ARRRGH! All the stuff I've heard about renos is true. We now have a bathroom window installed. Except he didn't bother to finish the outside of it. And the new, longer spigot is installed in the bathtub. But now the shower on/off doesn't work. ARRRGH!

The flooring guy, who was supposed to be finished on Wed, still has most of the ground floor to do. Since DH got a verbal (!) quote for the work it's going to cost twice as much. And now that's going to hold up everything else.

AAAARGHHH!

Dagmar

Working or working out.

That's my life.

And my mother's coming on Sunday for a week-long visit. Oh Lawd. I'm so not prepared to undergo a kitchen inspection. And to cook meals for her while working all week, trying to catch up with all the emergencies getting thrown at me every day.

I'm taking off Columbus Day and the other four days of that week, and I feel like I'm dog-paddling through cold water toward that goal, with my head barely above the chop.

We've had a tree-trimming fiasco here. They guy who washes our cars has done our trees in the past. He and a guy named Max did an excellent job a few years back. Well, our trees needed a trim so DH called him (thinking Max would come as well). Instead he brought two other young guys (maybe early 20's). We asked them to trim our trees plus one tree in the neighbor's yard that is in dire need of a trim (they've moved out of state and lease their house out so don't know the condition). After just 3 trees we fired them. Ugh. What a mess! Our big tree was so butchered I will be amazed if it survives. Seriously, they left just one branch with leaves on it (and it was really the one that needed to be cut back the most). All the rest are stumps reaching into the air. The neighbor's tree is just okay. The third tree will be okay once spring hits. Meanwhile, the gardeners at our office also trimmed trees. 14 of them. And they're gorgeous! So our office gardener is coming today to try and fix what the car wash guy did and finish the job with all the other trees. DH told the car wash guy to stick with what he does best, but he's always trying something new to make a buck. We asked him who his helpers were and they are full time gardeners! I doubt they've had much training.

Dagmar~that's odd that the plumber didn't test the shower valve. He should fix that for free. And what on the outside of the window didn't get finished? Sorry about the flooring problems as well.

saef~try to enjoy your Mom's visit and don't get all stressed out about trying to appease her and stay caught up at work.

Saef - I heard my great grandmother Sarah in my head when I read "Oh Lawd". That was nice. Try to enjoy your mom's visit.

Allison - car wash guy as tree trimmer sounds like a script for a bad sitcom episode, though in that episode he would do a great job at the last minute. Sorry about the trees.

My life has been hang out with DSS or work out this week - we had him Tuesday night last minute and DH worked late, no workout. Had him again last night and DH worked late, no workout. Workout will happen today, no matter what. Puts me under a time crunch to make my five days this week, as we are going to a wedding a couple of hours away tomorrow and I had wanted it to be an off day. Now I have to make myself get up early and do it. And I NEVER do well getting up early.

My sanity has returned, or so it feels! I went on a long hard run with my firefighter friend yesterday that totaled 5 miles much of which was uphill (also downhill), and lifted this morning. Took my roommate to get a new Nissan Versa Note that my BF negotiated down almost $2K, checked out the co-op (impressive), and had a delicious dinner of rotisserie chicken, perfect cherry tomatoes, and chocolate halvah <3. This morning I got in a good lifting session at the gym and I'm going into NYC this evening for a concert and visiting friends. Phew.

Now if I could just get everyone we've been in contact with to SEND ME THE THINGS I NEED FOR THE CONFERENCE. So much "hurry up and wait" and you can only call and email people so many times to remind them to do things!

Sounds like TGIF for a lot of folks here. Shannon, Saef, Allison, and Dagmar, hang in there. Get enough sleep and eat your avocados. But seriously, take a few deep breaths. You'll get through it. Saef, I'm sure your mom will understand that you have more responsibilities with your new position.

Allison, maybe this Max was the real tree artist. Trees can just be butchered if folks don't know what they're doing. Good thing you were watching and only 3 trees got done, not all of them.

Krampus, I'm glad your sanity has returned. Are you in a position to tell people "if I don't have your info by this day and time it won't be included"? Hurry up and waiting for others is frustrating!

TGIF here, too, but in a busy way, not a bad way. A lot of my time this week has been spent at and prepping for play rehearsals, making calls to the costumer, creating prop and set furnishing spreadsheets, etc. It is challenging but if it comes together will be a really fun show. It's set in 1928 in an old mansion so part of the fun is the set and costumes. More "homework" to do this weekend about it. Today is also our biggest event of the year at work, starting in an hour. I'll be working late. About 700-800 people usually show, lots of kids, lots of chaos. I'm eating my lunch right now in my office hiding, then will return to help with set-up.

BF's family is going through some (more) drama right now. This is not uncommon for them. He is really stressed. He knows he can't do much to help (a "don't enable" type situation), though is doing what he can for his young nieces who are being jerked around. He doesn't like it when I tell other people about this, so I can only "talk" to you guys about it. I don't know what to say, but just have to tell someone to relieve some pressure. He doesn't deal with his frustration well and tends to clam up in these situations, so it requires all my patience to support him and not get fed up with him. Keep him, or really his sister and nieces, in your thoughts if you don't mind.

Ok, lunch is done, back to help out. Have a good weekend all!

Of course, Megan. Do they live far away?

I can hear a garden being butchered as we speak. Such a shame. It's a small piece of land with some 'history'. I offered to weed and tame it earlier this year but the older couple who (probably) own it had already taken up the offer of a neighbour with a big power tool. As another neighbour said, "He's no gardener." Such a shame.

It's amazing to me how many men with a power saw think they know how to trim trees. Even more amazing is how many people take them at their word.

If you want a tree pruned correctly, hire a Certified Arborist. That's the only people I let work on my trees. It costs more but you aren't as likely to end up with a ruined tree. I also never let them work without my being there to see what they are doing.

I also use only licensed and insured contractors (which Certified Arborists usually are). If one of those neighbors with a saw happens to fall out of the tree, I don't want to have to pay his medical bills.

. Keep him, or really his sister and nieces, in your thoughts if you don't mind.

]Absolutely will do that.

Will keep BF SIS and Nieces in mind that all will be well.