Boots on the Ground

My new screen saver for the work computer... Can you believe this Shit? What's up with this painting? Are they hung-over? Air pollution in Mexico City bringing them to their knees? If you, Gentle Reader of This Blog, know the meaning of this iconic master-piece--please let us all know.

Little Egypt is doing a stint with the US Census Bureau. She's out verifying addresses. Her sections involved a few rural areas--some in fact that were quite remote. Some areas were unsafe as they were controlled by Drug Lords from Mexico. Unlike Afghanistan, Little Egypt could not call in artillery support or air assault. She just had to high-tail it back to Dog Mtn.

She made me a Deputy for the weekend and I went out with her to a few of the more remote places in her sections--so she could finish them up and then get into the more civilized sections.

Herein lies a bit of our adventure!

GPS mapping of dwellings for the 2010 Census. We verify that people occupy and live out here.

Many people do not want to be verified.


We go out to a nursery to verify the owner living on the property of his business. This young man was elusive as to where his boss lived. "Way out there--" "Pretty far in the back--" "You can't get there by car--" I was like cut the shit, Dude. How far is "way out there--" Then he said that his boss "Can't leave the State--"

Finally he agreed to drive Agent Egypt out to the spot where his boss lived so she could get a GPS location.

Little Egypt thought about buying some trees and having these fellows plant them for us. I said I didn't think I want a guy who "Can't leave the State--" in my freakin' back yard!


At the little Mexican place that Little Egypt knew, we stop for a breakfast burrito. The salsa squeeze bottle was jammed with whatever--and then it blasted out. All the mex's got a laugh at the expense of the gringo...

Okay, so what's the address?

We are way way out in the desert. I drive, while Little Egypt follows and maps the GPS.

Typical outcome of GPS and Google satellite mapping recon Agent Egypt has done in an attempt to verify an address: a locked gate. She maps the GPS location and we actually meet the rancher who owns the property--driving his truck up to the gate. He has a house in town, so he will receive the 2010 Census information at that address. Even he was a bit elusive at first--not really wanting to say much about his business--but when he realized that we were legitimate, he was quite warm and friendly.


Some of his cheerful cattle.

There is beauty in the desert, as always.


This is remote and rugged land. I love it! Fresh air, birds, bees, lizards--everything is alive and has a purpose.

Little Egypt said some areas reminded her of Afghanistan. She seemed to keep an eye out for Taliban--kind of second nature for her--even after being home for a year now.

Cheers! Bruce