A Good Excuse

Not to do any housework.

We have had record breaking high temps this week, getting up to 109 here in town. So, the power companies have us on a 'flex alert' meaning to 'flex' your power by not using major appliances before 7 pm, keeping your thermostat at 78, turning out your lights, etc., etc.
While I don't think it's the average household using up all the energy since most people are at work using up all the energy in those big buildings, I'll do my part and not use my vacuum cleaner before OR after 7pm. How's that?

Also, this week is bike, carpool, or take the bus to work week. Why the city would pick what is traditionally a very hot week to advise people to ride their bike or sit at an unshaded bus stop is beyond me. You aren't even supposed to be outside if you can help it this week because of the extremely unhealthful air, much less ride that bike to work in the 100 degree plus temps. Why not have this public awareness week during the spring or fall when the temps are pleasant and the air might be just a little cleaner? Makes sense to me. Carpooling is a good idea, if you can find someone that lives close by that works in the same place as you. This is a very very large spread out city and driving around picking up all your co-workers would probably use just as much gas as everyone driving themselves to work.

There has already been one heat related death and two men went to the hospital yesterday for heatstroke, one so bad he had to be airlifted. I really feel for the farmworkers during the summer. It's harvest time for all the summer fruits but to have to be out there picking fruit to try and put a meal on your families table in this heat, not to mention that farmworkers housing is usually one step up from a cardboard box with maybe a swamp cooler if they're really lucky. They don't have the choice of staying inside and not breathing the toxic air.

And then, there is the water shortage that is affecting the summer crop. We saw on the news last night that farmers have already used up their allotment of water and will have to plow under unripened crops because they can't water them anymore.

But, if you are looking for a job, here's good news.

We were watching our local news and an ad came on for the town of Hobbs, New Mexico saying to come to New Mexico, we have 2600 jobs available! Keith and I looked at each other totally perplexed. Huh? I've never seen a town advertising for people to come fill jobs before, and why would they pick the city of Bakersfield to advertise in?
Well, after a little googling, we found that Hobbs, New Mexico is in the southeastern part of the state right on the border to Texas and is currently part of the new oil boom going on there. So, if you like desert-hot in summer, cold in winter, and no rain-go to sunny New Mexico! And Bakersfield is an oil town, so where better to advertise for roughnecks to go work in the oilfields of Texas and New Mexico?