Round Three

I sometimes go for round three on entries on any given day, today will be one of them.
I call my mom at least once a week, I think I've talked to her three times this week.

I called her today simply because I almost always call her on the weekend.
She told me her plan concerning Thanksgiving: My middle brother is going out there on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving - the day before and whatever I can or will work in is cool with her.

Well I don't get the 23rd off and I am not necessarily concerned about being there for that, anyway. One of my uncles - who is eventually going to die of some sort of debilitating, horrible disease that he just found out about maybe 8 months ago and from all accounts will probably be dead within 2 years - sent me a friend request on Facebook. I don't know this man. He is my uncle but we have had 1 interaction in the last 30 plus years in an email conversation and that was it. This is pretty much the way my family lines go. Seeming isolationism, though my uncles and my dad all communicate daily or very frequently in private emails of which I am occasionally privy to - but since I don't know these people and the subject is usually foreign to me, I don't add to it.

Umm, the conversation is usually, btw, about Bach, Mozart, Handel, Haydn, Stravinsky, etc. I was brought up with this kind of music being played at dinnertime meals, but even as a little kid - I was totally into disco and then into rock. I liked some of that music, but I wasn't inclined to tune it in on a radio station, if, at the time, they even had such stations. I know there is at least 1 in the Phoenix area, probably that's it. Again, I don't search such things out, though I am not saying that that kind of music doesn't have it's own allurement in itself.

Well, I went to my uncle's Facebook wall since I accepted the request and saw my middle brother commenting on there. I did not reply. Instead, I went to my brother's Facebook wall - which he used to have locked out to non-friends but now, for whatever reason and only found this out today - is open to anyone to view (he removed me as a FB friend quite some time ago now after I decided I had had enough of his BS being directed towards me). The entire wall is about politics and his line of work and his presidency of the union he is "over". It made me gag, quite frankly, to read the rhetoric and brought to stark, clear memory the reason why I want nothing to do with him. His view of things is superior to everyone else's. The god syndrome. I am better than you, my thinking is flawless, listen and agree or I will unleash upon you.

It was nice to see all of that. Well it wasn't really "nice", just that my continued determination to block him out of my life until/if/when/probably never he realizes we all have opinions. We may not agree with other's opinions, but that doesn't mean, somehow, that that opinion is "inferior". Well, there ARE some cases. People that say the holocaust never happened or that 9/11 was made up by the government are bona fide fruitcakes are far as I'm concerned and any "opinion" stating as such will undoubtedly get full redress from me.

More interesting, since that is extremely old news and I don't see it changing anytime soon, was her statement about my oldest brother. She stated that he had come up with a reason why we don't get along and don't communicate with each other. I was all ears, what is it? If there is something I can do about - within reason of course - I have always wanted to get closer to my oldest brother.

She did not elaborate and started to go into something else - sorry, I want to hear this. What, I asked, is his formulation? Chris - my oldest brother - says that we have nothing in common. I mentally had a problem with this, but I said nothing and listened. Well, to elaborate, I have a problem with that kind of thinking because we are family, we are blood, that is certainly something in common, something extremely relevant, at least to me, in common.

Mother continued: he has his vehicle, my middle brother has his politics and I have my thing. My thing has always been church and religion, at least since I was 20 years old. I didn't know what vehicle she was referring to, he has always been in to motion of some sort, whether a mountain bike, a quad or whatever. He has some sort of Suzuki 4 wheeling vehicle that apparently made it into a magazine article and a sport that I know nothing about since mother didn't really know. I assume some sort of off-road racing. She further stated he has his cabin in the mountains.

I can't keep up with my oldest brother, he is married and between the 2 of them they are very well off. They will not be retiring in rags, squalor and want, I can say that for sure. I don't WANT to keep up with ANYONE, however, to be honest and seeing a lot of junk in my life that made me come to the conclusion long ago that that only thing of dire and great importance in this life is God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit and redemption through the shed blood of Christ.

The point is that I imagine that whatever this vehicle is, he has spent a good deal of money on - he never goes at anything half-@$$ed. Case in point was his prior love for mountain bikes. He had several - the cheapest was $2,500. The most expensive - I think it was in the 6k range.
It gives me at least some idea of how, perhaps, I might be able to bridge the gap. The cabin in the mountains. I don't know about the vehicle racing or off road endeavors, but I am currently full fledged into getting a 5th wheel travel trailer ready for use up in the mountains, to be placed on my mother's property, which is fully 8 miles away from my brother's cabin, of which I have never been in but I believe I saw it when I was up there earlier this year.

A drive up to the mountains this summer to shoot off a gun (target practice, folks, target practice) and to see my mother turns into a desire to BE up there, at least some of the time, now seems to potentially have some other implications as well. I have time to give this some thought. My oldest brother goes up to that cabin year round, even in dead winter when it's zero degrees outside and there is a lot of snow on the ground. Yes, well if I had such, I probably would, too. In fact, I wanted to put my 5th wheel up there on my mom's property this winter, but when I heard her trying to tell me exactly where she wants it? No thanks. I will wait until she wants to go up there and tells me the location while the truck is there, maneuvering it into position. I am not paying for another truck to come up there to move it to her exact location that I undoubtedly will not be able to identify.

Writing this entry? I pretty much don't finish entries all at once when I am not under a time limit. So, I was motivated: I found my brother's company email address - all I have and wrote him a request. I found that email under an email my dad sent me - almost 7 years ago. Yup, I had an email from my dad, from late 2005, that was addressed to all kinds of people including my oldest brother - who even then, at the time, was not speaking to my dad and still isn't to this day. I am copying and pasting it below:

"Hello oldest brother:

Long time no see or speak. Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas, Happy Birthday, Easter and whatever else I have missed (making up for lost time).
My purpose in contacting you is for some potential help.
Don't worry, I"m not asking for a loan, lol.
I recently bought a 5th wheel travel trailer and am intending on placing it on mother's property.
She wants it placed where you had your rig placed when you guys were staying there before you had your cabin built.
I guess she doesn't go up there until May and I want to get the thing up there earlier than that, by several months anyway.
In fact, I like snow and the cold to some degree, especially if I don't have to live in it but can visit it.
So, I am wondering, when I get the projects done with this trailer (new wallpaper, bed mattress, fix a leak in the roof, new microwave, carpet, etc etc etc), would you know the location that she would want it placed and would you be willing to either be there when I have it delivered (I neither have a pickup at this point or a 5th wheel plate on a truck, so I am relegated to paying someone to take it up there) to determine that location or perhaps mark it out?
I was going to wait until May when she goes up there, but I will have this trailer ready in no more than 2 months and I am pretty sure that I will want to start getting out of this hell-hole they call a town much more often than I have been for the last 8 years or so.

If this is something you would rather not get involved with, I completely understand but I thought to give it a shot, anyway.

Please give my regards to Linda, haven't seen you guys in a while, though I could have sworn I saw Linda out on a lawn chair, sort of behind a cabin, just off the forest road when I was up visiting mom not too terribly long ago. Dunno, not exactly sure where your cabin is!

ben"

That was my email. Why not? Leave politics and religion out of it. I am trying, that's all I can say. I have not seen my oldest brother since 2 Christmases ago, so going on 2 years now.

Not much more here. Kid came over asking to walk one of the dogs again, this time with 2, much older individuals. Never saw them before. Kid lives 3 houses down, I have known him for pretty much the entire time I have lived here, so I can at least fairly well trust him. I handed him a postcard sized invitation to our church's fair/festival thing this coming Saturday. Large family and poor. The entire thing is free, including food, drinks and prizes as well as games and bounce houses. Then I handed him Coco on a leash. They came back quite a while later and asked for Duke. Not too much later and then wanted Prince. Showing the dogs off to their family, he says his parents like the Danes.

I got nothing done on the landscaping today and I don't feel bad about it. I will undoubtedly be out there tomorrow afternoon, spending and hour or two in the dirt, working away.

G'nite.

ben

Church

I seriously did not want to go to church today. I was pulling out of my driveway still feeling sluggish apparently from getting up too late this morning. I was not in a good mood. I got to church and nothing changed about that. The service began and I was still quite out of it and really was contemplating just leaving.

Nothing against the church or the people, I was just not into it today, at least at the beginning.
That attitude didn't change, either until at least 2/3rd's of the way through the service. I don't even know what's going on, I just woke up groggy and I am still having trouble with it now. But, I know that sleeping in too long always does that to me, and certainly sleeping in until 7:00am is WAY too long. If there is any added benefit to the sleeping in, it is completely outweighed by the feeling my body has all day long.

But I was spiritually challenged today. Sometimes, I hear a message and wonder if it was just for me. I know my need to get more involved in the church, but to be honest, I thought I was doing well to just get back INTO church. But it's not enough. I know that from my walk with the Lord, not because somebody told me. The daily prayer? I could have gone at least twice if not 3 times this week and I made internal excuses not to go to any of it. Wednesday night service? Well I have a better reason for not going to that: I am going to bed at 8:00pm now on weekdays - well actually I have started to go to bed that early on most night regardless if it's a weekday or a weekend night.

But this week? I'll consider trying to go. If I have to get up and leave early, well I hope no-one takes offense at it, but that's where I'm at right now. Prayer? I have to promise myself to make at least one of them. I haven't promised myself that yet - I am still in the "consideration" stage. When I make a promise to myself, I do not like breaking it. Breaking my word to my own self? How lame is that? I'm trying, that's all I can say.

I called my son about today's appointment. No answer. He just called. He said: "I thought we were going to do that next weekend". I didn't get on his case, but he asked me for this, I didn't ask him. I know what he said: it was for today. In reality? Where my head is at right now? Good thing to put it off anyway. He has a friend - his age/18 - whose baby is apparently dying. 2 years old. He and Caleb's friends are taking him to the fair today to try and cheer him up.

I simply encouraged Caleb in the Lord: if the Holy Spirit speaks to you to pray for him or even the baby, listen and act. So, this appointment is put off until next weekend. Not a big letdown, again, considering how I am feeling today.

What else? I sat in church today and quietly prayed for all of my neighbors involved in this ordeal that is going on between us. "Love they neighbor". Mostly prayed for 350 man. No, not that he would die and go to hell, but that he would come to find the love of the Lord and that somehow, someway, this whole situation could be changed by the power of God's love. I believe in that, so much so that I feel kind of stupid for not praying about this a long time ago.

Since my afternoon is now free, I am going to force myself to go outside and putter around with the landscaping stuff for a while. Nothing grand, just puttering. Maybe that will clear my head.

ben

Sunday 10/30/2011

Look out, here comes Halloween!
Lol.
I totally woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.
I woke up in the middle of the night and was awake for a couple of hours (at least).
I then fell back asleep and didn't wake up again until 7:00am. Head groggy, I had
to force myself to get up - versus the desire to just go back to sleep.

Well that threw off my entire morning. I was going to get up early, drink some coffee and then go outside and do some work on the landscaping. Instead, I am sitting here trying to wake up enough to be able to go to church this morning!

I don't have anything else right now. Church and then purportedly meeting up with my son for whatever it is that is coming - no idea really.

Later.

ben

Qantas Airlines Shuts Down

The unions are calling it irresponsible and this, that and the other thing.
All I see are airline unions causing problems for airlines.
They want more of this, that and the other thing.
Maybe they should be happy they even have jobs.
I guess that kind of thinking, even in a global economy that is screwed up almost
everywhere, doesn't exist with union workers.
Greed, selfishness and revenge. If they don't get
what they want, then by golly they're going to go
on strike.
I think Qantas has the right idea. Why continue to put up with
it? Shut the entire airline down and then see how happy they people are
to be locked out of work and receiving - NO paycheck at all.

How does a union, in striking, help a company in a wretched economy?
Oh, well I guess Qantas is making money.
I dunno. I am not getting a pension when I retire.
Whatever I saved up - that's what I get. If I didn't save anything, then
God help me, because I will need it.

I just have no sympathy with most of these unions after you learn about
each one that is making trouble - they are already living the life with
high pay and great benefits. But greed knows no boundaries. Yes, I do
call it greed.

Speaking of saving, the newest tenant - he's somewhere in his 50's - admitted last
night about having so much taken out of his paychecks that he is forced to live on
macaroni and other such lovely substances.

But when I pressed him on it, he started naming off his savings accounts.
Home savings account; cash savings account; retirement savings and even
more. I'm already where he's at: petrified at the thought of getting into
my 60's and being broke or nearly so. Further illuminated by the fact
that my dad, who had originally made me almost sole inheritor of his estate has
now informed me that all of it is going to his current wife and I get none of it.

I don't blame him, of course, that's his call, but it only further serves to light
a fire under my feet. I wonder if he would take offense if I took out an insurance
plan on him? No, probably not the greatest idea I guess.

No, the only thing I can do is continue to increase savings amounts until I can't have
anymore taken out. I am doing that in small increments, slowly, over time. How much
can I handle have taken out? Increase it 1 or 2 percentage points at a time and find
out.

Further continuing on the finanicial realm, my ex messaged me yesterday on FB and told me she had lost her job. No details, just that statement. I have always known her as a hard worker, so it is surprising that she said she lost her job, but, the place she was working apparently doesn't treat it's employees too well.

The thought has occurred to me that I better get my dogs micro chipped. I have no idea what depths these feral cat lovers are willing to stoop to, but the thought certainly has crossed my mind that my dogs might be targeted. They have made it exceedingly clear that telling the truth is not on their list of anything to do at all if it doesn't serve their purpose, or worse, if it may harm them by saying such. They have demonstrated that they are willing to illegally enter my property by jumping a fence. They have showed their disgust for me by calling me all manner of foul language. In their eyes, I am a truly contemptible human being. I need not go into all the story, if you are not a regular reader of this blog and want to know - it's all in current entries in the last several weeks worth.

I can't be here 24 hours a day, neither do I want to be and neither will I be chained here because of other people's stupidity. I have not trapped any cats in a few weeks and then, it was that black one that I was going to let go anyway - that the woman behind me jumped the fence and let it out.

So, that on the list of things to get done, $25 per dog.
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Long interlude. Accomplished quite a lot outside today. Which doesn't mean I'm anywhere near being done. Which is cool - because I am totally enjoying being outside in nice weather. I don't have to spend money to be out there, I have most everything I need, whatever I am lacking is a pair of gloves here, a bolt there.

I rechecked the city's site today on the code violations. The people behind me are busy out there, all of a sudden. I see. Mine says "initial inspection". Umm, okay. They have been inspected, I am guessing - but the site doesn't show it has been done, only that the initial inspection is still awaiting. They don't do that kind of work unless they are forced to. Others have complained in the past, but the work only went on so long and then it died out. It's not going to go that easy for them this time. They are living in squalor and filth, hoarders that could qualify for the TV show, I am sick of it and now they have given me reason to start a campaign. Clean it up - all of it, get it out of there. When you are done - months later - you will feel much better about it.

Tomorrow en-queue. Start off the morning with coffee, go outside and do some more work, come back in to get ready for church. And then? My son wanting this coffee date. I have no idea. But I am certainly intrigued. What does he want to tell me? Lord willing, we'll see.

G'nite.

ben

Saturday 10/29/2011

Slept pretty well last night, fortunately for me.
I do not like getting up on Saturday morning after a bad night's sleep,
I won't get much done in that condition.
I have plenty I want to try and get done outside today, and sitting
around on a computer all day long when the weather is so beautiful outside?
No thanks. I don't mind being on it here and there along with my early morning
rituals, but all day long is out of the question.

So, yesterday I decided to go ahead and volunteer 2 hours of a Saturday to - whatever they are calling it, Harvest Festival or whatever - at church. It's a big outreach they have planned for
next week with all kinds of stuff for kids to do. The list for volunteers was only about 2/3rd's filled and I decided to jump in and help out a bit. I am doing the "Duck Pond". I think this is a little kiddie's thing where they just pick up a duck and it has prizes on the bottom. Lol. It's a silly game, but I am sure little - talking very young - kids enjoy being able to do something at a fair like that. I also paid for the cotton candy for the event - and that's going to do me for donations for a while now.

I need to get my "reserves" back up. I'll be spending more money on the travel trailer, but since I have until May, I guess it is, I have plenty of time to fool around with that project.
I have decided to go ahead and replace the carpet in it. It's blue and it's kinda ugly, not to mention worn out enough that replacing it is warranted. Especially considering the fact that it's not that much carpet - half of the trailer has vinyl flooring which is still in good condition. But, that can wait.

Which reminds me. I was going to ask mom to continue to buy these really expensive - but very nice - kitchen knives, in fact we have already discussed it. But now? That trailer needs a new microwave. With the budget that she gives for a Christmas present, I could actually get a pretty nice one. Well, I dunno, second thoughts - those knives are REALLY nice.

Well coffee time is over. I just remembered that both larger ponds need the filters and the pumps completely cleaned out. Not the nicest thing to have to do on earth, but the fish are nice to have, so I guess I will clean them out so they don't die of some disease caught by too much fish waste in the filtering systems!

Later.

ben

Wingin' It

I don't know what I'm doing.
I just play it as it comes along.
Neighbors want wars, I try to disengage.
When they bring it to my doorstep, I just do what I think is right.

Or, I'm trying to get in line with the Lord and all kinds of
temptation hits me. Resist it? Yes. Resisting, kind of hard work,
actually. Human nature and desire is pretty strong stuff, I must admit.

Trying to get back into church? Ummm, lol. If anyone has read this blog
at length, then you know the internal wars that go on when church time
comes. I'm getting much better at that, though. 9:30AM Sunday morning
comes, I'm hopping in the shower, getting dressed, and out the door for
the 10:00 am service. But the mind still battles.

But my old pastor wanting to restart some kind of relationship?
That was a curve ball that my son threw at me last night - though I
seriously doubt he fully understands what that all means to me and
I figure this Sunday meeting he wants to have over coffee - though I
insisted on dinner at say, Applebee's, why not? - we might go into
all of that if he really wants to hear that story. If he doesn't,
no sweat off my back, but he is a part of that family - my ex-pastor's -
as much as a part of his own parents. I've never held it against him
to have that kind of relationship with those people.

But I do wonder where all of this is going.

Or what about this travel trailer business and getting one up
on my mother's property? This seemingly came out of nowhere.
I mean, I came up with that idea, I think. It seemed to be the
thing to do: get up to the mountains and have a place to crash out in
and even watch a bit of TV if I want to, but mostly enjoy a nature and
also spend a bit more time with my mom.

But this stuff just comes at me. I'm very perplexed by this
situation with my ex-pastor, because he shunned me in church.
Not, we were sitting in a private office and this situation occurred -
which would have been bad enough - but in a church service. Not that he
declared it to everyone. He certainly made it unerringly known to me,
that's for sure.

I wonder if I could find it within myself to go there.
I would first have to answer the question as to WHY I would want
to even think about going there after all that has transpired.
However, there is one thing that I am at least 99% percent sure that
is not going to happen: I will not be getting back together with
my ex-wife, a string I would have to believe is attached to such
an event.

I dunno. Life is pretty strange stuff at times, maybe most of the time.

Eddie - the kid that has been walking Coco 3 days in a row - wanted to take
Duke today. I was hesitant about that. Duke is bigger than Eddie in both size
and weight. He's a nice doggy but sometimes gets in his head that another dog
is some sort of threat and goes after it. I let him take Duke with some
instruction about Duke around other dogs - just don't let it happen.

Well, they were gone a LONG time. I was out front, working on the yard, some
pretty tedious work if I do say so myself. It's going to take a while to get
it all done. Something like 90 minutes later they returned. Of course: walking
around a dog THAT large garners attention and you get to talk to people about "your"
dog. Still, I freely admit after that much time passing that I was starting to get
worried.

Tomorrow? The rodeo tenant wants to take one of the dogs up into the mountain preserve -
trailhead 2 blocks from my house. Yeah, go for it. I suggested Coco since she lasts much
longer and is also not a problem with people or dogs. If the guy rides horses and bulls,
I can pretty much trust him with one of my dogs.

Me? I want to continue with the front yard. There is so much rock to move around, yikes!

I am watching the final game of the World Series. At least at this point, it's not looking to good for the Rangers. Walking runs in = not a good thing, especially in the most important game of the entire season. Well, that happened earlier but certainly a defining moment in the game. I am a fan of neither team, but I like it to be a good game, especially this one. Whoever wins - takes the Championship.

G'nite.

ben

Friday 10/28/2011

Ahh, the joy of Friday.

What great plans do I have for the weekend?
Just continue to work on the landscaping stuff.
Hope that the wallpaper shows up today so we can
get a start on that as well.
Maybe try to get to one of the prayer groups they started this week.
They - the church - are continually asking for volunteers to work
whatever - a fair type thing that the church is hosting for local
residents - I finally gave in and decided to volunteer for a couple
of hours at a dunking tank thing. You know, like bobbing for apples
or whatever.

How do you kill a kid? I don't get it. They found the remains of
that 11 year old kid that went missing along with his mother. The husband
has been charged in the death of the mother and the boy. I dunno, but I
fear for a person going around killing kids, not fearing what may happen in this
life, it's the next life that would worry me. The guy could have offed himself
and that would be a bit better than him killing his wife and kid.

So, one of the financial experts claims that there is some form of recession every 4 years and that - 2012 of course is another 4 years up. I even heard one of them state that
getting the max benefit out of your 401k - at least putting in as much as you can get matching funds from your employer - is a no-no right now. Apparently the thought is that you are going
to lose all that money in there, anyway, why bother to save money that's going to disappear?

I'm not willing to go that far with it. Not yet, anyway. I paid down 1 401k loan and will pay down the other 1. If nothing else, I will be able to borrow up to 50% of it if it's just going to disappear. I'm not necessarily "into" this doom and gloom business, but I do read both sides of the story, there isn't that much coming out on the other side of it. The government would like you to believe that we are slowly coming out of the recession. My answer to this is to simply save money in a bank savings account. It's already been taxed and it isn't subjected to the stock market. It isn't necessarily growing too much in interest, but at least it's there.

I don't see a lot of anyone suggesting to just save your money. I don't see other, viable alternatives, frankly, so I am going to continue with what I am doing and save cash in a bank account and still have 5% taken out in the 401k and see what happens. This world's economy and God's economy are 2 different things. Last time I checked, God wasn't broke. As many point out, the answer to this problem is really quite simple: go out and spend money. Buy new products and infuse the money into the "system". Of course, when most people that used to have money don't have any - what money are they supposed to spend?

I don't lose sleep over this, lemme tell ya. I have spent a considerable amount of my adult life in the "poor" bracket and the realities of living without are all too well known to me. I know how to survive when there is nothing to live off of. Unpleasant realities, perhaps, but reality never-the-less. Living in a house with evaporative cooling that doesn't work very well in summer. Going 7 or 8 months without hot water because I couldn't afford to buy a new water heater. On and on that story went. I'll have my travel trailer up on my mother's property next year, Lord willing and I will still have the other one here. I can live in a travel trailer - not the most pleasant thing on earth but better than the streets.

But, I hope that the economy doesn't get that bad and that people aren't roving the streets in gangs, invading people's homes to forage for food and all the junk that the extreme doom and gloomers are predicting.

Whatever the case, I am still employed and........
it's time to go to work.

G'day.

ben

More

I came home from work awhile ago and felt them.
Eyes. I gotta say it must just be something we are all born with or something, the "ability" to feel eyes staring/looking at you.

Usually, I look straight up in the direction of where those eyes are staring at me from - involuntarily - and today was no different. 350 man staring at me out of his window. Dunno, don't care. Didn't even bother to look if he had started on finishing that fencing project - though I do care about that.

___________________
Long interlude. I went out front to continue with my landscaping project and one of my tenants was out there doing his rodeo stuff with his ropes. No, he actually DOES rodeo - like riding bulls and all of that stuff. We got into a conversation after he was done - interesting person. 350 man was out front of his house, talking on the phone, sitting on a chair, throwing his hands all over the place. Fuming about something. I won't take credit for all of his fuming: this guy fumes about anything and everything.

But who cares. I spent quite a while out there working away, the kid that wants to walk the dogs came over again and took Coco for about a 20 minute run. She was worn out by the time he got back, I gave him a couple of bucks.

I'm loving this weather and yes, I will say it again, probably will be saying it for a while as long as it continues: the absolute peace I have not having to hear these idiots mouthing off to me. Look, this started over cats. Even if I was a cat lover, I would still have the same stance against these people taking on all these FERAL and STRAY cats, adding and adding to this "colony" of their's.

______________________________________________________

My son shows up. I never know when he's going to be here or not. More often than not, yes, but it isn't a regular schedule anymore like it used to be. Not that that bothers me, not at all, he is living his life and he is definitely motivated and I believe: going places in the Lord with his life. He's changed his desire for what he wants to do once again. Now, he wants to be a police officer. He tells me there is a LOT he wants to talk to me about and that he would like to do a coffee after church on Sunday. No, I said, let's do lunch, if you want coffee with lunch, great! I'm loving church at this point, even if I don't really know anyone there excepting getting to know the pastors, it's pretty cool to be back in it again. I have a ways to go - spiritually speaking - but it's all good. So, lunch date after church it is.

__________________________________________________________

Texas Rangers v Cardinals. I'm watching the game. 3rd baseman for Cardinals dropped a popup. I can see a 12 year old Little League-er dropping a popup, I don't see a man that is undoubtedly making millions of dollars a year as a professional baseball player in THE most important game of the year - at least for his team - fouling up a routine play. If the Rangers win tonight, I can guarantee that tomorrow? The sports shows; sports pages; sports this and that people will be all over this guy for "losing the game" or being a "pivotal point" in the game's demise for the Cardinals. Lol. That's because the next batter up hit a TRIPLE and batted the runner at 1st - that shouldn't have been there - in.

_______________________________________________

I can't believe it's already the end of Thursday. Wow! These weeks have been flying by!! It's always nice that a week flies by as fast as the weekend.

And finally.
My son said he sat down with my ex-pastor - very long story, unbelievably long story - and apparently he wants to reconnect with me. We were best friends for around a decade. When my ex and I were getting divorced, he shunned me as pastor and as a friend. I will say that if anything ever becomes of it, it would never be the same as it once was. I have been writing, here and there, things about the Lord on my Facebook wall, apparently that has gained the attention of quite a number of people who have found my blog - through various sources.

I reassured - or tried to - that I know he is very good friends with that entire family and I have nothing against that. But, it obviously didn't sit too well with him my reply: I am not ready for that. Never say never, but I am definitely not there. I am figuring that this rendevouz with my son wherever is going to be a lengthy conversation from both sides about things present, past and future.

Oops, back to the baseball game: game is tied on walk. Bases loaded, 1 out, walk ties up the game. I'm sort of rooting for the Rangers but am no fan of either team.

Well, that's it.

ben

Thursday 10/27/2011

The waiting game.
I'm waiting for that wallpaper to get here so we can
get started on that project.
Meanwhile, I'm about 40% convinced to tear out the carpeting and replace it.
100% convinced to get up on the roof and apply a coating of tar around one of the roof
vents to ensure there is no water leakage during storms with heavy down pours, which
is usually what will see that stuff leaking if there is a leak.

Flat tax. I'm all for it. I doubt either Perry's or Cain's version would ever make it through Congress. The idea is a "novel" one, not really cause' it's been around for a while but never gains traction. No clue whether it will gain traction now, and apparently Obama is raising a LOT of money for his re-election campaign. I hope voters don't forget some of the nonsense, is all I can say, when it comes time to vote. Another 4 years of this man's ideas? Has any of it worked so far? lol.

My mother wants me to "think" about Thanksgiving and Christmas. That's all she said. Obviously, it's a disguised question: are you coming? A few weeks ago, she said it's "your turn" to host Christmas. She claims my middle brother - a person who doesn't know when to shut up and certainly, to keep his political views to himself when it comes to family get togethers (his views are pretty much at the opposite end of where I takealookit things). If there are obvious areas of contention when it comes to family and you want to have a peaceful get together, probably talking about how wonderful Obama is (his view of it) isn't going to go over all that well in the home of a person that doesn't particularly like Obama's actions thus far.

So I will think about it and keep thinking about it, lol. Not really, I have nothing to think about, I would like to see my oldest brother, but if that means another ruined holiday because of my middle brother, then I want no part of it.

2 days left in the work week. Another week zooming by. It's ever so lovely to come home and not have to hear the continual ramblings of a bully who thinks his opinion of things supersedes even the thoughts running in your brain. I can go out front in peace and work on my landscaping without all the stares, glares and garbage talk being hurled at me. One thing is for certain: it will last at least a year, at least concerning him!

G'day.

ben

Wednesday Afternoon

Well, I was driving down the next street over a few minutes ago and saw Sam - the guy that has been affiliating himself with the opposition against because of the cat situation - removing junk out of his driveway. Yes, well he will be removing stuff for a long, long time.

So, I get my mail out of the box and see something from the Maricopa County Animal Control division. ??? Did they try to turn me in for something? My dogs are legal, my property is clean of dog dung - cleaned every day, I do not beat on my dogs - mind abuzz: what is this all about? Can only imagine. Open it up. Congrats on the new doggy, blah blah blah. Got that dog, what, 2 months ago at least? They want a donation. Lol. I "donate" enough to them in dog tags every year. For the money I spend on those tags, I get zero, nilch, nada, nothing in return. Okay, maybe to run the shelters where they are killing alot of the animals that come in there and perhaps the trucks and officers that go around, but then again, I think that is funded by the county.

Actually, my mind went straight to: if they are trying to turn me in for my dogs for WHATEVER reason, I am turning THEM in - all 3 of them - for ANIMAL HOARDING. I may still do that anyway, I don't care if the law says you can have as many as you want, the law also states that your premises has to be clean and the animals well taken care of. Well, there is cat and dog pooh all OVER the place!

Long intermission. I went outside to work on the front yard. Absolutely gorgeous weather - finally. The real miracle is that I have complete peace out there. 350 man cannot say a word to me and meth head knows that if he starts his crap, I will immediately call the police on him. In fact, I had had thoughts of getting a restraining order against him, as well, but apparently the fact that 350 man can't say anything to me or even look at me has him - doing something different. 350 man just came back with a pile of lumber in the back of another person's pickup truck. I can only guess that he is intending on finishing that fence project that he started - 8 months ago? - never finished and now, I am also guessing: is being forced to either finish it or tear it down.

With peace, I could seriously consider staying here even if the refinancing never happens. The big drawback, still, is the house is underwater at least 40% . That's like drowning levels, lol. Like - in 15 years maybe it will be worth what I owe on it and then can sell it and find the home of my dreams. Yeah, right, lol.

Funny thing? I saw some properties for sale through a link at my company all over the U.S. Much of it was vacant property. North Carolina; Alabama; Georgia; all over the place. Several of them were - at least IMO - beautiful, wooded/tall pine tree'd lots. Absolutely the kind of place I would love to think about retiring in. But, then again, the mountains in Arizona are gorgeous as well. Too many fires, though. Gets to dry in the summer and too much of it has burned up.

I'm always dreaming, lol.

Time for bed.

ben

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 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

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 - 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

.........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.