Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Not to Whine or Anything

Here I find myself, several weeks into a bout of writer's block that is not a matter of having nothing to say, but rather a matter have only grumpy things to say. I keep trying to wait out the crap until I have something cheerful to say, but I've decided that I won't find cheerfulness by allowing myself to fill to the brim with doom. Perhaps a little purging will help.

I just need to list the stuff that has happened in my neighborhood. 
  1.  On a gorgeous Spring day about three weeks ago, my next-door neighbor (a truly nice guy) died in front of my house. He slumped over in his little scooter right in front of my driveway. I'm glad he was out and about, because he loved the open air. Still...
  2. Early Sunday morning somebody knocked on a neighbor's front door. As the neighbor was unlocking the door,  a gun was fired through the closed door. The refrigerator next to door stopped the bullet from continuing into the front room where the children lay sleeping. It's one of those places where a dozen people are shoved into 500 sq ft. And people come and go all hours of the day and night. It was about something, but everyone has a different version of what that something was. Maybe race. Maybe drugs. Maybe a woman. Maybe revenge. No telling really.
  3. Across the street we've got another place with a dozen people in it. They're dealing meth
  4. On the other side of my house, the house has been "empty" for a few months. The guys who were living there had never paid any rent, other than the original deposit. They didn't speak and were rather secretive. Kind of creepy really. I wasn't sad when they were evicted. But I was sad when I found out that a variety of homeless druggies have been squatting in the place while it's been empty. It does look like a nice couple is moving in now. The mom works for the property management company that has been hired to clean up the crazy mess.
  5. Just past that house is our neighborhood convicted rapist who has paid his debt to society. He's a friendly fellow. He likes to give the kids ice cream and dollar bills.
  6. Just past him is the house that was raided about six months back by fifteen police officers with riffles and bulletproof vests. Immigration issues.
  7. The teenyboppers/Serrano gang members wander up and down our street, swearing at each other. We've got a little graffiti here, a pair of shoes hanging on the telephone wires there. It's charming. Adds that je ne sais quoi.
And I am stuck here. Yes, I could let the bank repossess the house. Yes, I could move to some cheaper part of the country with no job, no savings. Seems like a bad plan though. Anyhow, thanks for listening: I just needed to spew.

Friday, April 17, 2009

I'm Out Visiting Today

I'm guest-posting over at Dunhaven Place today, while Heidi enjoys a well-earned Spring break with her family. Come over and say hi! Browse around while you're there. Heidi's blog does not suffer from UBS (Ugly Blog Sydrome) as mine does. She scatters beauty everywhere she goes! 

Friday, April 10, 2009

A Link Worth Pursuing

For those of you who have been concerned about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' position regarding the former priesthood ban, Ray (aka Papa D) has put together an excellent collection of "powerful modern prophetic utterances" clarifying the equality of all of God's children: Repudiating Racist Justifications Once and For All.

Go. Read. Remember.

[For additional information, see Official Declaration—2]

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

My House is a Disaster, but My Yard is Looking Nice.

Behold, my glorious California poppies:



This is the lovely and oh so fragrant Rosa rugosa "Roseraie de l’Hay" She's supposed to be a huge thorny 6 foot living fence between my family and the cold cruel world.



Maybe in another few years.



In the meantime, isn't she gorgeous? And what a heavenly perfume!


Here's my cute little my broccoli which I hope will grow bigger without going to seed. I've got about eight others that are trying to decide if they are going to bring forth plentifully or not.



Happy Spring!

Thursday, April 2, 2009

Where Should the La Family Move? In Theory.

I want to move. Quickly and permanently.  I had a nice long post about all the reasons we ought to move, but let's just leave it at a simple my neighborhood leaves much to be desired. (Feel free back me up on this one, Wendy and Natalie.) It's not going to happen, but I like to dream. 

I'm looking for a good place to move and want your suggestions. Here's my wish list:
  • sidewalks
  • LDS church within ten miles
  • children in the neighborhood 
  • safe enough that responsible people let their children play outside alone
  • reasonably priced
  • casual
  • no annual anti-Mormon events
  • a good library
  • higher education located within twenty miles
  • no free roaming alligators or huge cockroaches
  • low crime
  • low community drug use
  • a vibrant homeschool community
  • mild winters
  • normal everyday people walk and bike to their destination sometimes
  • political, ethnic and religious diversity
  • low unemployment
  • neighbors who intend to stay in the area until their children are raised
  • not located on a fault line, a floodplain or on the edge of a cliff
There are two or three local communities that fulfill most of desires, but that pesky "reasonably priced" doesn't bend. At all. And those great communities do not come cheaply. If I come into a half million dollars or the ability to pay for a $500,000 mortgage, I'd have it all under control, but so far I haven't and I don't. SO give me a name to match my dream, your favorite "nice places to raise a family." 

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

I'm Pregnant

OK, not really!

APRIL FOOLS!

Thank all of you sweet sensitive people who offered sympathy. You are so nice. You'd never do anything like trying to flip all of your friends out.

Kristina P, Melinda, Annette and Jo all ratted me out early on so I deleted their comments (with a quick email explaination) so that the rest of you might possibly fall for it. Tee-hee.

Thanks for making my Wacky Wednesday a little more fun!