Humpday Happenings...

Welcome to the FIRST day of Spring, such as it wil be.
If you're expecting sunshine, birds singing and flowers blooming, stop sniffing that glue, and come back to reality...lol.
Our Hoosierland weather will bring us increasingly cloudy skies, temps once again climbing into the mid to upper 40s and yes, a chance of rain, but mostly in the afternoon and evening.

Now, let's get a comforting drink to start the day, as we see what else has been going on...
*** First out of the flowerless flower bed is our WHO SAID THAT? quote for the week:

"The first day of spring is one thing, and the first spring day is another. The difference between them is sometimes as great as a month." 
I feel this wonderfully portrays the ACTUAL feeling of Spring...whenever it decides to get here.
So, who said that? The answer at the top of tomorrow's post.
Meanwhile, back in Germantown, Pennsylvania...
*** Next, time for the "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
MARCH 20 -
---It's National Kick Butts Day

(a non-sequitor if you never started.,..right?
---It's National Native HIV/AIDS Awareness Day

(how many of these overly-specific days are we going to have, anyway?)
---It's National Proposal Day

(been there...done that a couple times)
---It's National Ravioli Day

(finally, some food!)
---Spring Begins

(for what it's worth...let the mayhem commence)
*** Next up, a structure fire in the Francis Slocum area::
https://www.wane.com/news/local-news/family-and-dog-escape-house-fire-without-injury/1860068636

Future HUD "fixer-upper"?

This took place at a house located at 2225 Vance Av around 0630 hrs yesterday.
No injuries were reported and the cause is under investigation.
*** Next, yep, got us ANOTHER shooting on the SE side.

(where's that 10 point coalition we keep hearing about?)
https://wpta21.com/news/2019/03/19/man-seriously-injured-in-s-hanna-st-shooting-suspect-in-custody/

This took place yesterday around 1626 hrs in the 2900 block of S. Hanna St. Gee, kids were still coming home from school.

One man was shot andis in serious condition.
Now, believe it or not, the shooter was taken INTO CUSTODY (will wonders never cease?).
*** Next, and speaking of the SE side, we bring you this:
www.news-sentinel.com/news/local-news/2019/03/19/city-plans-a-record-31-million-in-neighborhood-impovements-this-year/

The king held court in the Pettit-Rudisill neighborhood (I didn't see him  in my part of the "06".).
((Joined by City Council members and residents of the Pettit-Rudisill neighborhood where more than 50 blocks of resurfacing will take place on neighborhood streets this summer, Mayor Henry and City staff announced the 2019 projects.))
Gonna spend close to $31 MIL on these "improvements".
Yeah, why not start with our damn ALLEY, bub. (I can dream, right?)
For all the dope on this, here's the link:
https://www.cityoffortwayne.org/invest
Dope...a very appropriate word there.
*** Next up, seems that the "Supremes" finally got something right:
https://wpta21.com/news/top-stories/2019/03/19/supreme-court-rules-against-immigrants-in-detention-case/

See, you can follow the laws when you people NEED to.
*** Next, let's take a minute to drop by our "Kitten Corner"...

"Well, I HEAR the birdies..."

The kids spent some of the day napping, when not eating or playing.
Gallifrey goes from one window sill to another, like he's going to miss something.
I tell him, that it's the "same old crap out there, buddy, just a different day".

"I haz birds all around me here."

Violet would rather climb on the sofa and take things much easier.
Not a lot going on outside that attracts her attention...yet.
*** Next up, let's also check in with "Midnight and Whiskers"...
Our furry twosome had another good day.

"Good breakfast. Now, for my patrol."

It started out a bit cold, but got nicer into the afternoon. As could be expected, Midnight missed lunch. Whiskers was around all day. and yes, they both got treats after dinner.

"I haz a new place to get some sun."

I will say the songbirds are being noticed by these two, and as much as I love having the birds around, I know what can happen if they get "too close"... Yeah, we could have a "casualty", and that's not good at all.
*** Last back to the compost pile...I always have mixed feelings whenever I hear about "city improvements".

Maybe that's because I've rarely seen ANY of note.
Sure, a few years back, the city stuck some trees in some of the curb strips (big whoop), and the city DID resurface the alley NORTH of us (which was already concrete and in better shape than OUR alley).
And we did get one of the "pocket parks" at Lafayette and Pettit (big frigging deal).
But as for seeing any REAL improvement? Nope, haven't seen it in decades!.
And when things DON'T improve, that means they always seem to get worse.

This occurs DAILY.

I can't even get Parking Control down here to ticket the chronically impaired who always park AGAINST traffic (the wrong way) on our streets, or tag those idiots who (again, chronically) block the sidewalks when they visit their "friends". Yes, they DON'T work for a living.

This happens EVERY day, too.

Can't get the city to enforce WHERE to keep the trash bins between pickups (hint - it's NOT OUT FRONT of your government-sponsored crib).

And the Christmas decorations are still up!

The FWPD don't seem to want to enforce the NOISE ordinance, either, nor do they seem to catch ANY of the numerous and regular speeders we have zooming up Monroe or over Maple Grove (lots of revenue being missed there, folks).

I'm not seeing any NEW retail down here, and what's left isn't worth mentioning, aside from a few (staunch) "holdouts" like Yeoman's service station or Do-It-Best behind Southgate. God bless them both!
Everyplace else is a retail wasteland.
So, you'll forgive me if I seem a bit miffed having to go everywhere else for anything else we might need.
I'd LOVE to see improvements down here, but as long as the city remains ignorant or apathetic (or both) to the situation on the SE side (and also now, the SW), there's not much we can do.
The best improvement would be...DECENT people. The rest will take care of itself.
In the meantime...we, who still give a damn about where WE live, will have to muddle through as best as we can.
But, at least we have a great downtown and riverfront...((rolls eyes))

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