The Patio

[Birchtree]

Your situation reminds me of a true story. I knew a retired black gunny from the Marines that still lives in Ocala. Well one evening he is at the atm drawing out some money when two black youth thugs approached and tried to rob him - he took out his gun and shot both of them. The prosecutor told him they were sending him back to prison not because he shot some trash but because he's already a convicted felon and not suspossed to have a gun. So while he is doing his two years in prison, his girlfriend is driving his caddy and his VA check is going right into the bank. The state of Florida is providing him health care and three squares/day and clean sheets. So eventually he gets out - then one night he's at home watching TV with the lights low and behold a crazy crack addict breaks into his house and of course he gets his black ass shot. The prosecutor says we're not sending you back to prison for shooting the trash but because you are not allowed to have a gun - and this guy is a retired gunny sergeant who probably sleeps with heat. And so the cycle repeats. It's insane the way some people get treated - now we have stand your ground with a no bag'em limit in Florida - that should thin the population of thugs a little.

 

[nnuut]

We had a similar violation of our private property last week.
Around 7PM my neighbor came rushing into my front door screaming that he saw someone go into my garage. I have two garage doors and only one was open, he was a kid about 17 years old. The neighbor rushed came over and confronted him, the guy pushed buy him in an attempt to get away but the neighbor grabbed him and body slammed him down on the driveway [my neighbor is 6'4" and 255 lbs!] they struggled and the perpetrator got away and ran around the corner with my neighbor right behind him but outrun the big guy and got away. We found one of one of his running shoes [size 11] and a light jacket on the driveway'. He was after a bicycle a friend gave me [an old Mongoose trick bike], I planned to fix it up. Cops came took the evidence, did their thing and left. I know he was a local kid that lives close buy but doubt if they will find him. My garage if full of expensive stuff and he wanted an old rusted bike, hell if he would have asked me I would have probably given it to him. Those punks can run really fast!!!!:laugh: I chained the bike to my table saw and left the bike in plain sight as BAIT!

 

[Birchtree]

Well only a ruthless conservative would set up a temptation like that - why not hook up an electric current to it - I mean like a big jolt.

 

[nnuut]

Well only a ruthless conservative would set up a temptation like that - why not hook up an electric current to it - I mean like a big jolt.

I'm open for ideas!:laugh:

 

[PessOptimist]

Re: The Patio - and widows 8

Thanks for the replies. I just needed to vent and you people were handy. Most of the replies were scenarios that ran through my head.

Now Burro, the individual who wandered over the wall is probably an upstanding citizen overcome by the pressures of life and the desire for more things. I have to accept part of the blame for creating an attractive nuisance by owning a house with a patio and owning things. If they didn’t exist he wouldn’t have been tempted.

Birch, your suggestion taken under consideration but I am not sure her having access to a fire arm is a good idea. Even with training I doubt she would have remained cool enough to wait until he got inside. I doubt he would have got inside considering the tool he was trying to use and the type of window. Ripping off the sun screen might not be considered attempted forcible entry, perhaps just malicious mischief or vandalism. For all we know he may have noticed the screen was dirty and was going to clean it as part of his Eagle Scout program. She is a bit nervous in situations like this and probably would have emptied the magazine without remembering to aim, inflicting much property damage and maybe harm to herself. Plus she would have been arrested for discharging a fire arm within the city limits. If one of the rounds had hit the kid she could also be charged with assault and possibly manslaughter. Things are tricky here dealing with juveniles.

The investigating officer opined that the young man would probably not be back too soon as he now knew someone was home during the day. He probably will be back at some point since the drapes were open and he saw a lap top, TV, and other attractive items in plain sight inside the house once he entered the patio. The unsaid suggestion was we put all items out of sight or close the drapes at all times.

My goodness nnuut, left your garage door open! One of the first things that started happening around here in the then new subdivision was citizens ripping off things from open garages. LE advised us that leaving the doors open created an opportunity to turn good citizens bad and we should not do it. I don’t think attractive nuisance was the term they used but the idea was the same. By leaving the door open we were inviting good kids to help themselves to property they desired and believed had a right to. Therefore the homeowner was to blame, at least partly. I don’t think the LE types really believed any of this but it was the official policy at the time.

The subdivision was built on fallow farm fields that were commonly used as a gathering place for local youth groups. These groups often made their objections to the repurposing of the land known through art work on the new construction. Once the new occupants started moving in, the groups continued to roam the area and attempt to continue with their previous activities. Plus of course the new opportunities presented by new occupant’s possessions. It was interesting to see this transition from rural community to suburban utopia.

Thanks again for your inputs and for listening. This incident has made me realize that leaving the lap top on the patio even for the short time a replenishment of refreshing beverage or relief break takes allows plenty of time for a wall hopper to take possession of it and leave via the same route. Such is life on the patio.

PO

 

[nnuut]

Re: The Patio - and widows 8

"My goodness nnuut, left your garage door open! One of the first things that started happening around here in the then new subdivision was citizens ripping off things from open garages. LE advised us that leaving the doors open created an opportunity to turn good citizens bad and we should not do it. I don’t think attractive nuisance was the term they used but the idea was the same. By leaving the door open we were inviting good kids to help themselves to property they desired and believed had a right to. Therefore the homeowner was to blame, at least partly. I don’t think the LE types really believed any of this but it was the official policy at the time."
My garage is still open, and will continue to be open. It's my property and in accordance to the Constitution it is my right to consider it as MINE! If the thiefs have the balls he can come back and git some more stuff, but it might be deleterious to his heath. We the people do not have to modify the way we live because some minority crooks can't make their own money to buy their own stuff. I will be cracking some skulls and bustin' some asses if it happens again. Bring it on!!!!!!!:nuts:

 

[PessOptimist]

Re: The Patio - and widows 8

"My goodness nnuut, left your garage door open! One of the first things that started happening around here in the then new subdivision was citizens ripping off things from open garages. LE advised us that leaving the doors open created an opportunity to turn good citizens bad and we should not do it. I don’t think attractive nuisance was the term they used but the idea was the same. By leaving the door open we were inviting good kids to help themselves to property they desired and believed had a right to. Therefore the homeowner was to blame, at least partly. I don’t think the LE types really believed any of this but it was the official policy at the time."
My garage is still open, and will continue to be open. It's my property and in accordance to the Constitution it is my right to consider it as MINE! If the thiefs have the balls he can come back and git some more stuff, but it might be deleterious to his heath. We the people do not have to modify the way we live because some minority crooks can't make their own money to buy their own stuff. I will be cracking some skulls and bustin' some asses if it happens again. Bring it on!!!!!!!:nuts:

Good luck with all that nnuut. I still have to go to work and can't be here 24/7. Got to protect what I still have and be absent every day to earn more money so those who are deserving can have more free stuff. Including mine apparently. I can't even find my old Louisville Sluggers from earlier days which is too bad because they made excellent head crackers. Too bad as I really have no items that would work as well. Guess I need to look around for something. I prefer wood. As you stated earlier, these people are fast and I have no hope of running one down. Such is life.
PO

 

[nnuut]

Re: The Patio - and widows 8

I'm retired and here most of the time when I'm not the house is locked up, it would take an idiot to leave the garage open when you are gone, I'm NOT one of those!

 

[Stoplight]

Re: The Patio - and widows 8

Geez, Guys...lot's of "negatives" posted here ! So I'll jump in with a "positive" "Patio Story"...

So the Grand-Niece graduated from a local Christian college last week...Wife and I have been the "home-away-from-home" for her and many of her Friends...they are ALL "Good Kids", and kept us feeling "young" ! Grad party at our house, and both sets of Grandparents attending...

Soooo...we have a small screened-in patio, that we've NEVER used much...it was NASTY ! Mold, green stuff, cobwebs, bug guts, etc etc...Got a large pool deck and pool, outside, though...

Anyway, the 2 "Girls" decided that we needed the patio cleaned up to have a place for the "Old Folks" to sit in the shade and under the ceiling fan...turned 'em loose with the pressure washer and scrub brushes !!!

OMG !!! The "Girls" made it into a beautiful place to sit and relax, away from the FL sun, and the bugs !!! We added a few pieces of nice furniture, and the Wife and I are drinking our coffee and reading the morning paper out there now !!!!

All it cost me was a snow cone, when the neighborhood truck came by...when I heard it coming, I asked them..."You Guys want a snow cone ? I'm buying !!!" They ran out like 6 year olds !!! We're "childless by choice", so I STILL can't figure out the mindset of young college Women..."kids" one minute, and "adults" the next !!! Gotta love 'em !!!

We are SO gonna miss them when they're gone !!!


Stoplight...

 

[PessOptimist]

I'm retired and here most of the time when I'm not the house is locked up, it would take an idiot to leave the garage open when you are gone, I'm NOT one of those!

Nuutt, what was happening and still is happening is that even while home if you leave the garage door open, anything inside is free for taking. Apparently this applies to anything on the property regardless of being home or not.

Geez, Guys...lot's of "negatives" posted here ! So I'll jump in with a "positive" "Patio Story"...

So the Grand-Niece graduated from a local Christian college last week...Wife and I have been the "home-away-from-home" for her and many of her Friends...they are ALL "Good Kids", and kept us feeling "young" ! Grad party at our house, and both sets of Grandparents attending...

Soooo...we have a small screened-in patio, that we've NEVER used much...it was NASTY ! Mold, green stuff, cobwebs, bug guts, etc etc...Got a large pool deck and pool, outside, though...

Anyway, the 2 "Girls" decided that we needed the patio cleaned up to have a place for the "Old Folks" to sit in the shade and under the ceiling fan...turned 'em loose with the pressure washer and scrub brushes !!!

OMG !!! The "Girls" made it into a beautiful place to sit and relax, away from the FL sun, and the bugs !!! We added a few pieces of nice furniture, and the Wife and I are drinking our coffee and reading the morning paper out there now !!!!

All it cost me was a snow cone, when the neighborhood truck came by...when I heard it coming, I asked them..."You Guys want a snow cone ? I'm buying !!!" They ran out like 6 year olds !!! We're "childless by choice", so I STILL can't figure out the mindset of young college Women..."kids" one minute, and "adults" the next !!! Gotta love 'em !!!

We are SO gonna miss them when they're gone !!!


Stoplight...

Stoplight, I am very glad to read your story. Good that you have some kids in your life that are “good kids” I still believe that there are “good kids” around no matter what curriculum the high school or college teaches. Your new friends will bring more joy in to your life if you keep in touch with them after your Grand-niece moves on. Keeping the word alive that you have a sanctuary open to young people who are undergraduates even though the Grand-Niece has moved on may be your best insurance against any unwanted visits.
PO

 

[nnuut]

Nuutt, what was happening and still is happening is that even while home if you leave the garage door open, anything inside is free for taking. Apparently this applies to anything on the property regardless of being home or not.




Stoplight, I am very glad to read your story. Good that you have some kids in your life that are “good kids” I still believe that there are “good kids” around no matter what curriculum the high school or college teaches. Your new friends will bring more joy in to your life if you keep in touch with them after your Grand-niece moves on. Keeping the word alive that you have a sanctuary open to young people who are undergraduates even though the Grand-Niece has moved on may be your best insurance against any unwanted visits.
PO

I've been living here since 1995 this is the first time anyone tried to steal from us, my garage is open as I type!:laugh:

 

[PessOptimist]

I've been living here since 1995 this is the first time anyone tried to steal from us, my garage is open as I type!:laugh:

Glad to hear things are that way in Boiled Peanut. I still leave mine open on occasion. Hard to keep an eye on the garage from the patio the way houses are set up in LA east.

PO

 

[PessOptimist]

I wish all a good long weekend. I. Need not go on about the meaning of the holiday here. I have heard a few news stories saying it a day we honor veterans. True but those of us alive are not honored today.

typing this on the iPad which is a PITA.

 

[PessOptimist]

In the last post I meant that some in the media and our country seem to confuse veteran’s day and memorial day as to the purpose of the holiday.

Back on the lap top so typing may be better or not.

OMG, am I trying to blog? Maybe. Let me tell you about the weekend so far. You can always leave, complain to a mod or put me on your blocked list. Whatever you do, please read the last paragraph.

Very early Thursday morning I woke up with extreme gastric distress. Haven’t figured out why yet. I spent the day Thursday in bed or another room close by. That gives me a 5 day weekend but is not the recommended way. Plus the additional crap (pun intended) about taking sick leave on the day before a long weekend.

Friday I had a dental appointment, the reason I was not working the new suggested 50 hour week. The battery in my old truck was too low to start it so I got to push it out of the garage and find the keys for the wife’s vehicle to jump start the truck. I really need to buy a longer set of jumper cables. I got to the dentist for my check up and he confirmed I need a root canal on #12 which I forgot to do years ago but is now starting to bother me again. I better use up those dental plan benefits before I retire cause they are very different after retirement.

The truck started with no problems after the dentist and at two more stops I made on the way home. I got home and could not find the receipt for the battery I bought from Manny and his brothers just short of three years ago. I called them and they said they had no record of me or the battery but bring it by and they would “see what they could do”. I went to the Irish guy’s closer to home and paid for a three year battery. Just didn’t want to deal with the three M’s.

Buying car batteries is usually a onetime thing here in the stinking desert as they almost never last through the warranty period. Only losing the receipt or changing vehicles requires buying a new one. (most new car OEM batteries are 1 year only? I don’t remember since I haven’t bought a car since 2001)

Came home and decided to clean up leaves in the yard and at the same time try to upgrade the maps in the old Nuvi. I bought maps for life two years ago and never got them to download. Tech support said my Nuvi was too old and wouldn’t hold the maps. I did ask why they sold me maps for life if I couldn’t use them. No response except that a new Nuvi was the way to go. I downloaded the southwest and trucked on as I was planning no trips. Ever the optimist I decided to try this again with a new operating system on a new computer. The Garmin site suggested a couple of things after reading the Nuvi and I let it do it’s thing. Then it started installing the new maps. >3 hours it said. OK. Doing yard work. At about the 87% point the laptop decided to go to sleep and lost touch with the Nuvi. I restarted the process after instructing laptop to never ever go to sleep, to power saving mode or screen saver when plugged in to AC power. Laptop disobeyed me, maybe you have to restart? I caught it trying to go to sleep during this second attempt and gave up on yard cleaning, got a beverage and watched the download. Every time laptop started to go to sleep I hit the space bar. After <1 hour I actually had the latest US and Canada installed. Woohoo. It would have been easier to just buy a new one and send this one to Burro to use as a clay pigeon.

Today I installed TopoUSA 4.0 on the win8 laptop to see what happened. It does work though the search function doesn’t. I have had this problem before and it is a magnetic declination file I need that I can’t seem to find on any of the older computers. I don’t remember the name of it is part of the problem. The intraweb is of no help. DeLorme sort of laughs at the issue about 12 year old software. I will make this win8 machine work like a 2k or XP machine no matter what!

Next is seeing if the USB to serial device will recognize the trusty Garmin GPSIV. Then I can see where I am on the TopoUSA 4.0 software.

If I can get this all to work, it will be a great plaything for me and maybe the older gandkids on the cruise. If not oh well.

Other events so far this weekend. A stray cat that has been hanging around has apparently had a litter under a bush near the patio. I do not observe this cat often and used to discourage her from hanging around. Not so much lately. My wife tells me the cat was looking pregnant a few weeks ago and now does not. Today I observed kittens living under a bush. I am no expert but guess about 3-4 weeks old. Old enough to eat meat. Mother appears to be nursing kittens but is so skinny I have no idea how much milk they are getting.

NO we are not adopting a cat. Looked around on the web and found a number to call about strays. During normal business hours only. Why does stuff like this come up on long weekends?

After reading more on the web, this cat acts like an abandoned pet and not feral. Makes itself at home lounging on the pool deck and only watches when I move around. I have not tried to approach momma or kits as I need no more friends or dependents. After discussion with wife I put out some leftover meat scraps for momma. Kits came out of hiding after a while and took them. Have not seen momma tonight. Just trying to help them until we call someone Tuesday. After that if they join the Asian youth group so be it.

Please remember the moment of silence minute at 3PM local time on Monday. If you are inclined to visit a cemetery and see all the flags do so. If you know of a cemetery where there are no flags, there is still time to act if you know of a US veteran buried there.

Regards

PO

 

[PessOptimist]

Good weekend everyone.

 

[PessOptimist]

Work week is over. Stocks were up. Guest has left. What could be better? Cleanup for guest done so no need for cleanup.

Sig other not totally happy because guest had a problem with video camera and I had neither the knowledge or tools to fix it. Guest understood.

Sig other got new firewood tablet yesterday. Want's me to make it work. Got it connected to wifi but cannot register it as don't know SO's amazon account stuff. SO seems incapable of entering that information on the display keyboard. I was not helpful as I suggested if SO cannot type on the keyboard that SO should box it up and return it.

Maybe SO will have to share privileged information with me? Wow, only Amazon and 50 or so other vendors know this. Maybe I will become one of them. I will advise SO to change the Amazon password if she shares it with me.

Other than that had a pretty good weekend so far.

PO

 

[nnuut]

It was OK here until last night's severe thunderstorm blew about 1,000 leaves and branches into my pool and back yard. My neighbor had a tree go down and hit his house, he said "What the Hell is NEXT". Finished rebuilding my BBQ Grill yesterday, it won't rust again, replaced the 16 ga tubing with 11 ga 1/8" primed and painted inside and out, good for another 15 years now. Suns out and the pool is already clean the BBQ is sitting at attention begging me to grill something. Huuummmmmm?

​

 

[PessOptimist]

Re: The Patio - and widows 8

Should be end of week night here on the patio but no, tomorrow is a “normal” workday. I should be grateful. Tell me I should be grateful.

Haven’t touched the Kindle yet, more pressing computer issues. Wife can’t print! That disrupts her program to print the entire internet. Win7. Dell W715v printer. Dell tech support on computer but not on printer. Tech support says cable is bad or printer is bad. Replaced cable twice but not with Dell cable. Installed latest driver and firmware from Dell. It will print three times, after that you have to restart the computer. Then it prints three times. I connect the printer USB to my WinXP computer and it works every time. Same cable. It stopped working Thursday, Win update day. Wife demands I fix it. I state extended tech support was bought so I would not have to deal with issues like this. She states Dell tech support will not fix the problem.

I took off on that one didn’t I? Wife has no job. I work new suggested 50 hour week. I suggest wife **** away more money and buy new cable and printer. I will put the old one with the identical one that lasted three years. Both work fine on WinXP machine. Must be the cable or printer.

Enough about that. The Dell service plan is bullshit. Shortly after she bought the computer the hard drive failed. So the diagnostics said. The tech that came out put in a new drive, installed Win7 and tried to take the old one and leave. The tech support agreement says a computer the same as what you bought. The tech stated he had no image to make it that way and he was done. Dell said they were sorry and I could keep the old drive (works great BTW, was a Win7 boot problem). Then Dell charged my credit card $50 for the drive. I put it all back together.

Enough about the petty problems. The real reason for posting is about the bureaucracy and how well it is working in my neck of the woods.

I have a relatively ancient laserjet printer on my movable property account. It still works but has the dreaded black streak syndrome. Everyone says it cannot be repaired. OK. I submit paperwork to the property manager to turn it in as maybe repairable. He states since it is a printer, IT must take it. IT says since my division bought it back in the last century and it was never connected to their network they can’t take it. All of the managers in my chain of command are either acting to check a block in their junior leadership program or absent for unknown reasons. Should I keep elevating it? Everyone in my chain except the secretary of the cabinet level position seems to be acting, absent or unfilled position. Should I e-mail the secretary? I do need this job for another three years but my GAS factor is very low.

There is also a massive effort going on to get rid of junk and this printer gets moved around daily. Should I take it home and wait until I retire? I might get busted going out the gate. Just one more issue that should be simple but distracts me from my daily job.

How was your day?

PO

 

[burrocrat]

Re: The Patio - and widows 8

Should be end of week night here on the patio but no, tomorrow is a “normal” workday. I should be grateful. Tell me I should be grateful.

Haven’t touched the Kindle yet, more pressing computer issues. Wife can’t print! That disrupts her program to print the entire internet. Win7. Dell W715v printer. Dell tech support on computer but not on printer. Tech support says cable is bad or printer is bad. Replaced cable twice but not with Dell cable. Installed latest driver and firmware from Dell. It will print three times, after that you have to restart the computer. Then it prints three times. I connect the printer USB to my WinXP computer and it works every time. Same cable. It stopped working Thursday, Win update day. Wife demands I fix it. I state extended tech support was bought so I would not have to deal with issues like this. She states Dell tech support will not fix the problem.

I took off on that one didn’t I? Wife has no job. I work new suggested 50 hour week. I suggest wife **** away more money and buy new cable and printer. I will put the old one with the identical one that lasted three years. Both work fine on WinXP machine. Must be the cable or printer.

Enough about that. The Dell service plan is bullshit. Shortly after she bought the computer the hard drive failed. So the diagnostics said. The tech that came out put in a new drive, installed Win7 and tried to take the old one and leave. The tech support agreement says a computer the same as what you bought. The tech stated he had no image to make it that way and he was done. Dell said they were sorry and I could keep the old drive (works great BTW, was a Win7 boot problem). Then Dell charged my credit card $50 for the drive. I put it all back together.

Enough about the petty problems. The real reason for posting is about the bureaucracy and how well it is working in my neck of the woods.

I have a relatively ancient laserjet printer on my movable property account. It still works but has the dreaded black streak syndrome. Everyone says it cannot be repaired. OK. I submit paperwork to the property manager to turn it in as maybe repairable. He states since it is a printer, IT must take it. IT says since my division bought it back in the last century and it was never connected to their network they can’t take it. All of the managers in my chain of command are either acting to check a block in their junior leadership program or absent for unknown reasons. Should I keep elevating it? Everyone in my chain except the secretary of the cabinet level position seems to be acting, absent or unfilled position. Should I e-mail the secretary? I do need this job for another three years but my GAS factor is very low.

There is also a massive effort going on to get rid of junk and this printer gets moved around daily. Should I take it home and wait until I retire? I might get busted going out the gate. Just one more issue that should be simple but distracts me from my daily job.

How was your day?

PO

your wife's printer needs an updated driver. not hardware like cables and stuff, software that knows how to talk to the equipment.

and while you're out picking your princess up a new driver, don't forget to grab yourself a new maid. or a kitchen wench, same thing. you sure must live fancy down there in arizona.

 

[PessOptimist]

Re: The Patio - and widows 8

Update is in order. Thanks burro I really knew that it was not an equipment/cable problem but had to try the new cable thing since a friend of hers who was an IT administrator for DoD said it was the cable. Today I made time to work on/research the problem. Enough time has passed for others to have sought help. Bottom line is it is an old windows IE update problem from last year that MS pushed out again in May. It stops the print spooler even if the print job is not from IE. Removed the update installed 5/14 and all appears to be working again. For now.

Yeah, I know don't let windows update automatically install updates. Get up an hour early every Thursday morning and choose them so I don't get called at work.

About that laserjet at work. The ONLY person in the organization who can authorize turning this thing in was on AWS day yesterday. Then he got called out last night so no telling when he will be around again. He closed the trouble ticket to turn in the printer as resolved though he had done nothing. I will talk to his GS-15 Monday and then e-mail the Secretary. Maybe not if the GS-15 can resolve the problem. I think the GS-15 will probably have to "staff it" before making a decision. You could not make this stuff up. I probably have five hours involved in trying to get rid of this thing, all of which I must "hide" in other work orders.

Enjoy your weekend!

PO