Some things you are better off not knowing.

Sometimes time is worth more than money. That's why we decided to hire a drywaller to finish the suite. The extra charge for him to paint as well was practically inconsequential.

The guy we hired has 30 years experience and Alb has worked along side him on a couple of reno jobs he's done for other people so he felt comfortable with his ability and work ethic. (which means speed with which he will perform at a reasonable cost that doesn't increase after the initial quote)

Turns out the guy has hired an assistant to help him increase his production. They came in the first day and got started after I handed over keys to my house so they could come and go as needed. I was introduced to the assistant, whose name I cannot recall because as the words, "Nice to meet you," were rolling off my tongue my mind was scrambling to assess his character. Sadly, as is typical of human nature, I immediately formed an opinion of the guy who has a total of seven teeth.

Alb was not home that day and as I left for work with strangers in my home, it was a bit unsettling for me.

Today I was off work and so was home while they worked. This was slightly even more unsettling. Alb was in bed after night shift so I could not retreat to my room. I couldn't even busy myself doing laundry because my washer has died. So I sat 15 feet from where the men were busily mudding my new dining area and I worked on formatting Jed's laptop that he had managed to own for 22 days before he had it so screwed up that even the Dell technicians couldn't help me.

Working in such close proximity I couldn't help but be privvy to the conversation of the men. I got to hear how the hired guy reacts to various drugs. I also got to hear rave reviews of the rehab programs at Kingston Penitentiary - affectionately known as Alcatraz North. Apparently they offer great computer programs, and you can learn auto mechanics. You can't access the internet. The food is really decent. These are not things I want to hear from someone who has keys to my home while my husband is on nightshift.