The Summer Continues

Well, summer keeps rolling on. Since the trip, we've gone to Capital Ex (a.k.a Klondike Days, a.k.a. the fair), a couple of movies and just plumb kicked around.

Sonia and I went to the Ex and had way more fun then anyone else we've talked to. B-L, Trevor and kids went to the fair on Saturday. It was sticky hot, the kids were tired and cranky and so was their mother. All of them said afterwards they didn't have that great a time. Jamie went with friends, as per usual. He didn't get to go until 6:00 p.m. because his friends were late and then he made it on three or four rides and his friends were ready to leave. He was very bitter that he used his $35 all-day pass for that.

Sonia and I went on Sunday. We arrived 10 minutes after the gate opened at noon. We went on all the rides we wanted for the next two hours. We met Sonia's mum at 2:00 and we walked through the pavilions and ate lunch. We went to this amazing acrobat show at 5:00 then walked through the Dream Home and bought tickets. We went to a 50s style show called "Greased Lightening", had a corn dog, went to Blues Brothers Revival that was very cool. Sonia's mum left then (9:00). Sonia and I went on our three favourite rides again. We went on the little train that runs through the park. We walked through the Dream Home one last time and then we left at 10:10. It was fun all the way around and we felt like we did everything we could want to.

I've been trying to get my landscaping and decks done this summer. It has been altogether frustrating. I tried through the month of June to find someone who had someone to recommend. I didn't want to cold call contractors (See bitter, unhappy time getting new windows!) I asked people at work, people at church. Sonia asked people at her work. Eventually, I got a name. I called him, waited two days for a call back and was told he only worked on new construction and was not the guy for me. In the last week of June, I started cold calling. I talked to one guy who sounded perfect. He came out the first week of July and spent almost an hour looking over the job, measuring and planning. He told me it would take a few days to put together the estimate but I should hear from him in a week or so. After ten days, I called him. He said he had been too busy to put together an estimate. He told me that because he makes detailed estimates, he needs a day that he can run around and get real numbers on the materials he would need. He said this could take him up to three weeks (This is only for the estimate!) It has now been three weeks since he first came to the house with, guess what, no estimate. I've lost a month of the summer and I still have no one committed to this job.

I started the cold calls again this week in desperate hope of finding someone who could do the job before the snow flies (my basement can't take another spring run-off flood!) I left three messages on answering machines which no one has returned. I talked to one company and was told they were swamped and wouldn't consider taking on another job. I had one company who said they would give my name to their lady who books estimates and she would call me. It has been two and a half working days and the whole weekend since then with no word from the booking lady. I think I'm screwed on this. I have a very hefty chunk of money just sitting in my bank with no one is this whole freaking city willing to earn it. I don't know what I'm going to do anymore.

On better news, I did find a boarding kennel that will take Destiny while the family is in Florida. I booked her in and then Sonia and I drove out to look it over. It is quite nice and I think she will be well-cared for. Best of all, it is very cheap! $12/day. Way less then I had expected. I had to take her to the vet today because she needed an extra immunization against something commonly called "Kennel Cough". It is some sort of respiratory thing going around and the kennel won't take her without the shot. Colby and I had a date today so he came with me which he enjoyed. We then went for a nice walk in the dog park, went out for dinner and saw "Meet the Robinsons". A decent movie, interesting but not roll on the floor funny.

Tomorrow, I get my hair done (I need it so very, very badly!)