More Carpet

About a week or so ago, Bo called and asked us to keep the GGs. We dropped what we were doing, which was working on the house, and went to town to get GBN2. We needed to kill some time before we picked up GBN1, who had a doctor's appointment. So we took GBN2 with us to look at carpet or "caahh'pet" as GBN2 says. Since we had been working on the house, we were not dressed in our Sunday best, but this is Duncan. We were hoping to get some info on carpet - learn what is what and get some prices. Upon entering the store, the owner met us and pointed out very specific rolls of carpet and told us what kind of price she could give us. Now there were carpet rolls stacked all over the building, not to mention all the sample books and displays. But she pointed out about three different rolls and gave us a price. When I would ask about a other carpet, she would say something about that carpet being more expensive. In the meantime, GBN2 was climbing on carpet rolls and impressing the owner and other customers with her ability to read, "Gulistan." It was time to go, but we promised to come back and look more later. As we left the store, I told Toby that I didn't realize that I should have worn my mink - which is code for dressing for major suck-up. The whole thang reminded me of this OK shopping experience where I had been looking at an expensive brand of clothing and the saleslady directed me to the five dollar rack.

We have since been back to the caahhpet sto-ah (it is hard not to talk like GBN2) dressed a bit better and received totally different treatment. We learned more about carpets and prices and warranties, etc. Maybe the owner was just having a bad day earlier. She does know her carpet and she is a "getter done" sort of person, although she does remind me of Toby's Uncle Ruth - kind of a know it all with an opinion about everything. At least she didn't have a toothpick to stab at me while she talked.

So yesterday after the Home Depot man left, the owner of the caahhpet sto-ah called to send out a man to measure for carpet. The man drove right to my house - no problemas. He used an old fashioned tape-measure like a pro. The HD guy had used some sort of electronic tape-measure - probably because he was too big to bend over and do any actual measuring. The caahhpet sto-ah man scribbled notes with a pencil and a scrap of paper. The HD man had a computer screen around his neck that he pecked away on with a, well, pecker. The caahhpet sto-ah man told me exactly how he would lay the carpet out and how he would make it work with the least amount of waste. He also told me how much carpet the job would take. The HD man said Home Depot would be in touch with me.

Now, which one should I go with? Neither inspires warm fuzzy feelings. I know carpet places don't hire rocket scientists. The caahhpet sto-ah seems to know their stuff, but may be more expensive. When I think of all the bad experiences with workers at HD, I worry about who they will send to lay my carpet - some person who doesn't know south from east? I also know the highest bidder is not always the best. I hate decisions.

I once used a thesaurus to look up the word "scold" when I wanted a better word to write up a disciplinarian referral to my high school principal. "Had him on the carpet" was one of the ways to say scold, chew out, yelled at, etc. I really don't want to be "had on the carpet."