It's About Time

Dale Earnhardt Jr finally won at Martinsville.  The trophy for winning is a grandfather clock, something he has wanted ever since his father brought one of many home.  He said he has wanted one of these trophies since he was a little boy.

This marks his 23rd career win and his 4th win of the season.  

 

Meet Beanie (Bopper)

This little kitten has more than enough energy with plenty left over.  He/she is the only one to survive the litter.  Its mother, Stumpy, had three kittens at the beginning of the year, so all four of them play together.  Meet Stumpy's kids:

This is Beanie

Beanie and Saddle

Beanie and Momma Stumpy

Beanie and Boots

Beanie showing off for Boots (on its back)

Beanie and Spur (Beanie's tail is short like Mom's)

Beanie got its name from the small patch on its head.  Boots, Saddle and Spur were given their names by my husband.  

Beanie can be running helter-skelter all over the place and the next thing you know, he/she is either having lunch at Mom's expense or curled up sleeping somewhere.  It happens that quickly.  A real Beanie bopper.

 



 
 
 

Wacky Neighbors Explanation

It seems I have been misrepresenting our neighbors after reading comments on my three posts about them.  Let me bring you up to speed:

First of all it may seem like I am acting like an old biddy with my nose in their business.  Far from it.  I do not go out of my way to make my life miserable by the things they have done since moving here two years this November.  All the things I have been complaining about they put in my face on a daily basis. It cannot be avoided either.

Ever since they moved here they have not adhered to local ordinances or restrictions and have been living as if they are still residing in Aquashicola.  Look it up, you'll see what I mean.  

The straw that broke this camel's back with them was when I learned they were trapping our cats and taking them away.  We were totally unaware of that action until earlier this year when my husband was way out back and saw the trap at the end of their property next to ours.  From then on we had to watch and make sure to release any of the cats that found their way in the two traps they always set.  One night I went out at 2:30am with a flashlight to check and also to spring the latch so cats could not get in.  The husband apparently checked on the traps before going to work to make sure they were set and didn't check on them till late at night...so what if it rained all day and a cat sat in that rain.  So what if they were hungry or scared...he did not care one iota.  And there is no excuse for that.  This neighborhood was peaceful till they came along.  Nobody complained about cats.  We have been feeding them for years seeing that they have shelter as well. 

When my husband confronted him about the trapping he called my husband a liar and got so red in the face while screaming I thought we would be calling for an ambulance for the neighbor.  He went on to curse something terrible and was saying things like F*** the Bible, F*** God.  I finally went outside onto our deck and told my husband to walk away.  There is no call for the way he ranted and raved and cursed.

His wife was standing right by him and interjecting nonsense about how the cats were pooping all over their toddler's toys.  How does a cat poop on toys, or a picnic table, or anything else that doesn't have a surface they can scratch in order to cover their "duty?"  If you don't understand that, you don't understand cats.

The neighbor yelled that he had trapped 22 cats since moving there.  We live in a rural area with farmed fields all around us.  Many of our neighbors have cats, or feed feral cats, because they understand that they will keep the mice and other vermin away.  Apparently these neighbors want mice and vermin on their property.

They take all their yard waste, from dead shrubbery, dead Christmas trees, to huge limbs and branches from their trees and pile them up on their property line.  That harbors mice.  Cats go after mice.  What did they expect would happen?

These people have no morals, no scruples, and are just a real pain in the ass and how we got blessed with them as neighbors is beyond me.  So to distance myself from them I have decided to ignore them as if they don't exist ~ if that is at all possible.

Yes, I may sound angry and it's because I am.  These people took a nice piece of property and turned it into a piece of sh*t.  They dug up their yard to plant a garden which is okay; I have no problem with that.  Maybe it's because it's on the other side of their house and I don't have to look at it.  But they also dug up their yard at various places to plant sunflowers everywhere you can think of including along the street in front of their house.  Really?  We get asked about those sunflowers numerous times by people we know who pass by our place.    Maybe some of the pictures I have posted look good but if you would see what I see you would change your mind in a hurry.

Sorry for this long post but I had to get that off my chest.

Wacky Neighbors #3

Danger Zone ~ mix a little boy with a huge fire and it could spell disaster.  Fortunately on this day disaster was held at bay but I held my breath as I watched.  You never know when a small child is going to make a quick decision and do something rash.  Also, as you can see, this fire is giving off smoke.  What we were not aware of at that time is that smoke is a nuisance, something I was not aware of but am now.  

The neighbors have since received a letter from the township advising them about the do's and don'ts of having a residential or ceremonial fire pit.  I have also learned that when the burning ordinance was changed in 2008 the part of no burning between sunset and sunrise was not brought forth into the new ordinance.  So I was wrong on that count.  Apparently they were in the right to burn all night long while they slept in their tents.  However, a night fire must have someone tending it at all times and that didn't happen. 

Below is a photo of one side of the neighbor's driveway.  When the person who owned the property before them lived there everything was manicured and looked nice all the time.  He used to put fresh mulch in these areas (both sides) every Spring and saw that all weeds were pulled.  This below is nothing but a bed of weeds.  This couple is in their mid 30's.  You would think they cared about their property.  I watched him take care of weeds one day by using a weed-whacker.  Oh yeah, that's really going to get rid of them. 

Wacky Neighbors Part II

One Friday morning a few weeks ago when I went out to feed the cats this is what I saw in the neighbor's yard. I thought they were either airing it out or they had just bought it and wanted to learn how to put it up before using it at a different location.  The back of the tent is parallel to their fence.  The door faced the fire pit which was not all that far away.

Friday night came and went and nobody used the tent.  Company arrived Saturday.  A fire was started in their round fire pit after the sun went down.  I might interject here that we have an ordinance that states no fires after sunset or before sunrise.  Did that stop them?  Hell no.

The fire burned until a little after 4am.  My husband was aware of the fire and was awake all night worrying about an ember being picked up by wind and possibly landing on our house, garage, or sheds.  See that field on the other side of the tent?  That is quite extensive and when the wind blows it sweeps down the field and across both our yards.

Hindsight is 20/20 and looking back I wish I had called one of the local fire departments to report a fire in the neighbor's back yard.  Maybe that would have gotten through their thick skulls.  As it was, my husband went to the township to report them to one of the supervisors.  The one that had a hand in the writing of the latest fire ordinance.  We asked that he speak to these neighbors and set them straight.  Or at least send them a letter of warning.  This was the third time we asked that the township step in for something stupid these people have done since moving here almost two years ago.  

My husband asked to be mailed a copy of the letter.  We are still waiting.  He has since called the same supervisor and had to leave voice mail asking why no letter was sent out to them.  Mr. Supervisor avoids us at all costs.  And when we do catch him at the township building, he always has an excuse.  My taxes help pay his salary as a supervisor.  I wish he would remember that.

The sad thing about this whole incident is that people stayed in that tent overnight while that fire was burning all night long.  Suppose the wind whipped an ember onto the tent while they were all asleep?  

Crispy critters anyone?