Can a local tell me what I am doing wrong?

[magical thyme]

Because I thought this was mutual favors, not me begging for huge assistance

3 years ago I had a dying maple taken down before it fell down. Left me with a nice pile of maple logs by the side of the road -- about a cord. Sold it to a neighbor for $100.

2 years ago I had a dying maple taken down before it fell down, this time in my back yard, this time 2-3 cords. Due to its inconvenient location and needing a lot of cutting up, I gave it to the same neighbor with the stipulation that they make an appt to come and get it so I wouldn't get bucked to the moon if they showed up and started cutting just as I was mounting my spooky filly. They agreed, and proceeded to show up without notice, whenever. I didn't get bucked off, but I did get a surprise when I stepped out of the shower and there was a strange young man right in front of the bathroom window. Luckily his back was turned so I had a couple seconds to grab a towel. They took most of it, but I was surprised to see they left one large section in the woods that was perfect log size without needing to be split.

Then came the problem. Last year I had a 3rd dying maple taken down, this time not quite in time as part of it came down onto my pasture fence. This time 3-4 cord. I offered it to the same neighbor again with stipulation of appointment to collect, this time because to pick it up they needed to drive into my pasture which I keep padlocked so the horses won't get turned loose. Met neighbor's wife for the first time while walking my dogs and she insisted that this time they pay me for the wood. I said fine, that we could decide what it was worth when it was cut up and they saw how much they were getting. I left him with my phone # to call when he was ready to get it. We had a perfect autumn to come and get it. I saw his wife mid-fall and stopped off to let him know my schedule -- she got real snippy. And then they bagged on me.

So then this spring I was talking to a co-worker and mentioned that I had this maple tree down, 3-4 cord, and that I'd happily give it away if he happened to know anybody in need of the wood. A couple weeks later, he told me he needed to borrow a truck, but he could use it and would let me know when. Then a few weeks later, he told me he'd borrowed the truck but another co-worker had offered him wood already cut and split and right by their driveway, so he'd taken that instead. But that he'd get my tree as soon as he was able to borrow the truck again. Then I lost my job last Wednesday, so I figured I probably wasn't going to see him again any time soon. So I asked him if he still wanted the tree. Well, he got all snippy and pissy and said he had plenty of wood and didn't really need it and then muttered that if nobody else wanted it then he would take it because he said he would.

I don't get it. I didn't try to force this tree on anybody. Why do people keep saying they want it and then get pissy and bag on me?!? And everybody gets upset when I say we need to make appointments-- do they really expect me to let people with chain saws and trucks to just roam around my house and pasture whenever, regardless of inconvenience to me?

I thought this was a mutual favor -- they get free firewood, just cut it up and take it. I get rid of the firewood that I can't use since I don't have a fireplace or woodstove.

What am I doing wrong here?

p.s. I'm in the midcoast region if you know of anybody interested in some free maple firewood. I expect it's bone dry by now...