Here in the heartland it is HOT!!!! Seems as though it was only yesterday that I was opining about how cold it was and how insane I was to stay here in the winter. I guess the shoe is on the other foot now. Is winter cabin fever better, worse or the same as summer cabin fever?
Trash is out on the street again on time. I had several interesting conversations last week about the state of our garbage collection. One was how the Garbage Gestapo patrols our streets and tickets us if our garbage is not on the curb by 7:00 a.m. I had this happen to me but had not heard of any others who had experienced this until last week. Another discussion was the confiscation of a Yardy without apparent justification. This conduct is outrageous. I don't recall a vote of any kind that gave our garbage people dictatorial powers let alone the power to use Gestapo tactics. Several discussion revolved around the operation of this city department and the growing citizen anger with their methods.
These "kind" folks thoughtfully placed an insert in our local paper ballyhooing the coming of the Garby plus they reiterated their rules, regulations and policies everyone is expected to live by. The Garby program has been officially named "Automated Garbage Collection". Snazzy name isn't it? A policy that I have a real problem understanding is how to handle grass clippings in the summer. The official policy on the use of the Yardy and extra yard waste is this: "Kraft bags are only collected during the leaf vacuum collection dates. Each bag must weigh less than 40 pounds. Please bundle extra brush into 2 ft. x 3 ft. bundles with biodegradable twine. Additional Yardy carts may be purchased by calling. Anyone see what you do to handle excess grass clippings? There are people who would fill 3, 4, 5 or more Yardys each week. Oh, did I mention that these additional carts cost $125.00 each? I don't understand why using the Kraft bags all during the year isn't allowed. They are missing an additional revenue stream. They could require the use of the $1.50 tags for extra bags like they do for garbage. Be sure to check your twine. It MUST be biodegradable. NO EXCEPTIONS.
As it relates to how you set out your trash containers, they mandate that there be 3 feet between each Yardy, Garby, Curby, clear glass container and colored glass container. I don't know about you, but this could be a logistical problem for a lot of people. In my case I am looking at these containers stretching about 15 to 20 feet in front of my house on the curb. I will have to mark each spot some way to insure that I am conforming to their rules. Maybe I will paint the grass or maybe I will kill the grass where each container should sit. I will think about one. There are probably some rules that I don't know about in the streets department that will dictate this. I should probably check.
Is it time for a special interest group to form? Maybe something named PETG (People for the Ethical Treatment of Garbage) or how about ASS (Association against Sanitary Sewers). Oh, here we go, CLOGG (Citizens Lobby On Garbage) or CRAP (Citizens Repeal Asinine Policies) or how about GAGG (Group Against the Garbage Gestapo).
Word(s) of the Week: Epistemology and Verisimilitude
These are the courtesy of MacBlu.
Busy week this week and next. Yesterday my current wife, Sue, and I decided to see what dermatologists do. Really not too exciting. Sue had this aging mark on her cheek about the size of a grapefruit. No, I am exaggerating again. She was concerned it might be something nasty so we went to find out. It was nothing to be worried about fortunately. The doc gave her 3 options - leave it alone, cut it off, or freeze it off. She opted for the freezing method. Many of us are familiar with that. It probably is the easiest to live with I think. She came through nicely. I had lobbied for the doc to freeze off a few pounds but that fell on deaf ears.
The other day, my current wife smacks me in the side of the head. I was totally dumbfounded and asked her, "What was that for?" She said, "Because you are really bad at sex". A couple of minute later having thought about that, I smacked her in the side of her head. This time, she was confused and asked, "And may I ask what's that about?" I simply replied, "Simple, because you know the difference." Just saying.
Tomorrow we take her car into the shop for a long needed, albeit minor, repair. It will probably cost an arm and a leg. Anyone got a spare leg, I only have two. You do realize that this was a pay back for the previous paragraph, don't you?
Received a call from Debby, the younger elder or whatever. She booked the "boys" into the fitness center Friday, Saturday and Sunday. There will be sleep overs on Friday and Saturday nights. As I posted the reservation, I noticed that Kinnick that he is scheduled from Friday to Sunday of next week. Another 3 dog night. It appears as though Sue, with her face, and I will have a couple of sleepless nights. Pugs and Labs take up some room in bed. This reminds me of a movie, "Sleepless in Cedar Rapids" or something similar to that.
We are planning another in the series of neighborhood dog Olympics for Saturday, weather permitting. This will be the second in the series. I hope my group represent themselves better than the last time. They didn't place to well overall.
Sue and I are beginning to put together a vacation trip for late July. Great timing, eh? One week will be in Storm Lake, Iowa for a church school deal. Then we are thinking of heading west ending up at Yellowstone. I have never been there so it would be interesting. Anything to get me out of town. This garbage thing is driving to crazy plus it is a short drive at my age.
I have had a relatively quiet spell here as it relates to handyman jobs. Let's keep those fingers crossed. I have a rather extensive landscaping project that I want to get done but I really need it to be done cheaply. You know, now that we are retired on a fixed income and all. I don't think landscaping and cheap go together however. I will keep looking into that. It is much too extensive for me to do, thank God.
Speaking of words, going together or not, definitions, and whatnot. Here are a few technology words and their definitions.
Mac - Big Daddy's favorite fast food.
Megahertz - How your head feels after seventeen beers.
Modem - What ya did when the grass and weeds got too tall.
Mouse pad - Where Mickey and Minnie live.
Network - Scoop'n up a big fish before it breaks the line.
Online - Where to stay when taking the sobriety test.
Word(s) of the Week Definitions:
Epistemology--A school of philosophy that that includes the nature of human knowledge.
Verisimilitude--The appearance of truth. A forbidden word for pettifoggers.
Verisimilitude--The appearance of truth. A forbidden word for pettifoggers.
The clock keeps on ticking. I have to get ready to go beat my brains out at the gym, sweat my you know what off, and smile like I really enjoy this. The gym is all about who can look the coolest, studliest, or sexiest. I have not been able to achieve any of those looks and I am frustrated. Give me another cup of French Roast and watch, here I come. Have a great day and a better tomorrow gang. TA!
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