Daily Gripe

Hello, my name is Stu. Today my gripe is with 'pandering'. Yesterday I saw a pandering wonder. I have seen many creative people standing on a corner with the cardboard sign begging for stuff. Once when I lived in North Carolina I saw a man holding the cardboard sign that read - Help me go to Key West for the winter. At least he was honest.

I'm driving down a heavily traveled (slow moving) road in the morning rush hour. On a bench - very close to the road with slow moving traffic sits a young lady. Not real young and not a senior. Laying down right by her feet was a calm scruffy looking dog. His pedigree was questionable. He was a mutt. I do love mutts.

Next to her on the bench was a large white bucket. In her hands was a handwritten cardboard sign that read - DOG FOR SALE. Breaks your heart - right! Wrong! She has no intention of selling this multi-colored scruffy looking mutt. People walking by dropped money in her bucket and people driving by handed her money. No one - no one wanted the mutt. Now - this young lady has a great marketing scheme going for her.

My sign says - send me money,

Mr. Pid

Daily Gripe

Hello, my name is Stu. Today my gripe is once again with neighbors. I walk the dog after dark - it's cooler at that time and if I forget my plastic bag no one will see me not collect the droppings. Only occasionally do I not -pick up after Fido. I sure hate it when I find it in my yard or step on it along the walkway.

So back to the gripe. When watering your lawn please water the LAWN. Do not water the driveway, the sidewalk or the road. You can rotate the sprinkler heads and when they break they can be replaced. I despise all of you with the lush green lawn but whatever! I like my brown lawn and I can't afford to second mortgage the house to pay the water bill. I will live with brown lawn. And if I did water it would not be the street.

It's dark when I walk the dog (working all day leaves only the night for dog walking) I like to stay on the sidewalk. The drivers in this residential area all have dyslexia. the speed limit sign says 35 but they see it as 53. Walking in the roads here is not safe.

Your sprinkler system that comes on just before or just as I walk in front of your house is always an obstacle course. It spurts water on the sidewalk, the driveway and halfway across the street. I have to change my pattern and walk on the other side - that means I have to cross the road. Cars speeding - darkness = bad situation.

Sometimes your nasty sprinkler comes on without notice as I pass your domain. Instant shower for me and the dog. The dog rather likes it - I DON'T. And then we have the slippery issue, if I try to run through the waterfall I could slip and break a hip. I would drop the leash and off Fido would go to terrorize someone or become lost (maybe not a bad idea). I'm sure he would be found by the pound and returned to me with a hefty penalty fee.

My advice - stop watering your lawn and save our planet or water your lawn and not the cement landscapes that do not need it. If we all had brown lawns there would be no green grass envy.

Daily Gripe

Hello, my name is Stu. Today my gripe is with yet another neighbor. This one lives behind me cattycorner (kittycorner-whatever). The other day on my return from work I hear loud screams. They seemed to be coming from my backyard. Scary thought- fenced yard - large mean dog patrolling the property. I rush out back and see nothing. The big bad mean dog is asleep on duty. He doesn't even get up to greet me. I hear silence.

I go inside and begin to remove the work clothes. Not a nice picture but here goes - half necked the screams begin again. Terror rushes through me. Has someone spied me in this half-dressed or undressed mode? That may cause screams like that! I run outside - yep, still half necked and listen. The wailing grows louder. I return inside to make myself presentable to the world.

I slip outside toward the back rear quadrant of my domain and listen. I have the cell phone in case I need to call 911. It seems the neighbors are having some type of dispute. What to do? Ignore it and listen for gunshots? I creep closer to the fence and the large tree to get a better view. The big bad dog-not-on-duty today lumbers over and sniffs my bare leg.

I listen to their heated argument which is - the kid didn't wash the dishes. Okay! The tirade continues and I go inside shut the door and go on with my life. Big bad dog follows me inside for his treat. Yeah, like he deserves a treat.

That very night is trash night. Actually not that night but trash pick-up in my neighborhood occurs at 2AM in the morning. Bright and early the next morning the trash has been picked up and the plastic trash cans are throw here and there. Rarely are they set back upon the curb in an orderly manner. Why? I think the trash haulers have a deal with trash can manufactures. See how many you can destroy today. Sell,sell, sell. The trash collectors probably get a kickback for every new trash can purchased.

So it's bright and early and the big bad watch dog needs his morning walk. Within minutes of the walk he decides to make the dump. Phew!!! It's big and stinky. It almost fills my plastic bag. YES, I always clean up after my pet - well most of the time.

So here I stand with this huge, smelly bag of - you know what and the walk has only just begun. I have 6 more blocks to go. I walk by the cattycorner (kittycorner) neighbors house. They don't own a truck with a big back bumper. There right in front of my eyes sits there lonely and empty trash can - right side up. I believe this is the first time I have seen a trash can replaced in an upright position in the driveway. Amazing!!!!!

I walk by and slip my bag of you know what into their upright empty trash can. Garbage pick-up isn't for 5 more days. Should be quite stinky by then.


Neighborly.

Mr. Pid