The "quarter million dollar tenements"

Though I would love to take credit for this phrase, I can't. It was muttered by one of my neighbors a few weeks ago when we were commiserating about how some of the homeowners in our subdivision were maintaining their properties. We have an HOA, and a property management company (take that term very loosely), yet it seems lately that the neighborhood is going to hell.

With the lower interest rates available right now, more and more of the homeowners in our area are renting their properties. Fine... as long as you maintain an active presence as the "home owner" and make sure that the property doesn't devaluate. Weeds growing out of cracks. Grass as high as mid-thigh. Bubba and his 6 kids running amok and knocking out three panels of the back fence. I don't see any maintenence here, do you?

Which leads me to the lack of management from our new "property management" company. Our last company maintained the public/community areas. There were beautiful flowers. The planters were weed free. They also drove around and inspected the neighborhood. And, if you were in violation, you got what I fondly call a "nastygram" from them. When you wanted to make improvements on your home, you had to submit the changes and get them approved by the board. I had to jump through hoops to get my paint scheme approved when we resided and painted our house. (For those of you who don't know my color scheme... eggshell and brick red trim.) Since when is painting your garage door, the trim of your home, your front door, and even your planter boxes black part of the approved color list for the neighborhood? Management? Maintenence? Not so much!!!

So, what prompted me to complain about this today? Last night at a little after 10pm, as I was outside smoking, two cars pulled up and parked across the street in front of my neighbor's house. The one who fondly coined the phrase "quarter million dollar tenements". He was out in his garage working on the train track he's building. These teenage boys, who I know do NOT live in our neighborhood proceed to get out of their cars and "hang out". I've put up with this crap at the past two houses I've lived in, and I vowed I wouldn't put up with it again. So, I asked them if they were lost. "Nope, just waiting for someone." I told them "Not on our street you aren't. Go wait somewhere else." After some sassing and back talk from them, I assured them if they didn't leave I would "call the police to escort them to a more appropriate waiting area". After a few more nasty comments, they got in their cars and took off. Where was my neighbor? Getting a baseball bat and the phone off his wall in the garage.

The "quarter million dollar tenements"! Anyone looking for a new house? We've got some waiting for you.

Taking after his Mom

Wesley's first position in his first game of soccer... goalie! LOL A chip off the old block. Problem is... the other team barely kicked the ball past the midline, let alone anywhere near him. After playing goalie for awhile, they threw him out on the field and he ran and kicked, and kicked and ran. Even scored a goal... but they don't keep score in this league. Now if we can just get him to realize that when the ball goes out of bounds, he needs to come back to the field and let the coaches or refs get it.

Anyway, thought you might all like to see the starting goalie for the Purple Cheetahs. :o)

Happy Birthday Dad!

Today is my Dad's birthday... 72 years old!

He's a great man, and has overcome great obstacles in his life. Growing up without a father (my grandfather died when Dad was only 3); losing his older brother a month before I was born; losing the tip of his right thumb in a horse riding accident; having his mitral valve (heart) give out (they replaced it with a mechanical valve); losing his mother; losing his younger brother; being diagnosed with emphysema; being diagnosed with skin cancer.

He is a hard working, family man. Someone to look up to, and someone you can count on. And he's also had lots of great things happen to him. A marriage that's sustained all the obstacles for the past 42 years; raising me to be the best woman I can; finding many extended family members through years of genealogy research; one terrific grandson... and I'm sure there's many more great things to come!

Oh, sure, we've had our differences over the years, but I love this man with all my heart. So, today I just wanted to say

"Happy Birthday Dad!!! I love you!!!" Love, Mouse

Soccer

The Plan: Sign-up Wesley for pee wee soccer. Sit in my new captains chair, basking in the sun while my highly energetic, almost 5 year old burns off some of the pent up energy.

The Outcome: What an adventure I've embarked on. The quintessential soccer mom! The first practice (last Tuesday), in the rain. The 5 hour search on Saturday for "pee wee" soccer gear leading us around town to four stores to gather all the necessities. Then, today, opening my big mouth and volunteering to be snack coordinator for the team. (No, there will not be an "approved" snack list for this team! LOL) And this is just the beginning! The first sport... the first season. What did I get myself into?

The REAL Story

Why do I refuse to blog? It's very simple, actually. I don't have enough time!

There are not enough hours in my day as it is, so until someone invents a way to make the day longer (or me more productive), chances are you will visit my blog and it will be a very quiet place. Sort of like a ghost town. Oh, I'll post new messages on occasion because I just can't stand to "start" something (even though I didn't actually start this blog!) and not finish it. And, I'm sure I'll get sucked in more and more as time goes on. But, just know that every minute I spend here, telling you things you probably don't want to hear about anyway, is time spent away from what I should really be doing.

So, now I've spent 15 minutes figuring out this whole blogging adventure, I'm off to try to accomplish what I should have been doing instead of writing this.

Have a great day! And come back often to visit. You may not find anything new to read, but at least I'll know you cared enough to check.

I refuse to blog...

So someone else had to make this entry for me. ;)