You've Got To Trust Somebody!!

I've discovered over the last few years that there are only a few people in my life I can really trust, most of them being my RV friends.  Isn't that interesting?  And why do you think that is?

I found out my housekeeper might have had a party or two while I was gone.  This is the friend that has been babysitting my parrot Jonathan.  Upon return from my last trip, I went over to see the family and my baby bird (I've been gone just four months).

Have you seen those before and after pics at the Sheriff's Department?  You know the ones I'm talking about ... wasn't I shocked when that's what met me at the door.  I listened quietly through two hours of complaining and blaming before I took my bird and left.  Another three hours over lunch (she never took one bite) and I'm sad to say my trust wanes.  If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck ....... what little trust I did have, may have just flown the coop.

Car dealerships are the same in my book ... always out to rip you off from my experience.  It's not like there are a lot of diesel mechanics in my town, even though this is (or maybe WAS) an Ag area.  Luckily, with the advent of the internet, reviews are available on most everyone.  Taken with a grain of salt for sure, but if they are all bad, you can't help but be wary.  I haven't gotten my truck back yet ... parts had to be ordered from Reno ... hopefully today will be the day.  I feel pretty lost without it!

I was so excited about my landscape guy, installing lighting and fixing my sprinklers, until I got a message from my high school bestie who reads my blog, asking who I was getting an estimate from.  YIKES!!  It's the same guy she used, who took forever, didn't do a good job and overcharged her.  

Lynn is definitely trustworthy, so now I'm having big time doubts about the work to be done here.  As far as the sprinklers, she said they use less water, but run twice as long.  My PGE bill is already sky high ... so I guess that plan went down the tubes.

As for the speakers in my ceiling (I need to fill in the remaining two holes), I called the local store where I purchased all the others at $100 each (installed) and got a bid of $200 each, just for the speakers.  Good grief!!  A quick call to another dealer didn't end any better when he told me he wanted $100 just to drive to my house to see what kind I had.  I did him one better, I sent him this picture.

Once he told me what it was and the price of $129, he tried to sell me the next step up for $175 each. You just can't trust salesmen, so I went on-line and ordered two speakers for $125 each, delivered to my door.  They come with installation instructions, so I should be able to figure out how to fill this hole.  Even if I don't hook it up, the hole will finally be covered!!!

In the meantime, I've been sewing away happily ... it takes my mind off the fact that I'm becoming paranoid about every repair and service person I have to deal with!!

My favorite quilting store with the best-in-the-west quilter is closing down this week.  Here we go with the trust again.  After spending so many hours cutting and sewing these babies (one of the best I've done as far as being exactly on point) you don't want to give it to any Joe Blow to quilt.  Hmmmm .. maybe they will sell their quilting machine to me!!!

But WAIT!!!  There's one more!!  My internet quit yesterday, so I called CLEAR, my provider.  For the hundredth time, they told me my service would end November 6 and I needed to go to Sprint and get a new device (Sprint bought out Clear).  I asked the girl who could hardly speak English, you know the one, if they also bought the towers.  If so, then their wireless equipment would work.  If not, Sprint doesn't work at my house.  Lucky for me, she told me they DID buy the towers, but it would be years before all the towers get switched over to Sprint's equipment ... meaning I would buy their stuff, sign a two year contract and it wouldn't work.  Are you kidding me??  

I have a couple of choices ... pay for Comcast TV along with internet (I have Direct TV), pay for an ATT home phone along with the internet (I don't need a home phone) or hire HughesNet to tack a big dish on my house roof and charge me for all the equipment, along with a contract.  Good Grief!!!!

When I talked to Dan about my diesel engine, his final words were that I've got to trust SOMEBODY!  I guess I've been taken advantage of so many times, despite my vigilance, that I'm gun shy!!  If Prince Charming ever does show up, I doubt he will pass the background check!!!