getting old and crotchety

I don't hide my anger or my irritation well. Especially lately.

Today I let the kids play in the leaves after picking up Olea from school. I live in an area where property is shared. There are plenty of rules to keep the place nice.
Sadly, there are a number of people who either think they are above the rules or are lazy or something... anyway....
So, the kids are using the rake to relocate the leaves, and discover feces, due to a dog owner who has let their dog and their three year old run free for at least the last hour. The three year old starts whining and screaming because the dog is biting his hand. I start rounding up the kids, because it's apparent mom isn't coming to her child's aid fast enough and I am not going to deal with a snappy dog. Finally mom calls from an open window and the kid runs inside, leaving the dog outside. I figure surly the dog will not be left out so I let the kids continue to rake in an area feces free. I hoped at first that mom would hear me telling the dog to go home (since her window was open) and come get her dang dog or at least the kid would let him in the house, so I was still trying to enjoy the nice weather with the kids, when it became apparent that no one was going to fetch the dog. I have a baby tied to my chest and am trying to gather our stuff and the kids into the house and the dog starts testing the water with me and my kids. I keep telling the dog to go home and stay away from the kids, but he thinks Olea's stick is a game and keeps going to her. Zurich is of course undoing what little progress I make with gathering book bag and coats etc, as well as trying to get close to the dog, because he LOVES dogs and doesn't understand why I keep telling him "owie, stay away, no touch."
The front door is open and Zurich is inside and I am trying to get Olea to put down her stick long enough to take the scooter from me but she is wary of the dog and wants her weapon, when lo and behold the neighbor comes to get the dog. Ten minutes...
By this time though the dog is on my steps and I can't get around her to my own house as she calls and snaps at her dog who is trying to get around Olea and into the house....
Long story short dog gets in my house and the neighbor asks, "can I go get him?"
"You better."
She chases the dog and gets it out and apologizes saying that he's a baby that's why he's not being obedient and that she's so embarrassed. I am so annoyed I don't say anything. I'm not going to pretend that I don't mind that your animal that pooped on the lawn 5 minutes ago and peed down his leg is running around on my carpet. I'm not going to pretend that I am not irritated. I can't.
Seriously, your pet and your child were unattended for at least 45 minutes, that kind of stuff irritates the Hades out of me, esp when you know your dog bites.

So I am sure my neighbor thinks I am a snotty lady. I don't care.
Take care of your stuff, your kids, your animals and all their forms of feces.

I do like some of my neighbors. In case you were wondering.
and I don't mind all dogs or their owners. We do have some neighbors that are exceptional about taking care of their animals. And I even like, nay, love some dogs.
Cheer up, self, here are some pictures of the kids enjoying in the beginning.

loose your dignity

I find one of the fastest ways to loose your human dignity is to own a pet.
Particularly a dog.
This morning over breakfast I watched a neighbor scramble for
20 minutes to catch their little mini dog who escaped from their
car while they stopped at the mail box.
I admit. I laughed, enough my children turned to watch.
and need I even mention the whole pooper scooper routine?
Bless the people who actually take responsibility
for their animals in an area such as I live
who actually clean up their pet's waste.
There are plenty of those who don't.

People

I really appreciate people who think of others.
The little things.
Like today a neighbor came by to bring me info about kindergarten registration because she noticed the info on a paper from her first grader. It worked out we got to chat for 2 hours while the kids played, Olea was thrilled with this because she has been begging to play with this friend. Or when Gary who, like most husbands doesn't like the chore of watching kids while his wife clothing shops... brought me to a clothing store he knew I'd like and watched the kids, just because he knew it would make me happy to find a good deal and nice clothes. Or when he brings me a real chocolate bar, just because he loves me. Or my sister calls just to share in curiosities etc.

I decided today that the HR lady at my husband's work is one of the most ill equipped people to work in the Human Resources field.
I know it's not nice,
but if people had the same interactions with her as we have... you'd understand.

I quite enjoy personal emails.
So blogging has it's perks
but I really get a kick out of comments because
sometimes it's the closest thing to a personal email.

I think personality quirks are fun to watch for.
In my children, my siblings, parents, husband, friends.
I like to find something that is all them and them alone. The way they hold their face, talk with their hands, smile for real or for a picture, or raise their voice when they get passionate about a subject. I like to watch for what makes each person their own.

How you raise your kids is your business
until it interferres with my kids, and my life.
Do I really need to say more? oh, I could but I shouldn't, so I won't.

If this is your ancestor... I apologize

So I was going through our pictures for the year for some people I love and ran across this... It was in a historic house we visited up in Ophir Canyon. For sure this is a man! but wait... look around the house... it's hereditary. So she sold Avon. The bottom of the frame had engraved in it, "100 AVON." If a "sheheit" showed up at my door looking like this trying to sell me Avon I would deney even a free sample. I apologize if this is a relation to anyone out there who happens to read this post. I think I am pretty safe though... Gary and I were just astounded... that it was for real, and that they for real put it up in the house. That is some brave lady. I understand I have been blessed to be rather decent and normal looking. I didn't realize what a huge blessing this was... until 100 year Avon lady.

The new Politically correct terms

I am really bugged by politically correct stuff. Such as changing "he" to "he/she" or to just plain "she." "He" worked for me. I understood that in the English language it was the gender neutral when it was used that way. I was fine being lumped into the "he" category because I understood it wasn't demeaning or whatever the complaint is. It was a simple way to include every one under Mankind. However, thanks to the feminists I now have to read literature, magazines etc, that use "he/she" or "she" instead. She is much more specific. I can't read she and think of the possibility that it can be a "he" because we as humans are MANkind not WOMANkind. I'm good with this. I like the respect it allotted me as a woman. However, it's a real stumbling block when I am reading and it says SHE and it doesn't mean she it means, HE or SHE you know the way HE used to work.

So to appease the complianers out there who think that HE is discriminatory... I propose a new term. You take your pick: hesheit, or sheheit. The second sounds a little less mean. Though I personally take a lot of humor from hesheit. Obviously, I had to include IT so I didn't leave anyone out. I don't want some bi or some androgynous person complaining in the future you know?
:P