I'm Glad I'm Not You, Cus Then I Wouldn't Be Me

MONDAY'S QUESTION OF THE DAY

Posted by: ricderr, 2:37 AM GMT on November 24, 2008

Well, it's 3 days until I get to go home. What a great Thanksgiving Day it will be. I thought I'd share a little of the living conditions here at the Roofing Frat House.

Here's my bedroom. I'm the bed at the back and you're quite right, we don't make our bed until we're ready to sleep

This is the dining room / family room which we use as our office. On any given night there will be about 8 salesman doing their paperwork

and the QOD:

Where is the worst place you've ever slept?

Permalink | A A A

View Comments (72)

Thursday's Question of the Day

Posted by: ricderr, 11:31 PM GMT on November 19, 2008

I know its Wednesday but it's late enough in my book to call it Thursday.

7 days and I'm home in Florida with wife and kids. A week will never seem so long.

I came across a strange deal on Saturday. I was scheduled to offer a ladder assist for a Farmers adjuster who was meeting with a private adjuster for a reinspection. Now one of the things I like about the company I work for here in Houston is we write a contract that is as safe for the homeowner as anything can be. We actually don't quote a price we quote it "as per the adjusters report." We cannot charge any more than the insurance will pay and the only out of pocket cost to the homeowner is their deductible and any upgrades they might choose. In a world of disreputable roofers, we work very hard at making sure we are not counted among them. Saturday was my first run in with a private adjuster. Now, I'm willing to bet most are reputable and knowledgeable but my first encounter was an eye opening view of the opposite. The house was 2 years old and built with a 30 year architectural shingle. The roof itself suffered from two quarter sized mars on the surface from where some small tree branches or flying debris had struck it. There were no missing shingles and there was no evidence of wind lift. The private adjuster had put in for a total roof replacement and also had charged $1000.00 for a 12-16 inch tree limb that had supposedly fallen on the roof. There just wasn't damage to support the claim. They also had put in for a $1200.00 dollar fountain that had been broken in the backyard. Well after inspection which I helped the adjuster asked if I would go back down and ask the P/A to come on the roof and show where they had observed the damage. The P/A came up and after a few failed attempts of saying damage was at X place and when asked to show it couldn't, I was ready to have everyone clear the roof so I could pack up my ladder and head on home. When the Farmers adjuster to the P/A he was not going to total the roof nor approve the tree limb removal the P/A resorted to wait until I call your supervisor. She didn't realize that the adjuster she had was actually one that trains their CAT team and also helps out in their fraud investigations. While they bantered back and forth I walked over to the edge of the roof where the lone tree in the backyard was, the very same tree that was supposed to have deposited the big limb, I noticed something strange and turned and asked if I could ask a stupid question. The Farmers adjuster said sure and I asked if anyone could show where the tree limb had come off the tree. See, at the height we were at, the tree branches were less than 2 inches in diameter and there was nowhere you could find showing any evidence of damage to the tree. When both adjusters walked over and saw the same thing I did, the P/A wanted off of that roof and out of their as fast as possible.

I don't know the outcome but I know from the stories I've heard that Farmer's pursues these things as far as they can and here in Texas, insurance fraud is a second degree felony and that leads to the QOD:

What crime have you ever personally witnessed?

Permalink | A A A

View Comments (91)

The Weekend Question of the Day

Posted by: ricderr, 3:54 AM GMT on November 15, 2008

Well, I've logged on three times this week. Amazingly no withdrawal pains. Life moves on and as different as things become, they are still predominately the same. My week consists of Ladder Assists, ER tarp jobs, Service Writer Appts, all sprinkled in with a few sales. I'll be home at 10:25 Thursday, Thanksgiving Day for five days. In case like me, you're counting, that's only 12 days away. I think I'll have to let Becky have some no kid downtime as much as I want to be next to her 24/7 when I'm home. She's keeping busy between ending football soccer and various clubs, all three kids with varying schedules. When this is all said and done I can see a weekend spa vacation and something small and glittery is going to be in order.

Things are different around here on the blogs. I see the election blogs are down and Satan himself hasn't taken over America since Obama has gained the nod. I kind of figure there are a few waiting in the wings to shout “I told you so," but that's ok. I've voiced my disagreements with the current administration more than a time or two. It will be an interesting 4 years and I wonder if my hopes of a new revitalized Republican Party may materialize. One without the old boy network and free from pandering to the evangelical religious right., still fiscally conservative, but embracing the blue collar worker and having compassion. Oh well, one can dream. And as much as things change I still see things also remain the same. Blogs banned, people banned, I'm just not around to know the why and that's fine by me. I think I'll keep it that way.

Houston is in a tizzy. Seems someone thinks it might be a good idea to allow police checkpoints to inspect driver’s licenses and insurance. Oh and the caveat of stopping illegals. Hell, if Houston wants to stop illegals they just need to do stops in South Houston at the convenience stores where at any given time of the day about 20 male Hispanics will be waiting hoping someone will hire them as day laborers. It's funny but at the same time very depressing to watch them disperse twelve ways to Sunday when the police pull into the lot. The best remark I heard about another blow to personal freedom was "what's next, the police going door to door to check every house for proper identification and warrants?

Yep, I'm still listening to right wing radio. It's about as addictive as blogging and just about as funny. It doesn't matter that what they said yesterday didn't pan out, it's all about new predictions and forecasts. Hmmm, kind of reminds me of Doc Masters blog. Maybe Rush and Hannity have aliases on here too.

Oh well, I'm homesick and I have a cold and somewhere if there was a question in all this it has evaded me. Enjoy your weekend everyone.

Permalink | A A A

View Comments (11)

Wednesday's Question of the Day

Posted by: ricderr, 5:12 AM GMT on November 05, 2008

Well the election is over. Today it doesn't matter if you are a Republican or a Democrat. Here once you take a handle you've become a member of the Weather Underground. Some call themselves WUBA's or WU's or family and those are all good monikers but whether you pay ten dollars or agree to put up with ads you are a member. These blogs are here for those that love weather and the outdoors, that's what the header says and that's all I need. So since we're all members, since we've all got commonalities it's time to share them. Screw admin, it's their world, but we get to play in it, so I'm going to play and all are welcome to play with me or anywhere else on this playground. It's your choice, just that here I'm going to play and play I will. Now unfortunately, I've a job that doesn't allow me the time to play as much as I wish, but I'm going to enjoy the time I have. So, the playground is open and this leads to the QOD:

What do you like more, the weather or the outdoors?

Permalink | A A A

View Comments (17)

Tuesday's Question of the Day

Posted by: ricderr, 2:56 PM GMT on November 04, 2008

Let's toss out an easy one.....

Will you support the president regardless of who wins the election?

Permalink | A A A

View Comments (105)

Sunday's Thank-You of the Day

Posted by: ricderr, 4:05 AM GMT on November 02, 2008

Friday was one of those bad days. No, I sold a big roof, about 80 squares. It was though Halloween and I wasn't missing the holiday, it's not one of my favorites but, my kids love it and I do miss seeing the smiles and their happiness. Don't worry this isn't one of those sad blogs and it's not about me except for the part that I want to publicly say thanks to a few people.

I got a call from Mary Friday. You know her better as 27Windows. You know the lady that isn't afraid of saying how she feels regardless of how anyone else feels about it. Oh she can get under your skin and I'd be lying if I didn't say that we've gone round and round a few times in e-mails, it doesn’t mean she’s a bad person, but I digress . She called me none the less and the reason she called was to invite me over and share Halloween with her family and watch their youngest trick or treat. I couldn't do it, a 4:00 clock and too much paperwork got in the way, but the thought, the phone call, the offer, meant more than the deed, An act of kindness, to an almost stranger, that words cannot express how nice it made me feel. Mary, I'm sorry I couldn't make it but thank you, the offer made my day!

My 4:00 was just to pick up some paperwork, but as I called to confirm, the homeowner said that she wasn't at the house but she would be there about when I would arrive so would I wait as her husband was also do home and they had some questions. Well, I arrived early and sat by their pool and when the wife arrived she offered that if I helped with the groceries she'd give me a glass of wine. So, as I answered some questions we enjoyed some wine as the husband enjoyed his beer. As we were talking and were discussing the house I'm at and all the guys living there, the husband said, "why not just stay here, we have this big house and would love to have you.” I had to decline as this is the hub of our business but once again I was dumbstruck by the kindness of strangers and what was a day where I was missing home turned into a day where I was reminded that the world is filled with good people and I'm lucky to be able to meet them.

Permalink | A A A

View Comments (16)

About ricderr