Stuff and a bit of a rant. Sorry.

Song of the day: “Did it again” by Shakira. I think it was due to a conversation I had with someone about this particular artist that brings her more prominently to mind, because the song has been invariably going through my mind these past few days.

Okay, first thing’s first. I’ve got a semi-set appointment on Monday morning (I still have to call ahead to confirm that the person I have the appointment with will be there) for signing an advertising contract. Yay. I think.
Last night, I send out two requested emails, for two companies, one in insurance and the other in linen (weird contrasts, huh) that asked me to send them the pricing ASAP.

Got that done in about fifteen minutes, and I’ve gotta tell you, compared to sending something to a publisher, which takes me about four weeks to prepare, this was relatively easy to do. Just facts, a friendly tone, and voila, all done.
It is much easier to keep a professional distance when it is not your own product you’re selling, I’m thinking. So I am definitely going to see this whole thing as practise. I will need that same attachment in my work as an author, won’t I?

Yesterday, prior to the sending of packages, it was of course grocery shopping day: though I am tempted to regale you with the particulars, I am endeavouring not to bore you to tears with this particular blog. I did add a pair of boots to my wardrobe yesterday, figuring that some neat shoes for work wouldn’t be a bad idea.

I made some business calls, while mom and the sibs were inside the specialty store, (gawd that sounds so weird, business calls. *snort*) and on the overall just went through the motions until, all of a sudden, seven hours later we were done with the groceries.

My foot, though bothersome, wasn’t too bad yesterday either, which was some relief since I had been looking up against the chore considerably. All else went as usual, with us staying within budget, yay.

Other than that there were chores, of course. Laundry aplenty. I don’t know why but there just never seems to be an end to that. Hah. A bit of a harvest, in particular peppers, which are still doing rather well. Unloading and cleaning the car. I headed into the yard to gather herbs for a new coughing syrup. Tenant’s throat’s been playing up, so a good syrup was definitely required. Lots of thyme, rosemary, a bit of basil, peppermint, and a variety of others. Added to that there was the garlic, pepper and ginger, making a rather pungent mix once I added miel the caña and put it on a small fire. Once I got home I mixed it up with brandy and lemon juice, finishing it all up.

Dogs needed to be petted, naturally. Poor darlings are getting way too little attention these days, and then I’m not even mentioning my cabin yet. This very morning I spent almost two hours cleaning up there, and I can honestly say that I have at least scratched the surface. Phew. Shelves are clean again, thank you very much, and so are the floors, yay.

While I was making her lunch, tenant walked back and forth through her cabin, on her own, this morning, which was like, totally awesome, hah. She barely even noticed it herself, so we were both a bit awed at the end.

If I can manage it, I am going to try to do some kick boxing tonight. It really is time for it, even though time seems to be so short these days.

Oh, and I wanted to say something about some sort of fuss going on, over in the states where a political news analyst supposedly did an incredible faux pas.
How is what he said any different from me saying:
“I get uncomfortable, nervous sitting beside an overly friendly Jehovah’s witness in a plane…”
“I get uncomfortable, nervous sitting beside an orthodox Jew minding his own business in a train…”
“I get uncomfortable, nervous standing amidst cheering football supporters in a stadium…”
“I get uncomfortable, nervous walking up to a white supremist, wearing his hood, and say hi…”
“I get uncomfortable, nervous at a traditional Catholic wedding…”
“I get uncomfortable as heck, not to mention friggin nervous in a bus filled with only men.” Does that mean I consider these folks bad in general, Does that mean that I think all men are bad? Does that insult their delicate constitution in such a fashion that they’d throw a hissy fit?
It would be just my personal opinion, wouldn’t it, not a new political statement that says: “woman of the world unite against those dirty men and let’s ritually hang them in the town square,” does it? *sigh*
No it doesn’t. It is just a natural response to stuff that HAS happened in the past and for some reason lingers in your mind, whether you want it to or not. I can tell myself that “those men won’t harm me…probably”. And I can tell myself to “buck up and just cheer along with the supporters, they’re just folks…probably” but it won’t change anything, will it? The feelings will stay even if my intellect denies it, or the rules forbid it.

Let’s face it: If I, an immigrant, would live in the States (cross my fingers and hope to die, or something along those lines, hah) and the locals would eyeball me, because inevitably I just look different, I would be allowed to say that “those locals make me feel uncomfortable” wouldn’t I? I would not be insulting the entire population of the country with my statement, seeing as most people would just dismiss it as a personal opinion that has nothing to do with them personally…as would be the case, for as far as I’m concerned. I don’t take it personal if anyone calls “us Europeans” bonkers. Heck, let’s face it, on the most part we are.

I know, these are a bit weird examples, but seriously, if you’re no longer able to say that you get nervous or uncomfortable by certain people or situations, then something is really off.
With everything you’re supposed to express your emotions and feelings, (to the point of annoyance, what with folks getting sent to therapists for sulking, or something) and now, all of a sudden, when it is supposedly wrong to express a particular feeling that you really can’t help yourself from having (‘cause let’s face it, who WANTS to feel that way around anyone), you get slapped in the face.
Why is it wrong? Because it was the guy’s opinion in his free time, not at the job? Sometimes I do think that the world is going a little over the top with all their rules, and cans and cannot dos, but what the hey, that’s just me.

Luckily, for now, I am still in my own little world, where, on the overall I am left alone by such silly antics. Hah. Oh wait, I wrote five pages last night, yay! Gotta go.

Life continues.

Song of the day: “Late at night” (not entirely sure of the title) by Fleetwood Mac. An oldie, I know, but them classics are really something every now and then.

Life continues, as you know, and for me personally the last couple of days were worthy of vacation…or something. I don’t know why, but being on the road for the majority of the day, and doing stuff away from home is far more exhausting than doing a full day in construction. Weird how that works. I mean seriously, walking from the car and back again, standing around a little waiting for someone, sitting down chatting for a bit etc. wins in exertion levels by a mile.
I wonder how that works, because I swear I can’t figure it out.

So yesterday was our usual trip to Marbella where we had to pick up our friend. We had to leave early too, considering we were carrying that extra load of papers for the other distributor for two days. He was late getting back to me, which appears to be his MO for as far as I can figure out. I don’t mind really, it is his business after all. Of course it would appear I was a little short with him yesterday (unintentionally, mind you. I am just slow getting my usual “cheery” self early mornings) because he kept on apologizing profusely. Hah.

But anyway, we dropped off the papers with him and then headed for the city. Got our friend on the dot too for a change, so in the end it was a good thing we had to head out early for the job. On the way back I dropped in at some companies to ask if they would be interested in advertising. Tried three more sales spots, and didn’t even get blown of. Like I said, still a strange thing this. I could leave my card with them…oh yeah, big brother made cards for me, they’re really good. Simple, aesthetic, and classy, and I have had to drop of four already with people who didn’t give me that particular “no” and who actually seemed receptive to doing some advertising with my paper. I am of course happy with the maybes, but they are also a bit frustrating. In some ways they’re a lot like publishers and waiting for that yes, I guess. That’ll teach me patience for sure. Hah

On the way back we dropped by the phone shop because tenant needs some way to communicate when we’re out and about on the property and has recovered from her stroke enough to be able to handle a phone. Turns out my points on the contract were high enough (just this month, some sort of promotion) for a high-gadgetry-level phone, and considering I need to have a well functioning phone that, preferably works for longer than one day without charging and has a good camera, we decided to do it slightly different. My Motorola Pebble is simple enough for tenant and works really well, so she’ll be getting my little darling while I get the bother of learning to handle the new thing. I hate new phones. Grrr. But admittedly the camera works well and it was, of course, for free.

What else? Oh yes, I painted the doorposts of the guestroom door with a primer, so grandpa could paint them. At the same time he was working on the doors themselves and they are starting to look pretty darn pretty, if I do say so. I definitely need to take pictures, *chortle*
Tenant was with us, enjoying the sunshine like she is prone to do why reading her book of choice. I had forgotten that I needed to go to the doctor, so I had to leave her there for grandpa and her caregiver to take back up while I hurried to leave for the doc’s office.

The dogs despised that I had to leave again. Poor things, they’ve hardly seen hide nor hair of me as well as big brother, poor things. They keep looking at me balefully and try to crawl on my lap also when there really is no place because Dax always calls dibs. Hah.

But the doctor’s: I still say that poor man hardly knows what he’s talking about. His computer wasn’t working, so basically he couldn’t remember enough details to ask what the heck my visit was about. In the end I had to give him an update and we agreed to another blood test next week or so. According to him I need to wear my insoles while running and while kickboxing, and though I agree that I can do it for the running, I refuse to wear them during kickboxing. Seriously, I don’t even like wearing shoes while doing that, let alone the stupid insoles. But okay, I’ll see if I can figure out something, at least during the running.

In the end it just comes down to me continuing to eat well, keep taking the supplement and the iron tablets. Well, okay. Now if only I didn’t need to go back for those freaky appointments every month I would be fine. Seriously, by the time my foot start messing about less at the end of the month, I need to go back (am reminded of the problem, I think) and promptly get bothered more. Again. Weird how that works, by the way. I don’t know why it would become worse after a doctor’s visit.

Considering we were out already we figured we might as well head for our usual spot to get rocks. Loaded the back of the car up with a good load. Gawd, the good old days. I miss them, really, those days when we went out practically every day to get the rocks for The Wall. Seriously, it was like we had stepped back in time. I loved every minute of it, and in the end regretted that we were done loading up so fast.

Last night, after getting back big brother and I went down and made French fries with nuggets (am obliged to at least eat some chicken every now and then, doctor’s orders. Eeewwww) for ourselves, mom and our visiting friend, and got to work on the book, of course. Got a solid seven pages edited, by the way. A fun scene too, which had us both laughing at several points…laughing in a good way, btw, not the type of laughter that you have to laugh, rather than cry at the horror of what you read. Hah.

The day before yesterday there was some harvesting, of course. Filled up another basket while we hosed the lower yard with more water from the basin. Yes, we still need to empty it completely, so that we can paint it properly before the real rain starts. Gawd, I do hope we’re in time because the temperatures have been dropping drastically this past week. Seriously the nights are getting downright chilly and I am once again applying layers to make it through both day and night. I know, I’m a whiner. Complaining is wonderfully soothing from time to time, though.

This morning, after I woke up, Grandpa phoned to ask me to come pick him up. He had a flat tire again, and rather than doing so, I asked big brother to go in my stead, so I could write this blog and therefore would be free tonight to edit. They’re already back, and have changed the tire so I really should wrap this up and get started proper on the day.

It’s getting colder, even now. Seriously, I’ve got to start moving before my butt decides that it’s freezing off. Hah

Work day gone.

Song of the day: “Lo Hecho esta Hecho” by Shakira. Considering I know only part of the Spanish lyrics, it is mixing with, “Did it again” the English version. Hah. Cool song, though.

So, I just got back from work…or at least, the sales rep part of it. Seriously, it is a weird profession. There would be a part of me that is inclined to take a “no” personally, but this is ridiculous of course. It is not personal, I am offering to simplify buying a product that they need in any case, so if they don’t want that, that is their choice.

Strangest thing that I discovered today is the well-rehearsed response of “No”. It is said firmly, eyes downcast and the face completely impassive. It is not until I respond with a very casual “Okay” and a smile that they loosen up again and return the expression. It’s not like I’m going to drag them over the counter and stuff the offer down their throat, and yet that appears to be the fear. Interesting concept that. I would think that being pushy is completely counterproductive and yet from the responses I think that this is something that does happen.

Well, suffice it to say that it was an interesting experience on the overall. In total I had about seven “no” and nine “maybe” and two “get back to me with more information” and I am going to see it as a challenge not to take anything personal. It has no use for me and no use for anyone else.

So let’s get to yesterday fast, because I would like to do some serious work today rather than all the wishy washy driving around stuff, walking in and out of stores. Let’s build a greenhouse, a wall, something, anything that requires the use of my hands, and some dirt. *sigh*

Yesterday we headed to town with both cars seeing as the Daewoo had to go in for repairs at one. After doing the necessary stuff at the stores and with “John Doe” (the main distributor, remember?) running awfully late, big brother and I spent an hour at the park editing the book and then, considering we both had gotten less than five hours of sleep during the night, headed for a deserted road where we turned down our seats and snoozed for another hour or so.
That done, it was time to head for our meeting place, at which time we killed another hour or so doing research (in this case, reading a book, hehehe) and laughing so loud that we forgot about having wasted an entire afternoon away from home.

John arrived we loaded up, talked some more about distributing, sales, etc., he asked another favor, which means we are holding onto a second load of papers for one of the other distributors, and then headed out into the city for our route. By the time we started for real it was already pas seven in the afternoon so we were running more than an hour behind. It went well enough.
The waiter at the Indian place, (funny dude) got himself a new joke. He said that since someone took away the stand where we used to place our papers in, I would have to get them a new one.
Okay, let me do this right, I’ll give you some dialogue.

So I told him, “I don’t have any”.
He: “You are a businesswoman, you should invest.”
Me: “It’s not my business. I just work here for very little money.”
He: “How much?”
I told him, and he blanched comically.
He: “Okay, I buy you one.”
And then we both laughed. Seriously, the guy cracks me up every time.

What else. Gawd, everyone had their dog out last night, so I got to pet doggies all over the place. Boxers, Pit Bulls, Bulldogs, Golden Retriever, Belgian Shepherd, some teeny little ones that I don’t know what to name. Garbage can types, I’m thinking, hah. But anyway, dogs that seriously don’t know what to do with more than eighty different dog scents are a lot of fun. Some start barking because they get confused, others want to sniff you all over, and yet more start bouncing up and down around you practically shouting, “what fun, what fun. I don’t know what I smell, but it’s fun.” *snort*

Okay, what else. I got to talking with a guy from India, who started telling me I ought to learn Spanish, considering I worked here. Duh! If I had time for that I would have, but considering I have a house to build, dogs to take care of and would prefer to limit my out of the house trips to only three times a week, I’ve gotta be selective as to what I spent my spare free minutes on.
He was nice, though, trying to be helpful too. And technically he was completely right.

Didn’t finish until after one in the morning, so we were late getting to bed. My foot was once again killing me, of course. Jeez, it started around Miraflores and then continued to gradually increase until we got home and I passed out in my bed…five dogs piled on top of me. Hah.
Stupid foot. It just persists insisting that there’s this huge shard of glass slicing through it with every step. I feel very “little mermaid” every time it start acting up. Hah.

But anyway, we did the village this morning, went fine and even got some prospects for advertisers there. And then headed for town to pick up the Daewoo, which wasn’t done until after three…the speedometer still isn’t fixed, by the way, because the cable didn’t arrive, again. He’ll phone me when it arrives and I’ll have to bring it in then. Let’s hope this will be on a Friday when we have to do the groceries anyway.

Well, I’m just about running on fumes and want to head on out into the yard for some proper relaxation. My dogs need attention, I want to write some serious stuff, and that’s my only goal for the night.

Remodeling some again.

Song of the day: “For what it’s worth” by Buffalo Springfield. I know, weird song for me, but what the hey, I like being unpredictable.

Lemme just try to sort through this blank page that I call my brain, because even as I start thinking about what to write, I can’t think of a single thing that I did yesterday…or today, for that matter. *sigh*

Watering plants! Right, did that yesterday, with the water from the basin no less, which is good, considering we still need to empty the dratted thing for painting. Yep. That mud is going to be a bitch to scrape out, but with a little luck we get it all empty in time before the next rain.

While big brother and grandpa worked on the greenhouse glass still, I tackled the planter on the side of the greenhouse terrace and painted it a blinding white. Seriously, it hurt my eyes. I can’t wait for the moss to come back and make it all better again. Hah.
But anyway, the roof of the greenhouse is up now, except for two panes in the center, and the top windows. Now all we need to add is the front wall of glass and we’ll be all set.

I distinctly remember there being weeding involved in the last couple of days. Weeds as much as vines, if my night mare of flesh eating vines was anything to go by. Seriously, I was all uncomfortable this morning because of it. I’d been running through the woods, the vines, The Vines, THE VINES were after me. Hah. But anyway, weird dreams make me itchie, even though there is no reason for it, other than the fact that they appear to be so realistic. Right up until I discover the conspiracy between my conspiracy and my alarm, which was suddenly not working, and wake up.

We also trimmed the rather large carob tree that stands between the greenhouse and the courtyard. Though our beauty already had a solid trimming last year, we had to take out a couple of really heavy branches that hung over the greenhouse roof.

For brunch we had two day’s worth of chili, which accidentally was rather “hot” since I added (quite accidentally) a whole jalapeno to it. Crikey. That was some serious hotness. Had to added 300 grams of yogurt and a rich splash of milk to temper it out a little. Then, eating it with breath was rather wonderful.

After the painting stuff, using lots of drop cloths when I got to be on the site of mother nature. Still splattered a lot around, but what the hey. It looks great now, by the way. Neat, clean, and very holiday-ish.

We harvested, of course. We’re doing beets today, if we can manage it at all. There will be leek soon, and onions, so, yum! The tomatoes are dwindling by now, and the zucchini are becoming less as well, but the peppers are still going strong.

Tenant walked down to the terrace three times in a row now, which is definitely a milestone. Also, yesterday when she wanted to get up to stretch her legs a bit, she walked beside the balustrade with her left hand, and managed to pull it along, which is a first. Yay. We love firsts!
The walking is also going better, steady as it goes, with lots of talking and singing it goes faster too. If find if she thinks about it too much, she goes slower, so I try to keep her distracted, let muscle memory do most of the work.

Started on the door of the old pool apartment (under the greenhouse and basin). The door was rotting so I removed the door and broke the post from its position so we’d be able to put the new in without trouble. So, since yesterday plus part of today, grandpa and I have been sawing wood and preparing it all. We’ve got new doors, a new post and with a little luck we’ll start hanging it just as soon as I’m done with today’s blog.

While grandpa and I worked on the wood this morning, big brother shaved Mesha and Carla (two male cocker spaniels) who had been getting worse and worse. There was a massive pile of hair afterwards, but the dogs were definitely happy with the cleanup.

Writing is going well at the moment. I'm pushing four pages a day or so, so I'll get that book done yet. Need about thirty pages more and we have already done half of the edit, so with a little luck in a month and a half I'll be able to send it out to the publisher. I like what it's coming to, and the characters are likable and complex.

Well, I should get back to the home improvement bit, seeing as the next three days won’t allow for much of that. Tomorrow is a working day after all, and so’s the day after it…followed on Wednesday by picking up our friend in Marbella again. Weird that just a few months ago we basically had five days a week to work on a variety of projects around the house and now we’re lucky if we have three left. Ah well, nothing to do about it but get through it and be as efficient as we can.

Leaving.