Gettin’ It Done

June 4, 2023

Hello again,

Well, the boss is gone on her yearly summer vacation for a few weeks and we've been left to our own devices on the ranch here.  We both look forward to this time of year and also somewhat dread it.  It's nice to have the place all to our selves and to be able to pretend that we own something again, but, that being said, there are usually contractors still going in and out at random times and lots of other people coming and going.  And, on top of that, we are usually left a huge list of things to do, in addition to taking care of all of the extra animals.  I'll have to take care of the horses on Saturdays and Sundays for a few weeks, but Erin will get a break from cleaning the house.  She does, though, have to feed her dogs twice a day, clean the cats' litterboxes and keep them fed and watered...the plants, too.  She sees no need to clean every day with just the dogs inside and contractors showing up to dirty things up again right after she has it nice and clean, but will have it all spotless again by the time vacation is over.  This time, it looks like the first week will be somewhat chaotic with work on the new house finally wrapping up.  The second week we're not too sure about yet, but hopefully it will be a little more peaceful, with only Valentin showing up to work on stone walls.  We got 2000 sq ft of sod delivered and put in most of it behind the house on Thursday.  We didn't use it all and there's upwards of 500 sq ft that I'm going to install on the other side of the house next week.  Friday was our foreman's last day, finally retreating to Pagosa Springs, CO, where his fiancee has been patiently waiting for him since last fall.  He drove back and forth for a while, but certainly grew tired of it.  So, our last act together was him, Valentin and I putting all the sod in on Thursday.  Friday saw me having to run the boss's dog to the vet's office in Santa Fe, and by the time that I got back he was already all loaded up and gone.  I'm looking forward to the change, though, and anticipate most days starting with watering the new sod and all of the outdoor potted plants before I get into one of many countless other things.  While I'm terribly excited about my new gig, it's still taking an eternity to fully switch over from my construction job, especially since so many things still need to be done in that department and I'm still seeing so many of the same people.  The boss wanted the house 100% done upon her return from vacation and I'd say that we're 98% of the way there...honestly, Erin and I will probably end up finishing everything up ourselves just so that she can get everyone out of her house finally and get her life back!

My fear of going to town is not getting any better.  Well, fear isn't exactly the right word, but utter despair is probably a lot closer to the mark.  Since I don't drink out on the ranch anymore, going to town usually means stopping somewhere to eat where I can get 2-3 beers, but even that isn't the draw that it used to be.  The ranch is so peaceful and, even on the windiest days, it still retains a calm that is instantly shattered once we get into town and start dealing with traffic, cars, parking lots and people.  You'd think that Santa Fe would be a really laid-back place...nestled up at 7000' in the southern Rockies, usually bathed in endless sunshine.  But, I tell you what,  I've never heard so much honking and hurrying since our days of going to New York City all the time.  For quite a few years that was a once-a-month occasion for us to go into that big city.  Out here in Santa Fe, home to retirees from all over the country, the peaceful, New Mexican co-existence with everything seems to be lost on some of the newcomers, at least.  You have to be very careful in parking lots, because all of a sudden a person of a very advanced age will come out of the store that they were in, get into their car, and then instantly back up at full speed without looking.  To make matters worse, probably half of the Priuses in the country are in Santa Fe, so it's not only sudden movement all over, but it's silent, to boot!  So, as needed, we head into Santa Fe to shop for whatever it is that we can't find in Las Vegas, but otherwise we tend to go to Las Vegas for what we need.  It's still town and not as tranquil as the ranch, but it's a little rougher and more rugged than Santa Fe(and a third of the size) and has a nice mix of students, professors, cowboys, ranchers, businessmen, workers and visitors.  Luckily for me, Erin goes to town more often that I do...probably 1-2 times a week without me.  I tag along on the weekend and try to behave myself until I can get back out to the ranch and all the animals again!

This week brings a random collection of photos from over the last week or two.  First, two photos that I played around with and distorted a little: one of Rosie & Nanette; the other of one of the Caution signs that we have out in the pasture.  Next, three different cat pictures showing the latest from our clan: Daisy, growing like a weed and never more than a few inches from one of us; then, Chelly's second litter of kittens; and, finally, Misty doing what she does best, checking on water freshness.  Then, three horse pictures from this week: first, everyone hanging out in one of the dry horse ponds; then, two shots of the group working through a big patch of wild verbena.  Next, three shots of the sod installation: first, all the sod, still rolled and on pallets; then, the area prepped with top soil; and, finally, an instant lawn starting to take shape within minutes of laying the first piece.  Then, one of the attachments for the tractor that we took off so that we could put a box blade on to do some grading.  Next, a shot of the mesa through a big patch of roses in our new 'front' yard!  And, finally, three shots of the windmill from when I had to replace the roof on the dog house part of it the other day...it's a purely mechanical wonder!

See you soon.