Odds & Ends

Last week was a little disjointed, energy-wise... much like the weather here in the high desert, I guess... a bit of sun, a bit of wind, a bit of rain or snow, a bit more sun, and so it goes...

I was denied a job because I don't have enough experience with a shovel and rake... really? Really. I guess all those summers doing side jobs landscaping and the last several years working in the Community Gardens don't count.

We almost have Cassi's room ready for her and baby... should have it done by the end of today.

Applied for a few Army civilian contractor jobs... 13-18 month stints in different locations in the Middle East... Bahrain, Afghanistan, United Arab Emirates... distance sucks, but I need a job. Like Rocky says, I can study, accept, and adapt to cultures relatively quickly.

I was once told, many years ago, "There are people who have to go out to experience the world... but there are those (like you) who don't have to, because the world shows up on their doorsteps." I'm still not entirely sure that's true of me and my life... though it seems to be coming around lately.

I've noticed the bird song is changing from the winter "where's the food? where's the food? where's the food? where's the food?"... to the spring time "oh, hey, how You doin'? like my tail feathers? whatcha doin' Saturday night? your nest or mine?"

Finally got David to enroll in TMCC... might still have to kick him in the ass before he calls and makes an appointment for a counselor... or make it for him and drive him down there.

Got a (joking) marriage proposal from one of the guys at Tent City last week... when he asked, "How did you get so beautiful?", I had to bite my tongue. It probably wouldn't have been right to tell him, "You think I'm beautiful because you're hungry, and I'm fat and have food."
Then again... what is beauty?
I do believe that everyone is a beautiful, spiritual being underneath all the human trappings... even those who forget, and live so far into the peripheral ego that they lose sight of their Core... but that's just me.

I can't wait until I can get outside and start working the land again... although I know that by the time October rolls around, I won't even want to look at a shovel. I know it's getting close... the weeds are already starting to come up... the evil mutant weeds that laugh at anything less than Agent Orange.
As soon as the ground thaws, I need to turn the soil in the boxes and the compost. I won't be able to turn two of the compost piles until June or so... when the ground squirrel babies emerge from the tunnels and nests they've built in the piles.
Regardless of weather... in a couple more weeks, I have got to get the peas, broccoli, and spinach planted... they like the cold.

It looks like one of the chickens got into a scrap with something... she lost a few claws somehow, along with quite a bit of blood... don't know if she'll survive it, but I'm keeping an eye on her.

.... as scattered as the weather....