Pethaven!  How sweet to be mentioned!  I've been in the vilest mood the last couple of days (and it showed), but now I'm better already. 

I had a boss once who said that anybody who owned his own home deserved it.  He had a point. 

We need a new front door -- badly.  My husband shopped, and shopped, until he nearly dropped, found a door (we both agreed on it -- that makes it nice), found an installer, and after six weeks the door was finally delivered.  We had a full chest in our entryway; we had a mirror and decorations on the wall and doors.  We had curtains on the sidelights.  The chest is empty, turned upside down, now in our living room, the rug is off the hardwood floor, and my husband put down a type of rug on which the workers won't slip and which will protect the floor.  The curtains are down, etc., etc.  It's all clean and clear and ready to go. 

The man who was going to install the door on Friday, after a Thursday delivery, didn't show up.  He hasn't answered our telephone calls. 

My husband is out of sorts.  I'm out of sorts.  While it doesn't help us to know that others have problems too, it helps to know we're not unique.  If you can understand what I'm saying there. 

It'll get done.  Your floor will be done.  You have time, you have the will, and it'll happen.  Then you can write about it.  And just to show that I'm not a complete bear (almost, but not complete) these days, I started a little poem one day this past week and finally finished it a day or so ago.  Called "Wildflower."  (Nice to know I'm not alone.)

It is absolutely  frustrating. The first guys I hired had left fliers all over the neighborhood in the spring. I met them, set up what I needed to be done which was agreed upon. Several calls later (all stating how busy-can't do it Monday, will call Wednesday, sort of thing, and rain and interruptions of all sorts) I would call and ask for status after receiving calls cancelling. After weeks of waiting, they ignored my calls. I guess I wasn't offering big money for big jobs. Next guy was working on the house across the street. I asked him for pricing and he looked at me and said, "Do you have the money to pay for it?" I almost said, "No, I always hire people I have no intention of paying"  but I ended the conversation and walked away. Man sees woman and decides she must not be able to pay. Interesting concept, I know lots of women conscientious about paying and lots of men who wouldn't pay a bill if their lives depended on it, so why that thinking isn't outdated, I don't understand.  Next guy didn't even respond to the message I left. It took my guest, calling her daughter's boyfriend, who has a business in Massachusetts to come up and be willing to do my jobs for me one at a time. I pay half up front and the other when the job is finished. In between, since I am not Donald Trump, I save again. My sides steps are completed and in two weeks the other set will be started out front. I had 75% of the money but funds are not easily come by. The steps are beautiful, his work is meticulous and it turned out well. He is willing to wait and will be doing my kitchen floor, and pulling the old lamps out of the front yard and reconnecting the front door lights as well. Small jobs but again I am not even a former Mrs. Donald Trump so I can't brag about bank accounts. Ask around through people either your husband or you know. Lots of independant contractors need work these days--the big companies often want large, well paying jobs.

You're right, Pethaven.  If we wanted a house built, we'd have no problem!  But a door?  Forget about it!  Good luck with your future projects. 

If worse comes to worse Alicen, perhaps you or your husband could do it yourselves. Home Depot has free classes here on different projects. I havent put in doors myself, but have done a lot of other things on my own. Donna is older than I --my guest, and to keep busy, she sealed the cellar floor and now is repainting the steps down to the cellar and putting new carpet treads. Do you have a friend that likes to keep busy fixing YOUR house? This friend was a great find.

Well, Pethaven, it seems we lucked out after all.  The man who was to install our door dropped by this afternoon to say he would be in tomorrow to begin installation.  Good thing, too.  Neither my husband nor I could ever handle it.  We're both treating brittle bone disease (I know, it's unusual in men), and neither of us is supposed to lift anything heavy.  Last fall I broke a couple of bones in my back, and I'm just now sort of getting back to something like "normal."  (I had surgery, too.) 

At any rate, the door will be installed (with any luck at all).  It's the same person who put new siding on our house last year.  He did a fabulous job (he and his son).  He's an independent, and while they may be good, well, they're .... uh, independent!  Wish us luck.  (He has all the necessary insurance, etc. -- we made sure of that.)

My master bathroom shower needs to be retiled. The previous owner had it tiled but I guess didn't notice (or perhaps didn't care) that the joint between the wall and floor tiles is not properly sloped towards the drain, so water pools around the edge of the shower. Even drying it out after each shower, it's become a mildew issue. I know it's beyond my DIY skills, but I'm also concerned about finding a contractor because of the hassles you guys are talking about. Not only do you have to be worried about their skill, you also have to worry if they're going to show up or if they'll just take the money and run. I really can't afford it if a contract ran with the money and didn't do the job. For now, I just recaulked around the whole edge of the shower and will hope that holds it until I can afford to not worry if the contractor runs with the money.