The View of MY World

This past week being finals you must forgive me my tardiness in posting to the blog. Reading nearly 200 handwritten open response answers for two out of the five sections of my English exam, grading them and recording the grades has consumed my time, and nearly destroyed my eyesight. Not to mention the episode with the kid that simply took my breath away. But the house is being built at a nice pace. (That karmic balance seems to be holding true: If work is tough, the build goes well, and visa versa, but not both at the same time.)

And before I get too involved in this portion of my house building tale: MERRY AND HAPPY TO ONE AND ALL!!

Our last installment saw the window frames about to be but in place. That has happened, save for the smaller, higher up windows. The 7 foot, 5 foot and 4 foot windows that go in the living room to behold one of the magnificent views are installed, as well as the 4 in the art studio (with a killer view of the mountains), and all three bedrooms (for viewing the rest of the stunning panorama.) And every single one of the windows that will fit those frames was bought second hand from Habitat for Humanity or another such home building recycled materials place! I got some windows that are top-of-the-line Pellas (appx. $700/ window) for $150, and the only reason they were at the recycling place was 'cause the homeowner who originally bought them didn't like the special-ordered color on the frame, so she had them torn out and bought some more! Sheesh! (My gain, though.)

So, here's all the pictures of the empty frames...






































and the new heights that have been reached on the walls, which is now 45", while we wait yet again, for the electrician to come and do his part; this time being installing the wall switches @ 42". Then the interminable wait for the electrical inspector to decide when he will deign to come inspect that stage. No wonder we're nine weeks behind, eh?




While Rex has been more atop the process and the production is going better with more discernable results, I have had to cave in to staying in town for the last week. The Tin Can trailer just wasn't enough of a habitat to bring wellness to my lungs or cranial goo. Once again the women of La Mirada provided the healing and healthfulness I needed to get me through to Winter Break. The doc who was treating me for the pneumonia couldn't find any reason why I was still hacking up a lung, or the pain in my ears, or the giantess sitting on my chest, or my extreme fatigue; she resorted to what most doctors do and suggested it was depression. I chided her for being so ignorant. She took it well. Between Gina feeding me her delectable Mexican foods, Imelda and Deanna booking me one of the best rooms at the inn and finally meeting Mami Violeta, my health most definately improved. Muchas gracias mijas! (Oh--they've all adopted me into the family, btw. Well, all except Imelda. She's holding out for some reason. Or maybe it's 'cause I haven't asked her approval yet. Even Carolyn has agreed, and she's NEVER there.)

About every other day I would wake up in the warmth and comfort of my room at La Mirada, go to work, then head up to the property to see what the boys had been up to, and was pleased every time I did. Initially, I had planned on being in town for four nights, then would go back to life in The Tin Can after buying all sorts of weather proofing materials (mostly to keep the water line from freezing), but last Monday one of my Special Students sprayed some cologne in class and I stopped breathing. I ended up in the school's health center getting nebulized and seen by the on-site doctor (!). The principal dashed by to redirect my thinking on sending an email to announce my lack of respiration vs. sending a kid to get an administrator (which breaks at least 7 cardinal rules) or using the emergency button (which I couldn't cross the room to press given the lack of oxygen I was able to suck in.) Bottom line: The email got the response from staff that I needed and I got better after the treatment. The kid? He'll be killed by whichever administrator gets to him first if he ever does it again. Which is a good thing, 'cause I'll be too immobilized and fighting for air to do it myself. He also got In School Suspension for his...breech of intelligence. Or is it more his display of lack thereof?

That fright led me to choosing to stay on at La Mirada until I was to catch a plane to Denver to spend the first week of the break with the S.O. and da puppies. Which is where I am now. And, yes, it's cold and there's a goodly amount of snow on the ground.

The boys got the heat tape applied to the water line and I'll get the window insulation put in when I get back. Maybe I can make The Tin Can habitable again.

Remember when I left for CO last time, around Thanksgiving and there was a fire on the mountain? THIS time Donna and Ed called to say there was a lake forming near the well's pressure tank. A water line connection had split. They were the wonderful neighbors they are and fixed it for me. That pretty much brings me full circle with the four basic elements of life: Fire, water, earth (The Land) and air (The Winds @ The Property). Guess it's a good sign.

No critter stories this time. But I do keep seeing the baby bunny skedaddling under TTC. And that makes me smile.

May this time of the solstice, hibernation and the gatherings of friends and family bring each of you plenty of smiles, too.