Cardio with a motive

We're going out of town for the weekend, and the back yard looked really awful. There were weeds the were as tall as my shoulders. The kids didn't seem to want the money they'd get paid for doing it, so I did. Yes, I will take the money, and yes I will gloat when I buy ice cream or candy or something equally evil with it. No, I will not spend any of it on the kids, but I might on Eric.

It might not have been the brightest thing I've done this year, though. It's 99* and sunny outside. I couldn't put it off until evening, though, because we're leaving when Eric gets home. Still, you know you're hot when you feel like you have to cool down a little before you can get a shower. Ick. I'm all sweaty and have grass clippings stuck to me. Lucky for me we have a smallish yard; I got the whole thing done before I passed out.

So why couldn't it wait until Sunday? I just hated the idea of coming home to that jungle. Yeah, that's it. Beating our next-door neighbors to the punch had absolutely nothing to do with it.

I need a shower, and I need to finish packing. Have a good weekend and I'll be back Sunday.

Order for the Border

The governors of New Mexico and Arizona have been getting fired up about stopping illegal immigration. Now the legistlature in California is calling on The Governator to join them and lobby the feds for more help. There is talk from New Mexico about building a wall. They can't build it on the border proper because it's federal land, but some of the ranchers on the border have expressed an interest in having it built on their land.

I like this idea. Opponents say that illegals will just go to a different place on the border to cross. I'm sure some will, but do you will think that every Tomas, Ricardo, and Enrico can afford to travel across Mexico to find another place to cross?

The thing I don't agree with is the 'lobby the feds' part. I'm a very self-sufficient person. If something needs to be done, I try to figure out a way to make it happen. If the feds get involved:

1. It will take longer

2. It will cost more

3. The contract will go to the lowest bidder, thus ensuring shoddy workmanship. An enterprising future illegal will be able to dig under the wall with a spoon.

My solution? Since I don't live there and don't have influential connections, my ability to do something is limited.

However, just for fun, let's say I'm indepently wealthy, having published a dozen or two best-selling novels. (Hey, I can dream!)

Providing the seed money would be a tax write-off for me. I'd open a non-profit account and start a Build The Wall fund. I'd let local and state newspapers know first, which would no doubt alert the big newspapers nation-wide. I'd start an ad campaign to let people know where to send donations. However, I would accept no funding from local, state, or federal sources. No grants or no-interest loans. Why? Well, because the state and federal governments are afraid of offending Vicente Fox. I'm not. He can get mad at me.

By this point I'd probably have to hire a couple of body guards and beef up security at home. I'm sure that I'd have angry illegals threatening mean things. Then I'd know it was working!

The contract for the actual building would be awarded not to the lowest bid, but to the most economical bid. Having been with the military my entire adult life, I know the difference between cheap and a deal. The lucky contractor would have to not only guarantee no to go over budget, he'd have to finish on time. There would be a penalty clause stating that work done beyond the contract period is at his (or her) expense. Quality control would be a must, as would maintenance and inspections.

Obviously, living in middle America with a tight budget, I can't be the one to donate seed money and hire body guards. If God sends me a winning lotto ticket, it's a different story, but someone told me that God doesn't like gambling so I don't see that happening. What I am hoping, though, is that someone with more money than I'll ever see in a lifetime will see this and say, "Oh, my, what a good idea!"

This is one idea I hope will be stolen. Quickly. We might have to implement it for the northern border, too.

Clarification

Evidently I concerned some people with my last post. First, let me say that I ddin't need that job. The money would have been nice; it would have gotten us out of debt faster. Eric makes a good wage so we're not starving or homeless.

Having said that, I do have a little gig that I just started. A friend at church has a little tea room where I wash dishes a few hours a week. I'm not going to get rich on it, but that's not the point, and it's not too many hours so it won't interfere with teaching. I'll still have Vicky at home this year.

Getting Alex registered for school has turned into a three-ring circus. First we needed an appointment to see the counsellor, now we have to go back again to get his schedule, locker combination, and the close-up for his school ID. There are also lab fees that I didn't know about and aren't mentioned on the website. That's not a big deal; I'll pay the school a few dollars out of pocket if it will keep my property taxes down.

As you can see, the fun and excitement never stops around here. Think I might go take a power nap...

It's not looking good

The interview went well. I thought I had it in the bag. They had one more person to interview and said they'd call this evening.

They closed an hour ago. My cell phone has been in my pocket since I got home. There are no messages on my answering machine.

I guess it wasn't meant to be.

Wait for it...

We got up bright and early to go register Alex for school. When we got there, we discovered that we had to establish residency first, being new to the area and so forth. That's when we found out that first we have to talk to the school counselor before we can actually register.

It would have been easy to take care of except that I have a job interview at noon. More on that later.

I set up an appointment for 8:45 tomorrow so hopefully in the next 25 hours we'll have everything squared away with nothing more to do except buy binders and new sneakers.

The best part is that I get to drag Alex out early two days in a row.

Mwa-ha-ha-ha!

Conversation overheard in my house, sometimes several times a day

From a corner distant from my location: "Mow!"

"What, Tess?"

A little louder: "Mow!"

"What, Tessie?"

Punctuated by the sound of charging wildebeest: "Moooowwwwww!"

How is it that a nine pound cat can get lost inside the house and make so much noise when she runs? I never knew a cat could shout before Tess moved in.

Incidentally, we sometimes have this conversation in the middle of the night. The fun never stops.