Neighbors
NeighborsSo I'm outside staining my fence. I tried using the pressure sprayer, but I think I ruined it since the stain protectorant is too thick. I had to use the old cup and brush method.
The whole time I'm out there doing 2 panels worth, from 5:30 till after dark, the house across the alley is nothing but screaming. She's screaming at her, someone screaming at the kids, loudness, agruing and being very vocal for about 2 hours straight. I hear threats "What you going to throw at at me?". I hear commands. I hear declarations. I hear cursing. The whole gamut. If there was a murder and the cops were to ask me, what were they fighting about? I would have no clue. About a guy someone was dating? Getting the kids to eat? There was no singular topic.
It's not really worth noting except I was out there for the whole time. Normally I hear the yelling and screaming. But I don't stick around long and I'm back in my own environs with the window shut and the sound of the neighbor's spirited discussion muted.
Labels: drama, neighbors
Hey the Cops Sometimes Come
Yesterday I notice a man hanging out in front of the overpriced house for sale. He's there for a good 30 minutes. At first I thought he was a workman, doing some finishing touches on the outside. But no. He was a strange one. So after about 1/2 an hour I call
311 and I don't know how long I had to wait to get a person on the other end but by the time I get an operator, he starts moseying up the street.
About 5-10 later the cops drive by, and slow down at the address given. I'm standing in the doorway chatting w/ Brett and wave to the officers, who warily wave back. They turn around and come back to the spot get out and say, "Well I don't think either of you called it in.." Oh, I fess up that I did it and describe the 'weird' behavior.
Well they did show up within a resonable amount of time, they get points for that.
Welcome to home ownership
My neighbor is annoyed. He was venting yesterday and he's still venting. He's angry at General Contractors and deliverymen. Understandable because he still believes they actually say what they mean when they say they will be at so-in-so at such&such time. They all lie, they are men. It's like "I'll call you." They never call.
Of course I warned him. I recommended one contractor, but told him to stick with the outside stuff, nothing inside. Did he heed my word NOOOOOOO! Not only is he having said contractor do outside work, he's having him do inside work as well. Now he's angry that said contractor did not show up when he said he would because he (neighbor) took off work to be there.
This was a good weekend for the block.
Brian was cleaning the sidewalk and streets.
My new neighbors were tearing apart/rehabbing the house, meeting other neighbors, and playing with the neigborhood kids.
The sun was shining.
Kelly showed me a bullet they had pulled out of the floor as they have been rehabbing the house and liked the info I had on the 1930 version of the neighborhood.
All the neighbors (okay not all we still have the anti-social types) were out talking to each other, exchanging information, it was beautiful.
Gettin' in touch with my inner Republican
I wonder if some neighborhoods are better because residents take on some problems themselves with out waiting for the city government to take a lead?
This weekend I tackled the problem of illegal dumping in backyards. Well one backyard in particular. The owners, who do not live there, had cleaned out the yard that was filled with wet cardboard boxes, bags of garbage and discarded furniture. Well that lasted a good month before someone dumped a couch and a bedspring in the yard. The problem I saw, was that the yard was open and exposed to anyone coming through the alley and ripe for dumpers as well as prositutes and crack-heads.
What business of is it of mine? Well when I look out my window I see it, and it is ugly. It attracts rats and I don't want rats getting too comfy close to my house. Same goes for crackheads.
One way is to complain to DCRA. But that may take weeks or months and nothing may happen.
I decided to close up the hole. I took about $17 worth of materials and used what was in the alley to fill the 6 ft wide hole in the fence. So far so good. It is still up. I don't see trash. I can't see into the yard.
My inner Republican claims credit. It says that you shouldn't believe that government can solve your problems. That if you want something done you'll have to make it a DIY project. Trash, clean it up yourself & hire a guy to take it away. Noise, ask the violator nicely if that doesn't work, sue them. When I noticed crackheads wandering into neighbors fenced yards I informed them. When that didn't seem to stop the problem I offered to put locks on the gates. Yes, there are somethings you can't do yourself but let's just work on the stuff you can.
