December 30, 2014

I couldn't stay up (so worn out, I feel asleep immediately), I couldn't sleep (felt so horrible about closing LB that I woke up with horrid dreams and couldn't get back to sleep), I couldn't wake up...  Once I did wake up, I had to be game-ready, as Maggie was out cold and Ingrid was up.   I knew there would be requests to "We pay, Daw-eona?"  ("We play, Tanti ilona?")  Firm boundaries are the key here - teach those young 'uns about coffee and its importance.

It was the day of closing for Midland, officially.  It should have happened on the 22nd, but the title company sent notice at one o'clock on the day of closing that there was an issue about a strip of land which was not accounted for on various deeds.  So my sister needed to locate the necessary documents and a person in our family needed to sign them...overnight them to get them to Dallas by today.  I had to get my end signed, notarized  and to the title company, but first...here's Lupe - that beautiful woman who raised us, who stayed with us when we were sick, who made us tortillas, who counted  in Spanish for me at night.  I asked about her family;  the man with the tattoos of a topless woman....the girl with the beautiful long dark hair, the boys who were born and we got to play with when they were little. We used to go to their house when we were younger, as it was near La Bodega.  I wonder if this bothered them?    From a child's point of view, they were friends to us, but as an adult, I know how those lines are often blurred.  Off to the bank, where Pat, the manager, and I spoke for a good half hour after the notarizations were completed, then to the title company, where I spoke to the ladies about the weather and driving for ten minutes.  This is what I love about West Texas - strangers are a friend.  As I was walking yesterday, an older man who lived in a house, waved to me from the steering wheel as Texans do while he turned into his driveway.  This is what Texas is all about, and I have forgotten that part.  So, unfortunately have many Texans.  Old Texas is dying.  

I drove around, did a phone interview with the Odessa newspaper(while parked in a lot!  Safe driving!!) , tried several body shops for estimates, but nothing was available.  I decided to head to Odessa.  When I got there, Amibilia wasn’t there, but she arrived fairly soon and we got to cleaning a bit and sorting office items.  A message about a potential buyer came in, yet when he arrived to check it out, I heard the banjo from Deliverance playing softly in the back ground.  There was little congruity between his “proposition”, his affect and appearance and our desire to keep La Bodega as a wholesome family dining establishment.  Yikes.  <Da-dun-da-dun-da-dun-da-dun-da…>(“Dueling Banjos” from Deliverance).  It was time to get back to Midland as there were more papers which needed signing and my stomach needed La Bodega.  When I got to my car, I noticed the temperature had dropped 14 degrees in an hour and was now 28.  Not good.  I headed to one body shop, their “guy” was out til 4.  I headed to the next body shop - the estimate was $1,600.  Almost $700 for the light, itself.  Huh??? Oh, damn.  Headed to the “shortcut” – Hwy 191, but noticed police lights and the bridge was closed on 42^nd  Street, so I turned around as my car started to slide.  These roads ice up quickly.  The ice is so different from the ice I drove on  in 2 degree temperatures in California.  I headed to Hwy 80, and tried going over the JBS bridge – another accident and my car was struggling to make it up the icy incline on the bridge, so I flipped a U and exited the bridge as the ambulance arrived.  Headed sloooowllllyyy down the 80: no bridges, no speed, and both hands on the wheel.  It took me, total time with turn arounds, etc, almost 2 hours for a 30 minute drive.  

Into La Bodega on ice.  I hadn’t eaten in many hours and today, ruedas were on the mind.  It is hard now...many of the newer servers don’t know me.  Laura was in the back and someone must have told here (I was standing on the staircase landing, looking into the dining room), because she came out from cutting jalapenos and led me to a table, even though I was just planning on picking up dinner for everyone.  We talked, too…  This morning, when I asked Ethan if he wanted to join me, he said, “no…you’re just going to talk to your people” and he’s right.  I talked, and they are my people.  <smile>  She had my food out and fresh coffee made instantly.  She also tried to get information about a body shop from Margarita, the new owner.  I headed home..the road conditions were getting worse literally by the minute.  On Big Spring Street, another ambulance headed north (there was major accident at the loop about that time) and all on-ramps to loop 250 were closed by 5:30.  These roads have become ice skating rinks.




The evening at home was semi-calm.  The overnight docs to Dallas ended up in Kentucky, instead (of course they did), so it may not close tomorrow because of bad weather conditions (it's in the 20s now, teen temps tonight, high of 30 forecast for tomorrow).  The underground tank needs a Phase 2 (of course it does), but there is a possible solution to that.  As for Odessa, attorney for our legitimate party is in SF until Monday (of course he is).  And so, Murphy and his law are hard at work.  My poor sister.  She needs a stiff drink (she’s pregnant and due in days – of course).  I read books to my precious niece, who sat in my lap and let me hold her. I was reminded of sitting in Tanti’s lap when I was a very little girl.  The wheels in the sky keeps on turning....


Pictures:  La Bodega's upstairs bar as the cleaning begins,  It isn't supposed to be like this on a Tuesday afternoon;  The rigs on the way to Odessa today; My resignation letter as Vice-President of La Bodega, Inc.  Oh, that hurt....; A very special ring that I received from Whitey at Hipnic last year - it belonged to Cheri, Tim Bluhm's aunt, but she said I could keep it.  Today, it was passed on to a very special little girl who loves to wear purple dresses.