Sort of a Dull Day

The weather here is cool. It got up to 88 degrees but was in the 60s this morning. Sunny all day.  Pretty, but dull.

I mapped out my plan of attack for visiting apartment complexes only to find out that most were closed on Sunday. I went to one that was scheduled to be open from noon until 5 PM. I got there a little after noon only to find out that the person on duty was leaving for lunch and wouldn't be back until 1:30. That doesn't bode well. I couldn't seem to find time to go back.  That is something that I will need to get used to...New Mexico Time. Nothing here happens in a hurry. It doesn't even often happen on time. There are exceptions...just enough to keep your hopes up, but the sooner I get used to the casual-ness of everything the better. One important exception seems to be driving speed. The speed limit on the interstate is 75 mph but most people drive a lot faster. Traffic isn't all that heavy by big city standards but they seem to be coming at you faster.

I had lunch at the Flying Star in Corrales. This is one of my favorite spots and one of the apartment complexes I'm interested in is within walking distance. I had a turkey-jack sandwich with turkey, jack cheese, green chiles and tomatoes grilled on sourdough bread. Pretty good...I liked the chiles. This is sort of like a Paneras but they serve beer. It is a local chain with several cafes in Albuquerque and one in Bernalillo (Yay!) and one up in Santa Fe. The Flying Star is pet friendly and there was a big yellow lab enjoying the patio while his dad worked on his laptop. He brought is bowl of water with him.

I visited an apartment complex that I'm seriously interested in. I got to see two display units. I'll need to get rid of a lot of stuff. The apartments are adequate but not all that roomy. They also aren't cheap and they have some add-on charges for pets, washer/dryer, etc. I'll need to look at making a budget.

Chopin "Road"

I went up to check on my building lot. That road is nearly impassable but you can still get there. Part of it is graded but nothing is paved and now it's full of ruts. It is also starting to look a little trashy because people seem to use the area for various recreational activities like skeet shooting, off-roading and the occasional beer party. There's not much that can be done about that until there are homes built in the area. At least it hasn't burned, which is what I'm a little worried about. There seems to be no building or development going on -- a little disheartening because I really like the place. I noticed that there has been some changes. The animal burrow that I was wondering about is gone. There are more animal trails -- it seems like a pretty happenin' place when I'm not there.

Sandia Peak in the distance

As you may have guessed, I'm in sort of a quandry about whether to build or buy. Houses are available at good prices but they aren't what i want. On my way out I saw that there was an open house being held down the hill in the built up area (about 1/2 mile away). The house was about the same size as mine but was laid out differently and had some features I wouldn't wantand some wasted space. I talked to the agent and she lives in the area and confirmed some of my feelings about that neighborhood...all positive.

On my way back to the motel I stopped at the La Cumbre brew pub for a beer. It was pretty busy. I had a Kolsch served in a traditional seven ounce class. It was a good beer and only cost me $1.50. That was just enough. I first visited this brewery right after they opened a couple years back. They are doing very well. They still keep a chalk board showing the available brews, brew dates, alcohol content, specific gravity...and awards won. They won three awards at the Great American Beer Festival. Curiously, they sell growlers (about a half gallon or so of beer in a special jug) but have a three beer maximum for patrons. Once you have your three beers, you are done.

I ended my first full day back at the motel. I was considering going to an Isotopes ball game but gave it up. I cooked pasta with zucchini and meat sauce for supper.  Pretty good considering the limited cooking utensils they have supplied with my mini kitchen.