Excuse Number 85

Well, as might have been predicted, the side door in the semi trailer did NOT happen today.  The carpenter dude was supposed to be here "bright and early," to get started.  Suffice to say, when I returned from church, there was no carpenter dude.  Rather, there was a resigned Joe, working in the trailer, getting ready for the carpenter dude who had called, promised to be here at noon, apologized for being late BUT.....
and here came the excuse for not living up to "the deal."

This week alone we have endured similar excuses from not one, not two, but THREE would-be workers, guys who we are employing to do work here.  The first was supposed to show up Friday to help Joe clean the chimney in the old farmhouse, and install the wood stove insert.... it was originally set for Wednesday, but he called, and changed it to Friday... at around 4PM Friday, he called to say he would have to postpone until Tuesday...  And yes he had an "excuse."  (I've lost track what this excuse was.)

The second was supposed to deliver a load of firewood on Saturday.  He was to call in the morning to confirm delivery time in the afternoon.... he never called... he never showed....

And today, this carpenter dude had,

• dropped his cell phone in a puddle
• was getting a new puppy

Now HOW those two things constituted a  failure to show for the agreed-to job at the agreed-to time, I have no idea.  It was approaching 3PM before he rolled into the driveway.  He then spent the next hour telling Joe (I was too ticked to listen) his trials and tribulations.  The bottom line?  Well, MAYBE he will return to do the job over the next three  nights... we shall see.

I guess I expect folks to show up when they agree to, and to perform the job they agreed to.  I can understand everyone has "life" happen, and hence the excuses, but GEEZ LOUISE, three in three days?

Planting "Twigs" -- Pruned from Some
Guy's Pear and Apple Trees in September

Never mind. Joe and I had stuff we could tend to today anyway.  I worked more on my eBay trailer and Joe worked on getting the "sticks" planted.  Our great "fruit trees from prunings"  experiment is officially underway.  The little make-shift greenhouse is filled pretty much to capacity, and is maintaining a decent temperature, even on these colder nights.  We'll have to see how well it works when we dip into the teens, but hopefully, that is still a long way off!

Many of the "twigs" already leafed and blossomed...
this one looks like an established tree

The Makeshift Greenhouse is Filling Up

Judy, Taking Killian out for a Change of Scenery

More Merchandise to Load the eBay Trailer Shelves

Overall, the weekend was a good one.  I have made quite a few sales on eBay this weekend, which is always a welcome sight.  The weather was truly delightful, and tonight, though I did not manage to capture a picture of it, the moon was full and shining bright in the black sky.   In the next few days, I will be enjoying time off from work, and just piddling here around the old farmhouse.  Maybe, just maybe, the wood stove insert WILL get installed on Tuesday.  And maybe, just maybe, the door will get installed in the side of the semi trailer and the stairs and landing built to access it.  And for SURE we will be cutting and splitting more fire wood to keep the wood stoves burning!

Another Fire in the Wood Stove

I am really looking forward to Thursday when we will travel to Maryland to share Thanksgiving dinner with family.  My brother Tim is actually coming up from Florida to join us, which is particularly awesome.  I don't get to see him nearly enough.  Unfortunately, I doubt my brother Ray and his family will make it, as they live in California. But at least we did just get to see them twice when we were in San Diego last month.  Still, the table will be filled to overflowing at my sister's house, and we will, I am sure, have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

So, tomorrow is another day and I suppose another opportunity for what, excuse number 85?  Hah!  I hope not!