Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Wednesday 10/26/2011

I'm not asking anyone to move out, I'm not handing out a 30-day notice to anyone, but, if one of them wanted to leave, well, it certainly would alleviate this problem we are having. It will be just my luck that everyone currently here will stay 3 years and that will be that, lol. I'm referring to giving the trailer tenants a room in the house and being done with this mess of having a "violation" on my property. I'm guessing it will cost no small amount of change to build a guest house on the property, even if I do most of the work myself. Lumber isn't cheap, nothing is really cheap anymore.

And when I'm talking about a guest house, I'm talking a small bathroom and a small kitchen, basically a kitchenette. Here nor there, I'm going to wait to see about refinancing the house through this new thing they are putting out. I am current on my mortgage, which is one of the pre-qualifiers, I think you have to have a job and this and that, but the biggest one sounded like you had to be current. Even if I am not "current", I don't let it go over 30 days to keep my credit score going up. There is no point in even thinking about building a guest house much less starting to do all the foot work and saving necessary to get such a thing done, considering you have to go through the city, get the permits, submit plans, etc etc etc.

But, the idea will be there, sitting on a shelf in my mind, probably getting some attention here and there.

I came home from work yesterday, came out to the front yard after doing other stuff and there was a cat, hiding behind a small tree, trampling yet even more ground covering plants. On the ledge where I keep fish supplies, a cat or cats had knocked everything over on to the ground.
I am debating as to whether to start catching even more of them. The 350 man's claim that it isn't legal to catch animals on your own property is a sign of stupidity at best. This is a new cat, too, I haven't seen this one around before - but that isn't surprising considering these people encourage stray and feral cats to come live with them by leaving food out everywhere for them.

I would take pics of the property behind me - you could see what kind of squalor and filth they are living in, classic examples of hoarding - but I don't want to do the same thing they did to me, which made me really mad. So I won't. Suffice it to say there is junk EVERYWHERE on BOTH properties. 350 man is going to have to either finish building his fence - he put in all the posts and then just left it like that - or take down the posts. I hope he finishes building the fence, he won't be able to look out his windows over at us anymore if he does. I think he stopped building it once he realized it would limit his ability to snoop on us since there is nothing on the property between us to block the view. I don't really care, but he will be forced to do something with it.

I'm fairly well talking myself into putting out the trap again this weekend. I want to be home during the day in case they try to come onto my property again. It will not go well for anyone jumping over my fence if I catch them, that's all I will say about that.

Meanwhile, I am waiting for the wallpaper to show up. UPS ground, but the company I bought it from didn't give a tracking number and I am not sure where this company is located. Hoovers says they are located in California, if that's true, I should see that stuff by Friday at the latest considering it was sent out on Monday. Perhaps I am being selfish, I dunno, but I want that project done on my new trailer before I have to relocate the trailer tenants and she says it won't take that long to do. She being Lynnette.

Time is up.
G'day.

ben

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Tuesday Final

I still owe $400 on the trailer I just bought.
I was going to pay it next month - and that was part of the deal, pay it sometime around the middle of next month - but, I may just end up getting it paid off to get it behind me. I don't like owing people money and in this case, I could drain the savings account down to almost nothing but have this behind me and not have to worry about it.

The 30-something meth head who took great pleasure in taunting me in the past is not doing anything now. This a combination of calling the police whenever he disturbs my peace together with the injunction against his buddy. He is also not starting junk with Mark, either, of whom he was giving stares and glares to in the past.

I have started to use the term "hoarding" with several of these people and their properties because that is exactly what it is. What normal person loads up junk all over their property to the point that they only have pathways to get through all of it? I have watched the hoarding show on TV many, many times over. These people are EXACTLY like that. I'm not exaggerating in the slightest, excepting I have no idea what the inside of their houses look like. But let's just take a guess: they have a "colony" of cats between them - 2 household - that have some sort of transmitters around their necks that allow a cat door to open on both houses.

These are FERAL cats - WILD, for all intents and purposes, not used to being around humans. These people are letting these felines come and go into their homes at will. When you look at a property that is completely filled with JUNK and you think about the cats going in and out of that house - a dozen of them anyway - well at least 10 of them - what, perhaps, does your mind conjure up when you think about the inside of their house?

So, my mother today, while talking to her on the phone, starts talking about that show where people are hoarding animals. Click. The people behind me are hoarders - not just animals - but that's a twist that hadn't crossed my mind. I had mentally limited myself to the outside of their home - city officials cannot just go into someone's home, but this is an entirely different agency we are talking about when considering animal hoarding.

I have a mindful of stuff and I have nothing more I want to discuss today.

G'day.

ben

Tuesday 10/25/2011

Woke up groggy. In fact, woke up at midnight quite groggy and wondered how that would translate into getting up this morning, answer: even groggier. If nothing else, that always means I have had some nice, deep sleep but it simply doesn't translate into waking up refreshed and energetic.

My thoughts of short-selling the house are now on hold with the announcement of a refi program from the current presidential administration. Simply put, if are 50% upside down on a property, you cannot refinance it. I think they were going as much as 125% of the property's value, but in this case, that isn't enough (and really makes me think about why I am bothering to stay here, the only thing I really like about this place is all the plants that I have put in, other than that, this whole area could fall into a sinkhole and I certainly would never miss it).

Oh, yeah, I forgot: where would I go to live while trying to rebuild credit enough to get into another house - somewhere far from here. But as I say, if I could get the payment down another $200 or more, then we're talking about a rental property - this house. In the $700 range, this house becomes easily rentable. 5 bedrooms, 2 baths, large kitchen and lots of space on the property. Of course, an issue would be the water needed to water all of these plants.........lol. Perhaps an agreement to meet halfway on the water bill would help. The electric usage isn't terribly cheap here in the summer, either - but then again, where IS electric usage cheap in the summer in Phoenix, AZ? Yeah, that's what I thought.

So, I already asked my mortgage company about refinancing this house, now that there is going to be an actual program that will help with that, perhaps this may happen.

So, an old friend from ministry days is into quilt making and lo and behold, I am going to get one! Not free, of course, but a person that has the gift? Definitely want to get a quilt that is home made that is quality, I have always wanted one.

Umm, well just about time to leave for work. As far as I know, the temps are supposed to cool down considerably starting today or tomorrow, something around there. I have already been enjoying the weather, though, even with temps in the mid 90's. But, coming down into the mid 80's would mean being able to open the house up for a good portion of the day and not having to run AC all day and night long.

Anyway, have a great day!

ben

Monday, October 24, 2011

So..........

..........the City called me today.
It appears they came out here, didn't find any way to get anyone in the house - I have no front door, instead, I have gates on both sides of the house - and couldn't determine whether the trailer was being occupied or not.

I could have lied. Nope, no-one living in there. Sorry, got my property mixed up with someone else's. My faith doesn't give me to permission to simply bald-faced lie about things, even if to my own hurt if I tell the truth. So I told her what was going on. Back and forth, long story short: I need at least 30 days, I informed her, to find a place to get that trailer on and get them off of the property. She was okay with that, said she would call back in 2 weeks and see how things are going.

I called Sam's properties in today. They started the war and they had no good reason to do so. If a neighbor has a problem with a neighbor, get some balls and approach them and try to come up with a solution - as I tried with all of these people around here on numerous occasions about the cats, which is what started this situation. I then tried to talk to him yesterday when his wife called me a F'in A'hole. Whatever, don't care, consider the source. I gave them until today to at least talk about this, nothing. I turned half of it in over the phone, I didn't have time to go down there today, I wanted to take a drive after work and start looking for RV lots myself - driving down the road - many of these places aren't even listed in the phone book.

I will list the rest of it this week - they really don't do anything unless you specifically complain about it.

My complaint about 350 man's new property across the street has already got some attention. They plastered a notice on the side of the container today declaring that it must be moved (it's sitting IN the street and has been for about a month now). The meth head must have been paid by 350 man for previous work, as he is out there right now, pulling weeds - another complaint I put in. I don't know if 350 man's property that he lives on was inspected today or not.

I just went to the city's site to see if they have investigated: "Notice of Violation Issued". That means they came out here today and did it all. Yup, my next door neighbor's property went from "Initial Inspection" to "In Research" today as well. Mine is still set at initial inspection, but I suspect that will change tomorrow after our conversation. The 2 properties I turned into are awaiting the initial inspection as well.

So there it is.

Next. The newest Obama plan: make it easier to refinance your home. I'll give credit to Obama for a few housing things: I've had a modification and now I will be trying the refinance situation. How can you refinance a home that is 40 to 50% underwater? Answer is: you can't. Apparently this new thing is going to change that and is for, what I think I read anyway, FHA loans. Reduce my interest rate to the 4 zone? I'll take it. I'll try, anyway.

Well whatever.

ben

Monday 10/24/2011

So, yesterday late afternoon the conversation was had and it didn't end well.
But, I tried is all I can say about it.
I got into this discussion with the guy that owns 2 properties behind me.
I asked him about his involvement with taking pictures of my property over his fence; the fact that I have never started trouble with him before and asked about his wife jumping over my fence to unlock the cat trap besides going around saying extremely disparaging things about me behind my back - presumably because of the cat situation.

Remember, these are the people that are feeding a colony, they are calling it, of feral cats. This means they put out food all over their properties to feed stray and feral/wild cats, which, over time, only serves to lure even MORE feral cats from all over the place. It's the never-ending story. Might I suggest that this kind of behavior is not really normal? They catch these cats, take them in and have them fixed, thereby, purportedly, controlling the population from growing. But, they have so MANY cats over there, it's beyond ridiculous.

Well, about the time her name was brought up - she appeared behind him. She called me a "f****** a******" and that was enough for me. I just walked away, telling them that since they apparently want a war, considering they have already turned this RV situation into the city, they are going to get back what they have dished out and left it at that. This guy knows his properties are nothing but pure trash. Even his house is dilapidated - paint has peeled off in many places and it's just exposed wood that has been like that for years now. There are dozens and dozens of bicycle wheel rims; bathtubs; gas tanks and cans; a broken electric golf cart; a boat up on it's side; this that and the other thing all over the property without a house.

I went inside my house, sat down at the computer, brought up the city's page to fill out the form to report them, filled it out and then ..........deleted it. I didn't click the send field on the page. Perhaps I'm grasping at straws, but I figured I would give it a day and see if Sam could talk some sense into that person. Once I turn their properties in, that's it. You can't take it back, the city is going to come out and inspect those properties regardless and they are going to do whatever they deem fit to do about issuing notices.

Meanwhile, 350 man finally was outside yesterday. Last night, actually. He never has company over, which is what got my attention. It appeared to be his cop buddy that shows up usually in a marked SUV, this looked to be the man's personal vehicle. The lights were all OFF when that guy showed up over there, he went into the other side of the house, came out my side of his house, turned on a light and then started looking over at my property. No clue, but 350 man was acting very strangely out front of his house while this guy was inside his house. Then, his meth head buddy from across the street appeared out of nowhere, seemingly and 350 man was throwing his arms up, pointing at my property.

This neighborhood? I'll tell you what. If I can't get the monthly payment down again, I am seriously considering getting out of here. Credit rating be damned, I am slowly coming to the conclusion that living around this kind of people and their style of living isn't worth it. I will at least be looking into my options - though the idea of simply living in a travel trailer for a couple of years is sounding more and more appealing. It would be that or live in an apartment, no thanks. I dunno, but I am definitely going to start making some phone calls around and see what's allowable for dogs - that is my main consideration. I could move completely out of the city and into county land and face far fewer restrictions about land and what you can do with it.

Dunno. Just formulating the idea in my head. Perhaps simply rent this house out. A family on HUD subsidy would be guaranteed payments every month.

This I would call the formulation stage. What are my options. Where would I go to live. How long would it take to get my credit score back up - it's actually starting to shoot well back up now that house payments are back on time after doing the last modification. If I did this in the next few months and started a serious savings plan, would the housing market still be depressed in a couple of years that housing prices will be still be way down as they are now.

But, for today, pondering what further action I should take with these neighbors that think living in residential landfills is perfectly acceptable and normal. Too bad I can't do anything about 350 man's property, the one with the house on it. A new house with no landscaping, whatsoever. Nothing. Just dirt. It's been that way for 3 plus years now. Certainly does nothing to help property values in this neighborhood. The city can't and won't force people to landscape their properties, but they will force them to maintain it, ie: no weeds or overgrown grass.

Whatever. It's Monday. I'm going to work. Going to consider going to whatever of these prayer services that they just started up this week that I can make. I don't think I can make one until - Thursday if I remember the schedule correctly. I was going to do the membership class last night, but they cancelled it because some people who wanted to go through it are sick and they wanted to postpone it.

G'day.
ben

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Sunday - More

Church - good as always. Challenging as well.
They have started a 7 day per week prayer directive.
I will endeavor to be at at least 1 of those meetings.
Maybe more. I can make up to 3 of them per their schedule.
I cannot take work off to go to a prayer meeting, but everything
else is doable. This is something I NEED, frankly, being
brutally honest that my spiritual condition is far from what
it should be and where I want to be.

I miss my now-passed friend.
We used to talk - frequently - on the phone.
He was a best friend. Well, he was really my best friend I have ever had.
He died last year on New Year Eve's Day.
I miss the conversations and the bantering - joking - that went back and forth.
I have no such friends now - I have friends but nothing as close as we were.
I was just thinking - it's time to get with the program and get out.
I mostly mean this in church terms, though.


Mark and Lynnette. What to do with them. No official word from the city yet, but from everything I am hearing, they are going to have to leave.
Mark. 64 years old. Medical conditions to the point of being on low-dose, prescription pain killers. He cannot just sit around all day long watching TV, he does small projects around here all the time. His current project: my new trailer. He took it upon himself to go in and start cleaning it.

Your idea of cleaning something and Mark's are probably 2 different things. When Mark cleans something, whatever it is - it means taking it apart and meticulously cleaning every part, internal and external. If it takes him hours to do a single thing, this is nothing to him. when he is done with a cleaning project, you can be rest assured that whatever he has cleaned? It is FACTORY clean condition. He also helps with the plants and stuff, too. I am preoccupied at this moment with the front yard, glad to have the help with the rest of it.

Lynnette. Late 40's. A ray of sunshine. Excepting for the recent revelation that 350 man may have her removed from my property, I never see her down. I can read into her when she is having a problem, but she never complains about anything. Motivated, she would like her life back. Experienced, she could be making some very good money if the things that are bogging "things" weren't holding her back. She could easily afford her own place, car, etc etc etc if there weren't some serious issues, one of them specifically by a family member that is stealing her identity and really screwing up her record.

If I have to find a place to park that trailer somewhere else, their presence will sorely be missed, I can assure you of that. My human reaction? Freaking go for the gusto and have everything done to everyone that is involved with this crap receive as much revenge as possible. Actually, some feelings from my teenaged years have been invoked, something I will not be going into here, at least what I had thoughts of doing and what the outcome would be. I can only say now that my Christian faith holds me back from such temptations, as powerful as those temptations may be.

There is so much going on all the time in my life, it seems anyway, but I rely on God to give me peace. To keep the urges to do something in check. To try and find a peaceful way out of situations is becoming more and more a predominant way of seeking resolution to things. But I will regress: these people around me that think it's going to go on forever have a different thing coming. My answer if I go such route will be completely legal and will cause them more headaches and resolution seeking than anything they have done to me.

But, even if legal, that's still a revenge way of thinking. I think so, anyway. I dunno. I'm a bit clueless at this point of where to go with all of this situation and what to do with the numerous options available to me, all of which smack of revenge in my mind. Which is why I have yet to do anything. I don't KNOW what to do, yet.

I have not yet discussed this with my pastor and I think - that I probably should. I think that maybe I will glean some wisdom that I haven't even thought of.

I dunno. I really don't know what to do about this situation. In days of old, my reaction would have already been executed. Now, I just don't know. I think if I wait it out, the path I should follow/pursue will become clear.

ben

Sunday 10/23/2011

When you get the rare occurrence of getting the right mix of tenants, you end up getting some peace in the house. In this case, the newest guy is gone every weekend. He goes to his girlfriend's house. The next newest guy is rarely ever here - he works and goes to school. The 3rd guy just finished school so that isn't taking up all of his time, but he works and then goes out with his friends.

I have been toying with a new idea, not really giving it considerable serious thought, but something planted in the brain anyway: just letting this place go and go move into the 5th wheel trailer and save money like crazy for a couple of years. I could probably find a place that would take my dogs and I could take one of my ponds with me - the horse trough one. I could save around $600 to $700 per month and continue that for a few years.

But then I start thinking about the amount of work I have done on this property and really, to just kiss it goodbye, getting nothing out of it but a boot in the pants on the way out, doesn't set real well with me.

The wallpaper for the newest trailer has been ordered. No idea how long it will take to get here. Longer than I want it to, I am sure.

I have seen none of 350 man since the injunction was upheld. Well, once, he was across the street with his mother at their new property. I'm sure he has to be sweating it a bit. He can't stand there and do his stare-downs anymore. That, according to the judge, would be a violation of the order. He can't point his finger at me, he can't do ANYTHING towards me, he can't say anything to me and that is a year's worth of that. He stated in court that he's worried about me making some "false" claim that he has done something and with his past record, he would get into serious trouble.

Yes, well I am not the kind of person to call police and make false accusations/claims towards people. That wouldn't stand well with my Christian faith, number one and number two, I just plain wouldn't do something like that. Now if he DOES something, that's an entirely different story. Bearing in mind the considerable amount of trouble he has started with me, I would have no problem calling the police and reporting him, Injunction in hand, I just wouldn't. If he lets it all go and leaves me alone, we're good.

I have this feeling that the trouble isn't over yet. I already know there is troubling brewing with them living in the trailer. I don't know if having 2 trailers on one property is a violation. I don't know what else they could try to throw at me, but I have braced myself for such eventuality.

The trailer park they found to put the RV in was not what they said it was. The landlord called over here on my Magic Jack yesterday and I answered. I asked a number of questions. Yes, they are offering a lot at $200 per month, BUT, you have to sign a 1 year lease and after 6 months, the rent doubles. I asked her about month to month lots - $400 per month inlcudes $70 towards utilities. Yes, well that is out of their price range. I am just waiting for the city to make their determination before I get on this bandwagon and start looking myself. I already know of a couple of places that must be cheap - considering the appearance of the places. Not exactly nice, but it's only temporary and it's what they can afford if the rent is cheap enough. If they don't like those places and they can't find a place on their own, then I am going to have to part ways with them.

Well whatever, I have about an hour left in time to go outside and enjoy the beautiful weather out there before I have to come back in and get ready for church.

G'day.

ben

Saturday, October 22, 2011

.........and finally................

3 strikes, you're out.
It certainly isn't going to be any surprise to me if this particular individual ends up in that predicament.
I'm not saying I want this for this person, but this has been his modus operandi since before he turned 18 and now that he is a "legal adult", well, stealing from grocery and convenience stores and actually getting caught may end up biting him in the @$$ in the long run.
I'm referring to Anthony. Anyone that's been reading any of my blogs for a long time will know who Anthony is.
Caleb actually mentioned this when he came home from - Muay Thai (martial arts) today. He was at Subway and saw Kyle - who told Caleb that Anthony had been caught by security at Fry's shoplifting.
I can only imagine what kinds of things must have transpired in the last 14 months since those 2 left my house. I have given it little thought and would have stayed in that realm for however long, who knows, but Caleb brought it up.
Caleb literally despises Michael. That's Anthony's brother. That's another story entirely. I simply said to Caleb that it isn't worth the energy expended in your brain to give any of them a single thought.
Michael talked some serious trash to Caleb when they left about stealing stuff from us. Some of it was Caleb's things and not cheap things, either.
These people and their extended families? Just another reason I am glad to be an armed homeowner.
There were few details. Simply that security had caught him attempting to leave without paying and that was the end of that.
I have been going to that Fry's for 8 years now, I have only seen real security at the front here and there. I mean, not the greeter people - security as in someone who could actually take whoever/whatever down without much of a problem type of security.

I've never wished Anthony a bad life. I don't think it's a grand thing that his life has never gone anywhere. But, he and the 350 man have one thing in common: no job/school/whatever to make yourself a "productive citizen in our society". When you do nothing with your life - your entire life - where do you acquire a sense of self-worth?

Most of us can look back on our lives and think about the things that we have accomplished. Whether they mean anything to anyone else or not isn't totally irrelevant, but to you and I? It means everything.

I actually fear for Anthony, yet besides praying for him, there is absolutely nothing I can do.
The thoughts of of him and his brother brought up some rather ugly memories from the past and frankly, not worth mentioning here or dwelling upon.

Whatever the case, it's almost 9:00 pm which is well past my bedtime, even if on a Saturday night.

ben

More

We had spent an inordinate amount of time looking for the right wallpaper. Today, we finally found it - after even more hours searching. However, this time we went to Sherwin Williams paint store, looked at the masses of catalogs they have there and found 2 very nice looking potentials within 2 minutes of being there. We being me and Lynnette. I enlisted Lynnette to help me find something because I don't want it to look - bachelorish.

We settled on the $33 per roll stuff, jotted down the info and came home. Found it online for $11.99 per roll. Also put a request to a live chat agent to see if they could find a better price, still waiting on that one.

The wallpaper can be viewed here: https://www.wallpaperstogo.com/p-77943-pinstripe-stripes-wallpaper.aspx

The problem with looking for wallpaper online is that you are just getting a picture of it, you really can't tell that well how it looks in "real life" until you see it in hand. This stuff looks VERY nice in real life, the picture doesn't do it justice.

I've spent over 4 hours working out on the front yard and it is far from done. This because I am going to give it a new, fresh look that is going to take some time to execute in terms of changing everything around. I have quite a lot of work to do on the east side of the house, too, but I would rather get the front done first since it's what people see when they drive/walk by.

Well, whatever the case, it feels very good to have found the wallpaper, that was quite the ordeal, really.

I think I'm done working for the day. Church in the morning and then perhaps the afternoon spent on doing more work on the front yard.

Saturday 10/22/2011

What's next?
Not sure yet.
A man admitting in open court, under oath, that a person that lives behind me jumps into my yard to let a cat out of a trap.
350 pound man coming into court with pics that he took over the top of my fence, at the trailer and a judge admonishing him to be 'very careful' because you might be found guilt of surreptitious photography laws.
I wonder if these people are sweating it now?
Especially when I turned around in court and eyed April, proclaiming: I didn't know anyone had entered my back yard! and the judge saying that we weren't for that, contact law enforcement if you want to pursue it.

These people and their lack of having anything to do with their time and therefore finding ways to release their pent up energies by - taking it out on me - have put themselves at risk, legally.
The woman that jumped my fence doesn't work, either and hasn't worked the entire almost 8 years that I have lived here in this "neighborhood". Starting trouble with me when both their properties are complete and total garbage dumps that, if I turned those properties in, would create a living nightmare for them to have to deal with.

I'm certainly standing at a crossroads right now and I haven't decided yet which direction to take. Speaking in terms of Christianity, I would be told by everyone in the world that aren't Christians that I must forgive them. Yes, but there is one caveat to that: they must ASK for forgiveness, first.
Speaking in terms of revenge: just go all out and do everything that I can to retaliate against the whole lot of them. Call the police and file complaints against the 350 man for the photography and the woman for trespassing. Get online and start writing out the property problems on the woman's properties and let er' rip.

Speaking terms of attempting to simply try and reach out and see if there is any possibility that we can all just get past this? I don't really know.

So, I stand at that cross roads and will be standing there until I have opportunity to discuss with Sam, the woman's husband, where it is that he thinks this should all go. I'll just let him speak - but if the conversation never takes place, ie: he doesn't want to talk, then I am going to lean towards turning it all in, since he was also involved in all of this shenanigans to try and make life miserable, including turning in the RV the trailer tenants live in to get them ousted.

There was no good reason for them to do that. That trailer is well back on my property and out of direct view from the front. Considering these people's properties and the countless violations they have going on on them concerning city code and enforcement, it seems to me that they didn't think this through very well. I could force them to either have to get another mobile home placed on that property or, make them remove EVERYTHING off of that property, including the 2 small structures. I am also waiting until I find out what the city says about the trailer, people living in it and what can be done, if anything. The city has yet to come out, or if they have, they certainly didn't contact anyone. I don't know how they determine that someone is living in a thing unless they actually come onto the property.

Whatever the case, I don't really feel that I am in the most enviable of positions in having to make choice as to what to do next. I don't want wars with neighbors, but they started it with me.

As for today, well, the high temps today and tomorrow at 94. Still warm, but not hot. Next week looking for high temps in the 80's. I have BEEN looking for high temps in the 80's for a while now!

I am headed outside to get some landscaping stuff done.

Friday, October 21, 2011

Friday 10/21/2011

I would like to say that court was not a circus yesterday, mostly because the judge had things quite in control.
He started the thing out by saying this isn't the People's Court, Judge Judy and a list of them, this is a court of law, etc etc etc. Went into his rather impressive and long list of his credentials and then got down to business.

To completely write out over an entire hour's worth of discussion back and forth between the judge, 350 man and I would simply take too much time, at least at this particular point in the day. As I had hoped, however, 350 pound man didn't need to say a whole lot before the judge started jumping all over his case.

350 man admitted that he had told Mark he had to leave. He admitted looking over my fence and taking pictures and then quoted a law that he had probably broken by doing so. He brought the pictures to court - which made him look even worse. Started telling the judge that I can't do this and I can't do that on my property. THAT is the point where the judge let it all loose.

Who are YOU to tell ANYONE what they can do on their own property? I am a homeowner, if someone came over to MY house and started telling me what to do with MY property, I would tell them to bug off. This went on for quite a while. In fact, this judge was telling 350 man ALL about how HE would feel as a homeowner with some neighbor coming over, sticking his nose into his personal business. He even went as far as to say that he has a neighbor that for whatever reason, they don't get along. Instead of starting trouble with each other, they ignore each other if one happens to be walking by.

So, there it was. This thing progressed. I told the judge about the threats of physical harm and this and that. 350 man denied all of it. Of course, what else could he do? Sit there and say yes, I am going to have my prison buddies come over and take care of him?

We got into the cat subject. 350 man was under the impression that I cannot place traps on my own property. The judge lit into him again, lol. On MY property, I can do anything I want to. The judge, however, turned to me and asked if I had a trap on my property. I couldn't lie, so I didn't. He then said I could plead the 5th if I wanted to, but have I ever harmed or killed any of the neighborhood cats? This asked after 350 man claimed that I had stated to him thatI had told him that "all cats should be dead. Just kill them all", a thing I have NEVER said to anyone in my entire life. I am not a cat lover, but that does not therefore make the HUGE leap to automatically mean that all cats must die.

Then 350 man said that the woman that lives behind me - who was sitting in the court room and had come as a witness on his behalf - had had to jump my fence, come into my back yard and let a cat out. ???!!!!! I turned around and looked at that woman: YOU were in MY backyard? She is very lucky I did not CATCH her in my back yard. I would have detained her and had her arrested. The ordinance about catching cats is clear: even if I KNOW whose cat it is, if I catch it on my property, I can legally hold onto for up to 24 hours before letting it loose.

Now I have sworn statements that 350 man is peering into windows - with the judge giving him a stern warning about surreptitious photography - and a woman coming into my back yard, over a fence, without my permission. The meth head was also there in court as well as 350 man's mother. I had thought more might show up. The woman that lives behind me? I have seen her maybe 5 times, total, in the 7 plus years I have lived here.

The judge asked all of the potential witnesses if any of them had actually been there when any of the things I had written out in my complaint happened. He went into a lengthy explanation about that, Mark was the only one that raised his hand and Mark was the only one that was allowed to testify. That was a blow right there to 350 man's plan. I was also able to bring up0 350 man's prison record. That certainly didn't help his case at all.

The defining moment was less than 5 minutes into the hearing. The judge looked at 350 man and said flatly: From everything I have heard here, I am not hearing ANYTHING that would cause me to want to change, drop or modify this order at all. 350 man's face turned ashen. In fact, by the time the hearing was over, he was looking very sickly, he is not used to having someone talking to him like that and not being able to start getting angry and shouting obscenities and general foulness back.

I will admit here that I hate going to court. I don't care if I'm right and have the law behind me, I generally find having to defend myself in situations like this to be unpleasant. I love going to court and WATCHING other cases, that's always fun, especially if both parties haven't got a clue and the judge starts getting ancy about all of it.

Anyway, the judge then admonished the entire crowd, including Mark and I. You are all grown adults, you should be able to talk to each other and work things out, etc etc etc. After he was done, I stated that I had gone to all persons present and attempted to discuss what to do about their cats coming onto my yard and destroying my property. The judge then said I should build a fence. I didn't bother to say that fences don't stop cats, they are like a pebble in the street to a cat, they just step over it. I simply stated that I cannot build a fence out front of my property, I already have one and the law doesn't allow it any higher.

350 man then started to dictate to me the law and how I could build one - when the judge interrupted him again and for the 5th time: who are YOU to tell HIM how to live on HIS property?!!: If you have a problem with the way he is living, then call the law, the city, let THEM deal with it - but then went into how it will only make the situation FAR worse if he does so. WORK IT OUT. The judge turned back to me: I am going to keep this order in place. However, I hope that after some time passes and if you 2 can live in peace with each other, IF that happens, that you might consider coming back in before the year is up and ask the court to drop the order.

I said fine and I would do so if such were the case. I went further: If my neighbors - all that were present - want to discuss ways to keep cats off of my property I am certainly willing to get into that discussion as I really don't want a war with my neighbors.

That was it, though I left out a lot of the details of some of the things that were said - just would go on too long. We got home and after it was apparently that "they" had also gotten home, I spoke very loudly towards April and Sam's property (April being the woman who jumped over my fence): I KNOW city code as well as you do. If you want a war, both of your properties behind me are code violations. I can report all of this junk and you will have a lot of fun dealing with the aftermath. If you want to be NEIGHBORS, then start ACTING like neighbors and get OVER it.

Sam does not want that kind of trouble - the city would have a field day over there. Well, I let that go and went out front to do some more work on the front of the property. After about 10 minutes, Sam came driving by in his pickup, completely ignoring me. I yelled out very loudly: HI SAMMMM! He SLAMMED on his brakes, skidding in the middle of the street, put his vehicle in reverse, backed up. What is going on here? Is he going to start a fight or something? He gets his truck to where his window is where I am standing. I waved again: Hi Sam! Howdy neighbor. I said it again, he said howdy neighbor again.

I got it, he had heard what I had said back there and the last thing he wants is THAT kind of attention from the city. I am hopeful that the judge's admonition that perhaps we could work out something about the cats will actually get some kind of foothold and we can now possibly discuss what to do about it, versus all of them shrugging their shoulders when I have brought it up to them and saying it isn't their problem, tough, deal with it. However, April - the woman that jumped my fence - told the judge, not in the witness chair but she had been making noises at some of my statements and laughing a few times - had addressed her in court. She stated: "I have been harassed by him. He leans over my fence and shouts at me every day!".

For the record, I have NEVER shouted at any of those people. The last time I saw her out there, we had a pleasant conversation - which was over a year ago.

Well, whatever. I still have Mark and Lynnette to deal with: what to do with them when the city comes and apparently it's a foregone conclusion that they are going to have to move out of that thing. We are discussing a travel trailer park over in Mesa at $200 per month. That's the kind of price they were looking for. I am still waiting for the City to come out and give an official notice and a time limit that they have to be moved out. Again, the City cannot supersede state law in an eviction, which is exactly what that would be. I am still guessing that perhaps one of the tenants might leave before that time limit would ever come up and then they can simply move into whatever vacated room in the house.

Whatever the case, it's Friday, my time has run out and I need to leave for work.

G'day.

ben

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Thursday 10/20/2011

So today is the day.
Yippeee and what fun.
Not, but I'm ready for it.
I'm referring to the hearing later on this afternoon.
It certainly won't be the first time that I have had to go
to a hearing to attempt to persuade to not quash a restraining
order. Though, this is an Injunction Against Harassment and
should even be easier since it isn't necessarily about violence,
it's about a person that "harasses" you. Which has a broad,
carpet-like definition that covers a multitude of differing things.
Certainly the threat of physical violence would be included under any
definition of harassment.

So, completely changing the subject as I am not going to dwell on this
all day long, I won't give that person that much credit: I had to wonder
in the case of the Philadelphia basement case, how much of this is going
on that no-one knows about? How many people are being falsely imprisoned
here, at home, this nation? I was thinking about this because if there is
one case of it going on, it is doubtful that it's the ONLY incidence that is
occurring right now.

Is Qadaffi dead, captured, what? I do hope they verify these unsubstantiated reports
sometime soon.

I was out there admiring my new travel trailer yesterday. It's in really good
condition considering it's age. Lynnette and I were in here last night attempting
to decide what pattern/color wallpaper to use in it, we did not come to a definitive
conclusion and decided to continue our search today. I don't really want that trailer
sitting here too long. It would be nice to have it here 30 days max and then move
it out of here, but I really don't know how long it's going to take to acquire the wallpaper
and then get Lynnette to install it.

I was also on the City of Phoenix site yesterday where you can check your case status.
That being any complaints that anyone has filed about your property and things going on
on your property. My property; my next door neighbor's property (the house that burned down
earlier this year) and the 2 properties that 350 man owns, or his mother actually, have
open cases. Mine has yet to be investigated, 2 of them are under review and another
has yet to be investigated.

I will be waiting to see who, if anyone else, shows up in court today to determine what
further action to take. If the neighbor behind me - who has been giving signs that he
is opposed to me, personally - this all about the cats, folks, nothing else - shows up
to testify against me today, he will have opened a can of worms that he probably shouldn't
have even looked at, much less gotten the can opener out.

His 2 properties are in chaos. One of the properties doesn't have any kind of house on it,
meaning putting ANYTHING on that property is a code violation. Well, he has the entire
property loaded up with all kinds of JUNK. He has 2 small structures which are also against
code - they can only be there if there is a house that meets the minimum square footage
requirements. Both properties are covered with over-height grass and weeds. His property with
a house on it has junk scattered around all over the place plus huge weeds and grass. I
drove around to his street yesterday, he has junk piled up all the way out to almost the very
front of his driveway.

Further, he is putting up a guy on the vacant property. The guy is sleeping in a giant moving box container. This guy is a meth head, the dude living in the box that is, and makes a lot of noise over there at night.

Well, whatever. As I said, I will wait to see who shows up. They can all say whatever they will, it's obvious from the statement that 350 man put on the reply that they are willing to lie and make up stories so who knows who will win this one.

Other than that? It's time to go to work : )
I have the peace of the Lord if nothing else, within me : )

G'day.

ben

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Wednesday 10/19/2011

Well first off, the constable decided to just show up to my house yesterday and hand the papers to Mark. Whatever. 2 day notice for a court date, if I wanted to, I'm sure that can be contested.
Then I read the paper. I wanted this in advance to be able to determine what needs to be brought up in court - the paper is his reply to my allegations against him. This was his entire reply: "I have had no contact with Mr B", no was underlined. Lol. I have no idea what is going to happen in court tomorrow, or who he is bringing with him if anyone, but I wish it could be videotaped as it is certain to turn into an entertaining time if this guy is just going to sit there and belch out lies. The judge will have to decide who is lying and who is telling the truth and base his decision on it.

If he finds to quash the Injunction, I will simply start calling the police anytime the man says anything to me and I will be carrying my video camera with me around my property. I will document every single time he starts his stuff and hopefully get some of it on video and then, if/after getting enough of it, I will go back to court and apply once again for an injunction against harassment against me. If he finds for me, then I need do nothing as the man will be restrained from saying anything to me at all. One surmises that this entire problem could be taken care if an agreement on how to deal with all the cats around here could be reached.

But that kind of agreement can only be reached with normal people who don't want wars with their neighbors. 350 man has nothing else to do, getting into this kind of thing with people is the only "spark" his life has, apparently.

I also got the travel trailer - via paying a guy to move it for me with his dually pickup truck - and got it over here. When I got here - I went straight to the trailer after work yesterday - the container had been moved. When the man started to back the trailer into the driveway, it became immediately apparent that if that container had not been moved, that trailer would never have made it into my driveway.

350 man saw the trailer, got into his car and left. Whether this was a trip to the city to complain, who knows. I have no idea if having 2 trailers on a property is legal or not - but mine is far from the only property that has to trailers parked end to end. If you were to see the properties that surround me, well, having to 2 trailers doesn't come close to the filthy, degraded, junky condition of fully every single property that surrounds me. Garbage; junk; piles of wood, bikes, evaporative coolers - on and on filling properties up. Regardless, that trailer is only here temporarily as I get Lynnette to do the wall papering in it and some other minor repairs, after that it's going to be moved to my mother's property until May, when she says she goes back up there to spend the summer.

The man quoted me about $300 to move the thing up there. From my mom's property, about 150 miles, so the price is hardly unreasonable. I had one guy quoting me $300 just to move the thing 27 miles! Lol.

The whole situation with the trailer on my property has me reverting back to thinking about building a guest house - or casitas as they like to call them around here. Those are definitely "legal" to have, though you have to go through the city and get the permits and submit plans and all that, I am sure.

Well that's it, my time's up!

G'day.

ben

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Tuesday 10/18/2011

The constable never showed up. He was supposed to call and then come over and hand whatever document.
350 man told the container company yesterday - after I called the company asking them to please move it 15 feet towards the east so I can get a trailer into my driveway - that moving it would "block the fire hydrant". Apparently, the company had sent out a driver in response to my earlier request and 350 man was arguing with the driver. Of course. Never pass up an opportunity to make a big issue out of nothing.

So, the lady from that company called and informed me that they wouldn't be able to move it because of the fire hydrant. "They have the permit, apparently". I nicely responded that the hydrant was to the west, but that there is plenty of room to the east to move that thing and still be in front of his property. "It would be blocking his driveway", she replied. Yes, I said, a driveway to a house that has been torn down. There is NOTHING there, the driveway isn't being used for anything, there is, really, no good reason why that thing couldn't be moved onto the lot itself.

So she calls 350 man again. Of course he still says no. She calls me back. I said fine, I will call the city - I have the right to egress to my driveway. This apparently got all of them motivated to do something to allieve the situation, as she called back again and said "he is going to meet you half way". ? Whatever. The guy that moves the trailers says he's pretty good at tight spots, I surely hope so because I will now consider that the thing may not be able to get on the property at all, but I am going to have him try anyway. If he can't get it up the side of my house, I will have it hauled over to my mom's property in Sun City and then either just wait until they get rid of the container or if it goes on too long, make an issue out of it. It's already been out there 3 weeks. The entire scene is ugly at best.

I am mentally preparing myself for the "showdown". If he shows up with a lawyer, I want to be prepared for that possibility, too. I will start writing notes/questions/statements down today and making sure I have it all in writing. It easy to forget things when you are sitting in a court room and the pressure is on to make your statements or ask the questions that need to be asked.

Whatever the case, my work in the front yard is coming along nicely. I have been spending time out there every day now getting everything done. Also hauling rock out there via 5 gallon buckets. No way to get a wheelbarrow in there without going over the top of plants. I have already had enough cat destruction on my plants out there, certainly don't need MORE destruction.

Cain. Interesting character. I'm watching all of this political bantering closely. It's a novel approach: no political background at all. When Perry jumped in, I thought he was the guy I would be voting for, but I have since changed my mind. Some of his views aren't exactly aligned with what I would like to see in a president. I still kinda like Bachman, but at this point, it doesn't appear she has a chance. It really is an interesting mix running for the GOP spot, I would have to guess that more will eventually end up dropping out of the race, but who knows, maybe this giant field will move all the way to the polls.

Whatever the case, it's time to go to work.

G'day.


ben

Monday, October 17, 2011

Monday 10/17/2011

Weekends always just fly by. Poof, they're gone.
We are expecting this "inspection" to be done this week.
We are also pretty much expecting to have to move the trailer somewhere for them to live in it.
I will be stopping by an RV park where - not the greatest place on earth but I believe the rent is cheap. It's right next to the light rail line going through Tempe.
It was good, actually, that the city sent out a letter informing us of their intent to inspect the property. It went from what's going to happen and somewhat hysterics on the part of Lynnette to acceptance of worst-case scenario to the point of even being prepared to deal with it if it comes to that. We are already prepared, in other words, for what-may-come and there will be no shock. I am just hopeful that the time limit to get it done is - longer versus shorter.

I will wait to do anything else until we get the verdict from the city. The propane lines in that trailer need checked and get the stove and water heater working, amongst other things.

Whatever else may come this week at me, who knows.

What I do know is that my walk with the Lord is getting closer again. That is more important to me right now than anything else, to be honest. Whatever happens in this life, it's all temporal. You go through things - sometimes unpleasant things - and that's just the way it is.
Faith in God is what helps me get through whatever.

Well, short entry but I have nothing else right now and I need to get ready to leave for work.

G'day.

ben

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Church

I mean, I don't really ever regret going to church.
I get some mind battles going before church or even during the service, but that is starting to diminish to a great degree at this point. Which is refreshing, to say the least.

So, we are in the worship service. I'm starting to get something from the Holy Spirit. It just comes in to me and I am just pondering what I am hearing. This is ripe from the days of old when I would get a word and go up front and deliver it to the congregation.

Well, an old lady gets up, goes to the front and gives a word. She says look, there are some people here that have words from the Lord. There are at least 3 people that need to come up and speak forth what God is saying. I'm feeling very uncomfortable. I have issues and I don't really feel like I am in the position to give out such things. Well, 3 people give a word, but I noticed her glancing at me once after she sat down.

There it was. I knew that she knew. I still didn't go up there, not because I didn't want to, I just have this idea that being out of the church so long and really just starting to get back into the flow of it, I probably should just apply whatever it is to me, do whatever it is that the Holy Spirit is speaking or change or whatever it is and be good with it.

Now, this person isn't obnoxious, demanding, whatever, very nice person but very in tune with the Lord and a leader in the church, as she should be. After a very heavy message from the pastor comes forth that definitely had me searching my heart, soul and mind about enacting some changes in my life and the service was over, she comes up to me directly with a pen and a notebook in hand, handing it to me.

She didn't ask me anything. She stated that I had a word from the Lord and didn't deliver it, please write it out. It wasn't judgmental, it wasn't demanding, it was - we want to know, whatever God is saying through whoever is or should be saying it, we want to hear it. I had to smile. I was smiling because it was yet another source of internal battles: am I really hearing from the Lord or what, exactly, is all of this? I recognized it from days past - long ago - but it's been so long, I just didn't know. So I wrote it out. In detail, of course, as is my way of writing things out. Though, admittedly, writing things by hand isn't exactly my forte. Chicken scratch is a good definer of it.

Well, anyway, it was a good service.

Got home and did some yard work, it is nice out even if getting a little warm in the afternoons.

Sunday 10/16/2011

I guess I am coming to the conclusion that probably, the RV with people living in it? Violation of City codes. If that is true, there are numerous lots around here with that particular violation going on. Down the street, there is actually a couple living in a pickup truck on the side of the house it's parked at. There are several travel trailers throughout this community parked on the side of houses with people living in them.

But, 350 pound man is only interested in attempting to make life miserable for me. I await the letter from the court stating he has asked for a hearing to attempt to have the Injunction dropped. Don't know if he's done that or not, but if he has, I should hear about it within the next few days.

Look, I pretty much hate living in this neighborhood. Short-sell the place is ohhhhh so ever-loving tempting. There are so many pro's AND con's to doing it, though, it's a tough decision. But, I will not allow myself to be bullied, harassed or otherwise mistreated by idiots who also live in the neighborhood who have not, apparently, figured life out to any degree and HAVE no life to speak of.

I go through the endless circle of mind battles attempting to determine if I could, somehow, leave this property in a short-sell and find some place that would suit my needs and be happy with it. I don't ever come up with a good answer. This prompted me to send another letter to my mortgage company, this time to the office of the President. Why not? They could refi the home, bring the interest rate down to 4.1.% and that would save another $250 per month - at least.

Changing the subject, just spent some time out front pulling grass. I haven't started on the rock project, but that's going to start soon.

But the priority now? It's time to get ready for church.

G'day.

ben

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Saturday 10/15/2011

So, let the wars begin.
The thought that came to mind when I thought about whether having people living in an RV on the side of my house is legal or not entered my mind when all of this crap with the 350 man started. Because it came to me so strongly, I figured it would be reported and then we would find out. So, I received notice today that the City is going to come out in the next 10 days and do an inspection. I have no feelings about it either way.
It would actually suck to have to see them go, but if that's what the City says, there will be nothing I can do about it. I am not going to be taken to court by the City of Phoenix and have civil or even criminal sanctions imposed on me if it comes to having to make them move.

I do not have an available bedroom right now for them to move into, either. That would be an easy fix to this situation if, indeed, them living in there is a violation. My only offer to them was that I could have the trailer moved to an RV park somewhere - but they would be responsible for the lot rent. Lynnette said she couldn't afford lot rent and trailer rent. I responded that I would not charge them trailer rent. The trailer is fully self contained. It can be hooked up to sewer and have a garden hose hooked up to supply water. The Direct TV box could stay with the trailer and I would simply have to get another dish. This doesn't cost any more with Direct TV, either. You can have your boxes wherever you want them, frankly.

But, since 350 pound man wants to start this stuff - once that complaint is made, it cannot be retracted, the City WILL come out and do their inspection regardless - it was my turn. He has more violations on both of his properties than you can imagine. Weeds, dead grass, unfinished fence, outdoor storage to name a few. Those complaints about the 2 properties have been filed. He will be receiving his notice this coming week, that's all I can say about that.

Gut feeling: it's probably not legal without a variance or even a change in zoning, neither of which I am likely to be able to get. But who knows? The city was out here years ago when that family was living in that other trailer. They didn't say it wasn't legal, but that they had to have access to a bathroom/running water, which they did. I have no idea, I am not going to fret about it and that bridge will be crossed when we get to it.

Undoubtedly, if they do have to move, I will be inviting them back whenever one of the rooms becomes available. They come up with enough money every month to cover enough of the normal room rent to make me happy - that along with all the help around here and the peace of mind of having someone at the house all the time.

I bought the other trailer today. It will be moved over here tomorrow. If the City of Phoenix has an issue with having 2 trailers here, no matter. I only need it here long enough for Lynnette to put wallpaper in it. Then I can move it to Sun City on my mother's property. If the City does say they have to move out of that trailer, it won't happen in 2 days. They will probably give as much time as allowable to get them to finding a new place to live. Which also means enough time to do that project - I hope anyway.

I also spoke with my mom today about the trailer and moving it up there. I would like to get it up there this winter, but I don't think that's such a good idea. Mother wants the thing in a specific place and I don't want it put up there to find out it isn't where she wants it. She will want it moved if so, meaning spending more money to do so. She doesn't go up there, she informed me, usually until May. I've never really paid a lot of attention as to when, specifically, she goes. So, plenty of time to fix the thing up - if it can stay on the property - even if not, I have the thing and I don't have to continue to look for one anymore. Further, the guy that owned it gave me the number of a guy that will move it for $50, of which I already spoke to today. That's really cheap price to move a trailer. Well, I want to put up a fence to keep the dogs in - fine,but it has to be a specific kind. What about water usage? On and on. I wanted to run a sub-panel for electric. Not a happening event, lol. I told her it would be safer than running a cord above ground, but, whatever she wants, really.

I put an ad in Craigslist today in case that guy fell through. One guy wanted to charge me $300 to move it, lol. I don't think even a company owned business would charge me that much to move the freaking thing. Another $150. Close but still a bit steep. Another said he wanted me to call him, sorry, that wasn't my instructions in the ad: if replying, please include your price for moving the thing 27 miles.

Crazy. Well, life will definitely change dramatically around here if they are forced out. I will no longer be able to leave the house or the gates unlocked. Tenants will have to get used to locking and unlocking both. That would mean dead-bolting the back door. I would also have to consider buying another video surveillance system. Basically, unless a tenant is home - which they are at various times throughout the day - my house becomes a sitting duck target for thieves or whatever. Probably couldn't install a security/alarm system because tenants would be an issue with something like that.

Whatever. I do not and will not regret having the Injunction served against that freak of nature 350 man. I can cause him just as much problems as he can me. If he speaks one word to me, I will immediately call the cops. How long can the guy stay off the drug temptation, anyway? Good question. I just looked up his criminal record, his time spend in jail was for 1 class 2 felony and 3 class 6 felonies. The class 2 felony is the bad one. That one was possession of drugs - lots of it - with intent to sell. A person in his 40's that has no life; no job; doesn't volunteer anywhere; serves absolutely no useful purpose to society. Bored out of his mind. No friends. On and on. His own, chosen life style is undoubtedly eating away at him.

Well, whatever. This entry goeth long. More news will be forthcoming concerning Mark and Lynnette and their future here - whenever the City shows up and makes their determination.

ben

Saturday 10/15/2011

Sooooo........
I went and looked at the 5th wheel travel trailer yesterday.
Not too shabby. For the price, a good deal. The layout is, IMO, much better than the layout in the other one. The kitchen is in the rear and the couch is in the middle. It has AC, propane AND electric heat; propane and electric water heater (or so it appears, anyway); a brand new refrigerator; a very nice set up for the bathroom; the upholstery is still in good condition.

There are only really a few things "wrong" with it. First off, the guy pulled most of the wallpaper off, so that is all going to have to be replaced (or look at barren, wood walls). Second, the owner before him, apparently, tried to fix a leak in the roof. It does not appear that his fix job worked. I'm not really a big fan of roof leaks, but this one looks like an easy fix, so I am going to deal with that one myself. The carpet is in okay condition. Not trashed but definitely not perfect either - don't really ever expect to find perfect carpet anyway. If people think about it - well - the idea of putting throw rugs down on the travel areas of the carpet is the best remedy for the carpet itself to not get completely worn down.

So, unless this guy somehow sells it to someone else before I get over there this morning - I am going to buy it. It also has flipped axles - meaning the thing sits well off the ground. This was another thing that I would have had to have to ensure that the undercarriage and more importantly, the holding tanks, don't get damaged once I have it hauled up to my mom's property. The entrance to her driveway is very steep and a low to the ground trailer could get damaged going up that thing. This one is 27 feet long, not quite as long as I wanted to get, but looking at it? It's really pretty much perfect for what I want to do with it.

Oh, and the holding tanks appear to be in very good condition.

Speaking of RV's, my manager is seriously going to ask the general manager if he can get an RV trailer and LIVE in it on the company property! I thought he was joking at first, but he definitely is not joking about it. It's an interesting idea that could be supported by the idea of having a "guard" on the property 24 hours a day. I'm not sure if corporate will go for it, but who knows.

Anyway, I have to move the rest of the pile of landscaping rocks that is blocking any access that the trailer will have to have in having it hauled over here to park it here. Meaning I have to get my shoes and get going with this day.

Later.

ben

Friday, October 14, 2011

Friday 10/14/2011

I called the police again last night to come serve the papers to the 350 man. He was out on "his" new property with his mother. The police came zooming up with all lights off, apparently attempting to get to him before he could get into the house. But, he was with his mother, what was he going to do? At this point, however, they had already walked back to the house - the police approached the house and out comes 350 man.

They start talking to him, hand him the papers, he reads 2 sentences of it (like scanning it) and then starts laughing. I have no idea what he was filling those police officer's ears with - and I couldn't care less. It went on for about 10 minutes - him yapping away. I would venture to guess that he had to put up an act in front of his mother, who is paying this "man's" way through life.

The police came back, handed me the rest of the paperwork that was left over -for me to show to police if something happens again, and that was that. I had no intention of holding police up to "find out" what he was telling them. Whatever it was, undoubtedly much of it was fictitious.

If I were going to guess about all of this, which I am going to now, he is going to file to contest this in court. He may even show up with a lawyer since mommy is rich and apparently doesn't care how much money he shells out for his boy (case in point: she buys him a brand new house when he gets out of prison). I don't really care, either. It's Justice Court, not Superior court, procedural rules aren't as big of an issue in the lower court. Which is the only thing that I would have a problem with since I am not a lawyer and don't know all procedural rules.

He may also try to get an injunction against me. He has already threatened legal action after his cat disappeared, though what legal action remains to be seen. If, somehow, he could prove that I caught and removed his cat and that I did it "illegally", the worst that could happen is to be forced to pay the replacement cost of the cat. However, that will never happen. At least from what I have read it won't, but who knows what a judge may find in the end. I do expect some sort of trouble from this, whatever the case, but after yesterday, enough was enough.

Undoubtedly, the man is fuming now. Attempting to invent ways to figure out how to pay me back.

Anyway, it's Friday. Another 2 days off for the weekend en-queue. I just remembered that mom told me she is going up there and leaving - tomorrow. Well, if she's leaving tomorrow, no sense in going up there to visit. She is shutting down the camp for the winter. You have to winterize those trailers or you will undoubtedly come back to a mess the next spring, finding busted pipes in it for one thing. I don't know how they do it nowadays, it used to be you would hook up a line to the feed and blast air through the entire system, forcing all water out of it. Then you would dump some antifreeze type of junk in there and that would take care of it.

My search for a trailer continues. There is one that I may go take a look at today - but then again - I may just come home and decide to work on the yard instead.

Whatever the case........
g'day.

ben

Thursday, October 13, 2011

5th Wheel Travel Trailer

"27' fifthwheel trailer king of the roud ,new propane tank and hookups ,new figideair 10 gal. fridge, tailer is in great condition,new tires, title is good , stove is like new,full bathtub and shower pluss toilet tank jst cleaned, seprit from up stairs bedroom and down stairs livingroom, fold out couch, trailer sleeps four comfertaby ,sorry no pics but i can txt pics or jst come check it out"

If it was as good as they guy has been saying it is, I would have gone and bought it today. But, court and dealing with the 350 man took precedence.

If you read the ad, it says "seprit from up stairs bedroom and down stairs living rooms". It took me a while to figure out what that word meant. See Prit? Who is Prit? Seprit. I had no idea. I am looking at the word as it is spelled not sounding it out. I should have sounded it out: Se - pr - it
Separate. That one flew right over my head, not sorry to say. I am wondering if people are using their cell phone pads to write up these ads and therefore that's why so many errors.

Umm, time has really passed here and I don't have time to finish this.

G'nite.

ben

The Justice Court

Mark calls me today in hysterics, literally. Obviously upset. I was at work and on a tight time frame, but if someone calls me from my house, it's gotta be an emergency because no-one calls me from there otherwise.

The 350 pound man, again. This time, Mark came home from the store on his bicycle. He said he drove straight into the driveway, got off his bike and went to open the gate. He had his earphones on playing music off of an MP3 player. It's a recurring theme around here: feeling eyes on you. He felt eyes and turned around, shocked to see that guy standing IN my driveway, RIGHT behind Mark. This guy is 20 feet into my property. Mark didn't want to hear whatever he had to say, he started yelling at 350 pound man: get the f*** out of here, get off the property, get out of here, leave, now!!

That was it. This guy is willing to come right onto my property now? NO. When I left work, I came straight home, got on the computer, found his full name and birth date through not that much searching, went back out, got into my car and headed straight to the Justice Court building in downtown Phoenix.

The reason I haven't done this sooner? Takes hours. Wait in line, get the paperwork, go sit down at a table and then start filling it all out. Give the reasons why the court should grant the injunction. Go back to the counter, wait endlessly, give them the paperwork. They hand it back to you: you didn't fill in those blanks. Yes, that's because I don't know the answers to those questions that are concerning him, thank you. Fill one or the other in anyway. Fill it in within 10 seconds, the guy walks off. 10 minutes later, someone finally comes back. Okay, you can go take a seat - again. This goes on for an hour and a half. Finally: go to court room 100.

I got to court room 100. The clerk says there isn't any injunction cases pending. Yes, ma'am, that's because they JUST finished the paperwork and will undoubtedly be bringing it in here. "Well, there's a hearing schedule at 3:30 that is about to begin". It's 3:45 when she tells me that. Gag. The judge shows up, 2 women are called up to the front and sit down at the tables. Neither speaks English. Wait for interpreters. How can you live your whole life in America and not learn the language of the land?

But, that's the way these people are, they do not want to integrate with our society, they want to turn our society into Northern Mexico. I sit there and listen to these ladies not do a very good job on either side of persuading the judge. How does the judge figure THIS one out? After an hour, it's over and my case is finally en-queue. He says pardon me, Mr. BenB, I will be back in just 2 minutes. Oh? Well, I replied, I need to go to the bathroom if that is okay, I'll be right back as well. He replies: "yes, that is where I am headed".

I did not have to go into 3 plus years of explanations to him, I just gave him the worst occasions. He didn't hesitate to give me the injunction. I already knew 350 man can come back and attempt to get it dropped. No biggies. If he tries, I will be there, trust me, I will be there. Back out to the front counter to wait again. I am finally handed my paperwork.

Oh, I didn't even mention the metal detectors. Now this court is requiring everyone to remove their belts to put through the scanner or x-ray or whatever it is they are looking at. My pants immediately start falling down - I have been losing more weight recently. I get through the detector without it even going off.

I stand there for several minutes while they are looking through the machine at the view it is giving them of my stuff. What could possibly be so interesting? When it comes out, they hand it to me and I'm about to put it back into my pockets when another man comes along and starts digging through it. ??? Whatever.

I leave, come home, immediately call Crime Stop, that's the non-911 number. They say yes, an officer will be dispatched after any emergency calls are all done first. Understandable, I reply and thank them and hang up. It was 10 minutes later and 2 cars show up. They go over there. 350 man must have an inkling that something isn't quite right in Denmark, he has drawn all his shades and you can't see in the house. The police bang on the door, the windows, walk around to the other side. They are over there for several minutes, but come back with paperwork in hand.

"Is there a car over there in the driveway?" I ask. Yes. He's home. Nothing they can do about it. They tell me to call when I see him outside. Well, he's opened the shades now that they are gone. No worries, the man cannot stay inside forever. It isn't in his DNA to not go around and start trouble with someone in the neighborhood.

.......and then he closed them, now he's opened them yet again. Geeze.

Whatever. I probably won't do this tonight. If nothing else, this weekend will work.

Thursday 10/13/2011

I paid off one of my 401k loans yesterday. It was down to $202. I decided that if something happens in 2012 - whatever that something maybe - but all these so-called experts saying another recession is coming - then I want access to my money. Not that I want to spend retirement money, but if it's going to disappear anyway, I'd rather have the opportunity to spend it. Of course you have to pay it back...........with interest..........lol. It takes 30 days before you can get another loan. The other one is down to something like $700, so not so far off on that one, either.

One manager at work wanted to get a third loan but it is not possible. Then he wanted to simply get cash out of it and take the penalty - apparently the IRS or my company or both make that very difficult and you have to have extremely extenuating circumstances for them to give it to you. With 2 incomes, I wondered how they (he and his wife) could be stressing out so badly with finances.

Well, at work I can say one thing that has changed for the better: I am getting about 5 extra hours per week as of lates, like going on for almost 2 months now. That just means I'm back up to a 40 hour work week on the weeks that there is that much work going on. In reality, there is one customer that is always calling late in the day wanting material right now. We pretty much cater to this customer since they are helping build the new Intel plant and since the contract is worth, over the next several years, millions of dollars with good GP. Still, it irritates management to no end that this guy is always calling late and demanding material like..........RIGHT NOW. And if we don't get it to him right now, he always threatens to take his business elsewhere.

As for the home front, for now anyway, all 3, new, tenants seem happy with the setup. If they aren't they aren't telling me because I ask. Are there any problems. Is there too much noise, etc etc etc. The only complaint is on the weekends when the people across the street are firing up those Harleys at 2 am and cranking on the throttles. I'm sure certain neighbors are a bit peeved right NOW because there is a truck out there pulling the container off of the street for the house that was torn down.

THAT should prove interesting. The 2 "best buddies" who like to try and give me heck are now at each other's throats. Keep a meth head from his money and see what kind of chaos ensues, lol. From what Mark said, those 2 were actually comparing their criminal records when yelling at each other yesterday. I would like to coin a new phrase: Morbid Stupidity. Well I don't know if it's new, but I've never heard it before yet it seems to fit these 2 individuals quite nicely. Let them fight with each other, I'll just blend into the trees.

My quest to find an RV continues. One is listed in there that looks really nice - has been stored INSIDE a garage. They want more money than I have for one, but let time perhaps change that. Many of these listings stay up at a high price and then eventually they start bringing it down. It has a busted AC unit, that should knock a grand off the price right there. Although I really want a 5th wheel, a motorhome would work better since I have no way of pulling a 5th wheel. Not that it's going anywhere once I get it up there, but still, the option to be able to fire the thing up and drive it wherever would be nice.

They are still wanting me to come down to AZ city and take a look at the 34 footer they have for sale. Apparently no one is biting on it. I am not so sure about it, either and don't want to drive 120 miles round trip to find out I don't really want the thing.

Well, almost time to leave. See if the 350 pound man is out there glaring at me this morning.

G'day.

ben

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Lol.
That's all I can say.
The 2 neighborhood morons - the 350 man and the 37 year old meth head - who have been starting trouble with me for about 2 plus years now?
They went at it today against each other. I missed the fun, I was at work.
Mark said they were yelling so loudly that he heard them in the trailer and came out to find out what was going on.
Well, the meth head was yelling at 350 man to "pay me for all the work I've done over here".
They were, apparently just short of fisticuffs.
Ohhh, to be there, in my front yard, which the little devils going at it with each other.
Mark said they were REALLY going at it.

Well, whatever. The 350 man has no money of his own, he gets it from his mother. I am assuming she gives him a monthly allotment. Or maybe he's just cheap. I wouldn't know, I don't work for him and never will.

I did drive by today in the company pickup. It is a brand new truck and it is not marked with the company name on it. I wanted to see what's going on in this neighborhood, lately, while I am at work. 350 pound man was sitting out in front of his house, he looked at the truck but didn't recognize it. I just drove on by, my house too, I wasn't going to stop. Apparently sme level of recognition hit him after I was well past him, lol.

My search for an RV/trailer is going south quickly. The only thing I can say about it is I have plenty of time. Summer is hardly OVER much less right over the horizon. I don't NEED one right this second. The 2 I saw several days ago would have been gold to get, but I don't have that much money and those were the ones that really got my attention.

What I am finding now is either old junk or newer and too expensive or in the right "era" for age but they want too much money. People are not inclined to pay more than they think a thing is worth, I suspect several of those things are going to come down. There is still the Airstream available - but I think they want too much considering the AC needs replaced and the bathtub as well.

"I could care less". Indeed. This coming from an assistant manager at a QT.
Attitude, the man exuded the type of arrogance you would never want to find at a convenience store that has the level of standards QT has. Long story. Today, I was in there, the store's manager followed me out the door. I'm guessing the man that said those word's fate not too good in a company like that.

Not that I wanted to get him fired, just an nice attitudinal adjustment, not to mention being appreciative of haivng a job when there are so many that would love to take his place.

G'nite.

ben

Wednesday 10/12/2011

Iran Terror Plot Act Of War?...............
reads the headline. Perhaps it is an act of war, however, certain elements in Iran would love nothing but to get into a war with the US and Israel. I don't exactly know why they would want to engage in such, but to get into a war with Iran right now? This isn't enough to start it, at least from my perspective. I certainly wouldn't be opposed to air strikes to take out their nuclear ambitions - but that would start a war regardless, not exactly sure WHAT Iran would do, though.
I don't really bid the woman that is suing Continental because of turbulence that caused her post traumatic stress syndrome any luck, whatsoever, with her lawsuit. Turbulence is a part of flying, if you can't handle it - don't fly. I remember the worst turbulence I have ever experienced. It was in 1974 in a 747, flight from Pittsburgh to here (Phoenix). We were all buckled in because we had already hit turbulence. The plane dropped, according to the crew, several thousand feet almost all at once. Wanna talk about your stomach in your mouth. The woman claims she now has a fear of flying. Whatever. If turbulence causes you to fear flying, again, it might be a good idea to stay off of airplanes.

It just amazes me the things people sue for - and then get millions of dollars in compensation.

One person's idea of "TLC" or "Fixer Upper" in relating to a travel trailer and mine are apparently 2 completely different things. When I think of fixer upper, I think replace carpet/flooring. Probably upholstery needs replacing. Mattress is a goner. The couch might be trashed. Others apparently think that a 25-30 year old travel trailer that has a lot of damage to the ceiling from water leaks; siding on the exterior that is separated from the trailer; interior wall panels that are so water damaged they are dry rotted; flooring that has holes in it is some kind of "project trailer". I look at something like that and call it junk - WAY too much work to restore it. They usually throw in the refrigerator or AC - or both - doesn't/don't work. When you add up the tab to fix something like that, not to mention the time, you are talking thousands of dollars.

Even if they GIVE the thing to you, the work, time and money involved in getting something like that up to par is not worth it. Especially the work fixing a leaking roof.

So, the first thing I look at when looking at a trailer to buy is the ceiling inside of thing. Water damage is easy to spot. Wall panels, too. I can see replacing SOME of that stuff if it the damage isn't too bad, but not half the trailer. I want to see the AC and the fridge working. If I can't, the price - or at least my offer - on that unit just went down. Way down. I'm not real big on units that have been lived in, either. Most people abuse them, not gently use them when living in them. The newer one I found on CL last night is case in point. Obviously, someone was living in that thing and definitely, they trashed it.

Anyway, I am supposed to go look at one today, but I am not sure it's worth the drive down there. They actually gave a walk through video of it - they are desperate to sell, they claim their aunt's electricity is going to be turned off and they really need the money - but, I am not so sure from what I saw. For the money, I could do better. The carpeting needs to be replaced, the couch is already gone in it - meaning having to get another one. Most of the time, pictures make a unit look much better than the condition it is really in.

Well, my time's up, time to go to work.

G'day.

ben

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

The 38 foot motor home fell through. Guy changed his mind on financing.
I now have leads on several other units, including a 34 foot 5th wheel - 80's vintage and a 1998 5th wheel, 34 footer.
The 1998 is a nice looking unit on the outside with 2 slide outs. On the inside? Trashed. Described as smells like dogs; needs new couch and bed mattress; carpet will have to be replaced. No guarantees on the appliances. From the pictures, been sitting out in a field Guessing someone lived in it - well that's not really a guess, the only way something that nice that isn't too old gets that trashed out on the interior is when someone who doesn't give a damn is living in it. I'll take it a step further and guess a homeless person occupied it. I offered half of what he is asking. It will need a lot of work in just cleaning it up.

The pics show - some substance on the floor. I can't tell what it is, but after the description said it smells like dogs, I would guess it's dog crap. For 2 grand, it would be a steal. I would have all winter with Mark - who would work on it just for something to do - to clean it up and help fix it up.

Why would I want something like that? Because, the unit is much newer. Everything that you don't sit, sleep or stand on looks in very good condition. It obviously has oak cabinetry - and it looks good. The seating? Filthy - trashed. They didn't even show the couch which was described as something that would have to be replaced. Again, whatever was stood upon, sat upon or slept upon is history. This is what leads me to believe a homeless person. That or a terribly messy, filthy person. At 2k it would be a steal. Others will be interested in it - maybe, but my only offer is 2k. Whatever the case, that person is not going to get 4k out of that unit just because of the interior condition, regardless of how new it is.

Another, much older 34 footer also available. Very nice condition for a 79 unit. There are a lot of units in there, but, there are only a few that are catching my eye.

Well anyway. Herman Cain. Lol. 9-9-9. If there is one reason why this guy won't win the presidency, it's because of his 9-9-9 answer to the chaos we now call the federal budget. I happen to agree it's a great idea. He won't win because it makes a lot of people who pay nothing in income taxes now have to ante up. Like almost half of Americans - pay nothing. Nada. Zilch. At least that's what the news media has been saying for quite a while now on numerous different sources, I'll take their word for it on this one. 9 percent national sales tax; 9% personal flat tax and 9% business flat tax.

What I like is the idea of a fair system. And right now? It's far from fair. If you're talking 18% of my income going to taxes, I'll take it. FAR better than what I am paying now. I am not a one-issue person, but I am definitely taking notice of this guy's ideas. I also sorta like Ron Paul - though I don't feel very comfortable with his ideas on foreign policy. Yes, let's stay out of wasteful wars that we need not be engaging in, but I think he wants to take that too far. I don't like Romney for personal reasons I won't go into. Perry is starting to look a bit less favorable than he did at first. Perhaps Cain will too, once the media rips into him and exposes everything - whatever that may be./

Okay, then, just talked myself out of most of the candidates wanting the GOP nomination. No problem, I'll vote for who convinces me - I will no longer vote for who I think only has the chance to win - and that will be that.

Day is over.

G'nite.

ben

Tuesday 10/11/2011

I can't imagine what may be waiting for me out there when I leave to go to work this morning.........
So, Japan is going to give away 10,000 tickets to fly there and visit.
Ummm, I would go in a heartbeat if I could win one of those tickets. Just don't go anywhere near that damaged nuclear plant. I have internet friends over there that could at least tell me the good places to go. If they do give away those tickets, I will be applying.

Burglars shoot a 1 year old baby in the head. I heard that on the news yesterday and about puked. They broke into the house, went to the baby's room and shot the baby. I don't get it. I do get there is a special place, reserved in Hell, for people that do such things, that's IMO anyway.

The pirates are back in the news. Some sort of chemical tanker and not much more information given. I sorta like the outcome when one of the world's navies steps in and - takes them out.

Found a 34 foot 5th wheel travel trailer for $2,000. If everything works, that's a good deal. I would love to get my hands on that 38 foot Chevy Mallard Class A Rec V, but that guy wants more money for it and I don't have the down payment he wants for it. I would offer the 5th wheel owner $1,500 which I can come up with now - well after my bonus arrives - park it in my driveway and potentially have the trailer tenants help me clean it out and get it ready for summer visits.

Umm, my savings account for this thing is up to $900 - plus bonus, I'm getting close to a deal at this point,much sooner than I thought I would but there are people out there selling these things cheap. Some ads are saying this is the time of year to go camping with these things, no, it is not. It's summertime when everyone leaves town. What the time of year it is has been that way for 3 plus years now: a bad economy and people selling off stuff to be able to float finanicially.

Anyway, my time's up.

G'day.

ben

Monday, October 10, 2011

The 350 Pound Man

...............was standing outside, in front of his house again this morning. I didn't even notice him until I felt the eyes on me. It's one of those involuntary things where you don't even know what's happening, you just start looking around. There he was, standing in front of his house, arms folded, glaring at me. I did not have time for his games nor did I want to partake, I got in my car and left for work. When I am out the door and getting into my car to leave for work, it's a time factor, I have to leave and I have to leave now, not 10 minutes after some sort of verbal altercation that I don't want to get into, anyway.

Later, I was speaking with Lynnette on the phone. Mark had come out of my house after taking a shower through the back door, looked up and saw him standing there. He was in my other neighbor's back yard at the part where the ground is elevated so high that you can stand on it and look over the 6 foot fence. He was peeking into my back yard. That just FUMED me, this guy is a piece of work.

So, when I came home from work today, I find an extension cord running across the street from his house to his lot. I called the city Developmental services this time, a clear code violation - it wasn't even covered up to help protect it - that will be going by the wayside, though I doubt they are going to send someone out today, who knows. In reality, it is definitely a hazard with all the kids running up and down the street here.

Onto other things. I have had 2 offers on a trailer on payments now. One I spoke about yesterday, the other is not a trailer. It is a Class A RV, 1987 vintage, 38 foot Chevy Mallard. The man claims it is in excellent condition and that everything works. Certainly, the pics make it look good - though it is a very long thing. I am not sure my mom wants something that big on her property, I would have to ask about that first.

Mom told me a bit ago - yes, another interlude in writing one of my blog entries, happens frequently - that she doesn't care how big the thing is. Her only condition is that I get along with her neighbors. I don't know her neighbors, though the last time I was up there, the guy was on a Bobcat, plowing down brush and making a lot of noise. She claims it doesn't happen that much, even when they are up there. I dunno. I simly replied I would either get along with him or I would completely ignore him. If neighbors are idiots, I just don't want to talk to them at all. Especially if they are obnoxious, arrogant, crass and mouth people such as the 350 pound man is. I don't get that those people are like that, though, after watching them, just that they make a lot of noise when that thing is operating.

I also brought up the subject of whether my middle brother would get "jealous" and if he wanted to put something up there? This is the way he operates. It's a big contest to him, if one brother does something, he must one-up them. I could care less, to be quite honest about it - he can one-up me all he wants. I just don't want problems. She clearly had not given that any thought, it had not entered her mind. She got a bit uppity about it - I just said I was bringing it up so she could have an opportunity to THINK about it in case it occurs.

The second newest tenant just brought what appears to be his girlfriend through here. Whatever. Some people tell their tenants they can't have anyone in the house, especially girl/boyfriends. I care, I don't necessarily agree with such arrangements, but I don't say anything as long as it doesn't disrupt anything else in the house. People's peace, for one thing. The girl was terrified of the dogs. Lol.

G'nite.

ben

 Saturday - late afternoon I did not get up early since I had second load and was really deep in sleep again.  Like, this all seems to have ...