Just Stuff

Well, we finally heard from the hospital that Lisa applied to and she did not get the job. They hired a PRN that had been working there. Time to move on to the next one. Her company is still maintaining their offices in PA and she did get an increase in hours but, the monthly cost of insurance is outrageous. She had off yesterday and offered to help me out on a job.

My new motto is "Objects are heavier than what they appear". I had a client that needed a stump left from a tree that had blown over and was resting on top of the ground to be removed. Oh my god it must have weighed 600 pounds! Worse than wrestling a gator if you can muster that image. So we made our plans and got the thing up onto the trailer to take to the dump, you talk about being sore. Lisa now thinks that I have truly lost my mind and I am not quite sure that she isn't right. I need to use the word NO!

I did get a response from the Mayors office regarding the smoke shop. Interestingly enough it is a legal business that they can not discriminate against. Of course we knew that! However it is within the rights for the town commissioners to create laws that protect the citizens rights and keep them safe. They also noted that the devices that they sold were for use of legal tobacco products. I laughed at that! When was the last time you saw your mother or even grandmother smoking from a bong? Just envisioning that picture alone gave me the best laugh! Hmmmm sounds like there may be a possibility to create new zoning laws. The good thing is that our police department is keeping a watchful eye on them.

We also saw response from the SPCA regarding the man breeding the German Sheppard's. New housing has been provided for the dogs and a noticeable amount of exercise time. It's all a good thing.

We have lined up some new jobs seems like people are getting back tax money and wanting to spend on some extra things. I have really noticed a spending pattern with all of our clients. You almost can predict when they are going to call, just not what they will be requesting. Keeps it interesting. I still am not so sure of the recession and have applied for a couple full time positions to ensure that we survive the economy pitfalls. Scheduling the business flow will be challenging and we may have to say no to some things, but it is what it is.

We started to watch a new TV series on showtime that is called the United States of Tara. It is about a woman that has multiple personalities that transition when she becomes stressed or under pressure. It can be very funny!

Get On Board!

As I have been doing errands and passing through town I noticed a new small business located right in the middle of town. Now I really thought my eyes were lying to me, so I have made it a point to check this out in more detail.

Yes, I was seeing correctly. Water pipes in the windows (bongs), and other drug paraphernalia used to smoke pot and hash. Small mirrors and straws in kits for cocaine. Oh wait I did not use the proper terminology that is required to obtain a permit to open such a shop "Pipe and tobacco supplies". Bottom line is a head shop sells devices for the use of illegal drugs. What rock is our county officials living under?

Now this is a really small town with the local middle school within walking distance of the shop. The shop is located directly across from the town hall, police station, and our local county representatives office. Who gave them the permit? Have people lost their minds? Are they that removed that they do not know what problems this can create?

I am just flabbergasted and I don't have children! I am worried about doing the correct speed in town and then see this. I have made every effort to make sure everyone I come in contact with knows about this shop and from what I have heard it has made the papers. My next step is to contact the mayor and even get a petition up if need be to rid this small town of the last thing that is needed. Why even have this shop here because the demographics just don't match up unless it consists of young adults? Could it be that our own good ole boys club that seems to be running things are actually doobie kings from and era gone by? Maybe they are not making a good salary and have a little extra curricular import business they are involved in to support a lifestyle they yearn for.

Young adults are curious and will experiment and that is expected, but why dangle the temptation right in front of them. Why expose them to something that can lead to a life of drug abuse. I understand that this does not happen to all kids but do you want your child to be that one in five that becomes addicted, that one in ten that is killed in an accident from substance abuse, or that one in fifteen that will spend years in and out of prison? I don't actually know the numbers but I can bet they are astronomical.

The exposure our society has placed on young adults with the justification that they will make up their own minds fails to realize that children and young adults need to mature and develop their mind before the exposure happens. Lets just look at the numbers because they don't lie.

From 1970 compared to 2000 has the rate of teen pregnancy went up? Has teen drug use and addiction increased? Has the number of suicides, arrests, and deaths increased? I for one think that citizens need to become more involved in their communities to keep up on what is happening to keep their community safe. What disgust me is that the city would not put up a skate board ramp due to legal reasons if someone got hurt. The city could not afford the insurance. But of course a bong shop is okay. I hope they get their heads out of their butts (that's putting it nicely) and GET ON BOARD!!!

blissful innocence

It's late and my mind seems to be racing with many thoughts. I don't really think I should watch the news late at night since it makes my brain race in 50 directions. It seems like the whole banking and finance industry has just went to pot. Talk about corruption! How do they get away with stealing billions of dollars over a ten year period without raising a red flag. Personally I think Bernard Madoff and Allen Stamford should be hung up by their balls for raping the public! Things are just way out of control and we need to impose some stiff penalties on people like this. I don't mean luxury camp jails either, put them into the main stream like everyone else.
I am just so glad I spent all those short lived lottery winnings. Sorry Betty, but I did try to hit the big one and I would have shared with everyone. It does bring me delight when I hear the local news giving out the best bargains at local stores to save the consumers some money. Imagine that actual competition for our business! I have also found delight in the new level of courtesy that all stores seemed to be instilling in their employees. Actual greetings, help when needed, and small exchange of pleasantries. I feel as if I have went back in time when the consumer had the power. We need to enjoy this while it last! The funny thing is that I never know how much it is going to cost to fill up my tank. Gas prices have yo-yo'd so much that I just can't seem to pin it down. Better bargains out there, competitive pricing, actual service, and all for the almighty dollar. Even though it has shrunk it carries value in many ways.

With this huge stimulus package I still hear of more layoff's in the automobile industry. Do you really mean to tell me that these top level managers and CEO's did not see this coming years ago? How educated are these people? So highly educated that they become criminal! How many different models of cars do we need? This is exactly what I mean when I say I feel like the world is spinning out of control. We have went from quality to quantity, self preservation to self destruction, abstinence to self indulgence, and from conservative to promiscuous. To raise one child well is not enough you need to have 14, to feel loved even if you can not afford to feed them. This is the exact reason why people fight stem cell research. They are afraid of the horrible social ills that will seep into society from neglect as that of invitro fertilization.

Why can't we turn a negative into a positive. Everyone wants rights and choices so let's give it to them in a way that would be a win win situation. First, for all of those inmates that should be given a second chance to redeem themselves: give them the choice of organ donating and reduced sentencing or a chance to fight in the war for their country. Second we really need universal health care along with privatized health care. We should have a choice, and small employers would not suffer as much, and larger employers could utilize private insurance as a better incentive hiring package. The government needs to invest in the health of those that can work to keep them healthy and working and prevent people having to take disability. We need better government watchdog programs for the financial industry with harsh penalties for violations, if these people are that good at getting money maybe they need to be doing tax returns for the public for free. First let them see all the hardworking people in person that they have been robbing and than get them back the most money possible. Now that would be interesting. Dear Bernie I am ready and waiting for my taxes to be prepared.

It is funny how the world changes ones perception. As a child the world is full of fantasy, wonder, and belief. Then once you hit adulthood the facts of realism hits home dismantling all those years of blissful innocence.

streak still holding

I sure hope this lucky streak stays for awhile! I am on a roll! Of course when I cashed my tickets the other day I purchased new numbers. Now my sister had said a week ago that she felt one of our birthdays were going to come up in the lottery. So after studying some numbers I played my mothers birthday 908 and two others. After work Lisa and I decided to go for pizza at one of our hangouts. We ordered, and I picked out some random scratch offs to play while we waited. I scratched the first one and it was a $50.00 winner, proceeded to scratch off the next four and each was a $15.00 dollar winner, the next was a $20.00, and the last two were losers. I said "I just won $130.00 dollars" and Lisa was like "yeah right your full of it". She didn't believe it! So I cashed in and came out $90.00 ahead. We came home and I checked our numbers and we hit again. Mom's birthday came in box for $80.00. It was just unreal! So Lisa is like" hurry go get a mega millions ticket we might win."

I think she truly thought that it was going to be possible to win. So of course we were daydreaming of trips to Tahoe, Tahiti, and other far away places. That is what makes it fun! I still can't complain because I had the money ball and won $2.00! Well this week has definitely been good so far and I hope everyone else is having the luck that I am. How long this streak will last is to be seen.

Lucky Numbers

Finally tenacity has paid off. I have been playing the lottery and noticed that a set of numbers had not hit for quite some time. Well it finally paid off and my numbers (985) hit twice-wahoo! First it came in boxed so I cashed my winning ticket for $80.00 and decided to purchase the number for that day. When I got home I couldn't believe it, it came in straight that day. It paid $580.00-Yippie!

It was like a winning horse crossing the finish line. Yes, I know I have the fever! I just love the thrill of a win because the odds are so high.

So I spent some of my big winnings today and bought a fish. Yes, a fish (beta) named Ernie that is displayed in the center of my table in all his glory. I thought I was going to kill him trying to put him in his new home. So everyone got a treat today new Frisbee and ball for the dogs, cat treats for Maggie, and CD for Lisa, and a little fish named Ernie for me from some overdue lucky numbers.

P.S. Hope my luck holds out and Ernie isn't floating upside down tomorrow morning.

Contractors

Contractors, gotta lov'em they are helping our business. I find it amusing that the very thing I used to bitch about it has come full circle for me. Over the years we have had to use contractors for several projects and I have found that they can cause as much disrepair trying to repair. There are several that are just down right messy and expensive to boot. Then there are those that just don't have the best work ethic.

Recently we have had a flurry of calls for all sorts of small request and odd projects due to contractor expense, blunders, and mess that has been left behind. One client has spent several thousands of dollars having hard wood flooring installed which looks great, but during the installation the contractors actually marked up the walls even leaving small gouges that need repair. So we get the call to patch and paint.

Another client has brick work done and calls for us to come and clean up the mess that has been left outside. A pile of broken bricks, bags, harden concrete, and debris. This leads to a new client for summer lawn care-yeah!

I have yet to understand why consumers don't hold the people that are paying good money for such as licensed carpenter, plumber, electrician, or mason responsible for damages. No matter how small the damage it was not there beforehand nor should it be after the job is done.

A lady has tile installed and needs to have it sealed. Contractors want way too much money for these type of projects and it is starting to roll our way. The funny thing about this is that we don't advertise that we can do this type of work. The original premise that I have been building the business on is working but going into a different direction. We offer multiple services so that once a client establishes a relationship they become comfortable with one company that can give them better price points and handle small jobs that no one else wants to do.

We have went from lawn care, landscaping, pet sitting, to power washing, hauling, hanging pictures, installing window treatments, drywall repair, small tree removal, and other crazy sorts of things. We are building good relationships within the community and I am enjoying this radical change from that of a restaurant but there are those times when I yearn to start another.

With the economy the way it is I don't think that will happen for awhile. So for now I am thankful for all those messy men out there that we know as contractors.