Carpet

We just got new carpet.  We are not a coordinated family, our old carpet was never designed for people like us and saw 8 years of our abuse.  It was a white (who does that??) berber.  8 years of  spilled coffee, cocoa, soda, fruit juice, dropped food, muddy shoes and kitty vomit finally had us over the edge.  We felt like perhaps we might be trusted for a few weeks with new carpet.  Our son chose the carpet color, sort of a light cocoa color (hey something we already spill!!).  We compared two prices and were pleased with the price we paid.

We decided to also pay for furniture moving and tear out of old carpet.  We were told we'd need to move all knick knacks, fragile items and electronics, then make sure papers, etc were  removed from file cabinets and such.  We were very excited and started the long 2-3 week wait for the carpet to be made.  We got the call in mid June that the installer would call to schedule the time and date of install.  We were told we'd be contacted on the 30th to schedule the install.

I started slowly moving items out of the living room about the 22nd.  I figured I'd have plenty of time to go slowly and move things little by little.  I was feeling good about my progress, having most of the mantle cleaned off, some pictures off the wall and a plan for moving things in stages.  I was planning on scheduling it so my husband could take off the day before the install to help me move some of the heavier electronics.

The morning of the 30th dawned.  I got a call at 9am.  I heard a mumbled time of 2-4pm.  I said "ok".  Then I wondered what I'd just said "ok" to.  I called back.  I was told..."the work order says living room, stairs and hall"  I said "Yes, but what are you doing today between 2-4pm".  The guy, I'm sure he was thinking 'Wow, this bulb sure is dim', politely said "the install".  I said "What?  I was told you were going to call me on the 30th to schedule the install"  He said "No, ma'am, when an installer calls you the product is in the van and ready to go".  I cancelled it, knowing there was no way I could do all that moving by myself, my son was still asleep and hadn't slept the night before.  I called the company to reschedule.  After (literally) an hour on various holds and hang ups I was told my next available dates were the middle of July or the end of August.  I asked if I could just go ahead with the install today.  (yesterday, which was today when it was happening)   The representative called the installer to make sure they still had my carpet.  I was all set for an install between 2 and 4 pm which would last about 4 hours, my husband goes to bed about 7:30-8:00 so a 4 hour install even as late as 4pm should be ok.  I woke my son with coffee and pleas to come to my aid.  He did get up to help me move.  We worked efficiently (for once) with no whining (from either of us).  We did start a steady stream of bitching about the injustice in the world of install as we worked.  I woke him at nearly noon.  We were done by 1:45!

I took out the trash while my son made himself some food to devour before the installers arrived.   I noticed some weeds in desperate need of pulling.  I pulled a few weeds then bent down to get a few weeds hiding in a bushy flower.  I started to get up and felt my hair snag in the wild rose bush.  I tried to pull free but it kept getting worse.  I called my son's cell phone...he wasn't answering!  I was bent down with my butt in the air and my head stuck in a bush but my son wasn't  answering.  Finally he picked up and said ""hey I wasn't gonna answer I thought it was ...(annoying person).  What do you need"  I asked him to come help me, to bring two paper towels and told him it was an emergency, to please hurry.  He came outside within seconds hollered "where are you?"  I said "I'm here by the side of the house"  I heard him coming, he must have looked and me because he said "What did you do?"  I told him I was pulling weeds and I'd gotten stuck, to use the paper towels to protect himself from thorns.  He had me free before I could finish telling him what the paper towels were for.  Then he asked and I told him they were to protect his fingers from thorns.  That was a bit too late.

We got inside and got ready.  2 o'clock came and went.  My husband got home... 4 o'clock came and went.  I got a call just after 4.  The installers had some unexpected problems at the current installation.  He assured me they'd be there by 5-5:30 at the latest.  I got a call from the schedulers who felt bad about the mix up, the late time slot (I told them I'd have never agreed to an install that late due to our dinner and bed schedule) they were prepared to offer me a prime Friday time slot.  I told them the installer called and said it was a go, that they were held up but would be there by 5:30.  She said if they said that, then they'd definitely be there.  She gave away the Friday time slot.  We stared calling the intaller at 6pm.  No answer.  We called at 7pm, no answer at 7:15, I got a call.  They "lost track of time" and were still willing to come if we wanted them too.  By then I was more than a shade irritated.  I was beginning to get sore from all the moving, the rose scratches on my arm were itching.  My husband was irked but told them to come anyway.  They finally arrived about 7:30pm.

The van looked kind of rapey.  All white, kind of rusty, no windows and the name of the company professionally written on the side in sharpie marker kind of crooked and haphazard.  At that point they could have offered me candy to get in the rape van and I'd have gone, just to take down a few people.  My husband said hi, made some small talk and went to bed.  He put on his range ear muffs.  They must have worked.  They block out the sound of guns on a range and he certainly slept through the loudest experiences imaginable.  One entire wall was shaking.  I think the house was traumatized.  The carpet was finally all finished about 11pm.  It looks nice.

Day 1......nothing spilled.......