What Did You Say?

Our electrician warrants a few words. Steve is close to retirement and is a licensed master electrician. By his count he's rewired 150 to 200 old houses. He's a no-nonsense kind of guy who speaks his mind. Fortunately he also listens. So far, he's done really good work, but sometimes he says things that make me a bit nervous.

Before we'd agreed to give him the bid, one conversation went like this:

Steve: You know there's going to be some damage to the plaster. I like to see plaster at least a half inch thick, otherwise it's pretty fragile. One house I did, I was pounding a box into the kitchen wall and I heard 'Crash'. All the plaster fell off on the other side.

Me:(looking pale) Oh. Don't tell me that. That couldn't have been good.

Steve: Oh no, it was fine. The farmer said he was looking to have that wall redone anyway.

Then last week.

Me: Did you have a good weekend Steve?

Steve: I'm a little stiff, but it was great.

Me: What did you do?

Steve: We went and put a second story on the clubhouse for (some local boys and girls social club). It went great except when we tried to line up the last two walls and found out one was two inches too short. But I guess that's why we call ourselves "The Rough Carpenters." We've got shirts that say it on the back, with our names on the front.

And then Monday's conversation went something like this.

Me: So Steve, how'd today's work go? Did the house rear its ugly head?

Steve: Yup. So I got mad. I got out the jackhammer.

Me: (looking even paler) Did you. Ummm, whatever for?

Steve: I got tired of dealing with those walls, so I took the jackhammer and busted out the wall block.

Me: What?! Where?

Steve: There behind you.

I turned around to see a perfectly good light switch box in an external wall. Like I said, he does good work, but the way he talks makes me nervous sometimes.

Oh, and I almost forgot. We've finally gotten through most of the mice. We've been sitting at mouse 40 for quite some time now. I think that means we've only caught one mouse in the last two weeks.