Advice on a quandary

He's probably secretly relieved, keepingquiet, as perhaps he felt he ought to offer.

Just tell him thank you, you know he would have done a great job but you know how busy he is.
A little white lie is sometimes kinder than the truth!

Well he bought the wood for the gateposts two weeks ago and they are still sitting here... he means well but I can still take care of myself!

For the 20 years before my husband died bits of our fences blew down whenever there was a storm. He would repair them, and put in new wooden posts but bits still blew down. After he died I decided to bite the bullet and get someone in to do it. I used the builder who put up new fences for my daughter, so I knew he was reliable. All the old fences removed and concrete posts and new panels installed. Yes it was expensive, but we've had some pretty big storms in the last 4 years and nothing has shifted.