Tuesday Tidbits...

You have to admit that yesterday was a wonderfully craptastic day, as far as the weather went.
All day long, dreary and rainy...great, if you happened to be a duck.
Our Hooiserland weather today will bring us cloudy skies, temps topping out around 51 degrees with falling temps as the day progresses, and yes, scattered rain (off and on) throughout the day into tonight.
While the precipitation is not enough for any sort of flooding conditions, it IS enough to make things lousy, and bring a snotload of leaves down.
That's always fun when driving...not!
Plan and dress accordingly.
So, let's settle back and get that cup of coffee, tea, or hot cocoa (we're gonna need it), as we see what's been going on elsewhere...
*** First off of the soggy leaf pile is our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
OCTOBER 24 -
---It's National Bologna Day

(Not to be confused with BALONEY day, which takes place daily at most government offices)
---It's National Food Day

(for me, that's anything that tastes good, and is probably bad for me)
---It's also United Nations Day

(not that it means a damn thing with the state of the world these days)
*** Next, since we are once again at Tuesday, let's take a look at all the important FWPD calls that we should have been made aware of, but were not, because they're busy not telling us other things we need to know...

SHOTS FIRED ((113)) / ARMED ROBBERY((53)) CALLS - 10/16 - 10/22
((23,113 - vandalism by gunfire))
=======================================
OCT 16 -
17F127406 10/16/2017 03:01am 113 SHOTS FIRED 4200 CLINTON ST S  
17F127420 10/16/2017 03:01am 113 SHOTS FIRED 4200 CLINTON ST S  
17F127577 10/16/2017 02:37pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 800 WASHINGTON BLVD W
17F127601 10/16/2017 02:59pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 2100 RIVER RUN RD
17F127723 10/16/2017 08:29pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 2900 WESTBROOK DR
17F127604 10/16/2017 03:24pm 53 ARMED ROB 2100 EDEN ST
17F127597 10/16/2017 03:09pm 58 SHOOTING         3700 CONGRESS AVE
OCT 17 -
17F128151 10/17/2017 10:26pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 800 LAFAYETTE ST S
17F127994 10/17/2017 03:23pm 23,113 4300 PLAZA DR
17F128095 10/17/2017 07:48pm 23,113 4200 HOLTON AVE
17F127797 10/17/2017 02:00am 58 SHOOTING 7900 JEFFERSON BLVD W
OCT 18 -
17F128199 10/18/2017 01:12am 113 SHOTS FIRED 400 FLORENCE AVE
17F128200 10/18/2017 01:14am 113 SHOTS FIRED 1800 FLORIDA DR
17F128521 10/18/2017 09:52pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 2800 GREENVIEW AVE
17F128218 10/18/2017 03:21am 53 ARMED ROB 1400 BAXTER ST & HOLTON AVE
OCT 19 -
17F128575 10/19/2017 01:39am 113 SHOTS FIRED 2500 DREXEL AVE
17F128584 10/19/2017 02:22am 113 SHOTS FIRED 2100 EDEN ST
17F128929 10/19/2017 08:27pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 600 COLISEUM BLVD W
17F128930 10/19/2017 08:29pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 3900 CLINTON ST N  
17F128940 10/19/2017 09:06pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 3500 ABBOTT ST & OXFORD ST
17F128576 10/19/2017 01:41am 23,113 2300 DREXEL AVE
17F128698 10/19/2017 11:23am 23,113 2200 WELLS ST
17F128589 10/19/2017 02:43am 58 SHOOTING 1700 WAYNE ST E & ANTHONY BLVD S
OCT 20 -
17F129021 10/20/2017 01:45am 113 SHOTS FIRED 2800 WINTER ST
17F129390 10/20/2017 09:00pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 3400 WARSAW ST & OXFORD ST
17F129392 10/20/2017 09:07pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 3400 WARSAW ST & OXFORD ST
17F129413 10/20/2017 10:06pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 2400 MAPLE GROVE AVE E
17F129423 10/20/2017 10:22pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 800 TENNESSEE AVE
17F129424 10/20/2017 10:23pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 400 STATE BLVD E
17F129429 10/20/2017 10:32pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 2000 COLERICK ST & PLAZA DR
17F129445 10/20/2017 11:00pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 4300 WAYNE TRACE
17F129447 10/20/2017 11:04pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 1800 RIVER RUN TRL
17F129463 10/20/2017 11:36pm 53 ARMED ROB 2500 HOLTON AVE
17F129014 10/20/2017 01:11am 58 SHOOTING 700 BROADWAY
17F129430 10/20/2017 10:32pm 58 SHOOTING 3500 PLAZA DR
OCT 21 -
17F129473 10/21/2017 12:19am 113 SHOTS FIRED 2400 FOX AVE
17F129479 10/21/2017 12:27am 113 SHOTS FIRED 2900 KNODE CT
17F129486 10/21/2017 01:13am 113 SHOTS FIRED 300 KILLEA ST
17F129487 10/21/2017 01:13am 113 SHOTS FIRED 2500 HARRISON ST S
17F129690 10/21/2017 02:48pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 3500 WAYNE TRACE
17F129816 10/21/2017 08:24pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 2400 TRENTMAN AVE
17F129825 10/21/2017 08:43pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 200 MCKINNIE CIR & MCKINNIE AVE
17F129887 10/21/2017 10:49pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 2300 BOWSER AVE
17F129888 10/21/2017 10:51pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 2500 PRISCILLA LN
OCT 22 -
17F129917 10/22/2017 12:02am 113 SHOTS FIRED 1800 LAKE AV & KENSINGTON BLVD N 
17F129924 10/22/2017 12:16am 113 SHOTS FIRED 1700 CALHOUN ST N
17F129929 10/22/2017 12:31am 113 SHOTS FIRED 2600 GLENWOOD AVE  
17F129969 10/22/2017 03:10am 113 SHOTS FIRED 900 RUDISILL BLVD E & GAYWOOD DR
17F129992 10/22/2017 04:26am 113 SHOTS FIRED 7900 DECATUR RD
17F130171 10/22/2017 05:02pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 3900 VANCE AVE & COLISEUM BLVD E
17F130231 10/22/2017 07:39pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 4700 BOWSER AVE
17F130252 10/22/2017 08:56pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 400 TREELINE CV
17F130259 10/22/2017 09:20pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 1400 GREENE ST
17F130296 10/22/2017 11:48pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 1700 OXFORD ST & ANTHONY BLVD S
17F130297 10/22/2017 11:49pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 2300 BOWSER AVE
17F130036 10/22/2017 10:03am 23,113 1000 COLISEUM BLVD W
17F130072 10/22/2017 11:06am 23,113 2700 BROADWAY
=========================
Also,  100++ traffic accidents (property and personal injury w/ plenty of "hit-skips"), 120+ domestic calls (again, including battery), lots of robberies and burglaries, 1 stabbing, 1 rape, 1 indecent exposure, 1 pursuit, and 17 narcotics calls.
===========================
FIREWORKS CALLS - OCT 16 - OCT 22
17F129410 10/20/2017 10:00pm 44FW 9100 STAGECOACH DR & WINDSONG CT
========================
(there's ALWAYS one asshole)
*** Next up, AOL has finally chosen to screw a LOT of people over, including me.

They rolled out a new desktop (like the old one was bad, which it wasn't) called "gold", and believe me, there's nothing Midas-like about it...quite the reverse, in fact.
Anyone with an older windows O/S is screwed because it's NOT COMPATIBLE (sound familiar? Google chrome, windows support, etc) with XP.
So there goes all my hotlinks (there), but they did still allow AOL MAIL to operate (hope those at AOL aren't expecting me to kiss the ground they walk on anytime soon...that ain't gonna happen).

They should have NEVER changed what worked. On some days, using AOL to check news sources was faster than getting Chrome to work on this old XP system...imagine that.
But not anymore.
AOL initially said it was a $3.99 per month (no thank you) deal with "gold", but I also heard it's for free. Well, if it's not compatible, free doesn't mean a damn thing...does it?

I suppose it DOES makes me FREE to choose other options when using the Internet.
And, since Verizon and AOL are "bedfellows", we know what precipitated this...the god-almighty DOLLAR...and not we users who just wanted something that worked, which it did. We had AOL since the late 90s...and now, because of their actions, will only retain the email (for the time being)...thanks progress. We wouldn't be so screwed over without you.
*** Next, I started getting next years calendars yesterday morning by taking a stroll down to Yeoman's Service Center, where they have these great BACK HOME themed calendars with pictures (of paintings) of times past.

Been getting them for years, and I love them. They're free and are used as promotional items for any business.
When I went out the gate (and locked it behind me, I'm still no fool in THIS part of town), I noticed that Midnight was starting to follow me down the alley. I tried to get him to go back, but he would have none of that. He had to be with me for some reason.
In fact, he walked behind me ALL the way down to the cross street, but stopped just short and waited for me as I went across to Yeoman's and got the calendar.
He waited ior me in the MIDDLE of the alley!

He then accompanied me back to our "Fortress", and back inside the gate.
I couldn't let such devotion go unrewarded, so he got some extra food.
Got me a walking buddy now...who'da known, hmm?
*** Next up, and speaking of our alley, I took some pictures (that I passed along to the appropriate city departments) to demonstrate HOW many people down here don't give a damn about where they live.

The alley doesn't NEED carpeting.

This needs to be trimmed WAY back.

But, we can afford a newer Caddy, can't we?

This is next door to us.

I'll grant you, this is nothing like the wonderful pictures Chris Martin takes when walking with Scrappy; no wildlife (unless you include any indigenous creatures posing as humans), no fall foliage (just overgrown foliage), and no flora (just discarded televisions, and sundry flotsam).

More foliage requiring a trim.

And people wonder WHY businesses avoid this part of town like a leper colony.
Wonder...no...longer.
*** Next, let's see what's going on at "Kitten Corner"...

The kids were very rambunctious yesterday, and got into things they shouldn't The latest is to jump up onto the stove (not a smart deal there), so out came the squirt bottle to dissuade them.

Yeah, for some reason (known only to them) both Violet and Gallifrey were acting more wild than our outdoor community cats...Wifey and I were thinking of an even swap...LOL
*** Next up, and speaking of (our) community cats, let's check in with "Midnight and Company"...
I already related the walk with Midnight, so we'll speak about the rest of the day with he and Whiskers.

Let's say feeding was done UNDER the table, as it was raining every time I went out with food.
And God bless them, they were there at every feeding, either waiting under the table (where it was mostly still dry) or behind some shrubs right alongside the house (again, where it was less wet).

They both got wet as the day progressed (there is that half-shelter near the patio that stays dry inside, but we've only seen Whiskers using it once in a while.
At least they both got fed well, and that's as important as a kiss on the head, or a neck rub.
*** Last back to the rain gauge...there are times when living where we do has it's pleasures.

Sure, they may be few in number, and never come along as often as we would like, but you take what you can get and keep moving forward, as life permits.
I'm a person of simple pleasures, and live by simple means. In other words, I don't display a champagne taste when I have a beer pocketbook. I always endeavor to live within my means, and that goes back to my parents and the manner in which THEY lived (and brought me up).
In today's world, everyone is constantly assaulted by technology, fads, and gimmicks meant to get us to become like most everyone else, because it's "cool"...or because we "need it".

I'd have to say that about 80% of what is shoved in our faces daily is nothing I'm interested in, or want to blow the bank account to acquire.
We can all do with a lot less in life, and most times, we'd be better off by not wasting time and money chasing after such things. It's when we get caught up trying to keep up with the Joneses, or trying to "fit in" with others that we run afoul of of the bigger picture in life.
When we pursue all this "fitting in" crap, we will lose our own identities, and when we cease to be individuals, we become less than what God intended for all of us.
Remember, we can always do better, and it never hurts to try.

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