I absolutely hate fighting!

Madaris Siding & Windows has made me so angry! 

I spent over a month in researching companies, meeting with them and making sure I did my due diligence in knowing I felt confident in making the right decision in this investment. AND now I am being left with no choice but to hire an attorney just to correct this breach of contract and rectify the wrong doings against me. 

Why in the world would I think that other people in this world would have integrity? This company has a handful of locations throughout the USA, and I thought they would be a good fit for the job. B-U-T—NO!

I am so angry that I spend $28K to invest in High Impact Vinyl windows & doors and find out that they installed aluminum French doors instead of Vinyl, still haven’t install a door handle to my cabana door, cannot get them to repair the issues I have with the products that are already installed, nor pull a permit, let alone can I get them to complete the job! Grrrr. People like this piss me off! I have better things I can spend my hard earned money on.

I hope that when I file against his General Contractor’s license, this ignites a fire under his ass, and he does his part in finishing this project. If not then my next step is a law suit against the corporate office. My only hope is that this does get rectified. If not then I hope this company who has been in business for 10+ years goes under and KARMA bites back with a vengeance.

Snorkeling in Key West

I cannot even begin to tell all about my experience in the Keys this weekend. --First off, it was so nice to unplug and unwind! No phones, nobody no demands, just peace and quiet. My super good friend and I rented a place with a kitchenette. It was nice. Everything was there for me to cook and refrigerate anything I couldn't eat in its entirety.

We simply did nothing but bike ride the island and discover many parts of Key West. The last time I was down this way, I didn't get an opportunity to explore... I was only there over night. -Too short. BUT this time I stayed from Friday until Monday. Again, we brought the bikes, so we could cover more ground. AND we had the time to visit all the "tourist" spots. Not to mention the exploration of all the beautiful architect of the city, and taste some of the culture.

We found the best Key Lime pie at a place called Mangos -Perhaps I may have been drinking, but I loved it so much, we ate 2 slices. We even went back the next night and bought a whole pie to take home. -Yum. That was devoured in a few days! Pie for Dinner and Desert! -No regrets.

We also discovered this little hole in the wall that severed the most yummy Japanese Noodles -Kojin Noodle Bar. This little jem is the shit! Super friendly staff, A+ service & the food was very authentic. Not bad for the Florida Keys!

By far the best experience I had during this trip was the Dry Tortugas -we spent an entire day exploring this 19th century fort and snorkeling for hours, and hours. The salt water killed my hair, but nothing that some good old hair product couldn't restore. I would do it again if I get back down there!

Here's to playing more!

The “To do” list

I cannot wait until I get things done on my, to do list but it seems that I knock one thing off and another pops up!

Replacing the fascia on my roof due to the screened in porch being replaced, reveals more termite damage, and active termites. It’s a good thing I had the house sprayed for termites back in September/October and it’s guaranteed for one year! So thankful for that. Now I will make it a priority to replace all the fascia in the next 6 months to ensure there are no more active termites.  –One more thing to add to my… to do list.

Some days I wonder why I bought my house. I knew it was going to be a project house, and I never even imagined how much of a project house. BUT then a visitor comes to my door… back door actually! It’s a huge turtle. She started digging a hole at the edge of my door, by the screened in porch to lay her eggs. I had to move her since where she was digging a hole, right in the middle of where the guys will be digging to repair/update my pool. I didn’t want to kill those precious unborn babies.  

At that moment, I found solace in my decision. Besides, it’s so peaceful at my house. The multitude of different birds, fish and the gigantic iguana who lives in my tree; I think he is loving my compost pile. Why leave when all he needs is right there. Right?

Makes my to do list worth every day that I’m working hard to make this house my home.

All Floridian Inc.

Business is business and I am so incredibly mad that out of the handful of people/businesses I chose to do business with that there are 2 companies who have chosen to not live up to their integrity!

I have already blogged about Madaris but this post is solely for: All Floridian Inc. located at: 600 SW 5th Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33315

 

I hired this company to update the Wind Mitigation in our 1974 home in 12/2014 for the purpose of safety but solely to reduce the insurance cost of living in an older home that has not been brought up to new (current) wind mitigation codes. 

The job was to remove the Drywall around the perimeter of the (interior) house on the ceilings and walls, strap each truss with Simsons straps, repair drywall, tape and skim joints, and be provided with a wind mitigation report to submit to my insurance agency.

When writing the check for final payment, Anthony assured me that he would take care of the final report, therefore since the (physical) job was completed, I paid the final payment to Anthony Debolt on 1/7/2015. To date, I still cannot get my wind mitigation report to submit to my insurance for proof of the work being completed essentially costing me the high insurance rate despite the work being complete.

I have tried, calling, emailing texting and leaving numerous messages to find out where my report is. Anthony keeps telling me that he is working on it. It has been 60 days and still no report. I am now starting a complaint with the BBB of Florida, and moving forward legally! As not having this report is costing me upwards of $450 a month.

Highly disappointing as Anthony genuinely seemed as if customer service was the number one priority.

Another story to chalk up to experience! BUT I'm not finished fighting, and wont be until I get justice!

Eating my feelings

Perhaps it may be a bit of stress due to the house project; either way no excuses. 

Last night, I bought Doritos and white cake. I will eat cake for breakfast, dinner and maybe late night snack. I was thinking… just a quick stop for some groceries. NOPE those items don’t count as groceries.

Eating my feelings! YUP

CLARIFICATION PLEASE!

I have never worked in a position where someone has taken away my power and made me feel like a squished bug! I deserve better. I am an asset, I am a dedicated team player and I will not tolerate this. This has gone on enough. Time to dig in!

Oh, I just have to get into my house, I have 2 more weeks of crazy… remodeling, moving, and cleaning happening. Then… I can turn on all of my focus in the areas that matter the most. AND right now that is getting grounded and digging deep into some greater questions about my future.

I am so ready! If this continues, I’m going to break. Break down? Break out? Fuck, I feel like I’m everywhere but at the same time… nowhere! I’m so not grounded, I’m so frazzled!

I’ve got to change that soon, or it’s not going to be pretty.

It was the principle…

I bought a “project house” in August 2014. I gutted it down to only a few original walls. I had a plan… the plan was to be in the house at the end of the term of my lease; January 31, 2015. After all it was the first of September (Actually 8/26) by the time I closed, and I was handed the keys. The mission to find impact windows doors…

I knew better when MadarisWindows & Doors missed the first appointment, and arrived late to the second appointment. I knew, but I really felt like the salesman “Chris” was being genuine with my concerns & clear about the answers he was providing. As a representative of the company, he talked a good game, and I felt that he knew the industry… I had been researching for a month. I hired MadarisWindows & Doors out of Del Ray Beach on 10/6. This was a big investment, & I wanted to make sure I was working with a company who was creditable, represented a quality product & had integrity and stood 100% behind their work. Sure I received low ball offers, and higher offers but whatever… I made my choice. --moving on. According to Chris, I had about 3 weeks to complete demolition before the windows and doors were going to be started, but things were delayed, not because I didn’t plan accordingly, not because things popped up. Oh, they did! --I had cushioned timing for those surprises. 2 extra weeks actually!

Madaris didn’t once try to contact me. Three weeks went by and I was already calling the office as my salesman had stopped responding to my emails. I still didn’t get answers. I got… Oh so and so didn’t call you. This went on for weeks. At some point, All Floridian (a sub-contracted company) came out on site and started our project. I think mid-November. The progress was super slow, my back doors had been removed at this point and slowly the blocking began and progressed… did I say? SLOWLY! My house was open and vulnerable as it was no longer secured and hadn’t been for 6 weeks. Without getting into the details, because Madaris claims that the manufacturer had delays… and because of delays…

I’m so pissed that I’m inconvenienced in renting my place for one more month. Ugh… I REALLY wanted out. So, now I have to spend another $2150 + make a house payment in the month of February because of the manufacturers delays. Grrrrr I am not happy about how I’m being treated AND how my windows & doors are still not finished.

Of course the timing situation didn’t work out as I planned… but part of me wonders if Madaris and their staff are being honest. 

Did the manufacturer truly have delays?  

When did the doors actually get ordered from Madaris?

Were they ordered with another order?

The real question for me is… did they get ordered when they received the 2^nd of my 3 installment in the 2^nd week of October? My doors arrived last week? So the manufacturer took 2 months? My salesman said 6-8 weeks for the start to finish of this project. I hear the company sold to someone else in October 2015, and I call bull shit and can’t believe anything that Madaris is telling me until they ACTUALLY follow through and… get the permit that is specified in my contract, finish the job, fix and complete my warranty work.

Not my finest moment…

Eating my feelings. Perhaps it may be the stress due to the house project? Either way… tonight I bought Doritos and white cake with super yummy butter cream frosting. -Only those items and nothing else! -I will eat cake for breakfast, lunch, dinner and maybe late night snack. The Doritos are so I can eat PB&J sandwiches. I’m not a big fan of those… but with Nacho Cheese Doritos, I will tolerate it.

The thought that made me document this is… I’m leaving the grocery store thinking oh what a quick trip for groceries. BUT then, I thought really? These are not considered groceries. Therefore, I’m enjoying the moment when I became aware that eating my feelings are not a healthy way to process whatever it is that is going on.

Chaos

I have been short tempered lately and quite honestly it’s not fair to the people and loved ones around me. At times it takes me a bit, to become aware of the situation until its right here smacking me in the face. Oh, and yesterday… it did just that!

I so desperately want calm, quiet, peace and structure! But I’ve realized that in every aspect of my life, I have chaos right now.

Home; trying so desperately to finish the remodeling project that is going to be “NOW” 1 month overdue AND… I do truly hope for no more surprises. I really want out of my rental… wasted money; I hate wasting my hard earned $$$

Relationship; I can say that it is not on my side of the relationship, its unfinished business on his. I also truly hope that a resolution comes soon. On a scale from 1- 10, I would say it’s a 3. Only because... I no longer am dealing with his “stuff” --A boundary I made to save the relationship from escalating to becoming another past relationship. 

Work; Oh that is an entire situation of its own. So hard to come to work not knowing what is going to spring up next. Are the processes going to change again? Is the President/Owner going to make more rules and set more roadblocks up that prevent me from doing my job with integrity and in an efficient way? Is he going to go off on me because of something I did that was requested from me but didn’t come directly from him? AND I wasted “my” time doing something that wasn’t very important (In his opinion) this entire situation has become very apparently clear to me. I have to get out!

I love what I do, but at this point… I am second guessing everything I do. AND why have I allowed him to take my power?  This company didn’t know financially what was up or down, let alone accounts hadn’t been reconciled when I arrived, and now things are accurate according to the GAAP. In all my years as a Financial Controller, I have never been treated as if I’m just a ragdoll that you can push around. I demand and have certainly earned the respect. I have my MBA and 19 years of experience to back up the knowledge I claim to have. So the hard choice for me, was that I am now looking for another job. 

I really don’t want to but honestly, I made the decision in 2013 to work and retire with one company, but in this case due to ethical GAAP principles and the permissions I “have” to get to just follow the GAAP and the laws surrounding HR –TO JUST DO MY JOB-- I can no longer keep myself in this painful situation. I’m out! I truly strive in situations where you make me in charge of “my department” That way the credit or the accountability of not doing something is 100% owned by me.

In short, I really needed to get some of these thoughts OUT of my head. They bother me. B-A-D! 

I cannot wait to look back 6 months from now and see where I may land in my future and what changes have happened because of those conscience decisions.

Live and Love Life –ALWAYS… no matter where you are, it’s where you are supposed to be.

Making Time

So many times last week I wanted to break away to blog but never once, did I make that happen! -It’s been one thing, or another that I allowed to get in my way. So in driving to work this morning, I was thinking… in order for the change to take place, I MUST make those choices. Make the effort and make it happen. So here I am! Facing the very challenges that I have placed in front of myself. AGAIN!

Quite honestly I have so many things going on for me right now that my mind is racing, and I cannot just pick one topic to talk about. I’m thinking this post is for me to really get down deeper into what has changed over the course of a year (+) and the effects is has taken on me. I feel since I made the move to FL back in 2013, that situation in itself has created a gap in my growth. In all fairness… I’ve allowed it! -I feel the cavern-ness of a gap I’ve created, and the bridge needs to be repaired! –NOW!

I have been in Network care since 2009, and I love it! Since moving to FL, there is only 1 network doctor here, and he is about 45 minutes away for me. Not to mention his rate is $55 a session and his pre-payment option has requirements of being in his office weekly, and quite honestly I didn’t feel that I could commit to that. Since my last session with him, I’ve had some major changes, yet I still cannot break myself away to go see him. Am I running away from something???  It seems that my past patterns have shown me that when the depth gets to a certain point, I find ways to stop myself from moving forward. But at this point in my own personal development, it has become very painful, and I cannot continue along this path. I’m ready, I’m ready, I’m ready! So stage 6 but yet I feel I’m teetering between stages 1 and 2 as well. Is it possible to have parts of me that are in some stages and others which are in others? 

I feel like I’m all over the board and no longer grounded. AND I cannot stand this feeling. –I need to get a grip on myself. This painful cycle has gone on long enough. I have to get back into the groove of the cosmic energy in which it felt good to be me. In the beginning it was my job, and the busyness of trying to get things done here, then it was timing, money, and the list can go on forever in those excuses I made for myself. Now I’m saying that as soon as the house is done, I can get into a schedule again. BUT I’m afraid that it will not be soon enough. Everything in the house was supposed to be done, I was to be moved in by the end of January. However with all the delays it looks like I won’t be able to move in until mid-February. OKAY –ENOUGH!

I don’t believe in New Year’s Resolutions, I believe in “Today” and “Right Now” –Be in the moment no matter what it is. 

The first steps are to start doing the things I want to do for myself… Take care of me and my body, mind and soul. BUT let’s take baby steps to ensure success!

1)      Get Healthy again… I still juice every morning, I eat healthy meals but the snacking has become a bit more on the unhealthy side. It’s time to cut out the junk and make those healthy choices. Ignore the mind chatter of those unhealthy sugar cravings!

2)      Exercise… I say because of my crazy schedule, it would be nice to walk the dog every day again. Mia would love it and it would be good for my body + it’s only 30 minutes or so. I can stop and throw the ball for her in the water… she would love that!

 

3)      Meditate, breathe and sloooow down.