Hi Ashley,
I couldn't get responses from contractors, so I went to a trade show to talk to a lot of them, since they're planning for spring, and probably closing down or winding down their outdoor activities. What I learned is that there are probably, and I suspected this, reasons for the lack of response which which personal, but had to do with the project.
I didn't wish to bother family members, but since there isn't any money involved, I might still do this. It's a new area for me, and very complex, since the craftsmen make everything look easy, but it's not. All the skilled trades are really professions, but they don't have the status, for some reason, that cooks have attained through cooking shows so that cooks are now "celebrities". Women have been doing what chefs get worshiped for over thousands of years, yet women barely get the coverage that male chefs get.
Most of the skilled trades are tied to housing development, so it's an intricate machine, and part of the economy, now that I look at it. The people who don't wish to participate in that machine, are left over for homeowners to tap into.
I also knew that I need to practise interviewing since I need to find a family physician. So I'm going to review the difficult situation yesterday, and figure out how to prepare for something more difficult, perhaps. I might feel more comfortable with a doc though, since I've spent much time, sadly in waiting rooms and hospitals.
It painfully difficult to speak to people, since I'm so isolated, so I'm a little overwhelmed from yesterday, and need a good nights sleep, after taking a brisk walk.
