Guess what agency was called over here again, today?

That's right, the Phoenix Police.

Much earlier, I was out attempting to enjoy my ponds and listen to the sounds of the waterfalls. No such enjoyment was to be had. Yes, the neighbor's dogs, barking incessantly. I sat out there for quite a while listening to this junk and got - fed up with it, again.

So, I went to my stereo. I found the most obnoxious, loud, in-your-face music I could find and turned it on, went inside the house and started doing other things. A while later, I went out there and tried again - turned the music off. Was out there a few minutes and here comes the fluffy chow. Barking and barking.

I turned the music on again and this time, I went in the house and decided to let this thing play out. I figured they would call the police - and about 2 hours later, yes, the Phoenix Police not only showed up, but someone must have left the lock off the gate, cause' they walked right through the gate and knocked on my kitchen, sliding-glass door. I didn't see who was there to know it was them the way they were knocking.

Un-phased by their presence on my property, I went out to find out what kind of attitude I would get from them today. They gave me the obligatory "your neighbors have called about the noise coming from your property". This time, however, I took them over to my side of the property. I showed them my Koi ponds, told them that I like to sit over there and listen to the waterfalls - and yes, while I was discussing that, my stereo was blasting out the music. I had no shame or guilt: if I can't have peace, neither are they, period.

These cops came to the understanding quickly after SEEING what's going on that I am not making up stories. I turned the music off and they told me it would go on record: whoever calls about noise, whether them about me or me about them: they are going to start issuing tickets. I had no problem with that and informed them that I would be calling them daily because - those people couldn't care less about their dogs or how much noise they make.

The kicker: I heard them over there putting those people in their place. No, they were saying, he doesn't have the right to blast the music, but at the same time, you do not have the right to allow your dogs to disturb his peace, either. On and on, I heard enough and went back inside my house. I have no qualms calling the police tomorrow when I get home from work and asking them to deal with those people via the dog barking ordinance. I will, however, get the dogs on video first - some proof never hurts.

More? Yes, but it's not them, it's the other neighbors and it wasn't anything more than the usual antics over there.

So, maybe more about that tomorrow, who knows.

For now,

G'nite.

ben

Wednesday 5/4/2011

Wednesday

Between the time I had last talked to my manager on Monday to the time in seeing him on Tuesdsay morning, my manager apparently had calmed down at least a bit. He was angry, really, at this customer that had come in - off of one of my craiglist ads and a person I had spoken with on the phone at length - the customer had no clue what he was doing. The customer was also mad because "ben told me you have tubing". The man lied through his teeth. The discussion about what we had never included tubing and in fact, if the man would have known what he was doing at all, I would have been able to figure out that he needed more tubing and would have told him to head to Home Depot.

I'm not saying all is hunky dory in the manager/employee relation world, the meeting never materialized. But I did speak my peace about the situation regardless. He is uptight about something - I'm guessing it's his personal life that is still raising it's ugly head in the situation with a fresh divorce and his now ex wife saying she may be getting let go at work. My manager is stressing that she will, in turn, ask for even more money in child support.

Changing the subject, the "polls" showing more Americans driving less. Do we really need a poll to tell us that when the cost of gasoline hits $4 per gallon, people that aren't exactly rich are going to cut back on driving to bare bones minimum? Here's another one the polls aren't even asking yet: driving habits will change substantially. Gunning it from being stopped at a intersection will start to resemble more like a turtle with it's legs cut off - people are going to change their driving habits as well. I've already started doing that, I'm certainly not immune to the effects of expensive gasoline. Last time it got this high, I wanted to get a motorcycle, still wish I could!

I'm still waiting for some kind of bombshell to land from the IRS. It's only been 20 days and I'm hearing it's a lot longer than that before they are getting to returns after receiving them - I am preparing myself for the worst is all I can say about that. If it turns out any better than that, then I can and will be elated. I could certainly use 5 grand right now.

But, especially with the IRS, don't be countin' your chickins' before they be hatchin'.

With that, I am offa here, work day is almost here and there appears to be plenty to do in the truck routing system to keep me busy today.

ben