What a deck

We have been working on our deck for a while now. It started with expanding it eastward. Then we had to choose the railings, the color, the style... we had a dream about it, a vision how it should look like. It is turning out to be nothing like what we have imagined it... we had to compromise throughout the process because we cannot find the material we want...

The worst part is that we did our homework. We shopped around town for what exist to do everything around it. We choose railing from Home Hardware. It was on display. High quality black aluminum balusters that are curved in the middle. The railing is beautiful cedar wood that complements the color of our house. When we wanted to buy them. the salesman said he knows nothing about them. He does not know the price, if they are in stock nor if we can order them. He looked at us as crazy people because we are asking to buy something on display. He claimed they have been on display for ages and no one asked for them, so he cannot understand why we want them!! Anyway... like everything else in this town, ignorant sales people who do not know what they are selling have the upper hand.

Another problem is the color. I asked for Walnut Brown solid paint and I got milk podding color. So, I have to buy new paint. Maybe I will ask for red cherry hoping to get the cedar color. I still have to figure out the formula they use.

Something else happened that made me think. A friend sales lady, who works at Rona, tried to help us to choose a faucet for the basin we installed in the garage. We needed an inexpensive one! Something that serve the basic minimum. On our own, we chose one that cost $79. The sales lady decided to help us because we are dear to her. Or so she hinted! After explaining to her what we want, she decided that our choice is not the right one! She showed us another one for $180... she can make it for $160... big saving. We said no. Then she showed us another one for $140 that will become $125! Another big saving. We said no. After 20 minutes of offerings, she tried to convince us to buy our first $79 choice! and we bought it. This made me wonder, was this sales lady friend trying to help us? or rip us off by convincing us to buy what we do not need to have her commission? Or was she just trying to show off? The funny part is that Ron and I took us less than 15 min to choose and carry 9 huge railing boxes, a whole set of plumbing gear and select and buy the paint. While with this lady, who tried to help us, we spent 20 min trying to choose a faucet that we have already chosen! Is this friendship or what?

This made me think: is my fault?... Why did I allow myself to give her 20 min of my time? This will be my focus on my next meditative reflection. I can't tell if I will share my findings with you!