Wellspring, it's pretty much a given that regarding point #2 you make, my name would come up as a primary culprit! However, I disagree that it is an imposition of solutions. It is always an offering and always in competition with anyone else who may propose a different offering. This is not to say that an offer will go undefended. If challenges are made, I always feel an obligation to defend what I offer since it is the result of reasoning, not whim. I've said that the 25 mph view is very important, but not that it's the ONLY important consideration. I've examined landscapes that are extremely interesting to explore at the slowest possible pace, but that fail in being quickly perceived and in their overall curb appeal. I love to walk around and look at these, but find they are usually dominated by gardening. This is not a dirty word in my book though some may think that's what I'm implying. But gardening rarely solves that problems that are demanded by the need for landscaping. My thinking is that landscapes should appeal at 25 mph AND at 1/2 mph. Regarding "what the poster wants"... My area of interest is landscaping, not gardening. And even though all the design forums here on Gardenweb are lumped together, I always click on Landscape Design and believe that's what I'm here to talk about. (I see this as a Gardenweb failing, lumping all these design categories together and not properly defining them.) For the most part, I believe that what posters come here looking for is landscape help because they lack sufficient knowledge in that department. Yet they often come with preconceived ideas about how to solve their particular dilemma. From the perspective of landscaping (not gardening) these preconceived ideas can range from underwhelming to atrociously bad. This is not uncommon. For the most part, lay people pick up their "ideas" about what to do from what they've already seen done. There are plenty of bad ideas out there to copy from and they are copied and proliferated ad infinitum. Usually when I explore subdivisions I notice that the preponderance of landscapes are modeled after bad examples; the "builders design" is what prevails. So when a poster proposes one of these underwhelming or atrocious solutions for their own yard, I feel a strong duty (again, entirely from a landscape perspective) to inform them that they are likely either leading themselves "down the garden path" or other posters are encouraging them to go there. Sometimes it's difficult to explain the importance of doing or not doing something a certain way and can't be accomplished in a single post. So generally, I might make a couple of stabs at it if I don't feel my point was properly comprehended. (I try not to use berating language, a nasty tone or anything like that... but as has pointed out, I can succumb to sarcasm! But it's intended in good nature.) If the OP is determined to go a wrong direction even after my couple of tries, I give up on them. Yesterday, I visited a homeowner who told me right off the bat that they wanted two newly planted oak trees (located mirror image on opposite side of a drive in front of a very traditional architectural style home) removed. In those same planting holes they wanted a pink crape myrtle on one side and a white crape myrtle on the other side. Well, gag me with a backhoe. Could I really just do as the owner asked without trying to counsel them out of that bad idea? I don't think so. But if said owner can't see the light, dammit, I will plant a stinking pink crape myrtle on one side and a stinking white one on the opposite... and hope that my name is never mentioned in connection with them. It is duty that requires me give an extra effort in an attempt to keep people from making mistakes. (Again, ALL from a landscape perspective... which I keep repeating as I believe this mixed forum structural arrangement inherently invites disagreements.)

Like carrie630, I check this forum continually, even though I tend to get swallowed up in "Lurkdom" for long periods of time. (Thank you Karen for pulling me out...) My other favorites are: Lilies...Gotta start sharing pics of my beauties on that forum Dahlias...Ditto above Annuals Gardening in Canada (only because climate/season-wise it's a little more similar to my world though still quite different) Far North---Though not nearly FAR enough...lol And I pop into other forums if I get a whim to try to grow something specific such as clematis or when I went through my daylily phase.

Oh no, it happened to me last night at dinner w/my husband. I went to the ladies' room and as I was washing my hands I noticed that the tile installed on an edge wall had no bullnose-it was just the bare edge of the ceramic. So I'm lathering up thinking, oh how tacky, couldn't they have finished off the edge for a nicer view...I would have NEVER noticed something like that pre-GW, or maybe pre-Bill Vincent! Too funny. Ann

Isn't it a law or something they have to be late? And dress for the part...what's that? For us, living in a small community has its benefits when service people are involved. Poor work usually means they DON'T get business just by word of mouth. On the other hand it may take quite a bit of time before a good service person is available. It took all winter for the furnace to be put in but they did a fine job, we are pleased. If we have an emergency, they are here fairly fast. It's to bad the septic service didn't work out. An hour in your case was a pain in the butt but an hour isn't so bad considering the job they are doing. If you were their first service job though, I would say you had every right to be upset. I still wonder, could the traffic be a problem or cell service? Were they behind in a prior job? I think it would be good if you and this company, if they could negotiate a time better for both of you. You mention going to the doctor. How many of us have sat and waited for them? I know I have.