Get It Done Home Improvements - Apex, NC

In response to an ad posted on craigslist, I hired Brian from Get It Done Home Improvements. This was my experience:

I contacted Brian on a Friday. He said he could come on Monday and would have the job done before he left. Not unreasonable, as it was not a complicated job, just a pain in the neck because I don’t like plumbing.

It’s common for a customer to give a tradesman a down payment on a job to cover the cost of materials, so I didn’t hesitate when Brian wanted $100 up front. However when it came time to buy supplies he said, “Oh, that money’s gone.” Then I had to take him to the store to buy the materials for the job. It took three trips to the store in that one day to get everything needed, all of which took up my time.

He was not able to finish the job on Monday, and said he’d be back on Friday. I hired him because he said he’d be done Monday, and had to talk him into coming back on Wednesday. He came back on Wednesday and worked on the job and said he was done and I paid him the balance of what we had agreed on: $350 total, plus supplies. Problem is, the job wasn’t done. He had mounted the bathtub half an inch above the floor, so when it came time to tile the floor, there was a gap under the tub. He had left the pipe too long, which caused the problem.

I called and told him he needed to come back to correct his mistakes, and he said he’d be here Friday morning to take care of it. He did not show up, did not answer his phone when I called, and did not return any of my messages. I finished the job myself just to get it done – which means I paid him so I could do his job for him, which included cutting through steel pipe and installing the drain stop.

After calling him several times with no response, I left him a message saying I was finishing the job myself and posting here. He called back within minutes. You’d think he’d say what can I do to make this right, but no, he said, “If you post about me I’ll sue!”

If this is what you want when you hire a handyman, Brian is the best man for the job.

Maybe just the Mirapex?

Moody and VERY sleepy lately - can't seem to get my sleep habit into any kind of regular routine lately. Still making dinner every day which is really good, but I've been irritable and just not myself. Hoping it's just the transition back onto Mirapex for restless leg syndrome, then it has a cause and a time limit.

So many things to do that need to be done during business hours - every day I fall a little farther behind. Hopefully by the end of the week I'll have things in order.

On the plus side, things learned in December have stuck, and when in the dumps I go back to the basics - things I know for a fact: God is still in control, Jesus is still alive, and the Holy Spirit is still my Comforter. It's good to know He's ALWAYS with me, no matter where I go and no matter what else is happening in my life.

LOL obvious when really tired, don't use personal pronouns very often.

Being attacked on a different front

Well, I've got what I consider a confirmation that the attacks on my mind and emotions are not a priority to the enemy anymore. This is because while my thoughts and feelings have been stable through the holiday season and then Jessica's birthday sleepover, one thing after another in my body is getting hit.

My last eye exam showed that the cataract in my left eye had matured, and was ready to come out. Then Dr. Roane ran an ultrasound of my uterus to see if the lining had thickened (a sign of cancer). It hadn't. :o) Then she said my white blood cell count is a little low so she had me go back to Dr. Pleasants to have more blood drawn because if it drops further they'll want to check for leukemia!

I spend all day burping and ... flatulating, and most of the time feel like a parade float (full of gas). The area of my kidneys will start to ache for no reason, pretty much every day. It's not a constant pain, so I'm figuring it's the gas - but still, hey - leave me alone!

I had no doubt my endometrium was going to be normal, and I have no doubt my WBC is going to be normal in this next blood test. I know my kidneys are not in danger, and farting never hurt anyone (except the other people trapped in the car) - I'm not fazed by these potentially bothersome medical reports - having the word "cancer" bandied about like a tetherball, and not running to hide in a corner, tells me two things: my mental and emotional battles are finally turning, and in seeing that the enemy thinks he can just change the direction of my attack and I'll cave.

I'm just not the same person I was when this type of thing worked. What my body says does NOT determine the truth of the Gospel or the reality of the Living God. My life is but a vapor, like grass that grows today and tomorrow is burned up. What matters is my eternal life, which I know that I know that I know will be spent in Glory with my Father, my Savior and my Comforter - my GOD.

It just keeps getting better

Things have continued to improve since my 12/16 post. Mentally, emotionally, spiritually, even physically. My appetite is back, and I've been eating 95% good foods. I haven't touched the Christmas candy, which I've usually just about cleaned out by now. Praise God, I just don't have the taste for junk anymore.

I'm working on establishing a habit of making dinner for the family. I'm pretty shaky at getting everything to be ready at the same time, and supper is always late (so far). I enjoy the cooking and putting things away, even washing the dishes afterwards, but having everyone at the table seems to take it out of me. Tonight all five of us were there, and we had a good time - Stephen provided lots of laughs, he's a natural - but by the end of supper I just wanted to be alone. David's sense of humor seems to get on my nerves lately - his conversation doesn't seem to quite fit in with what's being discussed, and he makes insensitive comments - thinking they're funny. I tried to give him some hints tonight, but he just got worse and thought I was being thin-skinned. I hope that improves over time, like my ability to have food on the table at 6:00, ready to eat - on a regular basis.

I got out for a walk with Asher (and Jessica & Peanut) yesterday and the day before; Tuesday we went a full half-hour, but yesterday was soooo cold we cut it in half. No walk today, I was just worn out from not getting enough sleep the two previous nights - plus I was stiff and sore from the walks, when my body just isn't used to it yet. I hope to get out for a walk with Asher tomorrow; she loves walks so much and is starting to catch on to the "stop and sit" training when we reach a curb. Regular reinforcement makes a big difference. Sometimes I want to take her by myself, but Jessica likes to come. I'm always glad I brought her; she's a joy to be with and we have some really nice talks.

Jessica's birthday is on the 9th - 13 years old! But she's not like most 13 year olds - she's thoughtful and kind and gentle, and doesn't hate me. Thank God for home schooling! Her friends in the neighborhood that go to public school are getting ill tempered and sometimes downright mean, and tell Jessica how they hate their mother. Jessica just doesn't understand that; I explained to her that it's peer pressure, if you say you get along with your mom at that age you're subject to ridicule. I got her a new wardrobe for Christmas - mostly American Eagle Outfitter, Tommy Hilfiger and Abercrombie & Fitch - it was secondhand, so the whole wardrobe was under $200. Jessica LOVES her new clothes, but her friend down the street says if they're last year's clothes they're out of style and it doesn't matter if they're from a good brand. Any time something good happens to Jessica, this friend has something negative to say about it - jealousy? I don't know, I don't care. I just tell Jessica that when this friend is being snobbish, it's okay to politely say "see ya later".