Exhibition Announcement
Spirit of the Southwest features the stunning photography of Rebecca O'Day. Rebecca captures the essence of the Southwest in details and ambiance, creating an experience akin to a dream, memory, or premonition. Also showing work by resident artists Trish Booth and Leonardo Pieterse.
Meet Rebecca, Trish, and Leonardo at the May 11th reception, 2pm to 6pm at the gallery.
Hours: Ghost Pony Gallery is open daily from 10 to 5, year-around, MOSTLY. Occasionally we take a day or two off, unannounced. Sometimes even a week. Always best to call ahead.
Where: 1634 SR 76, Truchas, NM
Info: Trish Booth, 505.689.1704
email: ghostponygallery@gmail.com
web: www.ghostponygallery.com
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OMG, my new desk!!
Apparently I’ve turned into a morning person. Baffling. For the last few weeks (since I was deathly ill, actually) I’ve been waking up incredibly early (for me) like somewhere between 6am and 8:30. 8:30 used to be awfully early for me. I rather enjoy the morning. Trouble is, it cuts into my beloved nighttime. I mean, I’m worn out and ready for bed by 9:30 or 10! What’s that all about?
In any case, a better story-- Leonardo & I were in Santa Fe yesterday picking up supplies for the house & for our first opening of the season, tomorrow. We went by ReSTORE, Habitat for Humanity’s version of Urban Ore in Berkeley--and for those of you who remember, just like The Other Lumber Company. We picked up some track lighting for the gallery (some brand new—and at ridiculously reasonable prices). We were just on our way out when I saw IT.
IT was a handsome, intact, well-cared for, SIX foot long Oak Roll-Top Desk. I started drooling immediately. I have a lovely little Mission style antique desk all of 2 feet by 3 feet. Not made for holding a computer and router and modem and credit card machine and telephone BTW. You get the picture. THERE IS NO ROOM on my desk.
HOWEVER! This glorious roll-top desk has 15 square feet of space, PLUS a pull-out (typewriter shelf) on EACH side, a cute little array of stamp cubbies and tiny drawers tucked in behind the roll-top—the entire full length of the desk, PLUS a file drawer and top drawer on the right and three drawers on the left. If I’ve ever been in love at first sight this was it. I showed Leonardo. He loved it. We looked at the price. Quite reasonable, considering. Still, a bit out of our range with the house and everything. I caressed it, I stroked it. I sighed. With a deep breath of resignation I walked away.
We came home. Went on about our evening. Finally I said, “I NEED that desk. I do so many things from home and I need a real office and some space and I love it. I NEED it.” Thinking that would just be my last little cry, my last little protest before this lovely antique, like the others before, fell into some less caring, less deserving, stranger’s hands.
To my surprise my husband said, “Yes, I think so too.” Startled, open-mouthed, big-eyed I asked, “You mean you think I should get it?” He meant it! He agreed! He said YES!
So I got up WAY early (even after martini Friday—but we’re using WAY smaller glasses these days ;-) and jetted down and bought it and brought it home and RIGHT NOW it’s in my office corner at the new place and boy is it handsome!! Like Leonardo has to worry about Hans or Lars or Wolfgang. I’m in love with a piece of furniture!
So I went ahead and purchased the drapes that will adorn the window (and window seat) between the roll-top and the library shelves.....Purple, OK, Eggplant sheer stripes with an ivory panel in the center. Yes, to match the trim outside and add a bit of old world propriety and studiousness to those areas. Some tourist stopped and took a picture of the house today. Maybe I should go into interior design as well.....I love this stuff!!
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Pressing on and delightful surprises!
We had SOOOO much to do today that I ordered paint for the new bathroom (2 kinds, another glaze job) and we walked away without it! Went to look for other stuff whilst they mixed, then had such a bad kink in my shoulder, forgot all about the paint, just wanted to pay and get to the car and get home!
No matter, (another, related story coming) as my husband has given me leave to purchase (if it is still there in the morning, I am rising at 7, leaving at 8, and meeting Habitat at their door when they open at 9am tomorrow) for the antique oak roll-top desk, SIX feet wide and 34 inches deep, working PERFECTLY for only $475. I said, “I need it, I love it, is it foolish, Can I buy it?” And he said “I was hoping you would decide to get it!!” HA, ha, ha, how I love this man. Not only is he handsome and loveable he is SO clever! AND knows a great price on an invaluable collectible!!
Cross your fingers for me it will still be there. He said wait ‘ til nine and call. I say HA! I’m not waiting for anybody! I’LL BE THERE AT 9.
Plus I can run by Lowe’s and pick up the bathroom paint I asked them to mix and forgot to come back for. Because I was shopping for slate tile, setting mortar, and grout as well as tools and saws and sealer.....etc.
BTW, shoulder is feeling much better, after a couple Motrin and a couple Martinis After a FULL FUCKING DAY OF PAIN EVEN TWITCHING-- Let’s not wait until the evening to fix it.
I could put a couple Motrin and a shot or two in my coffee in the morning and avoid all this daytime pain. So simple. I was awful. I was actually crippled today, could not even lift my arm. Sleeping crooked. Need the Space Bed. That’s after we have the house secured. Before, hopefully, my back gives out for good.
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Making Progress
Poor pup was sick! He barfed in the truck, luckily we managed to get him outside for the diarrhea. Ugh. From chewing on the dead things he drags home, no doubt. Must be the DAWG in him!
Today for me: dump runs, many, many dump runs. I want to get that entire back area cleaned up. Leonardo is working on the bathroom—ceiling is finished—he’s working on the nicho in back and the wallboard—looking like a room! He’s got our double doors framed in. Nice. When he’s finished with that, sometime next week, I’ll lay in the multi-colored slate tile floor. Then we can hook up the fixtures! So exciting.
Tomorrow is painting day—I’m jamming on that commission painting (for the bathtub). Spent all day Sunday on it and it’s really looking good. They’re asking when it’ll be done, so trying to move right along. Plus I just want to get it out of my hair so I can get going with some new work.
Thursday back into Taos to pick up the prints. Will hang the new artist’s work on Friday as I’ll need to make a run into Santa Fe to pick up goodies for the opening on Saturday, and then the opening is Sunday. Whew. No, we actually do not take days off.
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Alive Again & Little Ice Age
Spring is taking it’s turn to winter again, 18 degrees tonight! Crap! And we’ve already planted the roses! We’re supposed to have a week’s worth of cold, cold weather and snow again Sunday through Tuesday. Spring here is a fickle mistress.
Willie is totally housebroken!! He asks to go out, and if we think he’s fooling us (for play instead) he insists! The papers in front of the door have not been soiled for 4 days—not even at night! Yay! In between wanting to let him loose, take him back, toss him off the canyon’s edge, and just plain strangle him---I’m pretty sure when he grows up he’s going to be a great dog. He IS a MASSIVE challenge, but he’s got all the goods to be a really great dog. If we can only get him to mind.
We took today off and went to play with our guests—how fun! Welcome company and good adventures. We went up to Taos, the Rio Grande Gorge (with winds so high we scurried off the bridge as they were literally lifting us up!) Then on up to Arroyo Seco and the Mercantile General Store. I love that store.
I inquired as to books by Frank Waters—a friend of ours introduced me to his writings, Waters was the first white person ever to live in Arroyo Seco back in the late ‘30s, early ‘40s. They had none on hand, though they usually do. I told of my introduction to Water’s writing and the woman said, “You know, his wife lives up on the mountain there, still.” (Frank passed away in 1995.)
Our guests will be here another day at least, hopefully two. There is a new gallery in town and we’ll all attend their opening reception tomorrow night...we’ll take our friends to tea at the Tea House and to a couple few galleries to meet our other friends....then the White Man (those of you who know, now DO know to whom I’m referring) will help Leonardo with wiring up our new electrical box. Yay!
All good. And so good to be back amongst the living ;-)
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2 tired 2 write
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Crazy fun survey
What time is it?
11:09.
What's your full name?
Artgrrl, Raven’sWind, GhostPony, The PeaceMaker. Trish.
What are you most afraid of?
I will not give it voice, substance, or a chance.
What is the most recent movie that you have seen on bootleg?
Eh? A movie? In my boot?
Place of birth?
Far from my real home, both physical and spiritual.
Favorite food? Olives, cheese, and red wine. Well, maybe margaritas and guacamole. It’s a toss-up.
What's your natural hair color? Dark, dark brown with a bit of reddish tones esp. in summer sun.
Ever been to Freak Nick? Nick is a freak I try not to admit I know but he keeps creeping around here.
Ever been skinny dipping?
I was BORN skinny dipping! Swimming suits produce DRAG. Not green. And every time you gain, like 2 pounds, they end up in the landfill. Not green. FEEL that water on your skin. Go be an eel! I mean, green!
Love someone so much they made you cry?
Like you haven’t?
Been in a car accident? Yes, but walked away. All four or five times. Poor little vehicles, though.
Croutons or bacon bits? BB.
Favorite day of the week?
Any good day. Any beautiful day. Any lucky day. Any day I am still alive. However, I have always preferred the sound & symbol of Thursday.
Favorite restaurant?
It’s not fair to ask me to choose.
Favorite Flower?
Lillies, any variety, esp. Calla and those big white starburst ones. Also bleeding hearts and fuschia. Jasmine.....do I have to stop? Any kind of wild, climbing rose...
Favorite sport to watch?
you’re joking right? Why would anyone want to WATCH a sport?
Favorite drink?
Yes.
Favorite ice cream?
French Vanilla with orange sorbet.
Warner Brothers/Disne?
What the???
Ever been on a ship?
No. But my husband was on the Achille Lauro. Before that unfortunate incident.
What color is your bedroom carpet?
I don’t even have a floor in the bedroom yet!!
How many times did you fail your driver's test?
Never. Passed first time on the pickup truck (when I was only supposed to get my permit...I thought I did great by over-performing, but my auntie grounded me! Said she wasn’t ready for me to be driving alone yet!) First time on the motorcycle license as well.
Before this one, from whom did you get your last e-mail?
My Oregon friends who will be coming down to visit us in New Mexico next week.
What do you do when you are bored?
Get cranky, like my pup.
What is Bedtime?
Sometime after dark and before dawn.
Who will respond to this the quickest?
CZ, JG, DL, NM, RW.
Who will least likely respond?
Ummm, the people I don’t send it to?
Who is the person that you are most curious to see their responses?
DL, NM & RW.
Favorite TV shows?
The writer’s strike lost me. After all those weeks I developed relationships with people and began projects that are just SO MUCH more rewarding than TV. We haven’t even watched our last 3 NetFlix yet! And we’ve saved so much in electricity! Glad to see Robert Downey Jr. crawled out of the swamp, though.
Last person you went to dinner with?
Judith Hert and the Truchas Art Association
What are your favorite colors?
Red, yellow, orange, green, and black
How many tattoos do you have?
Tattos: zero. Piercings: 8
How many pets do you have?
Two cats and a new pup the kitties hate. And I thought they’d grow to like each other. Plan A failed. We don’t even have a plan B. But we have half an acre at the new place. Willie gets the back quarter acre, the kitties get the front?
Which came first, the chicken or the egg?
Cosmic dust. They’re both in there.
What do you want to do before you die?
Make a difference in someone’s life so that they make a difference in someone’s life so that they make a difference.......
Have you ever been to Hawaii?
Soon, if my husband has his way about it. I’d rather go to Scotland, though
Have you been to countries outside the U.S?
Yes, Seven! Fucking high point of my life. Well, before meeting my husband. And Truchas.
How many people are you sending this to? Posting, posting, sending to a couple few.
Time this survey ended 11:42pm.
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ANOTHER kitchen cookstove!
I have to admit, I did sneak back over and look at the black one with smooth cook-top a few times. Very, very sharp and I almost....came very, very close to just buying it. At twice the price though. I came to my senses and bought the clearance model (still very nice and brand new!) as well as a full set of iron patio furniture (table, four chairs, umbrella) AND a brand new electrical distribution circuit breaker load box thingy that we really needed to upgrade our electrical system. ALL for the same price as that cool black range. Besides—the focus here is (was) supposed to be on the ANTIQUE stoves!
I also liked the 10” annual pots—would be nice for the porch, for gallery visitors to walk by the flowers. But they were $16 each. Yikes! So I bought a bag of potting soil and a six-pack each of snapdragons, violas, dianthus, and some other little minature pansy-looking thing, divided them up into 3 - 15” pots for less than the price of one 10!” And they look great on the windowsill in front. We’ve decided we need a descending plant on each end.....when I go in tomorrow or the next day for the porch/garden bench that will go in front of the window I’ll pick up a couple jasmine or some such.
Ramón, down at Cortina Gallery, gave us a flag today, perfect, same color as the house! His partner, Donna, opened up a lovely, high-end tea shop in their gallery and he made all new hand-carved signs. Their flags got in the way of the new signs so they gave one to the new couple opening their gallery in the old dance hall and one to us. Visitors to Truchas? WE WILL treat you to tea & yummy stuff like homemade scones and cream fraiche or baked brie at the Gallery Teahouse. It is really quite a marvelous, elegant place. A real treat. The eclairs are nice too and there are different specials and finger sandwiches every day.
I put up curtains in the gallery today, that really tops it off. OK, I really need to take them down and iron them but it’s kind of the New Mexico way. A little dusty, a little wrinkled, but elegant all the way. I also got that weird lateral blind thingy out of the studio and muslin drapes up in there. I need a real curtain rod eventually, but six foot nine of electric fence wire and a couple of nails are doing the trick for now. This over the sliding patio doors I have in there. One nice thing we actually kept rather than tore out. So you can imagine the view from the studio. I know. Pictures. They’re coming. Really they are. I’m not even going to guesstimate when.
Neither of us want to come back here in the evening....we pretty much work there until dark or until we’re just completely spent. It already feels like home, and with both of us on the job things are moving much more quickly. In retrospect, it was probably a waste of time for me to keep the gallery here open to infrequent visitors when I could have been jamming down there getting the place done. However...if I had not been here keeping the gallery open when the collectors did come in, we would not have sold out $6K+ of artwork that we did. So.
It’s so nice to have things moving to the better spot and be working alongside my husband though. It was lonesome here and it’s such a better, more welcoming spot for gallery visitors there. WAY more visible as well. It’s all so exciting!
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Bathroom demo is done
Basically. I had to quit when my arms were unable to lift the wonderbar, hammer, or crowbar. There’s a little piece here and a little piece there, and a bunch of sweeping up to do but the room is open and ready for renovation. My husband was surprised—he tasked me with taking that wall down today—and apparently did not believe I would do it. Not only did I do it, I finished taking the 2" x 4s" nailed into the vigas as ceiling down today, and that was no easy task. 16-penny nails into 60 year old boards and logs. DRY! Almost impossible to pull out! (I did have to come get the Actual, Real, Crowbar.) It was a huge chore. And dirty! OMG. Then I came home and cleaned house and made dinner and a fire and handed husband a glass of wine as he came in and sat down in front of the fire. Yes, I’m feeling smug ;-) Oh, yeah, I did laundry too. Cause we need clean work clothes every day, we really, really do.
Have a bunch of stuff on the “to-do” list for tomorrow, from juggling bank accounts to making curtains to studying real estate to....MAYBE opening the gallery for the first time! That depends on husband getting the “William Wallace Moosetracks” gates & fences finished. Leonardo came up with the best idea for containing him—you don’t know how many scenarios we both came up with....but this one seems to be working already! Willie went behind the 2 (moveable) gates Leonardo built today and seemed perplexed. As in, “Hey! They moved the fence!” It really is the most elegant, convenient, and flexible solution. I was thinking fixed fences, Leonardo thought moveable fences, and they look great and what a good idea! I’m so happy I married this smart, clever, handsome man!
I’m dealing with a new artist that is WAY more enthusiastic than I want to deal with right now. Still—it’s all good. You just cowgirl up a step or two. I’ve had to tell her No, I’M naming the show, No, I’LL decide when the opening is, NO, I WILL make the decisions, I AM the gallery director. I appreciate her enthusiasm but I cannot let artists just run rampant. It’s going well, every time I say NO, and tell her why, she agrees. Sort of like a kid testing boundaries. She was thinking more like I was “giving her a show and she could name it.” I invited her to show some work in the gallery and Certainly, there Will Always be work on display by Leonardo and me. I’m not giving solo shows up here until that sort of thing is supportable and that’s not a sustainable or realistic goal right now. (And if I do it’ll be me or Leonardo, obviously) I do like her work and certainly she’ll help us get some publicity! If she doesn’t wear me out. Remember, I’m on the end of a hammer and crowbar all day as well.
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Crikey!
Looks like we're going to move into the new place before the end of May. This May. Crikey! I haven't even finished the demo on the bathroom yet and we'll need that in place. Obviously we will be living under construction--but we have almost a month to get things ship-shape.
After seeing how much we could do when really, really jamming this last week, I believe we'll
be OK. We’re very close on a couple crucial items and we do work well together. Yowza. Acceleration.
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Party & Progress
We have decided, construction or no, we will be in there and out of here by the end of June. I was hoping for the end of May (since I’m creative but totally broke!) in any case, I’ll juggle things around to make the end of June work. Most things will be in place, plumbing, electricity, we will certainly have some details left to do and some “next summer” projects to fulfill (for about the next 12 years or so!) but it will most certainly be habitable. We love being down there, the place has a big halo of “the right thing” all around it. The feeling of there vs. here is just so different it is truly amazing.
This place is fast becoming a flop house and the kitties feel the vibe already. “What’s up?” they ask. I try to explain, but they don’t understand. They only know this is how “moves” begin and they hate moves. They’re lonesome...we’re down there all day, every day, until late. Until after dark. WAAAAY after dark. Ultimately it will be good for them but I hate it that they are upset now. I’ll schedule a sleep-in with them...I’ll take coffee in bed and study the Real Estate lessons whilst I convince my husband to take Wild Willie down to the house with him.
We are both so excited, and we’re so on the same page. When Leonardo asks me how I want to deal with the window sills—and I am clueless, he suggests a plank. What a great idea I say! Then he asks me how I want the plank. ??? So I give it a bit of thought and come up with an old, weathered, THICK 2” at least--OLD plank, and make it protrude and curve that outside edge. Leonardo says that was exactly what he was thinking....So, it’s a GO!! See? We’re meant for each other! And we’re both so happy that we came up with exactly the same idea independently of each other. A true meeting of the minds.
Now, if I can only convince him he really does love the fiddle. That’s just the last little chink in the mortar. I know. I'll threaten drum kit. And I'll mean it. And whatever he chooses....it'll be fine with me. And he'll have a choice! Now if that is not diplomacy I don't know what is!
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The floor! The floor!!
BTW, our floor is 1” x 6” pine planks, installed diagonally, stained and oiled dark, reddish brown. The color of the planks picks up exactly the darker bits in the oiled vigas overhead. PERFECT!! It really is all so awesome.
Extra nice because my husband was thinking I liked the “blonde” look. Ok, I streaked my hair once but that’s different. He kept thinking his stain was “too dark.” I kept saying, “No, hon, it looks great” while REALLY thinking it was much too light. Finally he told me he took the plunge and put the Red Maple stain into the oil and when I saw it I jumped up and down sqealing “it’s just right, it’s perfect!” So once again, to the astonishment of all our friends (one of whom actually went through two wives on his remodel!) we are still quite happy with one another and divorce lawyers, we’ve already agreed, are not an option!
Leonardo is not sure he will survive William Wallace Moosetracks, but we’re both quite sure we will not only survive this “rebuild” but go on, after a rest, to add our second story!
I’m painting the walls now, but we both crapped out about 8pm so must finish tomorrow, move all kinds of stuff in, I did mention we’re hosting a party there tomorrow night? My fault. I should have just said we weren’t ready yet. Instead, what do I do? I say, “Oh, you want to see our new place? OK, we’ll get it done for you, come over Friday at 6.” So they are. And we’ve done a helluva lot! See? Deadlines make you crazy but they’re also really good for getting shit done.
OK, I’m really, really tired right now and whatever else happened today, I forget.
En la Mañana, compadrés. (if you’re really a Spanish speaker you know that means not “tomorrow morning” but in the next couple of mornings. Give or take.)
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How Quickly Things Change & Party!
Looks like the new art group couples are out! Well, they were really both so negative we had another meeting the following night without them! Ahhgh! They were So negative and awful. Shudder. We'll see. We're trying to be diplomatic whilst getting them the hell out of our group! Ah, that's why people always love to hang out with artists. We are so creative, so interesting, so volatile, and so fickle. Oh, and did I mention we are also trend-setters? Either the reason to hang out with us or stay the hell way away for the sake of your own sanity. Honestly, though. You all know Leonardo and I. We’re certainly among the nicest artists you’ll know. And I can add a string of others to that...so it’s not like we have to put up with these contrary, contentious people. Quite the contrary! That is NOT our MO as an art group.
In other back-breaking, lung-congesting news Leonardo and I are Whipping on the house! We’ve decided we must be out of here and in there ASAP and are teaming up (in spite of Willie who ALWAYS and ONLY wants to play or harass us) and we’re even willing to get in there under construction once our basic services are in place.
We bought our new hot-water heater today, no, not the fancy on-demand one, the cheapest one we could find that was electric. And it’s 50 gallons and we’ll insulate the hell out of it, and it’ll be fine for now. (We sort of ran out of money, can you tell? Two rents must END ASAP) We picked out our refrigerator as well. It will be a brand new one that costs less than many used ones on the market. When they are. It’s very, very difficult to find a decent used refrigerator around here. So we’re getting a nice-sized basic model with icemaker and freezer up top, in BLACK, bwa, ha, ha, I’ve always really hated white square boxes in the kitchen. Even Leonardo loves it. & if we ever, ever get our black galaxy granite countertop it will all be just divine! (Ok, I really, really wanted the nice stainless steel number, side by side with pull out like 5 cubic foot veggie bin and uh, martini maker along with ice in the freezer door, but it looks like I'm going to have to sell several more series worth of paintings for that refrigerator. The black one is nice. It's fine. For now. --But for parties? We're really going to need to move up to the SS x SS.)
We moved the stoves in today!! My lovely orange kitchen has 2, count ‘em, TWO antique cream and green stoves in place! The gas at one end and the wood at the other! It’s all so wonderful and marvelous. Oh, they’re not hooked up and functional, that’s down the road, but they are present and in place for the party on Friday.
Oh yeah, we’re having “Friday Martinis” on Friday at the NEW PLACE with just about the whole town invited. We’re calling it our “Progress Party, Halfway There” and we’re jamming to get the gallery floor done and walls painted before. We moved the stoves in just because. We’ll still have ice chests because the electricity is not yet in place for things like the microwave, washer, dryer, and new refrig, but hey—it was about our turn to host a party and this the VERY FIRST one in the new house. So exciting!
Friday at 6pm if you’re in the area. At the new house. Call me if you don’t know where that is.
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Truchas Art Association
Looks like we're in full swing. We've added two couples as members, boy did that alter the dynamic. Still, I think it'll be a good group if we can all stay on the same page. Seems we've paired the six Second Sunday artwalks down to 5.
Looks like Friday Cocktail night (a personal tradition of ours) will be held for the first time at OUR NEW PLACE this Friday! Yay!
Big push is on to get into the new place. We'll probably be moving in before it's complete.
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13 April
The gallery floor is going in! We’re both so excited. We’re laying in pine planks, 1” x 6,” diagonally. It’s going to look so great! Leonardo has about a quarter of it cut and laid out already. I picked up another batch of planks as I had to run into Española this afternoon.
It is, however, too blonde. (We’re not even going to go into blonde jokes, or all the people I know who are blonde and dumb, or anything like that.) The floor is lighter than the vigas. For good interior home design we need to tie things together. My husband posited the problem to me this evening. My solution? Not that I know anything about the specifics of wood coloring but my proposal, and with his experience he agreed this would be a good first take: I said—let’s stain it “cherry,” then oil it, and then seal it, and then see how we like it. Whew! He thought it a good idea! So that’s the plan. And I KNOW cherry stain never actually stains dark like cherry. It’s ALWAYS much lighter than you want....so—we’ll let you know how it all works out.
The Essential Guide’s owner stopped by today with a final proof of our ad—wow! Does that look teriffic! We were quite pleased with it....and she said four people have called her office already to find out where our gallery is! This is quite amazing as obviously, the Guide won’t be printed and distributed until mid-May! We’re just on their web site! So....the sooner we get the gallery open down there the better.
I’m not even hanging around here—I’m helping Leonardo at the house. I think we’ll be able to open up down there by the end of the week.
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Intense RE, Weather, Garden plans...
This 2-week RE course is intense. Damn! Last class tonight, our test on Friday. I feel pretty good about it but then I always do. And sometimes I do really, really well and sometimes I totally bomb out. Turns our THERE ARE trick questions. They do it on purpose!! Apparently there are trick questions on the state and national exams as well but they are not quite as tricky as Kaplan's trick questions.
So nice to know it was not my imagination.
Our April snowstorm is here! Leaving Santa Fe tonight at 8:30 to drive home....The freeway traffic was moving at 25mph due to a driving snowstorm. No one could see where to go—no one could really discern where the lanes were. It cleared up after about 10 miles but there was still lightening in the distance, the first this year. On my way into town the snow in Truchas turned into almost monsoon-heavy rain the entire drive into town. Spring weather is upon us!
I’ll do some RE review tomorrow but will go down to the house mostly and see if I can’t take care of the remaining small bit of demolition on the bathroom (my husband has been saving it for me, he knows I like to tear things out) and maybe get started back on the bathtub commission painting again. That’s really coming along quickly—depending upon drying time I expect to finish it up in a week or two.
It is garden time in the garden centers down in the Rio Grande Valley!! We had to go in for 2 x 6’s for the floor joists in the gallery room today (to patch that termite-eaten-spot in the corner, no termites for years, no worries) We also came home with armfuls of rose root-stock, yellow tea roses, red and yellow climbing roses, packets and packets of wildflower seeds, and grass seed for the yard as well.
Most folks up here do not have yard areas at all and if they do few have grass. We have a huge one and at one time it was grass. Now it’s mostly voles or gophers or whatever they are that are digging all those tunnels (and Willie sniffs and smells them then pounces upon an opening digs the tunnels out into BIG holes and dirt. We have vestiges of grass. So I got a bag of blue fescue seed (it says the roots go down deeper, it grows thicker, and it takes 30% less water). Great. As the only water the lawn will really get is going to be from the rains. We are not allowed to use domestic water for outside use of any sort. Well, at least if they catch you. Everyone waters anything they grow after dark unless they have acequia rights!
Acequia rights are mostly for farming—hay for horses, a field of beans--you get to flood your field when they tell you you can. If your time is at 3am, so be it, you’re out there opening the ditch gate at 3am. Cause you might not get the schedule again for another two or three weeks or so. Or even longer. Strawberries, corn, garden crops, etc. can’t live like that hence the rain barrels. Cause it gets wilting hot for garden plants here in the summer, even though we are so high. Maybe it’s the thin air.
We still need to speak w/ the Mayordomo about acequia rights (we may be able to get some) and we will be installing rain barrels in any case. The spring and summer rains here are significant and if we get a few hundred gallons of barrels set up to catch the runoff from our rather generous roof we’ll have plenty to water all the roses and grow a vegetable garden as well. Of course we’ll have to grow it in a cage to keep the cows, horses, rabbits, ravens and who knows what all else out of it (curiously enough I have never seen a deer up here anywhere though I hear there are elk and even mountain sheep nearby). And there are vast herds of antelope (we've seen them!) as close as Valle Vidal, a most amazing and wonderful place.
Valle Vidal is basically a huge prairie wilderness in the remains of a volcanic crater. They only let people in there like 50 at a time and you have to apply for a permit to hike or fish. They also have GIANT herds of elk that we've seen from the highway nearest one edge. If you're really, really lucky you can get a permit for backcountry camping or skiing there. It's about an hour and a half or two hours from here toward the east--in the Jemez mountains, we're in the Sangre de Cristo on the west side of Rio Grande Valley.
Thank goodness for the rain today—Tonka (as in “buffalo” not “toy”) Truck is cleaner than he’s been for six or seven months since our last rain. In this dry climate it is sinful to spend water to wash your vehicle. Esp. since it will only be muddy again a day later.
The job thing? After that last long and horrible experience I’m leaving it alone for the next couple weeks at the very least. I’m trusting in the universe, focusing on RE, art, publishing project, house. It’ll all be fine, you’ll see.
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Another Museum Show?
My first Museum was way back in the early 90’s when I got a piece in a juried show at the Alaska Museum of History and Art. My second one was the one you all are most familiar with, the Booth Western Art Museum. The third appears to be (or might be, I’m not accepted into an exhibition yet, but I did get a favorable response today from a curator there) The Desert Caballeros Museum in Wickenburg, Arizona. They do an exhibit every year called “Cowgirl Up! Art from the Other Half of the West.” OK, now you all know I just MUST be in that show, it is right up my alley, I provide a bit of a spark—I’m traditional with a contemporary twist—they need me! It looks like what they exhibited last year was pretty much traditional fare—competent work but nothing really engaging, or new, or exciting. Maybe I canbe a big spark to that show as my work certainly crosses that line, whilst still having a foot in a bit of the traditional. Well, depending on whom you consult with. I think we’re a perfect fit.
Cross your fingers. And let’s get out into the sun and onto our horses!
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Real Estate Intensive, good Vista news, House bits
Wow, a RE class 4 nights this week, well 3 actually, and our test on Friday! The teacher is great, though, very engaging, funny, good with calling on us, presenting flash cards, and unforgettable stories that make us remember to never, never give a buyer occupancy between the time the closing papers are signed and the loan is funded. Oh, yeah, there are horror stories!
I’m going to try to get my “at home study exam prep” turned in to “classroom exam prep” with this guy, I might have to pay a bit extra but so worth it. I still have a class to go, though, so we’re looking at July at least.
What a great day, though, I made it through the chapter I missed for the opening—though I bombed on the quiz. I understand all the concepts, got hung up on technicalities and ‘tricky questions’ but after getting the corrected answers I understand the whys and hows. So as a study aid, invaluable. I stayed late tonight for tonight’s preview of the quiz, quite helpful.
Got the new Windows Vista machine hooked up to the internet with the gracious help of the “greeting card guy” –the one who is publishing my paintings as greeting cards. He said don’t call Geek Squad unless it’s free. They were $171.00!! Not to mention I was on various help lines for hours. Arin called me today and we went over a few things on the phone—even with me being a Vista first-timer. He had me networked, and on-line with BOTH computers within about ten minutes!! Bravo! Yes, he’s getting a copy of that print he admired.
Now I know why Windows users hate Vista. It’s pretty much based on the Mac OS X system which I am intimately familiar with! Exactly what I have on the Mac, actually. So it should be a much smoother transition for me to the Windows machine that I feared. Oh, I will not be giving up Macintoshes, perish the thought, but I just really needed to be conversant in all the stuff out there, for my businesses, in whatever platform. I think it’s really going to be nice to have both and my next technical trick is to figure out file-sharing between the two. I'm pretty sure there's a way.
I went into the bookstore to find a book on Windows Vista. There was not one book in the entire store from Peachpit, my, uh, alma mater of computer book publishing. Rather surprising really. I wonder how they’re doing these days as obviously this is THE market for Santa Fe and they’re not in it. No matter, I still don’t feel like buying one of their books. But the one I did buy.....is high quality, readable, no BS, and seems to be exactly everything I need. Once I get into it a bit more I may even share the title and offer an endorsement. No, it’s NOT a dummies or idiot’s guide. Marketing success or no, the idea stillquite offends me.
Hope to get some work in on the house tomorrow & the commission painting but I think with this Real Estate intensive this week I may have to focus on house and art next week. Still, all work and no demolition makes Trish a cranky girl. It makes Jack a dull boy. It even makes Willie Moosetracks cranky. He likes us both down at the house. See there. Poor kitties are lonesome, but happy that spring is here and they can go out and roll in the dirt again. I'll spend some study hours with them tomorrow, will send Will off with Daddy to work on the house early AM as they are wont to do.
Leonardo got the first carved post back up and BOLTED in place today. Remember we put it up way back in the beginning and even though we had to jack up the, what’s the name? The joists of the porch roof? To get it in, we got a ferocious wind that blew it down. I kid you not. The winds up here are that strong, 60mph to up to 100mph gusting at times. Anyhow, it looks fabulous and I’m happy to have even one in place for the gallery opening. We will have four, total, when we are finished. They just make a WORLD of difference.
The weather is here--as soon as I have a minute between projects, it's time to take ARTGRL out of the garage. That would be my Suzuki two-wheeler.
Manaña compadres.
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Self-employed, again!
No matter, it was a huge emotional and energy relief to be released from that gig. Something never really felt quite right to me about it--I recognize I was trying to talk myself into it from the beginning and it never quite took. So I certainly talked myself out of it!
Now I am concentrating on the new studio, the commission for the bathtub, getting the gallery going, and the real estate thing. Great things are just down the line. And as soon as I’m through this week’s RE intensive, I’ll get started on the illustrations for Diane’s math book project I signed on for. She’s already out shopping sample chapters which means when she finds a publisher we’ll get some sort of advance to actually allow us to work on this project. And no doubt she’ll find someone, she is PASSIONATE about this project.
Since the gallery room won’t really be ready to open until close to May, if not May, I made an
“Art Studio—open” sign to put out front---I painted 2 of them so you can see it from both ways, only to realize I should have said “Artist’s Studio--Open”—but something is better than nothing and it’ll do for just now. I may put one sign out while fixing the other.
I had a really weird dream last night, but as dreams are mainly symbolic, I took it as a strong signal not to traipse down the wrong path for want, but to stay strong and true to my real goals, our needs, and my talents. And somehow, the proper winds will prevail.
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The Crazy Way Things Go
I keep promising new photos on Trishtown and I will get them up soon. I keep saying that but at the same time I keep really meaning it.
Just sent progress photos to my clients for the bathtub/trade thing. Actually I plunged into that promise head first and it is working out incredibly well so far. The painting, I mean. I am loathe to do commissions but I am so much the better painter than I was just five years ago.
Five years ago I began my first painting in nine years. Incidentally, it is the one I am copying now for my clients! Curiously enough.
For the nine years before that breakthrough painting I’d been doing assemblage art, installation art, conceptual art. All fun and all good and all quite satisfying. But I moved a lot. And I found myself being very poor, with little furniture or functional household goods, moving often with literally tons of crazy stuff like rusty wire, chains, wheels, wagons, toys, tools, barn wood, house parts, yes, even doors and old, weathered parts of cars. Gaaaa! I still love that stuff—and I WILL pull over for a well-formed tumbleweed, but I had to get realistic about my art. And the amount of cool, rusty, crap I could actually keep.
I'm still near tears sometimes about the things I had to give away. Because they were all steller items, antiques, artifacts. Not just because I need them now but because I realize I have a good eye for such, and I probably gave away my down payment on that property I covet next door! Sigh.
Everyone LOVED my installation work. It’s not something you can sell, move, or really, most times, even re-install.
So, after graduating in painting, and having much fun doing what I’ll call “living” art, I went back to painting. And, as is the case, when one truly focuses, it has been a great success. It could be a greater monetary success, but it is tracking there and it will be. It has certainly been a great personal success and fulfillment.
And now I just need a couple large painting sales to get me through to fall.
Cause I’m thinking the hotel thing isn’t going to make it, really, and sadly. They seem to actually be shoestring—my pleas for tech support and other issues have gone unanswered for days! WTF? We press on.
Perhaps it’s best to re-focus on painting, quit thinking jobs, think painting. That, in trade or print or painting, seems to be panning out.
However, I'm really needing to know where my half is coming from this month. Art. It's coming from art, I WILL have a painting sale, thank you very much, and now will all you pagans face the reindeer and pray for me?
I cannot tell you how many hours of frustration and high blood pressure and driving my poor, sweet husband away from me that hotel/tech problem thing has caused. My wonderful new friend Joan gave her resignation tonight. I am not giving up yet but, truthfully, I may not be far behind. And if nothing else, we've both made a great new friend! Maybe that was the whole point of this entire debacle.
It’s just what do you expend and what do you get factor. Right now? They are in the red in a way I really don’t ever see recovering. I suspect they stack the phones too. Like I only got 7 calls in 8 hours? If that’s really true they don’t even need me on shift, they need voice mail. It’s a complete waste of my time.
Which is truly sad. We could have been so great for each other if only they were there for us.
I’d given the hotel thing a hard think and I’d closely come to the conclusion that it might not work (mostly due to lack of tech support and communication in general--if I don't have the systems I can't work. If they can't help me to set them up.....Duh).
However, upon my arrival home is a message in my mailbox that a very special person has decided that she needs to buy one of my paintings. Could not have happened on a better day.
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My first Hotel Reservations shift
My first call was an absolute disaster. I lost the guest the first time trying to transfer her to another agent (the display name on the phone was a hotel database I do not yet have access to.) She called back. She wanted our hotel. Cool. I got stuck on a screen in the database I could not get out of. My first time, remember? I’m freaking out trying to fix it. I’m talking to her, keeping her on the line, chatting, all good. Finally, I just had to say (as we are instructed to) “May I put you on hold for a moment?” She sweetly said yes, and then hung up before I even got her on hold. Yikes. And she was a return guest to boot. Not good. Not good at all. Later I checked the partial reservation. CANCELLED. So, so not good.
The rest of my shift smoothed out. With each call I became better at the database (which, btw, is a dinosaur of one of the oldest sort of windows systems, I even forget what it is called—(DOS, it’s a DOS system!) I worked on something similar back in 1991 if that tells you anything) and I became better and better at talking to the guests whilst navigating around the Pleistocene on a PC.
At the end of my 8 hours I managed to book 3 reservations for a grand total commission of $22.91. That is, of course, if no one cancels. I don’t get paid until they stay. So that’s like, six bucks in April and 16 in May.
Now, I must tell you, that I had access to only one of our four hotel databases. I still have pending technical issues but at least the static IP is up and the phone is working. I only have internet on my Mac, not the PC, and I don’t have my Hotel’s email up on either machine. But hey, this is New Mexico, a third world state, and these things take time. Which is even more frustrating as I come from San Francisco, the hot bed of the digerati and all this stuff is second nature to me. I’m not used to waiting days for anything but the weather.
I actually had to have a technician drive all the way up here this morning to get me back online after the static IP ruined everything for 3-1/2 days! Primitive living! Even my husband was affected.
HOWEVER. We all knew it would take time to build up reservations as, by nature, they are necessarily in the future. Once all systems are go I think I’m really going to enjoy it. Even that “script” we have to follow? We are allowed to personalize it, and they really are questions you must have answers to, as the evening wore on it seemed so much less scripted and more a guideline for a productive and efficient (both for me and the guest) conversation. So. I’m going to hang in there, I really think this could be a good gig.
Honestly. That first phone call. I’ve never been so afraid to hear the phone ring! Thank God that’s in the past.
My next task is to actually try to remember all the information about the rooms and amenities. We’ve got, what? About 12 distinct properties and, of course, the accommodations vary. There are the Deluxe King Suites, the Kiva Kings (with kiva fireplaces), the rustic little rooms (like I’d choose) at the Pueblo side of Las Palomas, there’s the B&B Paseo de Peralta, there’s Duran House, there’s La Tienda, there’s Santa Fe Hotel and Hacienda which is quite different than Old Santa Fe Inn, and even more different than the Territorial Inn.
Some take roll-aways as an extra, some don’t. Some accommodate pets, some don’t. Some have certain rooms that accommodate pets, and yes, we need to know which they are and what floor they are on. Thank goodness ALL of our properties are non-smoking. You won't find an evil-smelling room in the lot of them.
Some rooms combine into adjoining rooms, and how many beds is that? Is there a sofa-sleeper? What about the spa? Restaurant? Continental or full breakfast? All of our accommodations have some, more, or most of these amenities. Guests have quite specific requests.....it is rather dizzying to try to navigate the database and remember all this stuff at the same time.
I do remember, though, that the Territorial Inn does not permit guests under the age of 18, they do not provide roll-aways, but they do provide complimentary Brandy and chocolates in the evenings and complimentary wine and fruit/cheese plates in the afternoon. Plus they are one short block from the Plaza, the Heart of Old Santa Fe, the 400 year old city. And fine dining abounds.
Call me for reservations. 800-745-9910 x 108.
;-)
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New Studio!!
NEW STUDIO!! I’ve moved my painting studio down to the new house and is it ever great. The light is fabulous, and once again, I have a studio that is nothing but studio. It’s small, but it’s ONLY my studio. Not a gallery, not a living room, not a dog-training center, not a parlor. Yay!! Plus the living room/gallery is sooooooo much nicer without a bunch of easels and paint all over the place.
The kitchen is oh-so-close to ready to begin installing things, first the wood cookstove. That must wait, however, for now that Leonardo has all the ceilings finished (except for the bathroom which I have not demolished yet) it’s time to finish the gallery. He finished putting up the last wall, now some patching and then the floor. We’re going to put the new floor over the old one since it is fine except for that big hole in the corner. We were going to patch it with oak like the rest of the floor until we found out it would cost $800 to patch that corner! That’s right, what we need is $8 per square foot! Too bad, it would have looked great but we will go with our pine plank floor overall.
Last night started the in-person Real Estate class in Santa Fe. Just 2 weeks and I’ll be through this one.
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There's no time!!
My To-do list reads like something I think I can actually get done in a day. Realistically, it’s taking me one to three weeks to get Monday’s list done. Go figure. I never, ever, thought I was an over-achiever. I always thought I was under-utilizing my time, being a bit of a slacker, and for true! I am one of those people who have seen few mornings and maybe 4 sunrises in my entire life. I am a sleeper-inner. Oh, but there’s not a moon I have ever missed!
Still. Monday’s list did not seem a far reach. Ah, but this is Truchas and we are in the grip of the magic mountain and, after all, it really is a 3rd world country here. So maybe not my fault? That’s it. Circumstances beyond my control.
But that doesn’t work either. Not only are these things I need to do they are things I WANT to do. And, having that little dull, responsible side, there are things I MUST do before I will do the other things. I’m pretty sure I need staff. I also need staff to write a business plan, person the gallery, and help me out with how I’m going to afford staff. I guess that’s the problem of business. We need more people but we won’t be able to pay them until they actually come and work for free for a year. Sigh. But somehow, someone needs to do all that, uh, stuff—so I can get back to work on my paintings. Jeeezzzzus, I just cannot do it all, at least not all at the same time!
There’s got to be better way.
My husband is feeling overwhelmed, too, on the house. We were discussing kitchen counter-top options (since our first choice fell through and our granite-counter-man dropped everything and moved to Florida one step ahead of whatever.)
So I’m thinking traditional Mexican tiles—and my husband says that I have to learn how to do it and put them in myself as he has too much to do in the house! Well, fine, but I also am having a job job (for a paycheck) I’m also taking classes in real estate, I’m also running and staffing the gallery, and I’m also supposed to actually paint some new paintings, make postcards, do advertising, serve on the HRA board, train the pup, wash and fold the clothes.....Yes, the house is big work. I don’t quite think he appreciates that all this other crap takes up that much time, but it really does. Oh, also—I made the ad for Essential Guide...wash the dishes, cook the dinners....I think you’re getting the picture. I DO NOT begrudge any of this. I’m just saying. I think I fully do my half. Yep, it’s different stuff, but it still all needs to be done.
But whatever. If I have to tile my countertop, then I’ll learn how to do it and I’ll do it. End of story.
Don’t get me wrong—I’m not complaining about my wonderful husband. I know he feels lonely down there working all by himself. I’m trying to spend more time working with him—and we need to get in there as soon as we can and more hands make light work, and I do enjoy it! It’s just if I’m there nothing gets done here and I get behind and more behind. But we’ll work it out and ” It’ll be fine, you’ll see!” (to quote the wise words of my friend Carol.)
I'm considering moving the painting studio down there right now-my husband needs proximity, company. Though logistically, that poses several challenges--as well as offering several benefits. No way to map it out on paper--just have to give it a go and see how it works out. Dust, work dust, that's one big issue. How busy my reservation phones are is another issue--Would it make sense to try to keep the studio here? I do not have adequate resources to keep a studio in both places at once. And I absolutely will not even consider dragging studio back and forth--that's pure insanity. That is, if I've not already gone quite mad.
I think my husband needs me there. I think we'll give it a go. I would be nice to take this quadruple-use room down to only 2 uses, living room and gallery. Doesn't that sound peaceful? And take the studio, and construction aide down to the new house? Gallery will be there in only a month's time. And that place has sunlight. This place a cold, dark little dungeon. A pertty one! But cold and dark nevertheles
OK, I'll do it.
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Might as well be summer!
I’d have better luck, I think, wishing for Sean Connery to stop by with a spring bouquet for me and to say he’d seen my work somewhere and he loved it and he wanted to buy nearly all of it and, incidentally, why didn’t Leonardo and I come back to Scotland with him on his private jet for a relaxing fortnight in the country? Lovely, I would say, and we would be off. Then I wouldn’t even need the damned IP because I’d be set for 2 years or 3. And by then we would be established and doing a thriving trade in original paintings and drawings from our most-like-Scotland on-the-rim-of-the-canyon right here in Northern New Mexico.
Before I decided on art I was most lauded and encouraged, and was actually good at, creative writing. Creative writing is nothing more than.....Ok, that’s a big digression, so let’s get back on the train of thought here.
I worked at the new house today and it was great. I needed to get out of HERE! Mostly I don’t mind but have been ensconced inside this little mud hut longer than even my hibernation-prone self can bear.
It was a glorious day, I got out of all my long-johns and even into a t-shirt! With no turtleneck underneath! I planted 40 bulbs of daffodills that I did not get into the ground last fall—they were already beginning to sprout. I put them all along the inside of our front wall. I put 2 bearded black iris in the corner (to protect from the vicious winds up here—Sean Connery would be proud. I’m sure the winds are equally strong in Scotland so he’d know exactly about that.)--PS..I just checked. We are over twice as high as Scotland's highest point, we at 8100, Scotland at Ben Nevis at around 4,100. However! Our high winds go to 60+ sometimes gusts as strong as 90 mph. Scotland weighs in at 172 mph winds. I believe that could blow a man out to sea! So although we claim “Arctic/Alpine climate” Scotland certainly wins in wind. Like it’s a contest anyone wants to win!
I raked the entire front yard. It is a huge yard! Very few folks up here have yards, no one with a home 200 years old has a yard at all because it wasn’t done like that in the early days. They used all their land for farming, which is why the older homes are absolutely right against the road.
Our adobe is only about 60 years old. Isabro, just around the bend of the canyon from us, and roughly in our age range -–plus or minus a decade and a half--, remembers at his first confirmation (what? 8 to 12 years old?) a picture taken with our house, across the canyon, in the background, with only it’s first few adobe brick layers in place. That puts him quite older than I’d imagined, maybe in his early 70’s? He is a famed woodcarver in the area, and a member of the Morada, the Penitentes. He’s a very lovely man. He came to visit our gallery in the early days. (I say lthat as if we’ve been here for years!) But we are becoming more and more a real part of this place—if one can be for not having been here 400 years at least. And it continues to feel right. Quite, quite right.
Still. The Spanish think they own this place. But you know, there were Indians here waaaaaaaaay before that. Absolutely no one acknowledges that fact. You’d think the Spanish were the children of God and he just plopped them right down, right here, and without even the slightest hint of original sin. Honestly. I really think they believe that. Not a single one will buy into the fact that THEY ALL came up THROUGH MEXICO to settle here. Around these parts MEXICO is a dirtier word than some of those four-letter classics that we all know and use from time to time.
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WINDSTREAM SUCKS!!!!!!!!!
(if you want to skip the rant, there is a bit of actual news at the end of this post.)
Remember how bitterly I complained about Windstream (our only option for internet service & broadband up here) when I first tried to establish service?
Now I need a static IP. I ordered it over 2 weeks ago and was promised it would be up in 5 to 10 days. It’s not. Yesterday I was promised it would be up in 2 hours. It was not. It was not up this morning, it is not up now. I have missed a full week’s worth of shifts at my new job as reservations specialist. They are making my life a living hell. I call and call, am always put on hold, and then the call either disconnects or rings through to another department where they’ve never heard of “Stacey” or “Andrea.” All I can get is “calm down Ma’am.” CALM down my *$#*&@ ASS. This company is completely inept, lame, incompetent, and they charge about five times as much as anyone else.
I never, ever thought I’d say this, but.....GIVE ME COMCAST!! Unfortunately, we cannot get that up here. We can only get WindSUCKS!!
I can only imagine that my hair will either turn white or fall out or both when I need ALL our Windstream services (TV dish, phone, DSL, and Static IP) moved an entire half-mile down to the new house later this summer. I’d better order it in June and hope we get it by September. Of course, if we EVER get this VOIP phone working I’ll just count on losing at least another week’s worth of work, or more, for the move.
Needless to say, if another ISP ever brings service to Truchas I will be the first to sign up. Hell, I’ll even go to work for them convincing Windstream customers to convert. Not like that would be a difficult task.
In other news, I nearly have all my sheaves of paper ready to send off to the tax guy. Turns out I copied the wrong documents pertaining to the purchase of our new home so I actually have to take those into town to copy as they are all legal-size and my copier only does the standard size. And if I can ever get our rent & utilities receipts, I’m set.
So. IN MORE UPBEAT NEWS, painting of the commission in trade for the bathtub and sink commences mañana. (I did mention that, did I not?) The stretcher is built, the canvas is stretched, and gessoed times three. Time to bring in the original and get to work. Tomorrow and the next day, as well I will begin hauling the no-longer-covered-in-3-feet-of-snow debris pile from the back of the new house & work on some curtains for the gallery room. Yeah!! We’re getting that close. Well, there is the floor still. And it's just that one room that's almost ready, though the kitchen is even closer, I dare to suggest.
Right now I’m going to sit in front of the fire with a nice glass of vino and the new double-pointed knitting needles I got & go to the next level on this pair of really cool, elbow-length, fingerless gloves I’m knitting for myself. The arms (up to the elbow) have eyelets and a slit opening up the arm, which will be laced up with some sheer black ribbon. The gloves themselves are burgundy. Of course.
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