What Would You Do?

I realize that this post is going to be like playing with fire, but at this point I really don't care any more. Plus I have been burned in the past, it only hurts for a while.

One of the best things about my blog is that if it is a hot topic, word spreads fast. I honestly have no idea how many readers I have. I get about 30 visits a day. I know people don't check in everyday, but I will go out on a limb and say that I have around 75 loyal readers who check in at least once a week. It is astounding to me how fast I get paid up by people when I call them "deadbeats". This posting isn't about a deadbeat, it is about me getting what I want. I know for a fact that the mother of the person that this posting is about reads my blog nearly everyday, meaning the message will get across to this person. Actually the person who this posting is about, also reads my blog at least 3 or 4 times a week.

Allow me to give you some background. My house is pretty old. Built in 1954, if you do the math that is 55 years. I have been in the house for 12 years now. That fact is shocking to me as well. If you have been to my house, or just seen my garage, you know that I take pretty good care of my house. I have remodeled the basement, the kitchen, the bathroom. The next step is to take care of the living room and the bedrooms. But before I get to those, I need to replace the windows. This past winter I actually had frost on the inside of my windows. I doubt they are the original windows, but I also know that they aren't brand new. This summer I refinanced my house so that I could pay off my truck. I increased the amount of my mortgage by $5,000 to take into account the cost of new windows. I figured the large picture window in my living room will be close to $2,000.

Now where could I get the windows from? Back when I remodeled the kitchen, I got the windows through my sister in law, Julie, who works for Weather-Tek Windows. I was very happy with them. So this time around I thought I would use Julie again.

She sent me a email on July 16th, and the date on the quote is June 24th, 2009. And I still do not have the windows. It has been 114 days, nearly 4 months. Is she making these windows herself? She told me I needed a contractor to put them in. I got my brother's old boss, Wayne. He owes me a favor. The last time this topic came up she said I had to pick out a stain. I said "I don't care, just get me the windows."

I was over at their house two weeks ago. As many in our area are aware, the cable company switched up the channels. For some reason, their cable isn't coming in like it should. While I was over there, Julie called the cable company. She gave them a pretty good ear full. She even mentioned something about her working in sales, and I nearly burst out laughing.

So what do I do? I have been rather patient with Julie. At first whenever I saw her, the first words out of my mouth were "Where are my windows?" But she has been busy. However, now we are bordering on ridiculous. No?

I have been to her office and above her desk are three framed letters from customers that she has worked with that gave her outstanding letters of recommendation. I was actually going to do the same thing to see if I would make the wall. If I do, I won't write the letter for 114 days.

Do I look for another supplier? Do I call her everyday and hound her to get me my windows? I am not even looking for a deal. I just want the stupid things installed before winter hits, which as any Wisconsinite knows could be tomorrow. How about I go over her head to her boss? Do you think I would get my windows any faster then? I could stop in the office and speak directly to her boss. Maybe picket outside her office. Let the air out of her tires. Toilet paper the house. Move all of the furniture in their house outside. You have seen my garage, I have the spare time and energy. Annie, I know you are reading this, can you ground her for me?

Let's see how powerful my blog really is. Instead of a countdown, I think I am going to put a count up on my blog. I might even make it a Gyro contest, the person who guesses the correct number of days from the time I got my quote, July 16th, until the day the windows are delivered to my house.