I got most of the carpet done yesterday - the living room was a pain. The hallway had to be gone over several times as well. I have my bedroom left to go - I have all day to get it done. That will take about half hour/45 minutes and the project is finished.
I will say that the effort was well worth it. I don't know how often others clean their carpets - I figure every 6 months or sooner. I have always been a fan of the Rug Doctor - for what it is, it works very well. It may not be as good as one of those giant machines professionals use that are mounted in vans with giant, long hoses, but for the price, I'll take it.
Some of my complaints to the city have produced results. The guy with the trailer that has been in his front yard forever? Trailer is gone.
The people across the street with all the weeds? Gone.
The people next door with weeds almost as tall as I am? NOT gone. Yet, anyway. I intend on writing the city back and asking what is being done about their s***hole over there, as there are numerous code violations. I am QUITE tired of pulling weeds that are coming from next door. It's a continuous, never-ending battle. There has been nothing going on about the residential landfill behind me, either.
Regardless, I took it upon myself to start turning in everyone around here. I've had enough of people who are not motivated in life and make it glaringly obvious by having yards FULL of weeds. Some of these places have entire yards filled with nothing but weeds that are at least 4 feet high - some are as tall as I am. This is the kind of crap living that keeps property values down and makes it unattractive for buyers with actual money to come in and buy up properties, tear down the junk mobiles and put something nice on them. There are at least 15 houses that are in that condition around here - weeds all over the place. One house has piles and piles of JUNK against the side of the house - in full view from the street.
Anyway, I'm at least a little happy that I have most of what I intended on getting done around here - and most of it accomplished yesterday. I was thinking of getting out the paint stuff today and repainting the hallway - but I may wait until next weekend. There are still several projects outside that I must get working on and get done before summer. Actually, need to get them done long before summer. It's going to start heating up again this week - in the low 90's - meaning AC on and heat coming through the windows. If I could get styrofoam sheets home on the roof of my car, I would, but - that stuff just breaks apart if it gets to flailing around in the wind too much.
As for today, there is allegedly the new tenant moving in. I haven't heard from her in a few days, but she did say she wanted to move in today. I wrote her an email yesterday that I haven't received a reply to. If it's a no-go. I'll just repost the ad and continue the search for another tenant.
Enough for one entry.
Have a great Sunday!
ben
5 comments:
quote: "Regardless, I took it upon myself to start turning in everyone around here."
Dear Ben, do you really enjoy making everyone your enemy? Be careful!
Oh, and be sure to write a thank you note to the city.... they, too, are real people and appreciate getting some positive feedback and not just negative complaints.
Someone has to hold homeowners responsible. In my neighbourhood, no one gets away with anything because the bad neighbours report them (they had Bill's truck towed due to expired plates) That was ignorant! But otherwise, we keep our yards. No dandelions and no junk.
Dorrie: The City has a special department set up specifically for such complaints. I don't like making enemies, but people living like slobs probably aren't going to be my friends, anyway. Having giant weeds all over a property degrades the atractiveness and appearance of any neighborhood. When you have dozens of houses that are in that condition, it makes it outright pissy looking to any decent folk that might otherwise be considering buying a home here.
The negative complaints is the only thing that department of the City handles. This city recognizes the need for such a division and they take it very seriously. There are relevant codes that city has enacted that this particular division uses to enforce the complaint. I have plenty of friends in my neighborhood - I am just quite weary of all the "trailer trash" around here.
Kate: Exactly. We don't have a homeowner's association here, the only thing you can do is report the violation to the relevant city department. The contrast in this neighborhood is the number of absolutely beautiful, pristine looking homes and landscaping - sitting next to some slob whose front yard is dirt and weeds. Even if you're broke and can't afford nice landscaping, you can at least keep your weeds cut down. There are actual grants that are available here - I've heard about anyway - for people wanting to do something with their front yards that can't afford it. They have to meet "eligibility requirements", of course, but definitely would suspect those people do.
ben
These neighbors that you have taken it upon yourself to turn in -- are they the same ones who did not turn you in for having a half dozen non-relatives living in your house and yard in a travel trailer for over a year, much of it with no sanitation, and yet they did not complain?
If you're going to be confrontational with your comments on my journal, at least identify yourself - though I have a very good idea who this is, anyway.
The relevant law to those people that were living here would simply be a landlord/tenant relationship. The City of Phoenix and the State of Arizona allow for such. Travel trailers are also allowed in people's yards - they are all over this place.
All of that was in the BACK of the property, not in front in full view.
However, one 'neighbor' notified the same department I am complaining to THE DAY AFTER MY HOUSE BURNED DOWN. That's right, they gave me an entire DAY to start dealing with a burned down house. I have done no such thing here - these people living like this have BEEN living like this for the 5 years I have lived in this neighborhood.
You know, I really do NOT feel like I need to defend myself here - if you lived here you would definitely not like the looks of some of these properties, either. I HAVE let this stuff go - forever. I'm willing to step it up a notch and start trying to do something about getting this shit dealt with.
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