Sunshine and Olly

by Jonathan Blaustein

I’m frustrated.

(Which is an emotion that often pushes me to write.)

Jessie and I are getting tortured by Lowes in Española, and it’s gotten to the point it might postpone our move. 








The Christmas timeframe was always tight, as we’re trying to wrap up a 20 year Taos life in a 4-6 week time horizon.

Finish the projects, take the photos, list the house on Zillow, find the proper renter, get it all legally sorted, find a house in San Diego, sign a lease, get everything moved, and then the kids enrolled and started in a new school.

All over 6 weeks, total?

Like jumping out of an airplane and hitting the landing target on the money.

The difficulty of the plan has pushed Jessie to envision, and then complete, one gorgeous house design project after another. 

We’ve had workmen in our home, regularly, since April, fixing three bathrooms, a bedroom, the kitchen, and part of the living room. 

All the while, trying to thread the needle on our departure, as Theo is a junior in high school, and his guidance counselor told him if he doesn’t switch schools at mid-year, it could negatively impact his college options. 

Quite the pickle. 

And then we got fucked by Española Lowes.








If like me, you assumed that a major national chain, the second largest home improvement company in America, would have to do business ethically, you’d be wrong. 

Part of why we’re moving is that things can be difficult to accomplish here in New Mexico. 

(I’m being diplomatic.)

But those assholes down there in Española have taken it to new heights. 

I’ll spare you the litany of offenses, but the reality is that we bought new appliances for the house on September 8th, and still have an LG dryer on our front porch, more than two months later.

The companion washing machine hasn’t been delivered yet, (after mis-delivering it twice,) and now the new dishwasher just broke, after a month. 

Throw in the times they’ve disconnected us on the phone, refused to answer the phone, or when they sent delivery workers here who spoke absolutely no English at all. (I speak some Spanish.) 

Plus the literal hours we had to sit and stand around the store, (which is an hour and 15 minutes away,) just trying to get anyone at all to help us resolve the many, many issues. 

Honestly, I’m about ready to stand in front of their store, stark naked, with a strobe light attached to my head, drink tea all day and then piss in their parking lot.

Over and over again, I’d dance and chant, until the rest of my sanity is gone.

So yeah, will we make it out of here by January 1?

Looking less likely by the day.







Jessie’s still fighting hard for it, but the rest of us are starting to make our peace with riding out the school year, and getting out of here June 1.

I might have to get a day job in the interim, but at least we’ll have some mental security. 

(They don’t call it the Land of Entrapment for nothing.) 

We’ll end up in California, I have faith in that. 

Our home and property are insanely nice, and Californians and Coloradans are moving here daily, as if they were giving away gold in the mountains.

(They’re not.)

So that’s where we stand. 

I might be living in San Diego six weeks from now.

But it will require Lowes of Española to get some fucking dignity and do the right thing. 

And the New Mexico gods to offer me a bit more luck than they have so far. 

We shall see...