The Daily Schedule

"So what's your schedule like on Thursday?" asked the contractor. We were trying to determine when he could come by and look at one of my apartment unit's broken heater.
"I'm definitely going to be available from 8 to 9 a.m. and from 11:00 to 1:00," I replied. "When can you you make it by?"

"I don't know. I'll give you a call."

So here it is, Thursday, and still no call, he's not answering his cell phone, and I'm trying not to scream with rage. When the contractors I work with for my job (apartment manager) find out that I'm a stay-at-home mom their automatic response is usually, "great! So you're available all the time?" That's right, buddy. I just sit here on my throne at home with my feet propped up while the world caters to me. You just drop by any old time!

What's with these guys? Do they feel obligated to ask me my availability out of an out-dated sense of courtesy? Really, we all know they are only asking so they can make sure to come during the two minute period when I've given up waiting and finally gotten in the shower for the day. Last week I waited 5 hours to let a painter in. Then the darling man called at the end of the day to ask if he could come the following morning instead. It's not a huge deal, except I have to deal with this kind of b.s. multiple times a week and I'm seriously considering going to trade school so I can just do all these jobs myself. In the time I've wasted waiting around for contractors, I could easily have read a few plumbing manuals, construction guides and learned how to take one look at a broken appliance and say, "yeah, buy a new one."

So here it is, 8 in the morning, and I have a whole day of waiting around to look forward to. Life doesn't get any better than this!