Monday, December 28, 2009 by Dana.

I live in a desert. Everyone here in the PHX metro area does, yet our storm water drain system does nothing to reuse rainwater in anyway.  Why?  It’s time to get smart!  Check out this article in AZ Central for more details.

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Friday, December 25, 2009 by Dana.

We get coyotes in our neighborhood from time to time. Our dogs sometimes wake us up at night barking at them from the upstairs window.  Lately there has been a new invasion… no, not Chihuahuas again.  It seems that javelinas (wild hogs) have been knocking over garbage cans and enjoying a feast of what they find.  See the local news story for details.   Any wild animal invasions in your neighborhood?

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Tuesday, December 22, 2009 by Dana.

The Honey-Do List… that never ending list of chores that every
suburban husband has to do.

Here is my list.  How does it compare to yours?

1. Replace or re-attach clay roof tiles damaged in storm (from last
   Spring).
2. Fix water softener (Plan to use these instructions href="http://www.rd.com/how-to-repair-a-water-softener/article18197.html">http://www.rd.com/how-to-repair-a-water-softener/article18197.html)
3. Find leak in HVAC drain hidden in wall behind cabinets in the
   garage
4. Fix warped wood on hardware floors (probably going to put this
   off until we replace the flooring for entire downstairs)
5. Get a new basketball hoop for the pool
6. Repair tile with cracked grout in bathroom
7. Repair leaking lawn sprinklers in front yard (waiting until
   Spring when we start watering the yard again)
8. Replace faulty pool salt cell (ordered it from Specialty Pool
   Products http://www.poolproducts.com/
   - should arrive in a week)
9. Shock pool and brush algae that formed while the salt cell wasn’t
   working (order chemicals from Specialty Pool Products href="http://www.poolproducts.com/">http://www.poolproducts.com/-
   should arrive in a week)
10. Repair youngest son’s bike tire

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Sunday, December 20, 2009 by Dana.

It seems that living in suburbia puts us at risk of infestation… from Chihuahuas.  Apparently over the last two months, county animal shelters took in 821 chihuahuas, which is 230 more than shelters received during the same period last year.

No fear… the discount adoption plan appears to have been a success.  The infestation is now under control.http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/valleyfever/2009/12/maricopa_countys_chihuahua_inf.php

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Thursday, December 17, 2009 by Dana.

Both Karen and I grew up in rural areas where we had many chores to do. For Karen, growing on a working dairy and tobacco farm, the work was very extensive. Neither of us received a regular allowance for our efforts We were just expected to do our part.

As we raise our own 3 boys, we do not give them an allowance either. They certainly have less work to do living in Suburbia, but we do not give them any specific amount for doing the work around the house that they should be doing.

Our thinking is that we pay for our kids to be in various club sports, get various lessons, and give them money to attend social events.  If they want to earn any additional money, they can pet sit for neighbors or get a job (when they are old enough). Is this wrong? Should we be rewarding their hard work for a monetary sum?

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Friday, December 4, 2009 by Dana.

This morning in the beautiful Disturbia of Ahwatukee, a man was arrested for terrorizing his neighbors with small explosives and pellet guns.  Remember the good old days when you would just let the air out your neighbors tires or leave him a flaming bag of dog pooh on his porch?  It’s a crazy, crazy world when you have to worry about a neighbor pipe bombing your SUV because your kid left a skateboard in his yard!  So come on people… even if you hate your neighbor, settle it with pranks not life threatening violence!  Be civilized, if it you have to be juvenile.

Posted in Crime, Weapons, Neighbors, Disturbed | Print | No Comments »