The Stumbling Blocks


 

It is easy in March and April in New Mexico to blame the weather. And since March 2020 it has been really easy to blame the pandemic. For four years we could blame Trump. And since January 6, 2021 we can still blame Trump and his trumpsters. But I was raised to not whine. And blaming someone or something is whining. But I am going to whine. I am going to blame perhaps all of the above, except for weather, on the failure to acquire a washer and dryer for my vacation rental.

I had one ordered from Home Depot. I had one ordered for delivery March 24th. They delivered to Albuquerque. Would take two more weeks to get a refund. Drove to Lowe's in Espanola and bought a set double charging the credit card hoping for the stimulus check and/or Home Depot refund before payment was required. They could not deliver until this last Thursday. But because of Governor's way of opening or shutting down whole counties Lowe's could not install due to the 16 new cases in Raton two hours away from my house.

They were going to leave them in the driveway but I cried. They are inside the kitchen waiting for local appliance repairman to install them today. Oh, I could do it but it would void my warranty Lowe's tells me. Until the duo is inside the laundry alcove and hooked up I cannot install the louvered doors. And ergo not do a final buff and fluff on the unit. Vacuum cleaner remains downstairs in the hall. Louvered doors lean up against the wall close by. Dining table is shoved over against the kitchen cabinets to allow room for installation of appliances and doors.

Perhaps this can all be placed at the door of the pandemic and Trump who insisted it was not a pandemic. Or our Governor who is to be applauded for keeping our numbers down but who is now coming across as irrational and biased. If our county was open as it was three days ago we would still have the problem of no workers. Would you give up unemployment payments to take a job that could be taken away from you on the whim of a group of people two house away who decided to have a party in violation of the guidelines for even an open county. My mountain community sees Raton, our county seat, as a diseased limb in the best of times. For over 30 years I personally know of we have wanted to be separate and independent of Raton. Getting a summons for jury duty makes us all whine. It is a 4 hour round trip and no allowances for staying overnight.

Now I know their party hardy ethic can delete the simple matter of having my washer and dryer installed so at the moment I am seeing Raton as the major stumbling block to my goals. My day to whine. Sorry Dad.

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