Should I Buy A Staple Gun?

In fear that perhaps our brain waves had stunned Contractor Steve into not even being able to process thought, we tracked him down by phone this weekend to ask how those numbers were going.  I should fully front that by "we", I really mean "Jeanne" because I a) am a texter, not a talker, and b) she can request information without sounding as nearly as desperate as I do. So, she got him on the phone.  And Steve, oh Steve, did you not hear us all pleading with you to not be super expensive?  In his defense, he said this:  he is waiting for some bids to come back but that it appeared our needs and wants equaled around $20,000.

Yeah.

I know.

Can we go back to the original IT IS A 1000 SQUARE FOOT RECTANGLE concept?  Sensing Jeanne was about to either have a heart attack or get super shouty, Steve then said that it might be possible for $13,000 or $14,000 as well, depending on bids...he will know on Tuesday.

Huh.  I'm still sort of overwhelmed because we didn't even ask for anything fancy!  For those of you who know us in real life, we exercised some major restraint on our wish list.  (Sweet walls of reclaimed wood, you were never meant to be ours.)  But sadly, we do need a ton of 220 outlets and heating and air ducts.  We should have a full cost breakdown tomorrow so we can see what the heck is costing so much and then I fear some sort of Sophie's Choice of what we can have and what we can't.  Or likely knowing us, I envision us hanging from ladders and working on our own walls over Thanksgiving (hello, reclaimed wood, we are back together!).

Can we all just lay our heads down for a moment and think "LESS THAN $13,000" and direct that to our boy, Steve?  Thanks.

In other items of interest...

1) The Thanksgiving link is open and taking orders:  http://tinyurl.com/peggyjeanspies.  Order early and tell everyone you know.

2) I'm working on Kickstarter thank you notes.  All 101 are hand addressed and I'm working on the cards this week and making the reward certificates.  Our VIP cards should be here by the end of the week.  I'd forgotten what a lost art handwriting has become...it made me enjoy this project even more...

3) On the agenda for the rest of the week: a Columbia business license, attend food handlers class (if they say the word "hairnet", this adventure might end), and equipment searching.  Oh, and watch You Tube videos how to climb tall ladders with planks of reclaimed wood and a staple gun...don't underestimate us, Steve.