Mi Vida Loca

OK. I’ve calmed down enough now that I can post a new entry to Da Blog. It’s been weeks, I know, I know. Oy vay I know!

I have tried to get back to the excitement I was enthusing and infusing to y’all via Da Blog, but it just ain’t comin’. That’s not to say that there hasn’t been any excitement, it’s just the kind of excitement that doesn’t read well in printed form or message. It comes off as whining, and y’all know how very much I love to do that—GAK! Maybe I could try to pass it off as mere sniveling….Cripes, it’s plain and simple just good ol’ fashioned, justified pissin’ ‘n moanin’.

Ya ready for it?

After re-reading the last post it seems oh so appropriate that I choose today to post again after 3 very l—o---n----g weeks. I fired the second crew today. They had left evidence of drinking on the job. With everything I have in this world on the line as the owner-builder there’s NO WAY I could keep them on. Besides being massively unacceptable. They were two guys who’d worked on a couple of other lava block houses that are in the next town north, so their experience was vital. They finished 3 rooms worth of mistakes from Rex, et. al. They were gettin’ ready to work on the curved wall of the master bath, which is a mess, but they just went and got dumb.

I know that this sort of work ethic is unfathomable to each and every one of you, as it is to me, but it’s endemic to New Mexico (huh, Mike?) The Land of Manana is also The Land of Unbelievably Lazy Folk. Not unlike Phoenix, back in the day. I instinctively accept it and move on. Makes me wonder how/why the disease never struck me. If I could share just a smackeral of my work ethic with the Nuevo Mexicanos, the whole state would be working, or so I’d like to believe.

I’m just going to wait out the next two weeks until Norbert and Carolyn can get down here and re-build my faith in New Mexicans, construction folks and re-do the rest of the mess that is being called My House. What’s two weeks after 10 times that already lost?

I AM the owner of a brand new cement mixer, however! Woo-hoo!! (I’m still striving to find the silver lining in all of this, give me some latitude, ‘k? Please?!) I have my own chop saw, too. Power tool ownership alleviates a lot of angst for grrrls like me;) But worries have been heightened with news that some of the townies/druggies/low lifes are going around Tierra Grande ripping off build sites. I’ll take the evening shift since my neighbors are all retired and can do the day shift for me. I’d better make a trip to Wal-Mart and stock up on shotgun shells. That shick-shick sound that comes when a shell is being loaded into the chamber is supposed to be the best in self-protection. I’ll keep y’all apprised.

We actually had a Neighborhood Watch meeting for TG residents with the sheriff, undersheriff, and State Patrol officers from two districts today at the fire house ‘cause of the thefts. What a gross waste of time!! It was all self-promotion for the cops and all of the burden of enforcement put upon us. I finally had enough and asked what, exactly, are our rights as citizens to protect our property and selves? I mean, really! Let’s cut to the chase. These badged, braided and funny hatted men were so proud of themselves to be able to tell us that response time has been cut in half—from 2 hours (usually more) to ‘just over an hour’. Now ya know why I own a gun and believe in using it. And, no, I wasn’t given a clear answer, so I guess it’s shoot first, drag the jerk onto the property if he isn’t already there and THEN call the sheriff or state patrol. A coupla shots o’rum and a beer or two should fill the time nicely.

Manana I will make my 4th trip in a week to Los Lunas (the next town north) to get some heavy-duty locks and chain so I can continue to be the proud new owner of a cement mixer and chop saw. A few more cable locks for Booger ain’t a bad idea, either (there’s 3 on Boog now.)

Rex is still holding my kiva doors and barn wood hostage. He says I owe ‘the guys’ $3100 in back pay. Hell no! Good thing I met the sheriff today—I’ll be calling him to come help me get the stuff from Rex before too long, or there’ll be the shick-shick sound in his ears. OK, probably not THAT, but it’s crossed my mind.

I would tend to agree with some you that all of this is just me and my prickly nature, but I have had a flood of stories come my way once I mention that I’ve had to fire a crew. It truly is a population of louts here. Besides, I’ve been in a pretty good mood for a good long while now. I’ve almost forgotten how to get mad. It’s such a waste of energy in this snorin’ town to get riled up, one may as well just match the pace and slowly shame them into action. But that doesn’t seem to be working, either.

Let me think about my next approach, then. Until I can foment that adaptation…mananas, y’all!