Caught in the middle...

Still stressing over my house level situation I decided to take advantage of Wright's offer to level me for $150 more, with the understanding that I would expect it to stay level. It seems that there was a death in the family and Junior wasn't there and would call me -- guess what -- he never called.

So, I called Larry back and before I got my voice mail finished, he called me back. He told me I am level! He knows I'm level, but my walls or the floor could be warped. He's trying to find somebody to come out here and tell me he's right! I disagreed, and said I had been told he charged too much - etc, etc. Then I told him about the charges stated against him by the Wrights. Well, I figured he had a right to defend himself, and sure 'nuff, there is another side of the story. I told him I really didn't care, but if I was responsible for the pot getting stirred on one end, he had the right to know about it and either take up for himself or apologize or whatever. Somehow this whole conversation was as if an argument between -- well, "friends" is too strong a word, but it wasn't deeply rooted hostile.

He told me Junior - they call him Bubba he said - was only 18 years old, about to take over Daddy's business. Oh, boy! I had a hunch there was more to this. For the record, Larry is probably about 50. Considering how many times Larry came out here and how he conducted himself, and I do believe he genuinely tried - I tend to think he does have some credibility - even though he is stumped on my situation. However, their problems are very much NOT my concern! I soooo don't care!

So, the bottom line is Larry will come back out tomorrow afternoon and check wall levels etc and try to figure out exactly what is going on and I can rest easier about getting my roof. I also have some cracked window panes that I am reluctant to replace until the leveling is finished. As for the amount of money I've spent so far -- they all are charging too much. So, if I don't have to pay any more, then so be that. As we're hanging up, he tells me that the sheriff had just got there, and that his truck had gotten broken into and he had to go to talk to the sheriff. Oh, brother!!

As for roofs, my roofing guy called last night - finally, instead of an email. He hadn't gotten back to me yesterday because he had a broken water line in his yard and it had backed up into his house, etc, etc. But he said he was getting ready to get the papers together for a bid for my back room and we discussed the particulars. He said he wanted to bring the samples by for me to choose a color and then deliver materials today and also pick up his 1/2 down payment.

Sure nuff, he called as I was writing this entry and explained that the only colors he can get are onyx and white and maybe a reddish brown, which would clash with my siding. I don't want white, so I told him just get onyx. That's what I have now, and I'll be fine with that. So, he is going to pick them up, and get the roll roofing material while he's there, and bring them here - hopefully in about an hour, depending on the line he has to wait in. I told him about the conversation with Larry saying I'm level, and he certainly agrees with me that I am not. So, I really do hope James, the roofing guy, will be here tomorrow when Larry, the level guy, shows up! Another instance of being in the middle, I guess.

Just for a little final touch to this crazy story, the house next door is being moved out today. It's a double wide and they've been working pretty hard on it. I figured my van was in the way for them to move out the half that is closest to my house. So, I pulled my van up some to give them a little more clearance and asked them what company they were with. Not hard to guess -- the Wrights are moving the house next door to me. Looks like they work a predominantly Mexican crew. After they got both halves out, they brought one back, and now I can see the first half left down the street at the corner. They seem to be gone for the night. Um, wonder why they left it down there and brought this one back? Oh, well, that is none of my worry, for sure, except I had to walk over there and close the front door because sure as shootin', my cat Tommy would get locked up in that house and hauled off to Orange! He did get locked in that house one time. I had to get a neighbor to literally break through a window to get Tommy out! That was one frantic cat, going from window to window, and his little lips mouthing the words, "GET ME OUTTA HERE! I'M HERE! LET ME OUT!"
Well, roofing materials today! Finally! I'll believe it when I see it.