Saturday, December 05, 2015

Christmas Cheery



Deck the hells, eh?

My lights are not so spectacular, to anyone but me.   Took me ages to put them up between bouts of pouring rain.  I had tested the strings first, but by the time I went to put one string up, one light bulb had been smashed somehow.   Since they are wired in parallel, the entire string was then dead and I couldn't find a replacement bulb that fit in any other string.  Wouldn't you know.

So I crushed the broken bulb with pliers to get the copper wire strands out of it, then with needle nose pliers stuffed the wire strands down into where the bulb would be, to create a bridge across the two contacts.   Plugged the string in again, and I had lights.  Thank goodness.  Cheap fix.

Tonight I went out to take Christmas light photos.  But, I was foiled by a rather strange encounter.  I still can't figure out what in the world.  I had my tiny camera on my lap but it slipped off.  I was at a stop sign with no one coming up behind me, so I reached down to grab it.  But then, I see headlights coming up and here comes a car.

 I did not slow them more than a couple seconds as I quickly made the right turn down the next street.  I pulled over to the curb almost immediately anyhow to take a photo of a house with beautiful Christmas lights.  Since I didn't hold the driver up at the stop sign and now was pulled over, I couldn't imagine there was any reason for road raging, from the other driver just for holding him or her up a couple seconds at the stop sign, but you never know these days.

Unfortunately, after I pulled to the curb, that car then pulled over right in front of me.  At first I thought this was just someone who lived there.  But when they just sat in the car, motor running, as I took photos of the lights, I began to wonder what was going on.

 I pulled out, drove down a few houses, and pulled to the curb again to take photos of another house with awesome lights.  Again, the car pulled out and then pulled to the curb in front of me.   The danger alert button was getting pushed in my brain.

What should I do.  What was wrong with this person.  What was their intent.  My mind was thinking of the nearest friends place.  I pulled out and then back to the curb almost immediately, hoping the person would just drive off into the sunset.  However, they did not.  They again pulled to the curb in front of me, like this was some sicko game.

I reached for my phone to call the police if need be and flipped on my bright lights so I could photograph the license plate.  The car took off at that point.   I was too disturbed to continue looking for beautiful light displays to photograph.

If I go out to photograph Christmas lights again, I won't be going alone.

I went to the Christmas bazaar at the fairgrounds today also.  As usual, the auditorium was filled with vendors of all kinds, with all sorts of goods for sale, as Christmas presents.  Their wares ranged from jewelry to wood carvings and art to cookies and fudge, to honey and local cheese, to fabulously creative bird houses. To name a few. I enjoy this yearly event.

The real estate company charged now with selling the neighbor's house was here again, doing a bit of cleaning up inside and turning on of water.  I was again dismayed to see any movement on it.  I don't want a new neighbor.

After it failed to sell at auction, the very next day a real estate agent showed up to take photos.  I was putting up my Christmas lights, up on the ladder and he tries to ask questions about the house.   He finally said "We'll find you a good neighbor."  I was going to say "There is no such thing."  Instead I said, cheerily, "I like it empty!"

It's true.  I don't want a neighbor.  I am done with all that.  I just want my privacy and I won't get that if someone buys it.  I don't want to hear a bunch of kids screaming.  I don't want to hear dogs barking constantly.  I don't want some neighbor who collects cars, and works on them all the time, or who hates cats.  I don't want another neighbor.  Period.

Before I forget, here are The Happy Cat Club stats, of what we did, in November.  Pretty darn good, I'd say.


Happy Cat Club stats for November 2015:
Cats fixed: 22
Cats removed from danger, to foster: 4 (3 still here)
Volunteer hours: 25 (not counting foster hours for kittens or babysitting Linksee for a week)
Costs to THCC (for above service provided): $489
People helped: 9, plus 3 businesses and one neighborhood (mine, fixing Linksee)


That's what we did in November. Also, however, we bought cat food and litter, lots of it, and fed not only the cats here, but continue to feed and also provide food to 14 cats in another location and intermittently provide food for ten other cats fed elsewhere. In all, we provide monthly food for about 100 cats, in various locations and litter for 50 at an additional cost of about $350 per month.









11 comments:

  1. That was downright creepy. I am glad he ultimately left.
    Love the lights you captured, and your own.
    And hooray for the Happy Cat Club.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, it was creepy. I think THCC did well in November!

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  2. Anonymous1:08 AM

    What an odd experience when you were out. Hard to really know what it was about. An empty house next door will inevitably lead to you having a neighbour. You have spelt out some worst cases of neighbours and maybe it won't be like that.

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    Replies
    1. It's true, Andrew, might not be like that. No clue what was going on with that car last night. Might have been some teenager, just goofing around trying to freak me.

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  3. That car following you was pretty scary. I'm glad they finally took off. We hope to put up a few lights today since it isn't raining.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Good luck on the lights, I got mine up between bouts of rain.

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  4. Your neighborhood Christmas lights are so pretty... too bad that Grinch gave you a scare. What a jerk!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah, I didn't know the Grinch drove a compact. Thought maybe a grungy sleigh. Or a beat up icky van.

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  5. I'm impressed with your light strand fix. I'll have to remember that one next time.

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    Replies
    1. Oh thanks, Kathy. I also completely covered it afterwards with electrical tape so water couldn't get down there and short it out again.

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  6. So glad you are safe and had a good month for Happy Cat Club!

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