I've thought about it some more and think I've reached a conclusion:
I'm not hiring her to do a webpage for me. My thinking went like this.


Let's say it is all about friendship. How much do I like her? Do I
want to hang out with her and make her into a buddy? If I could get
everything I wanted and wasn't thinking about this awkward
friend/business thing, is friendship what I want? I gave it some
serious thought and decided the answer was no. I didn't mention this
earlier, but at dinner, I brought up several topics of conversation that
are of interest to me that didn't go anywhere with her. She did say
some nice things about some of the quilts, but isn't enthusiastic about
them. That's O.K., they're not for everyone. Meanwhile, she's
interested in computers. I'm not. Our conversation was a lot like the
ones I have with all my customers at work in which everyone is pleasant,
but no one reveals anything of a truly important, personal
or emotional nature. That's not what I'm looking for in a friend.


Let's say it is all about business. Let's say I had no misgivings about
how I got the business referral and was only hiring her to do a web
page. If I want something very simple, as y'all have pointed out, I
should give learning to do it myself a try before I pay someone else to
do it. But the more I think about it, the more I think I don't want
something that simple. I've seen her work, and I'm not impressed.
Granted this is a hobby for me (when I do sell something, I'm thrilled),
but if I'm going to have a webpage, why not make it look professional?
While I have made and enjoy making traditional quilts, I want to get
away from the stereotype of quilts as homey bedcovers. The whole idea
of having a professional webpage was so I could start thinking of myself
as a fiber artist. We don't have the same professional vision.
When she said that I'd need a picture of myself, she suggested one of me
sitting at a sewing machine. I was thinking more along the lines of
glamour shots, something funky and wild.


I'm realizing that knowing how to do a webpage is 2 things: the
technical part which I don't know how to do but that everyone promises
me is easy, and the design part for which I could use some artistic
guidance but for which I don't think she's the person. I'm more
interested in learning to do the design for myself. I think I could
look at lots of webpages and have some definite ideas for what would
make it look its best.


And this leads to my conclusion. If I'd decided that I didn't want to
hire her after she came all the way out here at considerable
inconvenience, I'd feel a tad guilty. As it is, I gave her a good
dinner before deciding I didn't want to hire her, and that makes me feel
better. If I run into her again through mutual friends, I'll feel fine
about talking to her as a friend and then doing something else about the
webpage.


Thanks to all for letting me work this out.


--Lia