Observations

[larryJ]

Living with the wife and her cousin can be tedious, or stressful, or mindbending, or whatever adjective you want.  I swear they must, either collectively, or individually, stay up all night trying to decide what major problem must be addressed the next day. 

Here in SoCal, we have a trash service that provides three ninety-gallon cans for the trash.  A black one for garbage, a blue one for recycling and a green one for lawn clippings or other green organic materials.  All of these barrels are emptied once a week and the contents are taken to their appointed destinations......garbage to the dump, recycling products to a sorting place to be recycled and the green materials to another.  The law, or rule of thumb, is that we should recycle at least 30% of our trash. 

THIS IS NOT WRITTEN IN STONE!!!!!!!!!!!

Over the years I have developed the habit of enjoying a cup of international coffee in the afternoon.  The coffee comes in small containers which used to be metal, but now are made of paper.  Each container is about 2" by 3" by 2".  When I empty one I throw it in the garbage can occasionally or the recycle can occasionaly.  I don't care.  A small container like that is not going to make or break the environment.

That said.............the cousin has taken it upon herself to monitor what goes in which can.   In the past few days, she has noticed that some things that should be recycled are ending up in the garbage can.  She brought to my attention a few days ago that we, meaning her cousin (my wife) and I are not serious about recycling.  Silly me........I asked why.  She pointed out that the itty bitty coffee container should go in recycling, not the garbage where I inadvertantly put it the last time.  Last night she brought out one of the containers to point out the recycle symbols both on the lid and the container itself. 

That said............she also mentioned that if there is only one trash bag in the blue can, why put it out on the street for the trash truck?  I looked at her for a long time.......trying hard not to snicker.......alright laugh.  Then I pointed out to her that since she has been living with us, she has made it her job to pull the cans out to the street for trash day.  So therefore, she put the blue can out with only one kitchen trash bag in it.  I also pointed out to her that it should be emptied every week, no matter how many bags are in it, so in case we have a lot more recycling there will be enough room in the can. 

I suppose somewhere there is some logic to these discussions.  I remember the old saying by a husband........he said, "My wife worries about the small things like cleaning, caring for the kids, washing, cooking, finances, etc.  I worry about the big things like the next war and the national economy and such."

It is fortunate that these occurences fade after only a few days until the next one comes up.  AND, it keeps the atmosphere enjoyable around here.  I can't wait.........or maybe I can........ to see what comes up next.   

sheesh!

Larryj

[larryJ]

I am pretty sure that I have mentioned before about my wife's habit of calling me on the phone when she wakes up and asks for "room service."  This means that I make her a cup of coffee and carry it down the hall to our bedroom. 

The observation:  When she is in a good mood, meaning I am not in trouble, this is the daily routine.  When I do get in trouble, she gets up and comes to the kitchen and makes her own coffee and takes it back down the hall.  This action is to let me know that.......... 1) I have done something to tick her off.  This doesn't necessarily mean I know what I did.  She might have had a bad dream.
2) There has been a disagreement and this is to let me know that she doesn't need me to make her coffee or do anything else for her.
3) OR, maybe I am mad about something, (rare), and she knows I will not bring her coffee.

This can lasts for a day or a few days depending on the severity of the problem.

How do I know I am back in her good graces?

She calls me and asks for "room service."  This is the sign that all is well and everything is back to normal.  This action precludes any sort of apologetic type of discussion.  That will come later.  And that is the best part.

sheesh.

Larryj

[jarhead]

Larry,
I didn't know where to put this---but here it is. Please tell me that most people in your neck of the woods aren't eat up with stupid like Ms.Kourda . Is it the water out there or LSD ? 


Irvine woman wants roadside memorial to honor fish killed in truck crash
Published October 30, 2012

Associated Press

IRVINE, Calif. – An Orange County woman has asked the city of Irvine to erect a sign honoring hundreds of truck crash victims -- who were fish.

About 1,600 pounds of saltwater bass died on Oct. 11 when a container truck hauling them to market got into a three-way crash.

Dina Kourda, a local volunteer with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, wrote the head of street maintenance requesting a sign at the intersection to honor the fish.

Kourda's letter notes that while roadside memorials traditionally honor human beings, she hopes an exception will be made to remind drivers that all animals -- in her words -- "value their lives and feel pain."

Irvine spokesman Craig Reem tells the Los Angeles Times that no memorial is planned.

[larryJ]

Not surprised......the question is............these fish were being "hauled to market".....

Maybe there is a great big difference between dying on a freeway or dying on a table in a fish market.  I don't know.  I do know there are a lot of loonies and weirdos around here.  (to date, I have not ever been accused of being one.)   (don't even think about it!)

While sitting at a red light recently, I noticed a middle aged man standing on the corner, waving his arms and yelling loudly.  I couldn't hear what he was saying, and that is a good thing, right? He wasn't yelling at anyone in particular.  He was the only one on the corner.  He was alert enough, however, to know when the light changed and he could cross the street........still waving his arms and talking it up. 

We do get a lot of roadside memorials here.  If someone gets killed in a car accident, especially those of Latin descent, a row of glass prayer candles, balloons and flowers will show up on the corner.  These are not a big showy thing, maybe two to three feet across.  But these are for humans as far as I know. 

Back in the seventies, I worked in Hollywood during the hippy era.  Talk about a lot of loonies!  There were many occasions of some weirdo coming in the record store where I worked and started throwing records like frisbees.  We had listening booths where one could go in and listen to a demo record and decide if they wanted to purchase one.  These booths were all glass and sometimes a couple would go in a booth to listen to a record and get real, how you say, romantic.  Those were my favorite because I was the one who had to tell them to get a room.......besides the one they were in.

So I'm not surprised.

Larryj

[larryJ]

A short observation I wanted to share:

The Country Music Awards were on last night.  My daughter is a country music fan so I texted her to make sure she knew the show was on.  After a few minutes she texted back that she knew and was watching.  A few minutes after that she texted me and said that my #1 granddaughter wanted to know why those people all say "y'all!"

A short note on Halloween trick or treaters:

We normally get about 70 or 80 kids every year.  After picking up my granddaughter from school Wednesday, we stopped at a store and I bought some halloween candy.  In looking at the bag, it didn't say how many pieces were in it.  But it was my wife's favorite candy so I bought two bags.  I guess because it was a school night we only handed out candy to 55 kids and a lot of those "kids" were "tweeners and teeners."  They started at 6 PM and the last one came around 8:30.  Then there are those younger mothers who are carrying a baby ( not old enough for candy) and coming to the door trick or treating.    It always fun.

And, by the way, when I opened the first bag of candy, I counted the pieces..........125!  When the night was done I had 50 left.  (Some kids got more than one.)  My wife is in chocoate heaven with all the leftover candy and whole 'nother bag waiting to be opened.  I hope she doesn't ask the age old question............."Do I look fat in this?" anytime soon! 

Larryj

[Warph]

Observation:

"Fathom the hypocrisy of a government that requires every citizen to prove they are insured... but not everyone must prove they are a citizen."

Now add this, "Many of those who refuse, or are unable, to prove they are citizens will receive free insurance paid for by those who are forced to buy insurance because they are citizens."

Think about it when you vote November 6th.

[larryJ]

I've been scratching my head about this one today.  In an election year, everyone is inundated by fliers and such telling us to vote for this and not for that, etc.  In today's mail there was one such flyer asking us to vote for Assemblyman Roger Hernandez, D-West Covina.  Like the rest of that stuff it gets a glance and a trip to the trash (recycled) can.  However, in reading today's paper, there was this article.  If Rep. Hernandez gets re-elected, then we already know he is less than desirable.  Read on:
______________________________________________________________________________
From the San Gabriel Valley Tribune:

Local elected officals on Tuesday called the domestic violence allegations lodged against Assemblyman Roger Hernandez "deeply troublesome," and one councilwoman called for his immediate resignation.

West Covina police officers on Sunday night served Hernandez, D-West Covina, with an emergency protective order filed by a woman with whom he had a fight at Lazy Dog Cafe earlier that night.  (The Lazy Dog Cafe is a "bar and grill" type place....more bar than grill.)

In the protective order -- which is similar to a restraining order -- the woman alleges that Hernandez, 37, caused "visible injury" after hitting her with a belt and slamming her against a wall in an earlier incident July 14.  She also accuses him of using cocaine.  This newspaper does not identify alleged victims of domestic violence.

Hernandez, who is running for re-election Nov. 6 in the new 48th district, has denied all allegations through his attorney.  The lawyer said the accusations were politically motivated. 

West Covina police Chief Frank Wills said the investigation into the woman's July allegation was turned over to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department of Tuesday so it can be conducted independently.  Hernandez has alleged bias on the part of the West Covina Police Department in the past.

____________________________________________________

Now.......and this is where the head scratching starts...........Why does he think he has a chance to win with all this really negative publicity?  What happens if he wins re-election and then is found guilty of these allegations?  Then we have to have a special election to fill his seat in the Assembly. 

Well, I've observed that at least in California, we have the opportunity to know who is a crook before he gets elected!

Sheesh.

Larryj

[larryJ]

Speaking of crooks......dumb ones that is......

We also have some of the dumbest crooks around.  In our neighborhood, we don't have much crime. 

A woman who lived two doors down from me sold her house and moved out last Wednesday.  She is in her 50's and slightly retarded.  She is able to care for herself, but has a caretaker to handle her finances and any problems she might have.  Over the years she has called me to come fix things for her.  Silly stuff like she changes the channel on her TV and can't figure out how to get it back on Channel 3 for her cable service.  I showed her many times, but she just couldn't get it. 

Now for the dumb crook part.  She left on Wednesday.  The house is a diaster zone and was finally bought by a woman who will come in and clean it up and make it presentable.  We call that "flipping."  You buy a run down house, refurbish it and resell it for a profit.  The buyer hired a group of men to begin cleaning up the outside, i.e., trimming a massive tree in the front yard and also one in the back yard.  They began work on Thursday morning.  When they arrived, they noticed that the house appeared to have been broken into.  On Friday morning, when they arrived, it appeared to have been broken into again.  This time the local police came out to take a report.  This morning around 4:30, the neighbor's dog who lives next door to me started barking.  My neighbor who was aware of the breakins called the police.  When the police arrived, they caught two individuals inside the house and arrested them.  The SUV they were driving was towed.

Now.........other than the woman who bought the house, a few neighbors, a few friends of the woman who sold the house and the guys who are doing the work there, who would know the house was empty and break in the same night after the woman left?  So now, the whole neighborhood is aware of this and is paying atttention to anything out of the ordinary.  The dummies came back a second night which prompted the police call yesteday morning.  Now the neighborhood is on heightened alert.  My next door neighbor owns a German Shepherd which was the one barking this morning alerting my neighbor who called the police.

First night..........who knew the house was empty.  Second night, taking chances in a neighborhood who is aware of something going on.  Third night.............just totally stupid!

When the owner moved, she did leave some things behind as she couldn't take it all with her, but nothing of value.  My guess is that maybe these guys might be stripping the wiring for the copper or something like taking fixtures of some sort. 

Anyway, due to our wonderful neighbor's dog and an alert neighborhood, two dummies are in jail for burglary.  How dumb can you get?

Sheesh.

Larryj

[Diane Amberg]

Maybe some one saw her moving out?

[readyaimduck]

They were dumb to get caught.
There are people in the Elk County/Greenwood area that know when the 'old farts' die, or move....then they think the  land is theirs for the hunting/fishing/growing and/or cooking stuff....it is happening now.
The trick is not to get caught.  The trick is to post 'no tresspassing' and shoot to drag onto the porch, then call the Game Warden/Sheriff. 
  I will paraphrase what I agree with:  "Yes, Life is not fair.  However it is up to me to make it not fair and put it to my advantage."

I used to think we could all get along.

ready