Contractor days.

The tree trimmers were coming today - so I scheduled a full day of yard work. So I could watch them. You have to. Or they start breaking stuff or finding creative licence. In this case, I made some impression with one of the guys.

"You work so hard" - he said. I can't tell if they've never seen a woman do hard labor, or he wanted to make me his wife. At any rate, my only agenda was trying to speak to them in enough Spanish to keep them in line. And my Spanish is the worst! I can understand a lot, but if I have to write it or speak much of it I'm screwed. But, it's enough that they don't know exactly how much I understand. I think Mexicans feel Americans are about the laziest bunch there is. If they can up sell you, or five finger discount something - they will. Plus, pretty much all the workers will pretend they don't know English. Like this crew. After I talked to them for a while - one guy told me he'd gone to school to learn English. And he spoke it very well actually.

I have a perfect example from today. I was doing yard stuff and a work scouter stopped at the house. You want that shrub trimmed? I figure, what the hell - lets see how much he will charge me. I have a full day.

Him - you want me to trim this tree too

Me - No. Just the one.

Him - I can take that shrub out. I take them both out.

Me - No. Just trimmed.

Him - 80 dollars.

Me - I just laughed at the guy and told him it wasn't my first day.

Back to my tree project. The other thing that is funny is, my neighbors all have issues with each other. I'm sure they do with me too.. I just haven't teased it out of them yet. The neighbor to the back is pissed about the all of the other neighbors trees. I'm the only one who isn't extending their yard into another neighbors yard via massive trees. Sure, it makes my place look like a park now - but it's such a pain is the ass.

So - that neighbor came running over to the house today. Which made me laugh. I told him - I thought you'd be jealous when you saw those guys show up. We talked for a while. Which was good. I apologised if he got the impression I didn't like him. When that guy trims his trees, he is fully above the fence line and I've given that guy the deepest stink eye ever a time or two. I told him - I just like to walk around my house half naked and it surprises me to see you up there sometimes. I honestly don't think the old guy is being creepy. Intentionally. Men can be deeply clueless sometimes.

So there... neighbor relations all fixed. Cue the harp music.