Friday, October 22, 2021

The Oven has Died

Either I or my husband need to head back up to the church this week to meet the repairman, as the oven at the church isn't heating properly. The display says 350 but the interior only gets to about 170. I discovered this on Thanksgiving, when I went to heat up the frozen turkey pie I was making do with for the holiday. I ended up getting creative with tinned turkey flakes and canned potato slices (I don't recommend them), and managed with just a kettle and crockpot the rest of the week. But the oven is pretty vital, so we called the repairman. And he couldn't come for three weeks because he was so booked up.

We are finding this is true for all trades and skilled labour. We have plans, we have the money to throw at them...and we can't find anyone available to do the work. We talked to two contractors who both promised quotes weeks ago and never sent them. I talked to another construction fellow (not a contractor) who likewise promised a quote to just enclose the stairwells for the winter, and no quote came. I also hired him to patch a hole in the roof and he promised to do so...within a month. I've left two messages for the septic guy and he has never responded.

I know everyone else is having the same difficulty. All plans are stalled. Materials are expensive or non-existent. I suspect this isn't just because of Covid, but also because of the price to ship materials due to the price of oil.

At least we aren't living at the church and so aren't in a huge hurry! But I'm eager to get going. At this rate, it would be quicker and cheaper for me to go back to school and become an electrician and plumber myself.

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