Tuesday Tidbits...

The good news is that it's not raining - the bad news is that we're starting the day off pretty foggy instead.
(we can't seem to back away from all the moisture in this state of late, can we?)
Funny...as usual, FWCS is the ONLY school system in the area NOT on a delay...typical.
I suppose it can always be worse, so I'll take what we get and be happy for that.
Our Hoosierland weather for today brings us mostly cloudy skies to start with, turning to sunny skies by this afternoon, and temps reaching (back) up to around 50 degrees. Not that bad, is it?

So, what say we get a nice warm cup of coffee, tea, or cocoa, as we take a gander at what's been going on, hmm?
*** First out of the lighthouse is our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
NOVEMBER 14 -
---It's National Pickle Day

(and to think I hate cucumbers...but love pickles. Weird, huh?)
---It's National Spicy Guacamole Day

(sorry, don't like guacamole, either...or anything avocado)
*** Next up, it's Tuesday, and that means looking at all those wonderful FWPD calls that never made the news (well, a very few of them actually did, and you'll know which ones)...

SHOTS FIRED ((113)) - ARMED ROBBERY((53)) CALLS - 11/06 - 11/12
((23,113 - vandalism by gunfire))
=======================================
NOV 6 -
17F135694 11/06/2017 12:21am 113 SHOTS FIRED 7800 SINGLETREE PL
17F135717 11/06/2017 02:28am 113 SHOTS FIRED 2200 NEW HAVEN AVE
17F136024 11/06/2017 07:58pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 3300 SMITH ST
17F136088 11/06/2017 11:54pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 2900 GAY S
((NO armed robberies))
NOV 7 -
17F136092 11/07/2017 12:01am 113 SHOTS FIRED 400 WIEBKE ST
17F136109 11/07/2017 01:29am 113 SHOTS FIRED 5500 PLAZA DR
17F136112 11/07/2017 01:42am 113 SHOTS FIRED 500 BUCHANAN ST
17F136202 11/07/2017 09:39am 113 SHOTS FIRED 4200 STATE BLVD E & MATHIAS ST
17F136115 11/07/2017 02:06am 23,113         500 BUCHANAN ST
17F136366 11/07/2017 05:18pm 23,113         1100 RUDISILL BLVD E
17F136106 11/07/2017 01:12am 58 SHOOTING         2900 SMITH ST
((NO armed robberies))
NOV 8 -
17F136539 11/08/2017 02:27am 113 SHOTS FIRED 1000 KENWOOD AVE
17F136540 11/08/2017 02:30am 113 SHOTS FIRED 1000 RIDGEWOOD DR
17F136870 11/08/2017 09:37pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 2000 PAULINE ST
17F136879 11/08/2017 09:58pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 2400 PITTSBURG ST
17F136593 11/08/2017 08:37am 53  ARMED ROB 3700 TILLMAN RD E
17F136598 11/08/2017 08:51am 53  ARMED ROB 200 WAYNE ST W
17F136888 11/08/2017 10:35pm 53  ARMED ROB 6800 JEFFERSON BLVD W
NOV 9 -
17F137134 11/09/2017 03:38pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 1200 HUESTIS AVE
17F137244 11/09/2017 07:54pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 2900 SHAWNEE DR
17F137319 11/09/2017 11:58pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 5700 DECATUR RD
17F136913 11/09/2017 12:22am 23,113         5500 HOAGLAND AVE 
17F136939 11/09/2017 04:05am 58 SHOOTING         200 SHERWOOD TERR E
((NO armed robberies))
NOV 10 -
17F137367 11/10/2017 05:58am 113 SHOTS FIRED 3100 WEBSTER ST
((NO armed robberies))
NOV 11 -
17F137947 11/11/2017 03:47pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 200 RUDISILL BLVD E
17F137974 11/11/2017 05:35pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 1700 LUMBARD ST
17F138051 11/11/2017 11:16pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 1200 OAKLAND ST
17F137980 11/11/2017 06:00pm 23,113         800 WASHINGTON BLVD E
17F137787 11/11/2017 02:50am 53  ARMED ROB 5100 NASSAU DR
17F137950 11/11/2017 04:05pm 53IP ROB I/P         2000 BROADWAY
NOV 12 -
17F138276 11/12/2017 06:54pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 4200 CALHOUN ST S & MCKINNIE AVE
17F138281 11/12/2017 07:00pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 3100 HOLTON AVE
((NO armed robberies))
=========================
Also, 130+ traffic accidents (property and personal injury and including "hit-skips"), 140+ domestic calls (including battery and w/ a weapon), loads of robberies and burglaries, 5 stabbings, 2 rapes, 2 indecent exposures, 1 pursuit, and 20 narcotics calls.
===========================
FIREWORKS CALLS - OCT 30 - NOV 5
NONE!
*** Next, and speaking of FWCS, there's this story:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/schools/20171114/raises-in-line-for-fwcs-teachers

Raises for the educators at FWCS...NOW you toss this at the teachers (after Wifey leaves)?
Well, it's a safe bet that this raise WILL come with some "strings attached"...like more paperwork for the teachers, larger class sizes, and sundry other nonsense, because this corporation does not give something for nothing.
The school system seems to be playing up to those having or seeking masters degrees, as well as younger teachers. I guess spending 20+ years there doesn't mean as much as it used to...
*** Next up, Kevin Leininger takes a good solid look at the North River land grab...I mean acquisition for the city.

Here's the link to the column:
http://www.news-sentinel.com/news/local-news/2017/11/14/kevin-leininger-do-29-prime-downtown-acres-justify-a-blank-check-from-fort-wayne-city-council/
You have to admit there are some SERIOUS questions raised over this impending purchase.
But that doesn't mean a damn thing to Greg Leatherman, (our current capo of community development)...as usual...does it?
((“Should we do this if we don’t know the cost? I’m still pondering that,” said President Tom Didier, R-3rd, who believes council is faced with a difficult-to-resolve Catch-22.))

Why the obfuscation, Greg?

Sure, buy the property and HOPE it doesn't cost much to clean up any and all toxic areas, or NOT buy it, and leave it sit there for years to come...helluva choice.

Live it, Love it, Learn it.

((“We’re asking them to trust our expertise and assessment that they wouldn’t be assuming too much risk,” said Greg Leatherman.)) Have TRUST in you people? Seriously???
You, who cost we, the people more money every time to undertake some project (of which we have close to twenty in the pipeline, currently...way too many for a city THIS size, imho). You want to bank on such "trust"?
The former track record says a lot to not rubber stamp this without a guarantee about the cost (which the city cannot provide). Not a good sign there. Then again, Ft Wayne has excelled at that for years.
*** Next, I had one of THOSE Mondays yesterday, when, for no reason whatsoever, the rocker switch on the light fixture over our kitchen sink fell apart (several parts to be exact) when I turned it on...! WTF is with THAT?

And naturally, fixing the switch wasn't going to be an option, so I took down the damn fixture, and will be looking to get a whole new, ENTIRE fixture to replace the former one.
Not going to be that easy, either, as the broken one has no exact replacement...so we'll improvise with what's available.
Now, I would like a fluorescent fixture (like the original), and I would like a specific bulb size (I bought a couple spares for the old one years ago), but that might not happen, as engineers LOVE to change shit.
The rage now is LED lighting, and I've neither the time nor inclination to screw with anything but a direct wired fixture of 120v.
Like I said...simple (or should be).
The best recourse would be just to get another rocker switch and be done with it...BUT, it has to be a specifc size to fit the hole the old switch came out of...right? And, it should be white to boot.
(that's asking too much, I know, but it's less costly than changing the whole fixture out)
If a new light is one of those "plug-in" models, I can just cut the plug off, splice the wires onto the ones that drove the old fixture, mount the new light under the cabinets over the sink, and presto...good to go...(I hope).
We shall see.
*** Next up, time to swing by "Kitten Corner"...

We had Gallifrey spending time watching some birds that came to the feeder (a pair of chickadees), and some naps in between the meals to break the day up a bit.

Violet was content to take things easy (when not choosing to chase her "brother" about the house)

Posing for "daddy".

Come to think of it, they both took it pretty easy yesterday...for a change. I like when that happens. I guess they didn't like "daddy" getting PO'ed at the damn light in the kitchen either...lol
*** Next, let's stop and check in with "Midnight and Company"...
They were both on the patio waiting for grub before the skies became light...as usual.

"Look at the birds."     "I know, I see 'em too."

And Whiskers even took to watching the birds with Gallifrey...when they were not busy watching one another, that is.
Midnight was strolling in the alley (again), but not rolling in it (a relief).

It's never hard to get them on the patio for food. And, I do believe the shelters are being used (hard to see at night) by both of them...at least I hope so. It is a place OUT of the elements (for the most part)
We can't prevent either of them roaming the area, but we can offer up a place of refuge.
*** Last back to the foghorn...getting older has it's ups and downs...

It's nice to not have to be on a "schedule" set by others, and great to set your OWN schedule.
And, it's also nice to get back the money YOU put into the SSI pool, even if it's not as much as it should be.
The down side is that you're not as "adept" in doing some of the easier tasks you took for granted.
I've worked with my hands all my life, and putting up lights was child's play for me.
These days, just getting into a position where I can access the damns screws holding the fixture hurts, and when pain becomes a distraction, it takes away from the task at hand. The frustration level rises accordingly.
But, I'm also one of those who doesn't like to yell for help at the drop of a hat.

Thing is, as you age, you will find yourself a bit more dependent upon others to do for you.
Yes, the mind remains sharp, but the body is not wanting to play along.
In such cases, you do the best with what you got for as long as you can.
To strive for less is to settle for less, and that's not something I'm comfortable with at this time...

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