Friday Follies...

End of the week, at frigging last.
It's weird that some days seem to FLY by while the week drags on. and then you wake up one day and it's THIRTY YEARS LATER...like I said...weird.
Got a really nice sunrise out there this morning, so that should get the day off and running.
The rest of our Hoosierland weather will again see us with a high into the EIGHTIES (almost broke a record yesterday at 86), and with impending rain showers coming later this afternoon, I'm sure the humidity will be on the rise.
I finally head the dreaded "M" word used yesterday...MUGGY.
(and here I only thought that meant an area of town where personal assaults were a regular occurrence)
Won;t be long before we hear those OTHER nasty three words - HAZY, HOT, and HUMID.
'In any event, we won't allow such things to cramp "our" style, will we?
So, go grab your favorite morning beverage, park it alongside and together we'll get busy with what's been going on elsewhere.
*** First off of the frying pan is our 'What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
May 8 - 
---Today is IRIS DAY

(the flower and not the part of the eye)
These buggers smell damn good, too. Can't wait for ours to bloom.
---It's also MILITARY SPOUSE DAY

No clue on what to do WITH those spouses?
Take 'em to dinner, say "hi", buy them a BMW?
Wish they'd be more specific.
---And, it's NO SOCKS DAY

Sorry, I'm not of the "barefoot" persuasion...unless I'm at the beach or lake...someplace where going without socks is EXPECTED.
---It's also V-E DAY

Yep, fascism got knocked in it's ass with finality on this day back in 1945.

(thanks to the greatest generation in America)
A real class act performed by ordinary people doing extraordinary things!
---And, it's WORLD RED CROSS DAY.

Give some blood, give some time...but just give a damn. They do great work.
*** And since it's a Friday, let's see what the weekend has in store for us...
May 9 - 
---Saturday is BIRTH MOTHER'S DAY

Guess this is more specific that the traditional one.
---It's also INTERNATIONAL MIGRATORY BIRD DAY.

Suppose that means the hummingbirds are on their way up here from South America by now.
( Now THOSE "illegals" I can deal with)
---And it's LOST SOCK MEMORIAL DAY.

(see what can happen when you go without socks...you lose 'em)
---It's also NATIONAL TRAIN DAY

I have been a rail-fan for decades, but I have to admit that trains from decades PAST were more cool than the ones we see today.
The lore of the real locomotives from those bygone eras is timeless.
May 10 -
---Sunday is MOTHER'S DAY

This is a BIGGIE, folks, so don't forget. Do it right - dinner, flowers, a hug...anything to make sure she is never forgotten or taken for granted.
You'll thank yourself later, trust me.
---It's also CLEAN UP YOUR ROOM DAY

Oy, where to begin...

See, kids, you can get a "two-fer" for MOM by doing something as simple as THIS...save her the hassle. After all, she gave BIRTH to you, and that was painful enough.
Moving on...
*** Every year, we get a free copy of the Neighborhood Association newsletter (yes, we apparently STILL have one fo those, however small it might have become over the years), and I must say, it's sure NOT the newsletter of say a dozen years ago.

The newsletter USED to be a whopping SIX pages in length, and covered a myriad of things in our area. Almost made me want to sign on...(notice I said :ALMOST). I was starting to see the writing on the wall (we used to call that graffiti in Philly).
Yesterday, the ONE-PAGE newsletter was tucked into  our screen door, and I just had to shake my head.
We have not come far at all...we've devolved, plain and simple.
Aside from those who buy ad space in the newsletter, there was nothing of real interest.
For example - there was a mention of the upcoming GREAT AMERICAN CLEANUP on the 16th of this month.
You just KNOW that's not gonna happen down where WE live (hell, I do such things damn near every day, with these trash-tossing moolies).
I think since we lived here, I saw one, perhaps two "cleanups" done by those t-shirted volunteers. One neighbor and his daughters did it every year until they moved.

Hard to love what you hate.

Few people if any around here give a damn any longer (thanks, entitlements)
There ARE mentions of FREE smoke detectors in the newsletter (and we'll still have fires in houses without them or non-functioning detectors).
And there is a mention for FREE pre-kindergarten.
There is also mention of the tire collection program...which means little, because we will STILL see tires tossed in our alleys. Like I said...too few people give a damn where we live...a real shame.
First year membership HAS been dropped to $5 (other years are $10, but you just don't get enough "voice" for your dollar.
I can do more with emails and calls to city departments to get things done if they arise.
Maybe I should start a neighborhood association...of TWO...LOL.
*** Next up, you always hear me say that there's not a dull moment down here (most days), and here is a prime example of some of the "weird" that goes on.

Who the hell are you?

Around the time the FWCS bus comes by, this black Camry rolls up across the street...and sits there, dark tinted windows up. Had gray scuffs along the driver side.
It backs up a few times and then pulls forward - yet no sign of mechanical issues.
Before the bus comes, the car leaves...but about 10 minutes after the bus had come and dropped off the kids, the car returns, and sits there again.
Now, our block HAS been known to have these "curbside drug buys", and the police never catch anyone (they don't last long enough for the response time), so, I'm on my guard for such things.
I put the call it in as "suspicious". Never saw this car around here before, plus they parked in front of a VACANT house, and to me, knowing the neighborhood as I do, that gives me reason to have police check it out.

"We be jus parked..we ain't doin' nuffin"

Well, within a few minutes (amazing response time for a change), a cruiser rolls up and TWO officers get out.
(someone did listen to me - I said years ago that two-officer cars were a better way to go down here)
As the officers approach the car, the window rolls down and someone says something to the officers. They walk back to their car and drive away.
Amazingly, the Camry ALSO drives away right after that.
Damn, no arrest (for loitering or drugs)...oh, well. Better luck NEXT time, hmm?
*** Last back to the fire-pit...I remember what a REAL neighborhood used to be, and I suppose that's a good thing.

Some days, it IS worth getting up for...

I'ts nice to recall the GOOD things in life, rather than all the bad crap that comes along, right?
Neighborhoods I grew up in are NOT as they once were, and that makes the case for the old saying "You can never go back".

Beauty in small things.

Still, if the people had cared for that neighborhood, it will continue in some fashion, and in a manner that exudes pride.
Many neighborhoods today are much like the ones from my past.
But not the one we live in, unfortunately.
And the cause of the problem is...PEOPLE (again).
When you have those with NO interest in taking care of anything, the neighborhood looses much.
When people don't even take pride in themselves, let alone where they live, the results are obvious.
It's not a pretty picture to see YOUR neighborhood go down the crapper.
I've seen areas I used to live in go to hell because of what was allowed to live there.
Much the same can be said for where Wifey and I now live...and WE had nothing to do with it.
All we did was just remain here while others left (or died off).
What came here to live in place of those we lost, have been nothing less than deplorable.
I believe that any area can have a rebirth...a "rise from the ashes" as it were, if given the proper impetus.

This guy holds ME accountable.

That has to start with accountability for ALL the citizens in that area, and not just the ones who HAVE been accountable all along.
If this isn't done, then you can expect more neighborhoods to go to waste.
And that will only spread the shame around...NOT make it go away.
Therein lies the lesson for the week.
Have a great weekend (don't forget Mom this Sunday)...

Be well, make a difference to someone today, and as always...
Stay SAFE out there, America.