I need to be a better negotiator.

If I'm going to do these piecework jobs, I've got to get better at negotiating prices. Five hours swinging a pick in the sun, and I'm only about 2/3 done with the neighbors' water trench. Almost no rocks; he was right about that. But every inch is packed-down clay, so you've got to tunnel under it and pry it up as if it were nothing but rocks. The fill is nothing but big chunks, so nobody's even talking about how I'm supposed to fill the trench back up. Break up all those chunks? Oh, my back. I promised to be back by seven in the morning, because right now they've just got a big trench across their yard which isn't exactly an improvement.

THEN I went to the cabin with the bathroom window, and learned that I had completely mismeasured the window and the frame is far too big. Too big's better than too small, but ol' creaky Joel just really didn't need that right then.

THEN while I was learning that great news I got a call from some neighbors warning me that the guy from the lumber yard was headed for the property, so I dragged my ass over to the meadow house. Landlady had ordered more sheathing, which we needed, but I'm not sure why she ordered 25 sheets. Got that situated.

THEN I drove over to the other neighbors who want deadwood cut. And the job isn't anything much, price seemed about right until she started cataloging all the different varieties of rattlesnake she's encountered in that field. Should have asked for an ammunition allowance.