20:26 - 09/19/2013
Family time
My youngest son just arrived home with a second new-to-them vehicle. It looks just the same as the one that broke down. They immediately went out as a family for a test drive.
My youngest has found another place to live. They weren't paying rent here, but just utilities, so they will have to adjust their budget. Hard to do with a new baby due. The doctors want to do a c-section at the end of the month due to physical problems, so that is another factor to consider.
It will mean I will have my home and privacy back to myself. I can unclog my bedroom, where all the extra furniture and personal goods were stowed when they moved in and I can start to winter proof the upstairs. My oldest son has already asked if his oldest step-daughter could stay with me for a while. I guess that's ok as long it isn't for too long. She likes to socialize a lot. I don't want anyone I don't know in here.
The balmy weather has allowed me some time outside clearing up my garden, poor neglected thing; saw lots of lady bugs. I guess they have been hiding in the thistles to avoid the birds. I went out in the back alley to do a final clear of the weeds behind the fence. All clear.
Another set to with the neighbours over the garbage bins. They kept filling them up with their trash, so I couldn't put out the yard waste. Sigh. Last trash day they parked a large vehicle across the gate to my yard - I have been bringing the bins into the yard to make certain I had enough space for all my household waste; babies make for a lot of garbage. I guess they wanted to make the point that there were consequences for not letting them take over the alley. They seem to see it as a place to socialise as well, since there were several people out back from a number of the dwellings. Luckily my gate was constructed to swing inward, so I was able to sneak the bins out anyway. Put one in front and one behind the vehicle to respond. Then I called city services to ensure neither their vehicle nor my bins were damaged in the next day's pickup. The responder was reassuring about that. I had other issues to worry about that evening anyway. A strong wind storm blew branches off my sundance tree, so I was kept employed hauling those around the side of the house.
Headed off to pick up a bus pass the next day travelling two communities away, only to be told that they weren't available yet. That's quite a long journey for me. What with using a cane and trying to navigate the buses too. So I called city services again. Hope they get their act together before it gets cold and snowy.
A+ and I attended my family's last scheduled picnic of the year. Nice visit; my Dad wanted to show A+ his old home when he was growing up here in the '30's and 40's and to tell tales of his next door neighbour, the police chief, of that time. Still a lot of resentment in the city against nationals of the countries that were part of the Axis - no jobs for them then. That isn't the case now. My brother-in-law's great great grandfather was the first brew-master in the city and there is a community known as Little Italy still near where we picnicked.
My nephew mentioning that he and his girlfriend were heading for Las Vegas when the snow flies. Lots of advice and reminisces from my Dad and my sibs about where to go and what to see. The last time I was there was when my number two son was less than a year old. He was present with his partner and two children now in his 30's. Nothing I could add. My grand-daughter wanted to come for a sleep-over at my home. Maybe soon.
Have to go switch the laundry dear diary. Want clean bedding tonight.
�
�
