I Thought I Had Done Something Good

living.boondockingmexico@yahoo.com

I guess I did but some people just don't appreciate it.  There is a meeting at the mayor's office on Wednesday regarding the placement of the sewage line and water connections for everyone on our road.  It is the first step to getting the road paved.  Twelve years I worked on this with four different administrations.   Three of the four complied in some way by bringing a bulldozer and in a couple of instances material to put down to even things out.  This time though I was out for the kill and had letters signed and petitions and I went all the way to the top.  As you know, they delivered a letter saying that work would begin sometime in 2014.  Well here it is and the pisser is that some people don't want the road paved.  What?

Yes, for a myriad of reasons and I can tell you that all the reasons stink.  Here is a short list:

• Interruption of work, trucks not being able to get in and out
• Some people don't want to pay water connections, meter and service
• Those with septic tanks are happy the way things are
• Taxes may increase

Yep, some people with businesses will have some interruption, it is only logical.  However, I am sure that the city, on Wednesday, will outline the work schedule and find ways to accommodate them.   It is only three families and I understand their concern.   Next, we all have wells and what people don't understand is that the money they will spend on city water will be offset by the money they save on electricity, pump maintenance, and septic tank drainage.  Those that are happy with the septic and current water wells are suspect because I doubt they have a septic tank.  They may be running it off somewhere like the river at the end of our road.   Property taxes will surely go up but the people complaining aren't the owners, its the workers and that's the part I don't get.   I mean really, we pay a huge amount of $120 (u.s.) a year on a property that in San Antonio, Tx would be over $7000 on the low end.  My neighbors have money, we don't.  Tightwads.  

I put years of effort, time and money into this project.  Talk about feeling unappreciated.

Moving on to a lighter and better subject, I took out our 14 year old water heater this week and replaced it with a tankless.   It was a disaster, at first.   I got it installed and the temperature never got above 24C.   I fiddled with it and nothing.  We have two 45 kilo LP tanks with regulators.  I switched regulators and all worked fine.   I need to cover the inlets when they are not in use.  Tiny mud dobbers get in there and clog things up.   Now it puts out 42C  of hot water on demand.  It takes about a minute and a half to reach the showers on the other end of the house but that's the same as it was with the water tank.   

We don't use hot water much.   We have always kept the water heater off during summer unless we had company.   In the winter we leave it on pilot and turn it on in the morning for about 30 minutes and that gives us enough to take a hot shower.  

Today I used the power washer on the tile grout on the patio, looks like new.   I guess I was on an roll because then I went out and did the front wall, sidewalk and gates that had been splashed with mud and yuck during the rains a couple of weeks ago.   This week I also patched some cracks in the walls and painted.   Geez, not bad for a guy who is almost 60 and still working part-time.

I think I deserve a cocktail.  Vodka on the rocks anyone?