Firewall Forward: building an engine at Western Skyways - Day 1

I wish I could say I was elbow deep in new engine... that was the
plan, anyway. I spoke with Trent Tubbs, of Western Skyways, and we
concocted a plan that sounded great: Bring your airplane in for an
annual, and at the same time, you can build your experimental engine,
and then we'll load it into the 210 (!!) and you can take it home with
you. Save the shipping costs, have something to do while waiting for
the annual... sounds good, right?

Last week, I got a call from TT, the parts are on their way, every
thing's a go. Spoke with the guy who's in charge of the annual, and he
said "if you can be here 8am Monday we'll get started right away". I
stressed about leaving all weekend - the Wx has finally got into the
winter swing, and with a vengeance. Sunday AM was a no-go. Snow,
icing, turbulence... just a little too much. So I delayed until Monday
morning. Showed up at the hangar, which was snowed in with anywhere
from 8-12" of snow blocking the door. Wow! here's an unforeseen
delay... and I had a little Wx window to get through... quick call to
the FBO set things right with only 20 minutes of time lost... no
biggie. Flight was high, 17.5k, 190kts, as planned... about 100 miles
from MTJ, clouds started to push me down from my high and mighty
altitude... 17, 16, 15.5, 15... at 15 I called Center and asked for
IFR at 15k and was given clearance on route. No icing, turbulence or
any major issues. Entered above Grand Junction with some turbulence,
little shy of moderate.

So, what's the big deal? well, I was greeted with: Hi, we'll get to work on the a/c this afternoon (not a great big rush, but something, at least was done). Trent was not in, took the day off. There are no parts for your experimental, though, no one was on top of the delivery, and it never came. Go get a hotel room and we'll let you know. Well, it's Tuesday morning, and we think the parts should come today, sometime, but don't know for sure. Meanwhile, TT says the stuff should have been here last week... hmm... my deposit should have been here last week... but it was given as promised. Another over-promise-under-deliver by a salesman in the aircraft industry. This is becoming a common theme this year... I think I should ask for contracts in writing with stipulations on how the buyer is compensated when the seller fails to deliver as promised. I'm a bit irritable from my wonderful stay at the airport hotel, complete with all-night snow plowing noise, and the cheapest conceivable breakfast muffin you can legally serve... I'll sit around and wait... maybe Fedex will drop off my engine parts, a day or two late.