PARKING RED ZONE

Today I came home from work and went to park in my garage.  Alas, someone was parked in my red zone.  I have a red zone that makes it so I can park in my garage.  If people park in the red zone, I can't get in my garage because my house is on an angle.

Well, there was a car parked in the red zone.  I called the city to have it towed.  The guy showed up 40 minutes later.  He ran the plates and it turned out it was someone who lived on my block in an apartment building.  Against my better judgement, I listened to my nice side and agreed to have him ticket the car and go and get the owner to move it.  Big mistake.

I thought I was being nice considering I could ticket and tow it.  I usually do that.  Get it gone so I can get my car in or out.  Not this time.

He goes and gets the girl and she takes her time coming out.  She comes out and says I will move it.  I say Please don't park here again.  She says Why so threatening?  (In my head I say, this is not threatening...)  I said I just asked you not to park it here again or next time I will tow it.  She said I don't know what more I can say.  I am not sure what was said next but she finally moved the car.  The Parking Enforcement guy was there the whole time.

I put my car in the garage and went inside.  The doorbell rang and some guy was standing there.  It was her boyfriend (I figured out).  He proceeded to read me the riot act about how I ruined his girlfriends day.  I said what about how she ruined my evening?  He said he was listening to the whole thing (I didn't see him outside so I doubt it).  He wanted to know why I could not park somewhere else.  I said this is my driveway and garage.  This is my home and where I park.  He questioned whether I can get in the garage with her car in the red zone.  I said he could take that up with Parking Enforcement, many have already.  (He will lose.)  He wanted to know why she could not just stay parking there and why she had to move her car.  He wanted to know why only 1/2 of the curb is painted red.  (that is because I pay to have my part of the curb painted red at the cost $320 each time it gets painted. My neighbor doesn't need his part of the curb painted so he doesn't want to pay $320.)  It is hard to explain to a screaming guy a complicated situation.  When he started calling me rude and incredulous (does he know what that means?) I closed the door on him.  I don't put up with name calling.

Okay I was annoyed.  I was also annoyed that she was acting like it was my problem.  Why couldn't I just park somewhere else?  Why couldn't I just get over it?  Why couldn't I just squeeze my car in the driveway?  Why am I making a deal about this?  How dare I give her a ticket?  How dare I threaten her.  

Lesson learned.  I thought I was being nice this time since they live in the neighborhood by letting the Parking Enforcement guy go get them and let them move the car.  Well, I won't do that again.  I am going back to my regular Ticket & Tow.  That way I don't have to see them or deal with them.  They come to get their car and it is gone.  They see the red zone and they figure it out. Nothing is worth this drama.

Until tomorrow... 

HOT

It was actually hot today. I went out at lunchtime in just a shirt. Some people were out in short sleeved shirts. It was just that hot and sunny out.

I look at the weather map and can not believe it is cold and snowing all over the country.  It is mid April!

I don't think it will be quite so hot tomorrow.

Until tomorrow...

SEEDY COLE SLAW

Tonight I made Seedy Coleslaw.  It didn't turn out as good as I thought it would.  It is still good but not as good.  It looks pretty.

I will be eating coleslaw for the whole week!

Until tomorrow...

TARGET SHOPPING

I finally went to Target.  I live where there are few box stores so when I need to shop at one, I have o drive to it.  I wait until I have a long list and then I make a trip to Target. 

I went today and bought the usual: paper products, garbage bags, dishwasher soap, soap refills, and some personal products like deodorant and toothpaste.  Of course who can go to Target without walking around and checking things out?  I looked at the clothes and bought a biking jacket.  All my biking jackets are either blue or purple or grey so I wanted one in another color.  I got this one in a sort of red color.  I wear them all the time so I wanted another one. 

It was fun to do a little shopping today.

I came home and watched the movie McFarland USA.  It was really much better than I thought it would.

Until tomorrow...

VEGGIE BOX 2

I got my veggie box. I love my veggie box delivery. This time I am planning on making seedy Cole slaw.  Then I have to think of something else to make with the rest of the cabbage. 

This time I got:
* Cabbage
* Red cabbage
* Red beets
* Kiwi
* Tomatoes
* Carrots
* Kumquats

They also threw in celery for free.

 

Until tomorrow...

HORRIBLE WEATHER COMING

We are expecting a giant storm tonight.  They are calling it an Atmospheric River.

Atmospheric Rivers are long, narrow regions in the atmosphere – like rivers in the sky – that transport most of the water vapor outside of the tropics. These columns of vapor move with the weather, carrying an amount of water vapor roughly equivalent to the average flow of water at the mouth of the Mississippi River. When the atmospheric rivers make landfall, they often release this water vapor in the form of rain or snow.

 When the weather comes from Hawaii it is called the Pineapple Express.  The weather folks are saying it will be very humid and rainy for the next couple of days.  We will feel like we are in Florida.

Until tomorrow...

THEATRE

Last night I went to see a wonderful play. It was a drama written by the author about his parents experiences during and after the Vietnam war. His parents escaped the war, came to America and fell in love.

It was funny and heart felt. It was great.

Until tomorrow...

DENTIST

Today I went to the dentist to get my 6 month check up.  During my last check up my new dental office offered me a "dental plan" for people who do not have dental insurance. I pay a set price and it covers two cleanings plus x-rays plus 20% off any other dental work for one year. So I went in today and it cost me nothing today.

I also got a clean bill of dental health.

Until tomorrow...

ANT INVASION

For about a week and a half I have had an ant invasion.  I can't figure out where they are coming from or what they want.  They are not going for water.  They are not somewhere where there is food or isn't food anymore.  I put nutmeg on all the openings (ants hate nutmeg) because I won't use pesticides.  I only see an ant or two.  I kill them and then I see more.  It drives me crazy. 

I clean, I vacuum, I sweep, I wipe.  They are still there.  Then finally the other day, they are gone.  Not an ant to be found.  Yippee!

Until tomorrow...

EASTER IN THE PARK

I was planning on spending Easter at home with Happi and Lucky doing some work when I got a text from a friend asking if I wanted to go to the park.  Every year there is a big festival in the park for Easter.  I said Yes!  I packed up and made some lunch and off we went.

The park was packed. We found a spot and staked our claim. We had food and drink and good company.  We watched the entertainment. When it started to get cool we packed up and went home.

It was a nice way to spend Easter.

Until tomorrow...