Tuesday Tidbits...The Day After Edition...

I trust all of you had a very nice Christmas and that even if you didn't get everything you wanted, you got something you needed.
And yeah, the whole world peace thing is still not really happening. Sorry.
The cold is still with us, however...the bone-chilling type, so do take care outside.
Always dress and drive accordingly...the life you save just may be your own.
Our Hoosierland weather for today brings us (what else?) more cold, sunny with a high today ONLY getting up to 19 degrees, so whatever snow we have laying about isn't going ANYWHERE soon. Not much help with reflective melting, kapeesh?

Now, let's get that hot cup of coffee, tea or cocoa going, because we're going to NEED it today (me more than most people, and you'll know why soon)...
*** First off of the glacier is our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
DECEMBER 26 -
---It's Boxing Day

(take off the gloves...it's NOT that kind)
---It's National Candy Cane Day

(don't have any, so I'm not gonna worry)
---It's National Thank You Note Day

(make it a thank you CARD)
---It's National Whiners Day

(what? ANOTHER democrat party holiday???)
*** Next up, since it's the last Tuesday of this year, let's look at all the FWPD calls we SHOULD have heard about...

SHOTS FIRED ((113)) - ARMED ROBBERY((53)) CALLS - 12/18 - 12/24
((23,113 - vandalism by gunfire))
=======================================
DEC 18 -
17F153094 12/18/2017 07:08pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 2800 TRENTMAN AVE
17F153095 12/18/2017 07:14pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 3700 CONGRESS AVE
17F152963 12/18/2017 02:32pm 23,113         900 RIDGEWOOD DR
17F153014 12/18/2017 04:25pm 53 ARMED ROB 1600 WELLS ST
DEC 19 -
17F153231 12/19/2017 01:53am 113 SHOTS FIRED 1700 WELLS ST
17F153267 12/19/2017 07:21am 113 SHOTS FIRED 1900 COOK RD W
17F153319 12/19/2017 10:41am 113 SHOTS FIRED 400 VAN BUREN ST 
17F153563 12/19/2017 08:15pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 3900 HESSEN CASSEL RD
17F153577 12/19/2017 08:55pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 2100 PAULINE ST
17F153578 12/19/2017 08:56pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 3600 AUTUMN LN
17F153583 12/19/2017 09:10pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 5400 WEBSTER ST
17F153607 12/19/2017 10:13pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 5300 RIVIERA DR
17F153564 12/19/2017 08:17pm 53 ARMED ROB 4100 HESSEN CASSEL RD
17F153635 12/19/2017 11:07pm 53 ARMED ROB 4100 HESSEN CASSEL RD
DEC 20 -
17F153664 12/20/2017 01:38am 113 SHOTS FIRED 700 WARWICK AVE 
17F153767 12/20/2017 11:48am 113 SHOTS FIRED 2300 CLINTON ST S
17F153774 12/20/2017 12:02pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 4800 COLDWATER RD
17F154005 12/20/2017 08:05pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 200 PETTIT AVE E
17F153975 12/20/2017 07:00pm 58 SHOOTING       1100 NUTTMAN AVE
DEC 21 -
17F154416 12/21/2017 08:46pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 1700 HILLSIDE AVE
17F154104 12/21/2017 02:34am 53 ARMED ROB 10900 MONROEVILLE RD
DEC 22 -
17F154484 12/22/2017 12:50am 113 SHOTS FIRED 4800 MARSTON DR
17F154494 12/22/2017 01:49am 113 SHOTS FIRED 700 LEWIS ST E
17F154508 12/22/2017 03:20am 113 SHOTS FIRED 2900 KNODE CT
17F154762 12/22/2017 06:15pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 300 PURSLEY DR
17F154873 12/22/2017 11:51pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 3600 HARVEST PL
17F154833 12/22/2017 10:09pm 58 SHOOTING 1100 WILDWOOD AVE W
DEC 23 -
17F154896 12/23/2017 01:06am 113 SHOTS FIRED 900 HERMAN ST
17F154913 12/23/2017 02:32am 113 SHOTS FIRED 3800 SMITH ST & RUDISILL BLVD E
17F154922 12/23/2017 03:16am 113 SHOTS FIRED 3400 BOWSER AVE & OXFORD ST
17F155181 12/23/2017 09:46pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 5300 WERLING DR
17F154906 12/23/2017 01:50am 23,113                      1100 WILDWOOD AVE W
17F154899 12/23/2017 01:19am 58 SHOOTING         700 BROADWAY
17F154901 12/23/2017 01:26am 58 SHOOTING         2200 RANDALLIA DR
17F154924 12/23/2017 03:23am 58 SHOOTING         1500 OXFORD ST
17F154927 12/23/2017 03:55am 58 SHOOTING         1400 GREENE ST
17F154994 12/23/2017 11:28am 58 SHOOTING         6800 BLUFFTON RD
DEC 24 -
17F155312 12/24/2017 05:24am 113 SHOTS FIRED 800 WARWICK AVE
17F155318 12/24/2017 06:15am 113 SHOTS FIRED 3700 WEISSER PARK AVE
17F155569 12/24/2017 06:11pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 5000 OLD MILL RD
17F155619 12/24/2017 09:22pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 3000 WINTER ST
=========================
Also,  5 child neglect calls, 20+ vehicle vandalisms, 160+ traffic accidents (property and personal injury and including "hit-skips" - over 100 just on Christmas eve), 6 DUIs (from over 220+ traffic stops), 20 disabled vehicles, 30 traffic hazards, 28 parking violations, 16 "man down" calls, 130+ domestic calls (including battery and w/ a weapon), loads of robberies, burglaries, and thefts. 1 molesting call, 3 stabbings, 1 rape, and 6 narcotics calls.
=========================
FIREWORKS CALLS - DEC 18 - DEC 24
17F153648 12/19/2017 11:54pm 44FW 5000 BROADMORE CT
17F154754 12/22/2017 05:49pm 44FW 2500 CAMBRIDGE BLVD
17F154758 12/22/2017 05:50pm 44FW 1700 TRINITY BLVD & NORTHHIGHLANDS
(got some morons in the Lincoln Park area, don't we?)
*** Next, WTF is up with all these end-of-year shootings in Fort Wayne?
(culling the herd?)

Here's the story:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/police-fire/20171224/2-dead-5-hurt-in-5-shootings

Yes folks, the IDIOT BRIGADE was hard at work over the past week.
(like you thought otherwise)
We are now up to FORTY-ONE (that's 41) HOMICIDES for the year.
And, as predicted, we're seeing more of this type of crap on the SOUTHWEST side.
(no surprise when you allow the SE to go down the crapper)
Now, it's starting to creep into the near NW side...and pretty soon, this kind of thing will be entrenched ALL over the city (won't that be nice?), and this something that should never be allowed to happen.
If it keeps up, the only safe place in town will be anyplace outside of town...
*** Next up, it was a fairly nice and peaceful Christmas for us at the "Fortress"...until THIS morning.
For some odd reason, our clothes dryer has decided to give up the ghost and join our old washer (which we replaced back in February). Well, isn't THAT "special"?

The old dryer model

Found a replacement at Best Buy and with tax, delivery charge and such , it comes to slightly over $460 (and change). How's THAT for "Christmas cheer"?

The expected new one

Unfortunately, I don't have access to the resources I used to have when working in the appliance repair industry (Circuit City / American Appliance days in Philly and Jersey), otherwise, I could pull the microfiche on this old model dryer, and figure out WTH went wrong.
It just won't start, and I did not see ANY breakers tripped, so it's NOT that (a good thing). It could be the door switch, the start button or the timer that died...not sure which. Those would be easy fixes back in the day (replacement parts), but the age of this unit would make such things harder to repair, so it's better to just swap the damn thing out and give our new washer a laundry room buddy.
Some things are just SO friggin' inevitable.
The worst part was trying to pay by credit card and finding out my credit card authorization was DECLINED
(WTF???)...yeah, a card with a $10K credit line turned DOWN?
Reason given was "lack of use"...LOL!
(and after 2 more attempts to get the CC to work, I get an alert about "unusual usage"...yeah, I trying to BUY something here NOW, and you're turning me down (assholes).
But at least we know the ALERT system works.
Had to verify who I was to get things right again...talk about issues.

Now, excuse me for being slow on the uptake here, but we don't get EVERYTHING on my credit card like fast food (and other nonsense shit)...that's for welfare-queens and their boyfriends of the month. We use OUR credit cards for things we NEED...like major appliances.
Gimme a break here, 'ya know?

So, I had to call up the CC company, tell them it's OKAY and get them to ALLOW the use of MY card.
Anyway, the new dryer is supposed to be here Saturday afternoon, barring any acts of God (or stupidity from the locals). Let's hope we can get this year OVER with, and get to work on 2018.
*** Next, and speaking of "the locals"...I noticed something ODD the other day (before the snow)...TIRE TRACKS across the front lawn next door...someone drive over the lawn...

Yes, another "WTF???" moment from the minority crowd.

To make things worse (you mean it DID get worse?)..,they drove over OUR lawn and into the street...apparently in broad daylight (and I effin MISSED it).

But the tracks don't lie, even when it snowed.

So, I sent a nastygram to the property management (owners) of this rental crib and told them ALL about our "dear, minority neighbors"...in the hope that something gets done to rid us OF them and their ilk.

They also had ANOTHER domestic (with battery) over the weekend.

An ambulance and FWPD cruiser came by, but I didn't see anyone get taken away (damn).
They had a stabbing there early in the year, an probation officers come by every month to check up on someone cribbing there.
They're just bad news, and I don't want them around...period.
It's best for the whole neighborhood that way.
*** Next up, the Doctor Who Christmas Special was trying to make me like it.

Twice Upon A Time.

It DID have some good and poignant moments to it, but just didn't produce the "wow" factor it was supposed to (for me), knowing the producers of the show.
It seemed a bit pushy with the Doctor angst-ridden with another regeneration, and not really wanting to go through with it, confronting his first incarnation who didn't want to regen either, and them both coming to terms in the end.
The Christmas Armistice of 1914 was a very nice touch, as was seeing Clara once again.
I wanted it to be more, but there is always this "we gotta top the last one" syndrome, that can be a ratings trap for ANY show.
The Doctor regenerated into a female (first time for everything), and I'm so old school with this...over 50 years of male dominance with this show's lead character...leading up to this.
Let's just way the Capaldi era ended for ME back at the end of Season Nine (Hell Bent).
*** Next, let's see what's going on at "Kitten Corner"...

I can haz crunchy paper stuff

The kids were good...left the tree alone for the most part, and played with wrapping paper (they did get some toys and treats).

Well, I WAS asleep until you took this picture

A lot of the day was spent bird-watching...then eating, then napping...
Let's just say it wasn't a bad day by any means.
*** Next up, time to visit with "Midnight and Company"...

Well, Whiskers was tucked away in one of the shelters (she uses both - switches off), but Midnight still prefers wherever he goes (across the street near a wood pile alongside a garage is one spot).
And the warm food they got was enjoyed.
They licked the plates CLEAN.
They aren't bothered by me shoveling the patio off for them either.
I just feel bad that they even have to stay out in this frigid weather.
*** Last back to the igloo...this dryer situation got me royally honked off, but you always have to take things in their proper CONTEXT to better understand why things might occur.

Better to swap out an OLD dryer (that would cost a lot just to repair) for a new one because it's the SAFE way to go.
The old dryer COULD have caught fire...now that would bring our holidays to a screeching halt, right?
Not to mention the possibility of being burned out of house and home.
Not my idea of a good time at the "Fortress".

Like I said to Wifey this morning - I SHOULD have just gotten a new washer AND dryer (set) when the washer crapped out. Shoulda, woulda, coulda, hmm?
That HINDSIGHT is always "20-20", isn't it?
And we can't always predict when things will go wrong (Murphy and his damn law), which is usually at the worst time for no good reason.
Still, it's always advantageous to know what to do IF something goes wrong,
If only people could figure that out with one another...might make for a better community...or planet for that matter.
Not gonna happen this year, but perhaps next year?
Time will tell...it always does.

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