Petty Vents

[Dawgluver]

Just found we will be losing an over 30 foot pine tree in our back yard. It has to be cut down because it is dying. So sad.

I totally understand, JoAnn. It always breaks my heart when we lose a tree. We lost a Colorado blue spruce a couple years ago that was Rockefeller Center Christmas worthy. It snapped in a storm when we were gone on vacation.

 

[JoAnn L.]

I totally understand, JoAnn. It always breaks my heart when we lose a tree. We lost a Colorado blue spruce a couple years ago that was Rockefeller Center Christmas worthy. It snapped in a storm when we were gone on vacation.

These last few years in our neighborhood the Blue Spruce are also dying. I wonder what is wrong, they are so beautiful.

 

[taxlady]

These last few years in our neighborhood the Blue Spruce are also dying. I wonder what is wrong, they are so beautiful.

Spruce beetles?

 

[JoAnn L.]

Spruce beetles?

Gee, I'm not really sure. I know years ago our city lost tons of Elm tree to a Dutch Elm Disease.

 

[Addie]

Jury duty tomorrow.......bummer..... Hopefully it'll be just tomorrow only.

Thankfully I no longer have to do jury duty. I have a medical exemption and those over 70 can legally opt out without stating reason other than age.

I got called once and it was for out in Greenfield. That is near the border to New York. I called the number to asked if I could get paid for travel expenses and did the court have handicap access. The man asked me where I live. When I told him, it dawned on him it was for the wrong county and I couldn't have been further from any point in the state. I was immediately excused. In this state your call for jury duty is supposed to be "One trial, one day." Unless of course you end up on the Hernandez jury. Or the Marathon Bomber trial.

I just love being old and handicapped.

 

[JoAnn L.]

My DIL is on call for Federal jury duty. It is in a city about 1 1/2 hours away from where she lives. You are on call for 3 months. She had to drive in some pretty bad weather this winter to get there.

 

[Addie]

Just found we will be losing an over 30 foot pine tree in our back yard. It has to be cut down because it is dying. So sad.

They are beautiful trees. There was a huge Blue Spruce not too far from where I lived in Tacoma. Every time I walked by it, I would stop and stare at it.

I don't know what kind of tree Nova Scotia sends us every year for Christmas, but it is always a stunning, beautiful one. We have great relations with Canada. But for some reason, we really love the Maritimes of Canada. On 9/11 the people helped those stranded by the event, that couldn't get back across the border and home.

 

[taxlady]

They are beautiful trees. There was a huge Blue Spruce not too far from where I lived in Tacoma. Every time I walked by it, I would stop and stare at it.

I don't know what kind of tree Nova Scotia sends us every year for Christmas, but it is always a stunning, beautiful one. We have great relations with Canada. But for some reason, we really love the Maritimes of Canada. On 9/11 the people helped those stranded by the event, that couldn't get back across the border and home.

That was in Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador, wasn't it? For reasons that I don't really understand, Newfoundland and Larbrador (one province) is not considered to be one of the Maritime Provinces. It is grouped with the Maritime Provinces under the name, "Atlantic Canada".

 

[Kayelle]

Jury duty tomorrow.......bummer..... Hopefully it'll be just tomorrow only.

I posted this sometime ago...

Dawg, speaking of jury duty, I'm sitting here thinking "I'm free at last" after a solid week. I was put on a jury late last Wed. and we came to a verdict just before noon today. I counted up today how many times I have been called over the years, and I have shown up 21 times and served on four criminal trials including this one. I don't begrudge any time I've served, but stick a fork in me, I'm done.
I'll turn 70 next month (gulp, shudder) and in this state one is no longer required to serve if one doesn't feel up to it at that age. I still feel up to snorkeling, but it's time to retire my "juror" badge and let them call someone else.

 

[Addie]

That was in Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador, wasn't it? For reasons that I don't really understand, Newfoundland and Larbrador (one province) is not considered to be one of the Maritime Provinces. It is grouped with the Maritime Provinces under the name, "Atlantic Canada".

Which one has the big explosion on the waterfront? They send us the tree every year as a 'thank you' for sending relief supplies immediately. It could have been Halifax. Where is that located?

I have enough trouble trying to remember how to go two blocks to the bus stop right here. I do remember we studied it in the fourth grade. I also remember we were taught that all the islands in that area are called the Maritime due to all the activity on their waterfronts. And when Phil was fishing out of Boston he always referred it to as the Maritimes. The boat would sometimes tie up in the Bay of Fundy. He hated going there. If he got drunk and it was low tide, he didn't do to well getting back on the boat. Of course that was all before 9/11 and you didn't need an ID to go ashore. We were all friendly neighbors then.

 

[Andy M.]

Which one has the big explosion on the waterfront? They send us the tree every year as a 'thank you' for sending relief supplies immediately. It could have been Halifax. Where is that located? ...

Boston gets its Christmas tree from Halifax, Nova Scotia every year.

 

[taxlady]

Which one has the big explosion on the waterfront? They send us the tree every year as a 'thank you' for sending relief supplies immediately. It could have been Halifax. Where is that located?

Yup, there was a devastating explosion in Halifax in 1917. Halifax is in Nova Scotia, which is a Maritime Province.

I have enough trouble trying to remember how to go two blocks to the bus stop right here. I do remember we studied it in the fourth grade. I also remember we were taught that all the islands in that area are called the Maritime due to all the activity on their waterfronts. And when Phil was fishing out of Boston he always referred it to as the Maritimes. The boat would sometimes tie up in the Bay of Fundy. He hated going there. If he got drunk and it was low tide, he didn't do to well getting back on the boat. Of course that was all before 9/11 and you didn't need an ID to go ashore. We were all friendly neighbors then.

Newfoundland and Labrador became part of Canada and became a province in 1949. Maybe they hadn't decided if it was a Maritime Province or not yet when you were in the fourth grade. It certainly is maritime (with a lower case "m").

The Bay of Fundy (World's biggest tidal range) is the bay between Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. A small part of the bay actually touches Maine. Yes, that is "The Maritimes" (with a capital M"").

 

[Addie]

Yup, there was a devastating explosion in Halifax in 1917. Halifax is in Nova Scotia, which is a Maritime Province.
Newfoundland and Labrador became part of Canada and became a province in 1949. Maybe they hadn't decided if it was a Maritime Province or not yet when you were in the fourth grade. It certainly is maritime (with a lower case "m").

The Bay of Fundy (World's biggest tidal range) is the bay between Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. A small part of the bay actually touches Maine. Yes, that is "The Maritimes" (with a capital M"").

So if Newfoundland and Labrador became part of Canada in 1949, what country did they belong to before that year?

 

[taxlady]

So if Newfoundland and Labrador became part of Canada in 1949, what country did they belong to before that year?

They were an English colony until the early 20th century. Then they were a dominion and part of the Commonwealth. That was followed by a period where England ruled. I think they had a lot of debt and that was how they got it forgiven.

Last time I visited Newfoundland, in the '80s, there were some people who still referred to anywhere in the rest of Canada as "over in Canada".

 

[Addie]

They were an English colony until the early 20th century. Then they were a dominion and part of the Commonwealth. That was followed by a period where England ruled. I think they had a lot of debt and that was how they got it forgiven.

Last time I visited Newfoundland, in the '80s, there were some people who still referred to anywhere in the rest of Canada as "over in Canada".

Evidently you folks who live "over in Canada" haven't done as much as you could to make them feel welcome. You need to introduce them to DC. We know how to give a proper welcome.

BTW, I will only buy potatoes from Maine or P.E.I. In the summer though, we have some local farms that sell to Market Basket. I try to buy local as much as I can. But they aren't always available. I figure Idaho has enough customers buying their potatoes. I got a five pound bag this month that was from P.E.I. and were so clean, you could bite right into them without even washing them. (childhood memories.)

 

[CWS4322]

This this not a petty vent, this is a major vent.


I pulled up to the commercial kitchen today to drop of the various products I'd picked up--12 #10 cans of hominy (they are heavy), 40 lb of fresh noodles, a 10 kg of feta, etc. Double-parked and ran into the building to see if one of the other tenants would please move their cars so I could off-load at the door. We do this all the time. While I was double-parked, by-law showed and threatened to write me a $95 ticket (this has taken--30 seconds), by-law? On this dead-end street? Really? Oh street cleaning. Tow truck is right behind the by-law officer and there are signs (paper) that read Street Cleaning 0900-1900. I thought they had to post those the day before, they weren't there yesterday. They weren't there at 2:30 p.m.. but now at 3:11 p.m., not only are the signs there, but by-law is there, the tow truck is there, and the street sweeper was there waiting. The nearest parking was a grocery store 5 minutes drive away.


The by-law officer (By-law court is a quasi judicial court) threatened to give me a ticket--I held my hand out and said, "give it to me, I need to off load this food. My boss would rather pay the fine than waste this food and if the perishables out of my car in the fridge in by 3:30, they are toast." He didn't give me a ticket, but he was really nasty--cursed at me, it was awful. The folks at the kitchen were all outside because their cars were parked on the street, had been all day, they didn't know what the frig was going on. On of the guys from the kitchen next door, had the foresight to take pics. There were several witnesses to this. The signs weren't there before 3:00 p.m. (I arrived at 3:11), but by-law and the tow truck were. Signs are supposed to be up 4 hours in advance tickets cannot be issued if the signs weren't up then.


This is a money grab. The poor UPS driver got a ticket for delivering a package and double parking. He was right behind me. Really? Okay, I vented, but I'm not done yet. I'll be making some phone calls tomorrow.

 

[Addie]

This this not a petty vent, this is a major vent.


I pulled up to the commercial kitchen today to drop of the various products I'd picked up--12 #10 cans of hominy (they are heavy), 40 lb of fresh noodles, a 10 kg of feta, etc. Double-parked and ran into the building to see if one of the other tenants would please move their cars so I could off-load at the door. We do this all the time. While I was double-parked, by-law showed and threatened to write me a $95 ticket (this has taken--30 seconds), by-law? On this dead-end street? Really? Oh street cleaning. Tow truck is right behind the by-law officer and there are signs (paper) that read Street Cleaning 0900-1900. I thought they had to post those the day before, they weren't there yesterday. They weren't there at 2:30 p.m.. but now at 3:11 p.m., not only are the signs there, but by-law is there, the tow truck is there, and the street sweeper was there waiting. The nearest parking was a grocery store 5 minutes drive away.


The by-law officer (By-law court is a quasi judicial court) threatened to give me a ticket--I held my hand out and said, "give it to me, I need to off load this food. My boss would rather pay the fine than waste this food and if the perishables out of my car in the fridge in by 3:30, they are toast." He didn't give me a ticket, but he was really nasty--cursed at me, it was awful. The folks at the kitchen were all outside because their cars were parked on the street, had been all day, they didn't know what the frig was going on. On of the guys from the kitchen next door, had the foresight to take pics. There were several witnesses to this. The signs weren't there before 3:00 p.m. (I arrived at 3:11), but by-law and the tow truck were. Signs are supposed to be up 4 hours in advance tickets cannot be issued if the signs weren't up then.


This is a money grab. The poor UPS driver got a ticket for delivering a package and double parking. He was right behind me. Really? Okay, I vented, but I'm not done yet. I'll be making some phone calls tomorrow.

And please do let us know how this all ends!

 

[Cooking Goddess]

Honestly CWS, there are some little people who get just a little authority, and they get all big-headed about it. I hope you have his name, and badge number, and copies of the pictures from the neighbor kitchen, and are able to get his superior to smack him back into the little hole he crawled out from.

I hope you get the chance to keep us updated about your results. Will they let you have a computer in jail?

 

[taxlady]

Good luck fighting it CWS.

 

[Chef Munky]

Jury duty tomorrow.......bummer..... Hopefully it'll be just tomorrow only.

I was just summoned for jury duty again.
I just did that two years ago. It took them 3 weeks just to get to me.
This time they want me to show up when were going to be on vacation.

I'll ask to be rescheduled.