Well, Thursday numbered week #10 waiting for new patio doors - 4 pairs - not cheap. Seems the Funk's luck has struck again. I'm not too sure it is our bad luck or the contractors' bad luck.

It seemed to have started back in 2001 when we contracted to have a new 2 story 24' x 24' garage built. We were given some cock & bull story about it could only be so high. So our 2 full stories turned into 2 stories only 6 ft. ceilings, only because the contractor was too lazy to advise us that we could probably get a variance. (my fault really! As a former Realtor® I should have known that) Anyway, that seemed to start it. He also put a so-called rubber roof on the kitchen which flopped and noisily interrupted every conversation we had in the kitchen because it wasn't properly secured. 

When we called him to come and fix it, he told me that we could fix it ourselves because my husband had lots of old tires and that we should throw them up there to keep it from flapping. In 2006, we went on a trip to see my sister & brother in California and every time we saw a mobile home in the desert with tires on the roof, we would laugh and say, "There is another quality construction job by Epperson."

Then, in 2004 it was time to put new windows in the kitchen. The old ones were over 50 years old and not well insulated and leaked a lot of air. So we find this contractor to 1. put in 2 new windows @ $450.00 each and to re-do the kitchen roof that was screwed up by Epperson. The roof was done in a week, thank goodness. but when September turned into November and no word about the windows which were already paid for, the contractor could not be found... No phone calls returned, no listing with the BBB. He had vanished. Come January, 2006, a very thin (skinny) man shows up at the door saying he is there to put in the kitchen windows.

Seems the contractor's wife was diagnosed with cancer, so he simply quit his business and left all his jobs with a couple of winos to finish when they got around to. "He always finishes his jobs." one of them said.

Well, in 2006, I am so sick with at the time had no idea, later to find out that I had cancer (scary yes I agree), so I was just happy that the windows were being replaced. But what happened? They used this ugly 2 x 6 as a window sill filled with hammer dents and gouges that even I could not have messed up and no paint. I have to supply the paint. I was just so glad to get the windows and them out of my house, (again, my fault) I said nothing.

Okay, we are good, right? Well, not so fast. 2010 comes and we are thinking about getting new siding for the house (the house is pink and the paint is peeling and something needs to be done.) The first estimate - $60,000 ( 1 1/2 Cape Cod building 36' x 24' not a huge building). No thank you, of course, we have to put a new roof on before he will do the siding. Thank you but, no thank you! 

So we opt for just putting on a new roof which we know is bad. We have to now, of course, refinance in order to pay $17,000 to have the house and the garage, plus another rubber roof (#3) on the kitchen. Now, this is what gets me thinking. Within less than a month, a very reputable contractor is in the news about fraud and guess who it is? Yes, the ones who replaced our roof! So there is no more workmanship warranty to be had, but the roof job was a very good job!

But, back to the 10 weeks waiting for 4 sets of patio doors. June 2, 2016, Mr. Dave and I get together (his inheritance) enough to replace the bad glass in 4 large patio doors on the back sunroom.

The gentleman who was the foreman of the roofing job shows up at our door about 8 months after the contractor went out of business to let us know that he was starting his own business and that if we needed any work done to please give him a called. Now, as I said, we were pleased with the roofing job, so we had no problem with Miles. We sign the contract for 4 new patio doors and to replace the siding in the back in 6 to 8 weeks. Reasonable? Yes and No!

Miles tells us that he will be sending out his guy the next day to remeasure the doors so that they can order the proper ones and get it going. Friday, we stay home all day and wait, and wait and wait. Around 8 o'clock in the evening, Miles' wife calls and says she is sorry that nobody got out but they will call when he will be over. Now, fast forward week #8 - 8 o'clock in the morning another strange man is ringing my doorbell. "I'm here to remeasure the doors."

When he gets done, we are told that the doors haven't even been ordered and it is going to take another 3 to 4 weeks, because Miles has been skimming or something and has been replaced by his wife and her father to run the business and Scott is the foreman now in charge.

...to be continued

 
 

Saving America

January 2, 2016 is here and I'm here to tell you that I am still here and still praying for our Country, our law enforcement and our freedom.
Check out this link:
http://www.thelibertypledge.com/
If you never read "Common Sense" by Thomas Payne it is probably time. Then there is Common Sense 2 by Ernest Lee. Check it out and enjoy what real Freedom really is!

xoxoxo

Spent NO Time

Wow, here it is the end of August, another year almost gone. I spent absolutely no time here last year or this year. It has been crazy and boring. So, I just went about with my reality life and left this one hanging.
October, 2, 2014, my sister passed and I'm just not my old self. It is funny or may guilt, I'm not too sure but after all the years of absences, I know I'm missing her terribly. More like a mother than an older sister, Ilene always was there. She passed the day after our Mother's birthday, so there will be no way I will ever get pass those 2 days without much grief.

Ilene was 8 years old than me and many times she took care of my younger brother and myself when Mother was ill or needed a well-deserved break. I was her maid of honor at her wedding in 1959. I was just the legal age and don't even know if I had a new dress or anything because it was just me, my older brother, my sister and her future husband. They were married until he passed in 2008. They had 5 girls and wow, 8 grandkids and lost count on great grandchildren and several great-great grandchild, who was just 6 - 8 months old (Jasmine).

This leaves our family of 8 down to just 3 of us. My older sister, Alice & her husband were here for a visit in June. Alice is 83 & Ray is 86. They still travel around and enjoy their children. So nice. My younger brother was planning on coming last year, but didn't because his daughter moved out of state. We haven't seen Max since 2010, so I guess it is time for a trip to Florida.

Well, I've caught up a bit so until next time.
God Bless and God Bless America!

Christmas

Nothing New Here!

Well, I fell down on my promise back in December to post for the 9 days. Really! I feel kind of sad that I didn't because Christmas turned out to be one of the nicest I've had in a very long time.

Winter has been long and hard only because of the freezing temperature. Today, the last day of February and it was 9 degrees below zero this morning. I normally do not go outdoors when it is that cold because the oxygen tube feels like there are ice cubes been shoveled up my nose and down my throat, but today I did. Mr. D had a doctor's appointment early and when he got home we took a trip to West County to get some meat for the freezer. On our way home we stopped at a flooring store to look at flooring for the sun room. We had talked about getting wood, but the girl only showed us vinyl that looks like wood and very expensive too.

We have a floating vinyl flooring in the kitchen and dining room and I'm not really happy with it. Once there is a mark, such as a burn or scratch, forget it you cannot fix it. We haven't discussed it yet, but I'm thinking no way. There is less expensive wood tongue and groove flooring out there that is less expensive for that little 9 X 22 sun room and I intend to find it.

OK now, that is about all. It is time to make dinner so Pepper Cheeseburgers are on the menu so I'm off to the kitchen.

Nine Days of Christmas - Day 6

Christmas Memories ~ Day 6

Who doesn't love beautiful music? Have you actually listened to the Christmas Carols? They have to be some of the most beautiful music in the whole world.

Every year the chorus at the school would walk around on a cold winter night singing at homes in our town. After the caroling and then we would end up back at the gym for hot chocolate to warm our toes only to go back out and get all cold again. Too funny now that I think about it.

On this one particular year that I recall was the best of time when I was in high school I talked them all into walking all the way out to my home to sing for my mom. We all walked and walked to the edge of town. My Mother had never had anyone ever sing in front of her house and I remember the bright lights in her eyes as we stood there singing the most beautiful words to music that is still ringing around the world today.

Merry Christmas!

Nine Days of Christmas - Day 5

Christmas Memories ~ Day 5

 Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree:

Hard pressed for money to buy a Christmas tree a year after our Father's death left 5 kids under the age of 18, pretty darn sad to say the least. Mama gently, well as gently as she could, told us that it was just one of those things that we wouldn't be having this year. And in some terms it was sad but in other terms, we just accepted it as the nature of things.

As Christmas Eve drew close the reality really sank in and as we ate our dinner of Mama's favorite, oyster stew, it seemed awful quiet around the table. When a knock at the door surprised everyone. The house was only one on the street so if a car drove in the driveway, most anyone would hear it or at least see the headlights. This evening, however, it was a surprised.

When Mama opened the door a loud Ho Ho was heard throughout the house. There stood if you remember "Lawrence", well it wasn't him, but one of his brothers who not only was the Chief of Police but also an active member of the Kiwanis Club.

There they were 2 guys with rosy cheeks from the cold standing at the door with a small "Charley Brown" tree and an armload of packages for the little ones who were my young brother and me. We were overjoyed and very grateful when Leonard said, "We met Santa down the street and he asked us to deliver these to your house. The Spirit of Christmas came to our house one cold snowy Christmas day in the early 50's to a little house in North Dakota.

Merry Christmas!

Nine Days of Christmas - Day 4

Christmas Memories ~ Day 4

Ever tried to learn how to ice skate on hockey skates that were 2 sizes too big? Well, that is what we did as kids. Our town would flood a vacant lot with water every year and add a little shack for all the kids to use free.

The skating rink was across the on the same street as the park and the swimming pool. The pool had an admission charge, but the park and ice skating rink were free to all. But for a dime, you could rent a pair of skates for the day or evening. The only drawback was that the only skates for rent were black hockey skates.

If you were fortunate to have a bit more money, some girls would get figure skates for Christmas, but those who couldn't afford them would rent the skates from "Lawrence"!

Now, everyone knew everyone, and everyone knew "Lawrence". "Lawrence" was the brother of the local police chief and as it was, he was married to our cousin and with 5 kids and our 6 everyone knew everyone or someone who knew everyone.  And as I look back, Lawrence, his brother, and his family did more for our town then most of the wealthy folks.

Ice skating and having an extra dime for hot chocolate after a session of crisp North Dakota winter air was a highlight of our Christmas season. I never really learned how to ice skate on those black men's hockey skates, but then I only got to go skating maybe once a year. But, when I was a senior in high school my sister-in-law gave me her figure skates and for a brief moment, I aspired to be a world champion.

Nine Days of Christmas - Day 3

Christmas Memories ~ Day 3

Baking Mama's Christmas Coffee Cakes was one of the biggest baking days of the year next to Easter. Everyone, except the big boys, had to help. There were apples to peel, pineapple filling to make and the ingredients gathered for the 'Streuseltrosoll' topping, not to be confused with strudel.

Mama's coffee cakes were liken unto no other that I've ever had, even to this day! They were a sweet egg bread dough stretched into pie pans and small cake pans then the toppings were put on them and baked to a delicious golden brown "to die for". There wasn't one kid in the house would or could wait quietly until Christmas morning to have a piece or maybe even 2 if you were lucky.

Mama always made the dough, we got to stretch it out into the pans and I got to make the topping of flour, sugar, cinnamon and butter. I got to put my hands into the big crock bowl and feel the flour and sugar combination between my fingers, ah, no rubber gloves in those days.

Perhaps, the best was the pineapple/cottage cheese which was a sweet mixture of rare ingredients for a family in North Dakota. I can, if I close my eyes, smell the aroma coming from the oven.

Word of the Day

hagiography