We had the pool people come to start the pool. I gotta tell ya, I am so enamored by the hard workers here.
They pound that concrete and it just falls to pieces like they were smashing glass.
The wall builders already have the bricks stacked. When they said a week, they really meant it.
This is nothing like Canada where you'll see one person working and 10 watching to make sure they have work for the next day, racking up the contracting bill as the hours go by.
These folks just get it done.
These men have shoulders and biceps of steel that bulge as they whip around those pickaxes with ease.
Not to mention, when they swing it above the head to come split the grass open, they hit the line designated boundary wish precision.
The line they cut is so perfect, I watch gaping at their handy work as if fine art.
Holy. If that were Papi or I, there is not a hope in hell it would look like a line. I can't tell you what it would look like, but it wouldn't be a line.
So, there I was, Boraxing the counters from the years of caked on oil that had accumulated that nobody thought to clean for eons, and I went outside for a break and see what Papi and the Pool Man were talking about.
There in our yard stood a very large man in military uniform with a gun.
I thought he was just here for a visit, or to watch like the rest of the neighbourhood.
Oh, as a sidebar, I found out the majority of the men who come early to 'watch' are indeed here looking for work. But some are still spectators, as they have no TV and watching a pool and wall be built, is better than looking at the rooster peck the ground.
Oh, speaking of roosters, one guy came with his tucked under his arm as he stood watching the entertainment and his rooster crowed.
Pleased me greatly.
Back to the military man.
Remember I told you yesterday about paying people off?
The flip side is extortion.
Mr. military man was here to say we couldn't build our pool without giving him a kickback.
We were lucky enough that the Pool Man has been here long enough that he talked the guy down from $50,000 pesos to $25,000 pesos, and now we have the green light when we pay the military man off tomorrow.
We were grateful the Pool Man did the talking. A massive, more than 6 feet tall dude in a military uniform with a gun is NOT someone Papi and I are used to taking on in Canada. We're used to scrawny junkies and alcoholics as a 'threat'.
Anyway, the work continued after the extortion and then more to keep us laughing erupted.
You see, now that there's no fence, people figure we're public property.
First two pretty girls with pictures came by. I thought, "Oh, here we go."
They were allowed to actually enter our house by way of our maid, who really doesn't understand that when a local with no money just comes into our house, they're looking at what we have for future opportunistic moments.
Like my fucking mac laptop computer, just sitting there right in the open.
Fuck.
Anyway, they hold up their pictures and begin to tell the sad story about the husband being in jail, and the little toddler that accompanied them needed food.
I had to nicely tell them that we have friends coming to visit and they would be interested, but our house is already full of art. You could see it was.
They left politely, yet defeatedly, as Papi and I looked at each other with eyes that said, "Holy shit. Fuck, that was not good."
Not even a few minutes later, a guy carrying his wares came along with food to sell to everyone.
Spectators, workers, they all bought it and the show was instantly transformed into intermission.
Our yard has become the town's, not ours.
When I go out with puppies on leash so they don't escape, all eyes are on me like I'm on my stage again.
I love eyes on me on a stage, but my home? It's a little unnerving to say the least.
We are not bored.
I can hear them starting out there again today.
Let's see what today's adventure has in store for us.
They pound that concrete and it just falls to pieces like they were smashing glass.
The wall builders already have the bricks stacked. When they said a week, they really meant it.
This is nothing like Canada where you'll see one person working and 10 watching to make sure they have work for the next day, racking up the contracting bill as the hours go by.
These folks just get it done.
These men have shoulders and biceps of steel that bulge as they whip around those pickaxes with ease.
Not to mention, when they swing it above the head to come split the grass open, they hit the line designated boundary wish precision.
The line they cut is so perfect, I watch gaping at their handy work as if fine art.
Holy. If that were Papi or I, there is not a hope in hell it would look like a line. I can't tell you what it would look like, but it wouldn't be a line.
So, there I was, Boraxing the counters from the years of caked on oil that had accumulated that nobody thought to clean for eons, and I went outside for a break and see what Papi and the Pool Man were talking about.
There in our yard stood a very large man in military uniform with a gun.
I thought he was just here for a visit, or to watch like the rest of the neighbourhood.
Oh, as a sidebar, I found out the majority of the men who come early to 'watch' are indeed here looking for work. But some are still spectators, as they have no TV and watching a pool and wall be built, is better than looking at the rooster peck the ground.
Oh, speaking of roosters, one guy came with his tucked under his arm as he stood watching the entertainment and his rooster crowed.
Pleased me greatly.
Back to the military man.
Remember I told you yesterday about paying people off?
The flip side is extortion.
Mr. military man was here to say we couldn't build our pool without giving him a kickback.
We were lucky enough that the Pool Man has been here long enough that he talked the guy down from $50,000 pesos to $25,000 pesos, and now we have the green light when we pay the military man off tomorrow.
We were grateful the Pool Man did the talking. A massive, more than 6 feet tall dude in a military uniform with a gun is NOT someone Papi and I are used to taking on in Canada. We're used to scrawny junkies and alcoholics as a 'threat'.
Anyway, the work continued after the extortion and then more to keep us laughing erupted.
You see, now that there's no fence, people figure we're public property.
First two pretty girls with pictures came by. I thought, "Oh, here we go."
They were allowed to actually enter our house by way of our maid, who really doesn't understand that when a local with no money just comes into our house, they're looking at what we have for future opportunistic moments.
Like my fucking mac laptop computer, just sitting there right in the open.
Fuck.
Anyway, they hold up their pictures and begin to tell the sad story about the husband being in jail, and the little toddler that accompanied them needed food.
I had to nicely tell them that we have friends coming to visit and they would be interested, but our house is already full of art. You could see it was.
They left politely, yet defeatedly, as Papi and I looked at each other with eyes that said, "Holy shit. Fuck, that was not good."
Not even a few minutes later, a guy carrying his wares came along with food to sell to everyone.
Spectators, workers, they all bought it and the show was instantly transformed into intermission.
Our yard has become the town's, not ours.
When I go out with puppies on leash so they don't escape, all eyes are on me like I'm on my stage again.
I love eyes on me on a stage, but my home? It's a little unnerving to say the least.
We are not bored.
I can hear them starting out there again today.
Let's see what today's adventure has in store for us.
i pay my bills with love, as i know abundance flows freely through me
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