Well, I Been Busy

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global warming, GOP, Health care, Humor, Koch Brothers, Las Cruces, lifestyle, Mitt, moving, rich folk, Romney, satire, taxes, tea party

Ya think you are done?

Yeah, I bet you did.

Done with me talking about moving in? Sure, I’m done.

Almost.

It seemed that Thursday and Friday got filled up with doing stuff.  The Contrarian had his first VA appointment, mostly because he needed his meds renewed. That went peachy as they say.

So then we headed off to Home Depot to order window “treatments”. A mix-match of drapery (Martha Stewart panels for the patio door–the sliding bamboo panels we wanted were outrageously expensive at nearly $1000), wooden blinds and a hot little ditty called “faux stained-glass film.”

This last we decided to use in the two odd windows on either side of the front door, which are 14 inches wide and probably five feet or more in length. We liked the idea of letting the morning sun in but still providing privacy. I located a perfectly matching metal wall hanging at Pier 1 Imports yesterday, and so together the entrance looks quite nice.

All that stuff takes a lot of time to put up, so like I said, we have been busy. Pier 1 was my major stop yesterday to get pillows for the chairs and sofa. And like I said, I found the wall hanging. And where I could have spent another $3-400 bucks easily with all the neat stuff I saw. I’m dangerous in a place like that. The prices are enticing and well, I guess I just like their style.

So, here it is Saturday and I am just about done with my work day but for dinner which is made mostly but for the cooking. Marinated steaks for the grill, corn salsa, left-over Mexican rice with green chile salsa, and some left over baked beans. The Contrarian takes care of the grilling.

I have about six recipes to post on the other blog. I’m reading The Jungle by Upton Sinclair, and I have the Excel spreadsheet ready to go to start cataloging the books. I have a hair cut appointment on Monday, the Contrarian has to stop at the VA again to see a technician about his ear, and then we need to hit the bank, Verizon, and eventually Wal-Mart before the end of the week. Not so much, lol. Oh and I forgot, the Contrarian is spending his time searching Craig’s list for a truck.

Just your typically over-whelmed (almost) American retired couple. We are managing to find time to enjoy ourselves along the way.

Meanwhile, the beat goes on.

The GOP is really really sure it hates the AHCA, and it’s really sure that it will do all kinds of utterly dastardly things to all of us. Beyond that. . . .

It comes down to “reduce costs” (somehow).

That’s pretty much all they have to say.

Course, they say that while partaking in all the benefits of the new law themselves, or, indulging in the nice health care package that they enjoy as members of the government.

Willard promises us many things. None of them are actually details, just grandiose grand statements of how much better we will be off with him. He can’t go into the details of exactly how he will do that stuff–that would be giving the opposition a heads-up and we can’t have that. It all comes down to trust.

Don’t it always?

While that is going on, Willard is subjected to much inquiry about his money.

Really rich folks are notorious for not liking to get into the particulars of how they manage their money.

They know the tax code like nobody else on earth, and we would be shocked to discover how they can secrete away so much of their gains without paying taxes.

Willard says he pays every dime he’s required to and not a nickel more. Direct quote.

I guess that is an example of patriotism.

As Rinsed Penis said, “it’s the American way to avoid paying taxes.”

Is that something Willard will be teaching us if elected?

Plenty of the country has more things to worry about, as its been mighty hot.

Everyone here in Las Cruces keeps telling us “it’s not usually this hot here”. It’s been over 100 a whole lot, and I guess it’s not usually quite that hot.

I know it’s been really hot just about everywhere.

George Will tells me to get over it, “it’s summer after all.”

But if 10 of the hottest years on record have occurred in the past 12 years, and 20 of the hottest have occurred in the past 30 years, I figure there is a problem.

Mr. Inhofe, idiot Senator from OK claims global warming is the greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the American people. He says, it’s outrageous to imagine that human beings can interfere with what God created. I’m pretty sure Satan has interfered with the connections in Mr. Inhofe’s brain. As I said, he’s an idiot. Don’t believe me? Go look up idiot in the dictionary.  You’ll find his face there. I’m sure.

Willard went a visiting to the NAACP.

He told them how much he liked their music.

He told them that he liked ’em all just fine, and he would like them to visit him in the WH now and then and give him their “sense of things”.

He said some unkind things about the President.

For that he was booed.

But he smiled, and said, “take a look, I’m your real friend.”

Which reminds me that somebody once said, “with friends like that. . . .”

The Tea Party folks over at Americans for Prosperity seem not to know that they are a part of a front organization funded and run by the Koch brothers.

Prosperity is right. But it ain’t you’re prosperity they are lookin’ out for.

Wanna guess whose?

Oh come on.

Give it a try.

Guess.

While you’re at it, look up the word “duped” in the dictionary.

Don’t be surprised if you find your own picture there.

Just sayin’.

And Now for Something Completely Different

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Las Cruces, moving, New Mexico

Actually I’m lying.

But this is the last post I’ll bore you with giving the details of our move.

It’s pretty much done. There are still a few things to be done such as get the windows done (in the works), put up pictures everywhere, and do the landscaping. But we are officially moved in. All the boxes have been opened and most are empty and off to the dump. The books are ready to be cataloged.

A few more deliveries and orders to be placed for a couple of chairs yet, a sewing machine stand, and yada yada, stuff like that.

We are looking forward to the 4th with a nice menu of grilled barbecued chicken with potato salad, pea salad, baked beans, and some cookie bars for dessert.

It’s been hot, but not so hot the last couple of days–only in the high 90’s. I understand much of the continental US is similarly afflicted, except most of the that has humidity added to it. The locals think 35% humidity is “muggy” but to us its just dry heat.

The Contrarian has a new desk top computer, me a new fancy laptop, and I got a Nook. I got the cheapest BW version, because that is the only one that works outside, the screen is still readable. We hired a kid from NMSU to set up our system so we can share files, wireless print and mouse, and download my smart phone pics to the computer finally. We have learned how to do the basics anyway, so we feel pretty darn tech-savvy. Yeah, right.

We discovered Pandora, and now I walk with music! Just a great time, and I’m walking faster. Today I figured I did a good 2 1/2 miles in about 52 minutes. I go at 6:30 am when it is still cool.

It’s just all good.

I’ve been keeping up with the news. The Contrarian tapes Chris Hayes, “UP” on Saturday and Sunday so I can watch them. We watch PBS News hour, and a bit of MSNBC during the day. Terrific about the health care act, and the Arizona Immigration Bil. Willard is still lying about nearly everything. Nothing much changes does it?

Hopefully, I’ll get  back in the swing of things and start posting some real stuff now.

Thanks for hanging around during this transition. Hope you are all gearing up for a nice 4th. We luxuriate in taking a day off from the stuff that needs doing I tell ya. But as I said, that is pretty much done. We can now look at expanses of time to do what we want. Decadent of us isn’t it?

See ya soon.

 

Are You My New Insurance Agent?

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Las Cruces, moving, New Mexico

This friendly little guy visited us on our back porch yesterday. He spoke no words but he seemed glad to see us, and stayed still as we sipped coffee in the cool of the morning. He is not a gecko, but I did ask if he was selling insurance. His lack of reply suggests that I was in error with my question.

Today I was visited by a vulture as I walked along my foothill route. I discovered, upon closer inspection that the building I thought was a building site storage facility, was actually Las Cruces City Well #40. Along it ran a road (hard pack dirt and deeply rutted) running parallel to the Organ mountains, so I set off that way yesterday.

I took the same route today, and saw said vulture riding the thermals. He alit atop the light pole that was adjacent to Las Cruces City Well #41, about a mile along the way. From his profile, I realized that he was not the hawk that I first assumed, but had the beak and head of a vulture. He was nowhere near the size of the meadow vultures, which are called turkey vultures. Here they are something else.

I’ve also seen some rather large tracks in the soft sand, and well, they don’t look like dog feet, but then again, the sand may wash out the toenails. I’m thinking large cat, which means mountain lion or something of that sort. I have no idea whether such animals are in this area. But I see others walking about from time to time, so I assume it must be fairly safe. Certainly no, “Beware of Dangerous Carnivores” is apparent.

Which all suggests that it’s time to invest in a local animal, plant, reptile, bug book. One should be able to talk intelligently about the critters and plants that one inhabits space with. I must say, there are a number of native plants that I would love to have in my yard. Others not so much. The “palms” which are both common to the foothills and throughout town as decorative flora, are quite awful from my perspective. The whole thing is essentially dead except for the very top. The just grow taller and taller, and the lower leaves all die off. Not my cup of tea.

On the home front, we have secured driver’s licenses, gotten our direct deposits all changed, and done a bit more of shopping. We have received the Contrarian’s desk and chair, my cutting table, and seven bookcases (in need of assembly). We are scheduled to get a chair and a stand for the flat screen today. So by Monday we should be ready to get our guys back to haul the rest of the boxes from the garage to the library, and I can finish the unpacking.

This comes as no small feat, and one very necessary at this point. I got ready to make pizza yesterday, and realized that the jar of yeast was obviously in a box that is unmarked and still in the garage. We had flour tortilla pizza instead. LOL. Such is life.

So that’s the state of things here at this time. We are trying very hard to not push it. We have a lifetime to settle in. But you know how it goes. At some point, you just want it all done! And I do. Another week or so and it probably will be.

Are you feeling in a limbo because you can’t move on until X is over, done, or overcome? Do you tend to live in the future rather than this moment? I have in the past been prone to this. If you solved it, tell us how. If you haven’t, tell us your story.

Adios.

Being Pooped

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Las Cruces, moving, New Mexico

That is me.

All this time, you probably thought I was a human.

I’m not.

I live to be lazy.

It’s really really hard to be lazy when you move. Cuz if you are lazy, the boxes just sit and talk to you, and they are creepy.

So, here is where things stand. I know, you haven’t been able to sleep for waiting to hear have ya?

Kitchen is basically done, except for the one or two boxes that I obviously never marked and are still in the garage holding my salt-cellar, my food processor, and a few other things. But I can function okay with the way things are.

The floors are being done by the end of the week. Our guy has found the tile store which supplied the tile for the main floors, so when finished, the whole house will be tiled except for the closets which are carpeted.

We have two fully functional bathrooms, all the caulking is finished, and I have shower curtains for both. The front-loading washer and dryer are wonderful, using much less water and soap that the top filler. Love them both.

Once the floors are done we will move to phase whatever, getting our moving guys to bring in the boxes from the garage, and getting the stuff to set up all three rooms. So a new round of deliveries. We are still missing our coffee table and end table (not yet in) and a chair and a TV entertainment center, also not yet in. I have 4 more chairs to purchase for various rooms, and various other smaller pieces of this and that, and so forth.

I wish it were all done, but it’s a process, and we are so far done that it freaks me sometimes to recall how things were just a mere two months ago. We are now waiting for the insurance cards to arrive so we can re-register the car. Then there is the matter of getting new licenses, registering to vote, blah, blah, blah.

Our handyman is also going to give us an estimate on making a gazebo off the covered porch and rocking the back yard. Then we will buy some additional plantings. I want mostly native desert plants. I get some good ideas from the neighbors.

So, sorry about the boring aspects of all this. I get very little time at the computer since I am obsessive about getting things put away. I’m ready to set up my craft room and the library. The Contrarian will take care of his office set up, and has pretty much decided on his furniture desires.

I’m paying attention to the political scene but have not fire in the tummy for writing about it right now. I hope that changes when I finally get settled in.

I’m cooking, but frankly not really enjoying it much mostly because I’m so tired when I get to it. We are loving the restaurants about town though. I have learned that what I make must be strictly Tex-Mex, since New Mexican cuisine is quite different. We are in love with the enchiladas, burritos and tacos, even though they don’t resemble my versions. I spied a local bookstore in old downtown and will be stopping in to look for an authentic New Mexico cookbook.

So that’s that. Hope you are all doing well. I try to visit when I can.

Oh, do me a huge favor. Please send a HI at my new e-mail. Nothing more required. It will make it ever so much easier to set up my new address book. I truly hate setting up a new e-mail service. But I can one-button add you from a e-mail sent to me. So please all of you, just drop a HI to casapeyton@centurylink.net and I would appreciate it. I know I owe a couple of e-mails myself to those who have asked for a street address. I will get to it soon, I promise.

Adios.

What a Difference a Few Days Makes

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Las Cruces, moving, New Mexico

Hola!

Boy things have been moving fast here. As you can see, being back on the Internet one of them.

This is the front of our home.

We have furniture (partial at least) which was delivered Monday and we moved in that afternoon, having a bed and a couch.

Our POD was delivered on Tuesday, and Wednesday three wonderful guys were hired to unpack it. They did so in record time and I began to reassemble my kitchen. That took three full days but it’s pretty well done now.

The POD was picked up Wednesday afternoon, so we are done completely with them. The washer and dryer arrived today along with the Direct TV and the Internet connection. I’m now in the process of unpacking clothes and the next item is to pull up the carpeting in the extra bedrooms and put in either tile or wood flooring and then set them up. So I’ll have a bit of a breather.

The fireplace at the right is ours, and is a gas one which the Contrarian is thrilled with. I’m not sure we would use a wood one. After all these years, he’s about tired of dealing with wood.

The weather has been wonderful. Sunny every day, and hot. Most everyone says close to the house during the day, and most outside activity takes places in the early evening or early morning.

I’ve been walking the neighborhood each morning which takes about 25 minutes in total. Fun to get ideas on landscaping and so forth. The mountains remain beautiful. At the end of the block I can look left and see the Doña Anas and to the right of course, the Organs. They seem close enough to walk to, but I rather suspect they are not.

I’ve seen bunnies running in the foothills and I think a roadrunner. We have doves and some sparrows nesting in some of our trees.

The neighborhood is quiet except for the dogs, which I wake every morning on my walk. You can pretty much identify where I am in the subdivision by which dogs are barking at me.

We’ve been going pretty much non-stop since Monday morning, and every single muscle in my body is telling me about it.

It’s more exercise than I’ve had in a good while, but in a week or so, I’m sure I’ll be fine.

This gives you a general idea of how the house looks.

The kitchen is actually bigger than it looks. Next to the fridge on this side is a full pantry that is already bursting with canned goods.

Everything seems to work fine.

I’m doing my first load of clothes in my new washer and it is so quiet you wouldn’t know it was working but for the ding at the end.

We still have a lot to do with landscaping and the office, library and craft room, but at least we are now able to cook and relax.

I still have plenty of furniture shopping to do, mostly chairs for various rooms. These will come later when we get those rooms set up better.

I have a new e-mail which is casapeyton@centurylink.net. I can’t figure out how to capture my old e-mail yet, and it all seems strange as you would expect but the wi-fi is wonderful. Anyways, enough for now, and I hope to get back to blogging on a serious basis soon. Sickening about Wisconsin, but I figured that dick would pull it out.

So Adios until I can get back at it. Take care, and thanks for all your encouragement and prayers.

So Many Decisions

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Las Cruces, moving, New Mexico

Well here we are on our next to last day in Motel land. We bought cleaning products and took all the new bedding and towels to the house and spent more time trying to figure out how things work. Three thousand switches would not be out of line. There is even a switch for the gas fireplace. There are lights for indoors and outdoors, and garage and well, you get the picture.

Tomorrow the furniture is being delivered. Then we will return to the motel and pack it up and leave for home. We will be without Internet until Friday some time. Hopefully there will be no glitches. We are supposed to be Wi-Fi available and of course we are wired for cable. The dish is already there.

One puzzling oddity that we have not yet solved. Mail is located at common mail boxes at the end of the block between blocks. But they are not numbered by house number but contain 24 boxes numbered 1-12 “A” and 1-12 “B”. We also have no key and no way to know which is ours. The one neighbor I talked to said they got keys from the “builder” back when they first bought into the area. He’s shut down his building operation now it would seem due to housing crisis.  

So the first step is to call the company and see if they are still in operation, and then I guess call the post office. There must be a solution. But as you can guess, we are used to having our own mailbox at the curb. So weird.

We’ve decided to slow down our unpacking and remove all the carpeting from three bedrooms, the only carpeting in the house. The master bedroom has cherry wood floors. We are putting down wood floors in those rooms. Figured it made more sense to do it now, rather than have to dismantle rooms in order to do it, and especially hard when you have 6 book cases filled with books.

Thanks for your great ideas regarding a house name! I like ’em! I am anxious to get settled, but realize it’s going to be a slow process, and that is what it needs to be. Better to get it right than just throw things together.

So, thanks again for all your support. And hopefully I’ll be back with you soon.

Bless ya!

Homeless No More!

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Las Cruces, moving, New Mexico

Just an update.

I am one pooped person.

We shopped.

We got the keys to the house late yesterday, and the deed has been filed. We are officially the owners of Puffin Hacienda. The Contrarian prefers that title, and prefers that you now refer to him as Don Contrarian, if you please. Yeah, I know, I told him to go soak his head too.

I do think a name is in order for our new New Mexican home though. Puffin seems wrong, since there are no nests or sea shore near by. We nearly made an offer on a place located on Leaping Lizard Loop. Now that is a name doncha think? So, given that we are in the foothills of the Organ Mountains on the way to the White Sands Missile Range, and on the way to Alamagordo. We have yuccas and other desert like plants, and no doubt plenty of gecko-ey like lizards around. So offer up a name for our abode!

As I said, we shopped.

We bought a sofa, chest of drawers, dining room set, lazy boy, coffee table, two end tables, another occasional chair for the library, and a entertainment center for the big screen. We have about 3 more chairs to buy and patio furniture, all the book cases, and some kitchen cabinets and kitchten top to construct a work area in my craft room. Also the washer and dryer. First we are building a stand to raise them up since I’m getting front loaders.

I also purchased bedding and towels and a shower curtain.

The bulk of the furniture is being delivered on Monday. The POD arrives on Tuesday, the Direct TV and WiFi is being hooked up on Friday. So we are moving over on Monday, since it will be no worse than we have here, actually a bit better. No cooking equipment, but a microwave and fridge, and couch and chair, dining table, bed and one bathroom worth of stuff. Whew.

So we are moving along. Still a lot of crap stuff to do, such as register the car, new driver’s licenses, VA tax waivers to fill out, yada yada yada. But given that a year ago I was on the way other end of this, I think we are moving along darn well. At least the light at the end of the tunnel is getting bright enough to look for sunglasses.

Thanks for all your good wishes, and let me know if you can think of a name for our hacienda. And yes, I keep thinking that the Feather needs a new name now too, so offer it up if it comes to you.

TA TA

So from Monday until Friday no Internet. How will I survive? lol…