when things go from frustrating to weird

May 30th the flunkie company emailed me to let me know that they were working on addressing my list, and that I would hear back from them in 24 hours.  Hearing back and completing the work didn't sound like the same thing.  Shock.

Mini was graduating from 8th grade on Thursday the 31st.  After she attended graduation practice in the morning, she was dismissed.  Tank hadn’t made it as far as graduation practice.  Remember?  The morning before, as Mini got ready to attend the final field trip, I teased her about whether or not she thought she might start a ruckus which could lead her to getting kicked out of graduation too.  Of course we both knew there was no chance little miss straight laced was going to follow in Tank's footsteps.  

Maybe it is the time of year for us Shenanigans, or maybe it was just the year-long reno project but I was feeling antsy by lunch time.  No word from the flunkie contractor.  Life was pretty damn hectic (thanks in part to one of the families I sit for - more on that later), but I paused a moment and decided:  enough is enough.  Mini was at her friends' house.  I called her.  'If you two hang out over here, then you can babysit during nap time and I can drive to the flunkie contractor place and demand my materials.'  

This is one of the items
listed on the punch list. 
A phone jack that wasn't complete.

I did state in my email that I was coming to pick up my already-paid-for-materials on the 31st if they hadn't delivered them, so that is what I decided to do.  Action felt better than sitting around doing nothing.  Tank walked in from mowing a few lawns.  I invited him to hop in the great white van.  'You are to use your phone for video footage if it gets ugly.'  Tank was all in.  

The showroom is a 25 minute drive from our house.  I tried to remind myself that there was very little chance that this adventure would end with me walking out to my car with my barn doors, my hood, etc.  Sometimes you gotta just go for it though.

I called to let the flunkies know I was planning to be there in under an hour.  I stressed that I meant business.  Babs, the newer office manager whom I had never met, tried to tell me that this was a showroom and my stuff wasn't there.  'Oh, no problem.  Just give me the address of the storage facility.  I will go there and you can have Paulie meet me there.'  I told her I would call back shortly to get the info on where I was to meet Paulie.  I used Tank's phone to call back, because I figured Babs would be screening her calls.  She didn't know Tank's number, but she didn't answer anyway.    

Mystery wire.  No idea what this is for. 
Never asked to have this stick out of the wall
 of the buffet.  They made a hole
 in the tile to accommodate this wire. 
WHY?????

The front door was locked, but Babs office was in the store-front window, so we saw her.  I knocked HARD on her window.  She let us in.  Then it got crazy weird.  Babs asked me if I had gotten her most recent email.  She had just sent it 2 minutes before I arrived, so -no, I hadn't gotten in.  I was driving, not checking email.  Oh, that reminds me.  Before I left and while I was driving there, Paulie sent me some crazy text messages.  How interesting that all of a sudden he was trying to communicate.

Babs handed me a printed copy of the 2 page email.  It was their response to my punch list.  I requested in my punch list that they install a phone jack and explain what the other exposed wire was for.  We had only one phone jack in the plans but there are two different spots where wires jut out of the tiled walls.  No idea why.  We aren't thrilled that the tile behind the buffet has a big hole in it to accommodate this mystery wire.  Their response on this email that Babs handed me:  'contact AT&T'.  Huh?

A closer look at the mystery wire and how horrible
 the tile will look if we have it removed now.

Babs' phone rang.  She shoved the phone in my face, 'It's just a personal call.'  I told her, 'Listen (crazy lady - didn't actually say that, but it WAS implied), I don't care who is calling you.  I am going to wait here until Paulie comes and gives me my shit.'  

'I have to watch my grandchildren.  I can't stay.  I need to go,' she called as she raced out the door.  It was early - like 3:30.  Hardly quitting time in my book. 

Tank, my heavy, and I just looked at each other.  What in the world?  We found ourselves alone in the office.  ALONE.  IN. THE. OFFICE.  

T-R-O-U-B-L-E!!!