, because the next time she called, she found the order and had the cover put on their delivery truck.
I decided that from now on I should have the store make a furniture order, which my retail friend confirmed was the only way to do it. As she texted: "You support local business and have someone to advocate for you if anything goes wrong." Lesson learned.
I am now waiting till Wednesday. Hoping by dinnertime I will finally have an assembled umbrella. Wish me luck!
