APS - GGGGRRRRRRRRR!!!

OK to start I should say for those of you that are not local, that APS stands for Arizona Public Service, our local electric company. Our meter is not one that can be read from the street, they have to come into our yard and actually touch it. And we have a perimeter fence around our yard with a locked gate. So early on we got a lock from APS, so that they can access the yard if we are not home.

The other day I got yet ANOTHER letter from them, that they cannot read the meter becuase of "unrestrained dogs". Translation - we have ANOTHER new meter reader {sigh}. Now if you have followed this blog for long, you know we have gotten quite a few new pups in the last year or so, but they are little ankle-biters and not frightening. It's the BIG dogs that make people hesitant to come in. However when Lindsey moved out, three of them went with her, and the two that are left have been here for 3 and 4 years respectively. Since APS checks the meter monthly, obviously our dogs are NOT a problem for the meter reader. Except that every time we get a new one, we have to go through this again. Last time it was like pulling teeth to get the office to give the reader our number so he could schedule a time to stop by when we were there and "meet" the dogs. "We don't do that" is what I was told. I was given several other options, like putting up a fence (you KNOW what that would cost!), locking up the dogs for several days around meter reading time (no way, with all the livestock I have to protect - that is their JOB!), or changing meters to one that can be read from the street (although that would change our type of billing to one that would end up costing about $600 more each year). And they didn't want to hear that the propane guy has no problem, the farrier has no problem, the boarders have no problem, etc. etc. etc. We finally convinced the office to ask the meter reader about calling and he was agreeable... and once he stopped by and actually MET the dogs, he realized they were NO PROBLEM. It's been a couple years now and here we go again...

I just finished writing them a "nice" letter {HA!} after being on hold for OVER THIRTY MINUTES with no customer service...

If I had a choice, APS would be saying goodbye to this customer!!!!!