Maybe this will help you not feel so bad. Your day could have gone like this:

Tile delivery day for me.

Fed Ex freight coming to the job site, with a lift gate. "Yippee", I thought, because when I had to "catch" the 150# beverage refrigerator because it wasn't on a lift gate...well, that was not no fun.

He came, he cursed about his own age, proceeded to get the pallet lifter, got it off the truck, pushed it up a little pile of dirt (about 100' from the garage), told me he was glad it was Friday because he was "going to get his drunk on". Said goodbye, and off he went.

So there I was, with a crate weighing 1500 lbs 100' from my garage. I didn't have a knife or scissors to cut the strapping off the tile boxes that were strapped together. I was using a rusty nail I found. I would be a terrible prisoner--I couldn't escape. Finally found a guy working across the street--he had a knife. 10 seconds of his knife time = about an hour of my method.

Then I lugged all the tile into the garage. Did I mention it was 1500 pounds?

At least it's here. I think it is gorgeous. l really need to look again when the blood isn't pounding in my head.

But Christine, you make me think--I'm wondering if these type of finds could be what I need for my walk in pantry. I would love to do cabinets in there. One side will have to be uppers on the bottom and top and the other side is deeper, so I could do lowers there.

I have local stone place that has marble on the inexpensive side.

Hmmmm, maybe I will be able to do my butler's pantry sooner than later.

You need to get me into the loop now with this place.

Gotta go, there is an adult beverage calling me.

Bee

OHO! Christine, I actually had a find today! I thought of you. During my quest for a backsplash, LWO quite rightly told me to drop the plans until I finalize my color scheme. For me, that means island color, paneled DW, and eventually adios, Darth. The problem is, both my DW and fridge work perfectly well; very hard to budget $$ to replace until they break. Thanks to various GW threads, I was introduced to the scratch and dent concept as well as checking local appliance stores. I did the latter, asking about Bosch DW's and ended up with a Brand new integrated (but not fully, but that's ok) Dimension 5505SCI for 799 vs current AJ Madison price of 1799. Customer purchased it but didn't like the fact that it wasn't fully integrated. Score!

Sorry about this week's finds Christine, I know you will score on another and continue to inspire us!

Bee & oldbat2be!

Bee, I'm there with you. I had cabinets dropped at the end of my 200' driveway once. I don't know what was stronger: my anger or my astonishment.

Cabinets: In my dining room I've made a floor almost-to-ceiling bank of wall cabinets. The configuration isn't normal, but something when painted will have textural lines. I set them on 2x4"s so I could put a toe kick on them, which left 3" on the top for crown. I also did this in my laundry room. They're prefect for what I need. And Barker Doors is in my sights.:)

Bee -- hope you got your drunk on gently.
I took myself to dinner, which included 2 glasses of wine.
Then I went home to sleep. I gotta get a life.

Thanks ladies. I feel better.

What is it with delivery guys? I used to have a specialty foods/wines/etc. store. As we were trying to get open, a truck arrives with the very heavy coffee display unit onboard. Great! Right on time. The driver rolls open the back door and says "Here you go." No lift, no rolling stock, nothing... and definitely no offer to help. Luckily, we were downtown and able to find 5 guys to help, but sheesh!

Anyway, if you're looking for odds and ends to fill a pantry area, don't forget to check a Habitat for Humanity resale store. We just donated all of our cabinets and working appliances. If you're in MD, I bet you have a much bigger selection than midcoast Maine.

Christine, sorry Charm City was so lacking for you. I think I told you that I am far more impressed with your rehab place than mine. In fact, I'm planning a trip back there within the next few weeks. Meanwhile, keep your chin up and don't blame all Baltimoreans!

Here is a picture of my "delivery guy" for my RTA cabs:. She was the most attractive delivery "guy" I have ever seen!

Some of my boxes and palettes weighed 900 lbs. Thankfully, my driveway is short and flat, and she and I pushed the palette jack up into the garage.

My soapstone weighed 1500 lbs, and the delivery guy was amazingly good at getting it off the truck (although he needed my help in the way of some spare 4x4s and a little push). He also was kind enough to pull it up the drive, and refused my tip!

Christine: When I go on a perceived "wild goose chase" and wind up disappointed, ticked off, tired etc I always say to myself - better to know than not know. If I don't go and check I will constantly wonder should I have gone, was it perfect, did I miss out. Disappointed oh yea, but I least I know for sure.

Looking forward to hearing about your next successful find.

While we're whining (so hopefully I'm not hijacking or OT)- my Thursday included discovering two water marks on my kitchen ceiling - yep need a new roof in my newly renovated house. (Should have checked the roof)
AND - discovering that we have a wasps nest between the ceiling/floor joists of the basement and second floor. A few years ago we had a gas line added when we retrofitted our fireplaces to gas. During the renos the guys redid the work and removed the outside gas line but didn't plug up the hole into the house. So now we have a wasps nest in our house and the pest destroyers to come in. Hopefully we don't have to start taking down ceilings.
So that's two things right? So the third thing - the beautiful fabric that the designer had chosen for our new ottoman has a huge flaw in it that can't be worked around and it is in the entire bolt and is now being discontinued. So I have to choose again. So Thursday was a very expensive day and all before noon.

Blfenton, I know you're right and I do try to do that. I'm locally known as a PollyAnna.
I really thought I had it covered with the many phone calls with the same person.

and OUCH for your day.
Is the leak located?
And is there any way to go back to the gas line people?

I'm going to the MHIC (Maryland Home Improvement Commission) for my Thompson Creek gutter debacle. Un-effing-believable.

Kay161, H4H is my 2nd stop of the Reuse Stalking Day. I've found custom molding there that would cost me $50-$75 an 8' piece. I got baseboard, light rail, crown, scribe & batten molding there for $50 total! Their cabinet selection is minimal, but when they do get a set, it's usually beautiful and way more expensive. :)

Melissa, Baltimore isn't lacking. On the contrary. They have exactly what I want. Just not how I could afford it. C'est la vie.

Friday is another day...

Christine...good luck with the MHIC. I found them to be helpful but bureaucratic. In fact, my arbitration decision (binding, with the same effect as a court judgement) was final on Dec. 10. Still haven't gotten a dime from the MHIC guarantee fund.

I'm confident I will. But I might be dead first.

Hi Christine! Your post brings back memories of living in Annapolis. Have you contacted your legislators for help with the great gutter debacle? I used to work for the PG County House of Delegates and we would get requests from constituents frequently.

Here is a link that might be useful: Officials representing your area

Thank you, Covingtoncat! I'll check it out.
I'm still getting my documentation together.
I almost deleted the photos I had taken, thinking TC would take care of this. I had utmost confidence.

Well....
Melissa! Congrats. At least you've got the law on your side. :)

I appreciate it.
Christine