Texas Longhorn on a Mustang

As I was driving thru a gas station, after getting my morning Dunkin’, I spotted this fellow driving a classic Mustang. I can’t be sure of the year, 1965/66. Back in the day, I owned a 1966 Mustang, blue. A blast to drive, and once caught my speedometer at 140 on the New York Thruway (My dad called it the 'New York Quikway'). Too late to ticket me now!

But back to this pix. The driver was at first annoyed when I blocked his path, but laughed when he saw that I was trying to snap a quick cell phone pix of his car.

I have seen Texas Longhorns on pickup trucks and on Cadillacs, but NEVER on a classic Mustang!

Plus he has fuzzy dice dangling from his rearview mirror.

Just like I have.

We must be kindred spirits.

More Gutter Planters

Attention Homeowners:

You know it is time to clean the gutters when they start sagging from the weight of dirt, debris and the trees that have taken root in them.

See my previous post on "Reason to Clean Those Gutters."

Maybe homeowners and building managers need to just get off their butts and walk around their buildings at least once a decade and do some preventive maintenance. That picture is just so sad!

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This last one is a poor shot, but I had lived in this building about 25 years ago. It was a huge apartment with original subway tile around the kitchen and honeycomb tiles on the bathroom floor. A wonderful home, and neighborhood for my son. Then a new landlord bought the building and made a big show fixing up the place. He also announced that he didn’t want any children living there. Very illegal, and of course, he stated his intentions privately: and jacked up the rent. So when I drove by and saw the crap accumulating in the back alleyway and the deplorable state of the front gutters, I couldn’t resist taking a pix.

A tenant came out and asked what I was doing. I inquired about the owner’s name: Same rude guy. The tenant asked if I wanted to pass a message. I clearly gave my name and stated my intentions to post this online to embarrass him.

Corner of Fourth and Main, Bradley Beach.

A small bit of revenge, but satisfying.

UPDATE

Guess that landlord got my message. He cleaned up and repaired the front gutters. Wow, the fear of public ridicule worked! However, the pigsty he created in the back alley still exists. When I had lived there, that landlord actually sent me a letter regarding my old rocking chair on the back porch, that is should be removed, and demanded that all furniture should be 'new.'

He's still a sad, miserable jerk.

I Need a Mommy Hug!

As I keep saying, this job is complicated, somewhat difficult to explain what odd moments fill up my day. It is expected that I should:

Collect rent;

Show apartments and prescreen applicants;

Clean-outs (they’re fun, beware people, I learn soooo much about you when you leave. Ha!);

Paint (even more fun);

Deal with some ornery and cranky contractors (and clean up after said cranky contractors);

Run a wet vac at 1:30 a.m. because a pipe in the foundation broke and spouted like a geyser (and it was damn cold);

Landscape (okay, that was fun, the flowers and veggies in the gardens just made me happy all spring and summer);

Solve personal problems (see my blog “Tenants: I am NOT your mommy.”);

And always exemplify customer service with a smile. (dratz!);

and the list can go on, Oh, which is why I write this blog!;

However, there are some wonderful moments . . .

We have a sweet young woman living here. She works so hard, patching together 2-3 jobs, and always cheery. But during the Fourth of July weekend, she came in to tell us that she would be late with her rent. While riding her bike to work, some #$@% jerk, shot out of an alleyway, plowed into her, wrecked her bike, and then demanded that since she was “just fine.” There was no need to call the police.

This DURING the 4th of July weekend. She is a waitress. The money weekend that would pay her bills for the summer!

She would be out of work for a week.

Plus Her bike was trashed.

And she flew thru the air.

Was the driver on his damn cell phone and couldn’t see her?

Cops and EMTs were called. A trip to the ER and she earned a week off from work. Poor thing was in tears.

Then she looked at me and said, “I need a mommy hug.”

Wow!

She got a big mommy hug.

Actually, a few mommy hugs over the next few days.

My little boy has become a grown man who plays with Apache helicopters, I miss giving ‘boo-boo’ type hugs.

Home Depot Missed Me! Awwwwhh!

It has been awhile since I have had to venture out to that great contractor’s playhouse on the highway. But I was given a list and sent out, all on my own. Grabbed a Dunkin and hit the road.

I parked my little hatchback out in the reserved contractors’ lot (PROs department only) and walked through the door, and WOW, I felt like Norm from that TV show “Cheers.” The entire PROs crew were behind the desk, they all turned around as I came in and all called my name, and demanded “Where have you been?” and just “Where is my brother-in-law?”

Awwwhh, they missed me. (Or is it my boss’ credit card? Maybe.)

Sadly, I do know my way around that cavernous store, so with list in hand, I over-filled a cart with: a new vacuum, a replacement window, medicine cabinets, cans of paint plus rollers and brushes. I parked my cart at the PROs checkout to get some spackle.

I spotted two workers and asked where it was.

They offered to get me a cart.

Said no problem, only need a ¼ bucket.

They showed me how heavy it was. (Really, I just lifted a replacement window from off the shelf into a shopping cart. I ate my Wheaties.)

Those buckets are small, but dense and weigh about the same as 2 gallons of milk. Heavy but do-able. They both laughed as I grabbed the can and walked away.

Now to checkout:

My good buddy, Marge was there as I asked for help loading the cart into my car. (Yeah, I can pull the stuff off the shelf, but loading my car up can be tricky as some items are awkward.)

She poked the new guy next to her and laughed, “WAIT until you see her truck! It’s a HATCHBACK. She gets everything in there: doors, lumber, trim, plumbing.”

She is bragging, because the first time she came to help me load up, she doubted that I can handle all the doors and windows, but she is a believer now!

And yes, my baby rides a little low on the way home, but that's part of the adventure.

So the new guy comes out, watched me flip down seats, yank out bungee cords, point where it all goes . . . and sure enough, it fits.

I have a new believer.

I love my Hyundai hatchback. It doubles as a F150, but after these last two loads, maybe it should be upgraded to a Dodge Ram.

P.S. Thank you Marge, and your crew, your help has been immeasurable in tracking down parts and speeding us thru checkout!