Little to Say?

I feel obligated to post something, but I really don't have a lot to say (versus the eye-opening, makes-you-want-to-rethink-your-life-and-be-a-better-person posts I'm famous for).  Still,  I will try. :)

I griped at the contractor via voicemail Tuesday night.  On Tuesday, before they left, I asked the contractor to call my local contractor that night, as he has a key to our house and could arrange to let him in.  That's whey they told me the tile guy had to finish another job in the morning, but would be at my house in the afternoon.  At my request, my  local contractor called at 9:30 Tuesday night to say that he hadn't heard from tile guy.  So I left a message saying "Hey, I don't want my local guy called last minute.  He's got other jobs and I want this planned out to make sure he's available to let you in." Then I said, "And, it was my understanding the tile guy was 'all mine' this week until the job was finished and now he's not even showing up until tomorrow afternoon.  What's going on?"  I told you, I'm on it this time.

So I got home last night and had a message that the guys would be meeting today (Thursday) at 9:30 am.  Fine, but that means no work was done yesterday.  Plus, why does the morning start at 9:30 vs. 8? Yes, he has an hour drive here but lots of people have long commutes and manage to make it in by 8 to work.  Blair leaves the house at 6am every day, so I don't have a lot of sympathy for the "Oh, it's so early" excuse.  Anyway, I just want this bathroom done.  I'm tired of being in a bad mood about it and am getting on my own nerves.

I had a great day yesterday.  I was the THIRD person to arrive at my Triad Networks group, thank you very much, to make up for my embarrassment at being late last week. And these people rock.  I said I'd appreciate any leads on distribution venues for my book--gift stores, jewelry stores, flower shops, hospital gift stores, etc.  I walked out with 9 leads and 5 book sales.  Absolutely stupendous.  It puts me on my game so I can offer them as many good leads in return.

Then we had 15 International students visit our Toastmasters group, and hearing where they were from and their goals was fascinating. I had a power marketing meeting with my friends Pam & Michael, dinner with Blair, and then my children's writers critique group came through in aces for me with dead-on critiques of the first chapter of my book.  So all in all, a good day.

Today I'm teaching a networking class at the Women's Resource Center, picking up my new glasses, and maybe lunch with a friend.  Then home to work, work, work!  I'm going to Chicago this weekend for a long overdue trip to see my mom, sister, nephew, and brother-in-law.  My nephew is 2 1/2 and I haven't seen him in over a year.  I know he's going to look huge to me--he's at the top of the charts for height.

But the thing about going out of town is that even if you're gone for a day, you have to do a weeks worth of work before you leave and a weeks worth after before you feel caught up. So I'm trying to tidy up a multitude of loose ends today and tomorrow so I can leave and enjoy my trip with a clear conscience (And a ball of yarn.  I've started knitting  project #2).  

So, off to face the e-mail monster I go!
 

You Can't Hide Knitting

I may have to tamper my newfound enthusiasm for knitting.  The reason is there's no way to hide from your spouse if you've spent the day working on a scarf versus doing work that actually stands a chance of bringing in any money.

Blair come home yesterday and asked how my day was. 

"Great!" I replied.  "I finished a draft of my networking article and found some sources for my next Art Jewelry marketing column and did some work on my novel."

Then a few minutes later we sat down to watch TV and I pulled out the scarf I'm working on, which had grown a good 3 inches in length since he'd seen it the night before.  "Um, tell me again how you spent your day?" he said.

Busted!  I did do all those other things.  But I also spent an hour and a half in the middle of the day, knitting.  It's just a wonderful breather from the stressors waiting for me at the computer. 

But alas, I must set aside my needles during the day. But that's okay because it still leaves nights.  My best friend Trisha called me tonight from Texas where she's staying on business.  "What are you doing tonight?" I asked. 

"Oh, I'm going to have some wine and a light snack, go see the Alamo, and maybe meet up with clients for a late dinner. And you?"

"There's a two-hour episode of American Idol on tonight and I'm going to knit while I watch it."

It's really sad, how far I've fallen socially in such a brief period of time. Maybe I'll knit myself a "I am not a loser" t-shirt to cheer myself up. 

Decorating Diaries - At Least They're Funny

I started the morning off a little tense as the contractors didn't get here until quarter of eleven.  AND, the owner made no acknowledgement or mention of the no-show on Sunday.  I know apologizing is never fun (I did it once, and I remember) but I do think it was called for.  But fine, they're here, whatever.

 So the tile guy calls me downstairs a few minutes ago to look at the layout of the tile and ask a question about the pattern and where it falls with the air register.  He gave me a few options to chose from, all of which sounded fine to me. "You pick," I told him. "I trust you. You've been doing this a lot longer than me."

"Actually, I just watched a video," he said without blinking an eye. There was a brief pause then we all burst out laughing.

"Great," I said.  "So okay, I'm going to go start drinking now."

"Oh man, we started hours  ago," he said, waving his hands in the air.

At least they're funny. 

Decorating Diaries - &*%*#%^ Contractors!

See the blood gushing down my forehead?  That comes from beating my head against a wall, trying to remain sane in the insane and utterly illogical world of contractors.

I was hot yesterday.  We've hired one bath design company from whom we've ordered our flooring, shower tile, tub basin, cabinets, etc.  The owner was at our home on Friday, roughing in the shower in preparation for the tile man, who he said would be here on Tuesday.  As he was leaving Friday, he said, "Will you be around on Sunday?  We really need to send someone out to finish this job so we can be ready for the tile on Tuesday."

I assured him someone would be here all day.  So of course, Sunday came and went with no one showing up and--what really made my blood boil--no phone call.  Are these people's  fingers broke? How hard it is to dial a phone? It infuriates me beyond all rational thought.  We arrange our schedule to suit them and they can't be bothered to call.  Makes me want to go buy an Uzi off the street and do something with it.

So 8 AM yesterday, I place a call to this company and get their voicemail.  I left a message that, well, let's say expressed my displeasure at the no show and no phone call and let them know in no uncertain terms I want this bathroom done, I want to know when they're showing up, I want phone calls, and I am through being nice about it.

So all day yesterday, I hear nothing from them.  My anger is on a high simmer at this point.  "Fine, don't call me back today," I'm thinking.  "But you'll have to call sooner or later and you will rue the day you blew me off.  " 

Finally, at 5:30, I get a phone call.  Very apologetic, and before I could say anything, she was reassuring me the owner and the tile guy would be here this morning and the tile guy was ours all week until the job got done and the minute the floor was set, they would move the cabinets in.  "Fine," I said.  "That's what I wanted to hear."  And I dropped it and now (for the moment) I'm being nice again.

But that's what irritates me above all.  I have to be a b---- in order to get things done by these people?  I don't like that.  But I'm not allowing any leeway at this point.  One no-show or delay and I'm going to be all over their ass.  Apparently being nice doesn't pay off in the misaligned world of contractors.