I may be wrong but I think what you are saying is that even when you have set an appointment 40% of the time for some reason the session gets cancelled.  You ask if this is normal and I'll first state that NOTHING about this biz is "normal".  But I'd also say that most providers favor repeat business and usually give regulars first dibs when setting appointments so this does seem to be somewhat unusual.  Looking at the glass 1/2 full maybe it is just a weird set of circumstances that cause the appts. to be cancelled, but looking at the glass 1/2 empty one needs to realize that while she may be your ATF, you may not be hers.  You mention you have a "nice situation set up with pay..." and I'll assume that means you get a discounted rate so it could be she is getting others who want to book her at her higher rate so she takes those appts. over you.  Your post didn't give many details so I may be way of base with all of this.

-- Modified on 12/9/2002 7:23:51 PM

It's really hard to tell without knowing the whole situation, but one thing to think about is, if a provider is good enough to be someone's ATF, there's a likelihood that she is an ATF for at least several people.  I can only speak from my past experience.  When my ATF retired last December and I posted on the discussion board mourning her retirement, a few people wrote to me saying she was also their ATF because she was that special of a provider.  So if you're looking at a glass full kind of view, maybe she has a lot of regulars that happen to like the same time you like to see her.  But what I would also say, if you make arrangements to see her, she shouldn't be cancelling on you with any kind of frequency like that.  I know my past ATF and my new ATF wouldn't do that to me unless she had a good reason.

She is your 1 ATF...you are probalby one of several ATF's for her....the nature of the service, afterall.

There are a lot of things that happen in everyone's lives that can change what is planned.  I know it happens to me with my business and I know from what I've observed that it happens with our ATFs as well.  

Sometimes, doodoo just occurs.  If you feel she's just blowing you off, then just ask her.  If it's the case, then find another who is more reliable for what you need.  Otherwise just ride the winds of change that occur with us all daily.

The only thing constant in life is change.

Thank you for posting. It really help and I know it's just a hard time. I forget sometimes that we all have lives and things happen.

Take care,
40+guy

-- Modified on 12/10/2002 2:38:59 PM