WHATTA WEEK AHEAD!

Since our return from NC in mid-April, we have played phone tag in an effort to arrange for carpet/uphostery cleaning and pest control, as well as an expensive re-do of our refinished trestle dining table.

We were beginning to be paranoid, wondering if we had B.O. or leprosy as no one returned calls. In a serious recession where it is purported businesses area on respirators, you'd think the phone would ring off the wall.

For nearly a month I've tried to schedule steam carpet cleaning and pest control. My husband (H) was in  charge of nagging the reluctant refinisher.

The trestle dining table with distressed finish is about 35 years old and showed signs of use and abuse. It is a wonderful table with insert and seats 8. We have 8 matching chairs. Earlier this year we contracted and paid for the table to be refinished. When returned, it looked beautiful.

But very soon it seemed the 7 coats of shellac were flawed. Whenever and wherever chairs incidently touched the table the shellac cracked and left an open white indentation down to the wood. It looked worse than before.

We called the refinisher, telling him we had used the table for a meal one time. Most of the white dings were along edges where the housekeeper moved chairs and vacuumed. I moved one chair myself and dinged a corner leaving a similar gouge. The refinisher inferred we were abusing the surface when he arrived to view our complaint, but agreed to redo the table soon.

H made several trips over 4 month to remind him the table was still waiting. One of the trips my husband made to the shop, the refinisher admitted he had purchased a bad lot of shellac and had to re-do several pieces. He made several promises to pick it up and never showed. 

Finally the refinisher narrowed it down to June 4. H stayed home specifically to see if he kept the date. Early afternoon I gave up and left the house. H stayed. He showed up late that afternoon.

WOW, one job down, two to go!

The first pest control business, whose name I retrieved from City Hall, never returned my call.

In the mail I received an ad from a highly advertised company; however, their (lack of) service nearly leveled a church we once attended, and they bought out a service which had proven undependable and cured me on the popular 3-4 month treatment subscription. That flyer went in file 13.

Finally, one pest control service returned a call only to get my recorder. I tagged back; third time is charm- we connected and have an appointed Monday morning. 

Now for the carpet/uphostery. I called one franchise twice which used an answering service. NO return calls at all.

So I called a service which advertised all kinds of carpet cleaning, especially restoration from fire and water damage. That service no longer did routine cleaning but referred me to three area steam cleaning services. I called one of the three; BINGO! I have them scheduled Monday afternoon.

Going to me a busy MONDAY! I also have council workshop Monday evening.

Luckie complicates matter. It will take one of us all day to contain her away from the pesticides used by the pest control service. I recently sprayed a few areas in house for ants, mostly inside cabinets, behind appliances and around kitchen sink and lavatories. I caught Luckie licking the floor near the dishwasher where I a few drops dried on the floor.

And the rest of the week looks about the same. Two Silver Sneaker sessions....Police Auxiliary Benefit Dinner at VFW (I have to provide a dish, and something for a silent auction).... Housekeeper on Friday....I'm sure I'm forgetting something.

But at least my B.O. or leprosy has left me.... now about that vertigo (BPPY)..it's better, but has a way of reminding me it is still around.

It may be "see you in the funny papers" this week, as my parents used to say.

Well, Blogger is full of surprises again. Today there is no easy way to add cutlines to graphics. All graphics are Broderbund CLICKART.