My Grandfather is now in Hospice

[ThomasPowers]

Not my problem!  They have had over a decade to get their act together.

[George N. M.]

TW, the house you are describing is called a casita in NM and if it is in the Santa Fe area it would cost you about $500k.  $800k within the city limits.

"By hammer and hand all arts do stand."

[TWISTEDWILLOW]

George

Boy howdy! if some sun baked mud bricks are worth that much imma start up an export business from peavine Oklahoma!!!

i just figured a body went out In the desert an made some adobe bricks and built a hut to keep the sun off em, 

I didn’t realize there was money in it! 

[George N. M.]

TW, I may have exaggerated a bit but not much.  Get on Zillow for Santa Fe and cruise around and look at what is being asked and what you get for your money.  It's pretty shocking.  Madelynn and I looked at the area when we decided that we didn't want to live out our days in Ft. Morgan, CO (she has a daugter and grand daugter in Albuquerque) but even a few years ago it was too rich for our blood.  Also, you need to be more of a desert rat than I am to be happy there.  We could have made it work but we are much better off and happier in Laramie.

Certain elements of Santa Fe society can be pretty pretentious too.  More money than taste or sense.  And there can be a certain tension between the Anglo and Hispanic communities.

All in all, I am glad we passed on NM for a place to spend our years.

"By hammer and hand all arts do stand."

[TWISTEDWILLOW]

George 

I was just pickin… I couldn’t afford the fuel cost right now to export adobe bricks to New Mexico! 

besides I’m not sure if my Oklahoma red dirt clay would even work to make adobe bricks?

it’s been awhile but last time I drove down I40, but I recall seein for sale signs across the desert advertising cheap land, but I figure you prolly live so far out that you’d have to haul water in, probably have to use propane an solar for your house too,

15 hours ago, ThomasPowers said:

Not my problem!  They have had over a decade to get their act together.

Wow! Forget the hut!!!

they coulda made enough adobe bricks in that time span to build an adobe castle! 

[Anachronist58]

Thomas, you and yours continue in our prayers.  Children in their 30's will be blessed by their coming changes - they will enjoy the impending character building experience. 

Prayers for Grand dad...

Robert and Sheila Taylor

[ThomasPowers]

They have certainly burned their bridges with the rest of the extended family.

There are  number of old adobe houses still in Socorro, one of my forging buddy has one. One of my co-workers at NRAO had a great? Aunt and Uncle who had puddled Adobe from the soil on their lot and built their house.  If you think Santa Fe is bad; look at Taos!  (Both for the prices and the pretension...)

[Scott NC]

  Look up prices in NC.  Particularly near "The Triangle".  Moldy shacks and mobile homes in the $100-150's.  With 1.5 acre lots.  This reminds me of the housing bubble that just about destroyed the whole economy not long ago.  The Federal Reserve "fixed" that one.  All debt = "poof".  Everybody is happy and oblivious tooling on down to Rawhide Steakhouse in their new $70k dually to stuff their face, though.  What could possibly go wrong?  

[Frosty]

I have cousins like that Thomas, two haven't spoken to me since I told them I wasn't going to give them money. I made so much, everybody in Alaska is rich after all and they are family.  Most are pretty regular folks but a few are real deadbeats.

You and yours will be in my prayers till you say stop. No guarantee I will but . . .

Glad you made it home safely, good to hear the water tank is filling up. I LOVE it when a plan comes together. The recent rains should've exposed interesting somethings too. I love the way the desert greens up after it rains. One of the few things I miss about being a desert rat.

Frosty The Lucky.

[Scott NC]

  I think my realestate/economy rant could have got posted somwhere else.  I got carried away.  I wish only the best for you.   Sorry Thomas.

[George N. M.]

I've had some experience with these type of folk, often as a prosecutor.  Basically, they feel entitled and persecuted.  None of their problems are their own fault.  Very often shoplifters feel that because they are too poor to afford something and, often, their life is not in particularly good shape, and they want the item they are therefore entitled to take it.  And the store is "rich."  So, they feel no compunction to steal something.  Their desire outweighs any sense of wrong.  They may be sorry that they are caught but they feel little or no remorse for the criminal act.  

This is where the law acts as a deterrent.  Most folk will not commit criminal acts because of their internal moral compass but a small percentage need the risk of punishment to keep them in line.  Similarly, most folk will drive in a "reasonable and prudent" manner but there is a small percentage that will put the pedal to the metal and that is why we have to have speed limits with the deterrent of a ticket, fine, points, increased insurance premiums, etc..

And a lot of the time it is easier to ask for money or other help than it is to work harder or take a 2d job to increase your financial situation.  I am sure that Thomas' niece and nephew (I think that those are the genders and relationship) know they have a sweet deal and think that their unfortunate situation outweighs any compunctions about sponging off their grandmother.  And I'm sure that their grandmother loves them and wants to help them but her help has become an impediment to their becoming productive and contributing adults.  It's like using a crutch prevents an injured leg from fully recovering.  That's why physical therapy often hurts a lot.

I think all of us use this moral relativism so some degree.  If we walk out of a local mom and pop store and realize that they have given us $10 too much in change we are more likely to go back and return it.  If it is a place owned by a giant, soulless corporation probably not so much.  Or if we find a wallet with several hundred dollars in it we are more likely to return it if we are OK financially than if we are worried about being able to afford food, gas, or rent.

GNM

[JHCC]

That reminds me obliquely of one time I was taking the subway home from work in NYC and picked up a Macy's bag someone had left behind that had their receipt with their full credit card number printed on it (yes, that used be be a thing, youngsters). I found the guy in the phone book and arranged a time and place to hand the bag off. While we were on the phone, he asked me (in a rather condescending voice), "Are you the guy who was falling asleep across from me?" To which I replied, "I may have fallen asleep, but at least I got off the train with all my [stuff]."

[TWISTEDWILLOW]

Sometimes I get over paid by my customers when I’m busy with a bunch of other customers I don’t have time to count the cash, they’ve handed me after they load up,

when things slow down an i count and I realize I’ve been over paid I just call them back up an tell them an it’s here when they got time to come grab it,

some people will rush right back to grab a $5 bill an others won’t even bother driving back for a $20 an just say keep it,

I’ve only ever had one hot check wrote but as soon as I contacted the guy he rushed down and paid the amount he owed plus the fee I was charged by the bank when it bounced,

he apologized and explained they had an issue with someone who had got hold of their account number and he had to shut it down and reopen another account, so all the checks he wrote were canceled for a time span an he had to go around an make good,

I get had every now an then when I Trust a customer an I let them take a part home to verify the fit an they never come back an pay…

but that’s my fault for trusting on a handshake…

so I just mark it off to experience, an put them on my list of people not to allow back or trust, or do business with

im the only repair shop in the county so you’ll have to drive outta state or outta area in the future and it will cost you way more in the long run…

[George N. M.]

In all my years of merchanting at SCA events, craft fairs, and other events I have only been stiffed once and that was from someone I semi-knew in the SCA.  Folk are surprised when I say I will accept a check (less common today since checks are fast becoming obsolete).  I ask them if there is money in the account and if they say yes that is good enough for me.  I'd rather be trusting and occasionally lose a few bucks  than be overly secure/suspicious.  It is not worth it psychologically for me.

I've also never had a grab and run incident from my table.  If anyone has ever lifted something from me while I wasn't looking I never noticed the loss.  That said, I keep my cash box chained to my table and out of reach of the public.  I'm not THAT trusting.

"By hammer and hand all arts do stand."

[JHCC]

1 hour ago, TWISTEDWILLOW said:

that’s my fault for trusting on a handshake

To misquote Samuel Goldwyn, a verbal contract isn't worth the paper it's printed on.

[Daswulf]

Ive only taken one check, and I was reluctant to do that. I asked for their full name and driver id #. It was all good but it is hard to be trusting. 

There are certainly signs that you should walk away when something is fishy. Whether true or not, it is better to make a deal another day than get ripped off or worse. My BS meter is on high alert any more.  

[TWISTEDWILLOW]

I take checks all the time here at the shop, It’s mostly from people in their 50s on up, but no one younger then that ever writes checks,

An all the schools, fire, street, county, utilities ect.. they all take an invoice an mail a check,

im not setup to run cards so people usually just stop by the bank on their way out here an grab cash,

ive only had one person throw a hissy fit over me not excepting cards an that was several years ago,

Of course now days people got PayPal, vemo, Apple Pay, crypto coins an lord knows what else,

I guess I’m a little out dated here lol

[Scott NC]

  Oh for the good old days of bartering.  "Here is a nice fat goose for you Billy".  

[Irondragon Forge ClayWorks]

Peace be with your Grandfather, I'll lift a dram in his honor.

[ThomasPowers]

As mentioned elsewhere on IFI, my Grandfather has passed, Aug 2 2022, and is probably out fishing in the Milky Way.

[Laynne]

With Chesty Puller no doubt.