Random stuff

A couple days ago, I woke to this:

Not exactly "a snow," but it was more than frost. "Snost"???

Winter is nigh, but then if you live in some parts of the US, you're already laughing about that statement, aren't you?

Saturday I was in Ruidoso to have the bad tire replaced on the truck, and while I was there, I did a little shopping and stopped at the Ruidoso Christmas Jubilee. It's an event that happens each year around this time where local artists exhibit and sell their works. I had some friends there, and spent time visiting with them. I ate at the food court while I was there. I sat across a table from two women, and we struck up a conversation. After 15 minutes of chatting, I learned that the older one, the 80 year old mother, used to live in Andrews, TX, and I commented that my late husband's cousins lived there. She asked their names, and before I could finish the first name, she squealed! Turns out she was best friends with that cousin for all the years she lived there! Isn't it a small world?

After leaving there I stopped at the framer's shop to pick up the last two pieces I was having framed. Two missions done by a friend are now hanging on my wall, and complemented by the collection of crosses I've acquired. I like the way they work together.

On the left is "San Francisco De Asis" in Rancho de Taos, NM; on the right is "Santa Cruz De La Cañada" in Santa Cruz, NM.

It is comforting to have four good tires on the ground under the truck again. I had the blown tire replaced, of course, and decided to replace the other rear one, too. It was under 50% remaining tread, and with winter coming, I thought it was a good idea. I would have had to replace it by spring, anyway, and now I feel better about going into winter with good tread. I hated to spent the money ($500 for the two), but it was inevitable, so ....

On another good note, my taxes got paid. When I got home from Hawai'i, there was a message on the answering machine from the mortgage company saying that both years (2009 and 2010) were paid. And in the mail I had a receipt from the county showing everything caught up to date. I love living where people actually remember things like this. The county is small enough that the county treasurer apparently remembered my conversation with her (and probably my frustration with the mortgage company) a few days before leaving, and she sent me the receipt. They don't normally send out receipts to the home owner like that, so it was a nice gesture on her part.

Another case of "advantages to living in a small community" has to do with the dishwasher. The repairman came out Friday morning to fix the dishwasher. Remember it wouldn't drain a few days before I left? Well, he got here and turned it on, and .... wanna guess? Yes, of course! It was working perfectly! He filled it and drained it several times, and there was no glitch. Sheesh. He said that it was probably something in the drain line or the aeration line that was plugging it, but not being used for three weeks allowed whatever it was to dry up and simply wash out when he turned it on.

He told me to use it over the weekend, and he would call me today to check with me. He said that if there were further problems, he would come back out today and there would be only one service call charge. If it wasn't necessary to come out, he would send a bill for the call on Friday. He left with no payment in hand. Now, I ask you, when is the last time you had a service call for anything, and you weren't asked for payment on the spot or a credit card number on file at the office? It wouldn't happen in Kansas City while I was living there. Today he called me and since the dishwasher is working fine, I'll get a bill and can wait till next month to pay. I love this place!

I'm going to have to go into town again today or tomorrow. I have a few things to pick up for a dish I'm making for a potluck on Wednesday night, and I also have to get some electrical wire. I'm having to rewire a lamp. It's a long story, but I have to rewire because I'm changing the top, adding a harp for a new lamp shade, and the old wiring isn't long enough to accommodate. I'm going to have to ask a friend who is an electrician help me with some of the wires, because in taking it apart, a couple came loose, and I'm not sure how to run them correctly. I don't want it to blow up in my face! LOL! No, it wouldn't do that, but I could damage the lamp if it isn't right.

Finally, do you remember me complaining about smashing my thumbs while moving big rocks in the spring or early in the summer? After the soreness went away, I didn't think much more about it, but in about August, I noticed that both thumb nails were pitted. I apparently damaged the nail bed under the skin. I had large "dents" on the nails, and as they have grown out, I knew I would have a big problem at some point. About a month ago those pits were very near the end of the thumbs, and the nails were splitting. I used some super glue to sorta hold them together so they wouldn't split into the nail bed. I knew that would be painful. I was able to trim the ends of the nails over the weekend, enough to get rid of most of the damaged nails. They are trimmed down to the quick, but at least I think I can quit worrying about the unhealthy parts of the nails. Next summer .... I'm gonna be more careful!

I'll be back later today or tomorrow for one last post about the trip. I've had some miscellaneous thoughts about a few things, so I'll post on those and then move on.  So, till then ....