Another Day, Another Drunk

Walking home from the ferry terminal today, I spotted a EHS services gurney in the path. Okay, who left that there? Then I looked down over the bank, in the kiddie park, near the railroad tracks. There were two paramedics, two coppers, and one very inebriated older fella. The paramedics had obviously cleared the guy, as they headed up over the bank and talked about bringing the gurney back to the ambulance. The coppers attempted to get the old fella up, as he had been sitting on the railroad tie fencing...then I spotted the cane.

Okay, interesting. The coppers dragged him by the underarms out of the park, and attempted to cross the railroad tracks...it didn't work and down he went with a THUD as he tripped and they dropped him. His bald/shaven head barely missed the outer railroad track. The paramedics continued on their way, trying to remember where they parked the ambulance, and one of the coppers threw the older fella's cane up on the grassy bank, along with a set of keys, swearing and cussing as he went. Then they went back to pick him up. I was passing by the scene at this point, and unless I stopped to stare, I was moving out of view...so I kept going. All I can say is they were pretty rough with him, and very lucky he did not crack his skull open on the railroad track. I nearly spoke up to the paramedics who were right in front of me as I passed them, and told them they might want to hang around a bit as the police were dragging him along...but then I decided my opinion would not go over well...ahhhh...life in Dartmouth Cove...

Like a Soap Opera

I already knew I was living in an interesting neighborhood. Now that the weather is warmer, I'm out on my balcony quite a bit, taking in the sun, watching the world go by. And go by it does...here are the latest highlights...

- The new neighbor has officially moved in today. The first visit by police was tonight...sigh...not her fault though, as she was quick to tell me shortly after I went down to introduce myself. When I saw her with her kids on the weekend, my intuition told me there would be a story there...white single mama, with two little mixed race kids, and a white boyfriend, living on the dark side...I was right. Her black babydaddy is not permitted unsupervised contact with the wee ones, and he showed up at their school today. Enter police.

- Was out eating my supper on the balcony tonight when I heard footsteps come into the parking lot, shuffling. Stormy tuned in first. So I glanced down, and there was another neighbor, one I have yet to meet, stumbling across the parking lot. He took aim on his stairwell, but missed, and slammed into the outside of the railing. I hollered out to him to see if he was okay...I'm not quite sure what he said, as it was unintelligible. He crawled around to the steps, fell down on them for a bit, so I hollered out again, asking him if he was okay...more mumbling. He then got up and tried the steps again, unsuccessfully. About the 4th try, he finally got up to the top and slammed into the door. Where he stayed, for about 5 minutes. I thought maybe he passed out or something, but he was probably trying to remember what he did with his keys. He managed to let himself into the building, and made quite a staggering pass through the hall. There are two large windows that face me, that are in the common hallway for the apartments in that section of the house. I didn't hear a thud, so I guess he made it into his apartment okay after that. This all went down while little mama was sitting in the cop car two cars away...

Bullets have been flying all around Dartmouth these past weeks. I am considering investing in a bulletproof vest, but from the sound of things, their aim hasn't been that great. There is an invincible organized crime thug who was shot twice this winter/spring and is still walking around. He got shot again on Friday night...it seems like every other day there is yet another story of police finding bullet holes in houses, cars, etc. There have been shootouts in broad daylight, on major city streets, shootings behind the mall, stabbings down at the ferry terminal where I catch the ferry (which is just down the street), armed robberies, you name it. All in the past month or so. And all in Dartmouth. Hardly a damned thing happening in Halifax. I guess that's why people call Dartmouth "the dark side"...it has very little to do with the larger population of African Canadians (which was why I thought Dartmouth had that nickname), and more to do with the crime that's going on. Mr Thug is white.

Saw an intersting gal at Tim Horton's this weekend. She was about 4 feet tall, about 90 years old, wearing a piece of tartan fabric - at first I thought it was a kilt, but when I looked, it resembled a piece of tartan just wrapped around her, and she was bare legged in flip flops. That was cute enough, but to top this outfit was a pair of bunny ears...

Saw another guy standing in the middle of the Tim Horton's parking lot a few weeks back. He was also ancient, probably 90 himself, standing there hugging a HUGE remote control car. The car was about 3 feet long, and he could barely wrap his arms around it. I'm not sure why he was standing in the middle of the parking lot. He didn't have a coffee or anything...not that he could carry it, as the car would have to be put down...

Walked home from the ferry terminal today through the park in the beeeeaaaautiful weather we had today - 29C...in April!!! Of course, that wasn't without it's charm...two fellas down at the shore's edge, a mere 20 feet away, shooting up under a tree. Nice.

Life is like a soap opera here in Dartmouth Cove...

A Walk in the Park

Took a stroll down to the park near my house this weekend. It was warm and sunny on my balcony, so I thought it might be nice at the park. Not so much. That goddamn much wind I nearly blew away...

Sunny Daze Are Here Again

The rain finally stopped. It was about time. It had been raining for days. The temp isn't real high, but it isn't snowing so that's good enough for me. The gravy is in the forecast. 18C for tomorrow, 20C for Saturday and 23C for Sunday. Perfect. Now that's my kind of spring!!! I may even throw caution to the wind and go out without sunblock. I'm thrilled that we are getting such good weather on a weekend. Usually it happens all week while I'm stuffed into an office, and by the weekend it's either raining, snowing, or foggy, or some combination of either.

My hands are itching tonight so I am going to have to go and buy a lottery ticket. The sun is down, but it's still dusky, so I may risk life and limb again and head down the street to the corner store for a lottery ticket. It is just down the street from where two youths were stabbed last month, at just 11pm. Hmm...maybe I shall see if I can buy one online.
~about an hour later~
Well, I checked into that and it has become a long drawn out process to sign up...and I broke out into hives. It was more than a potential lottery ticket win. I think I am allergic to latex, as there are hives where the doc examined me...shit. So I trucked on down to the drugstore down the street for some antihistimine and hydrocortisone cream. Then I had a shower. Hopefully the hives will settle down...ewwww...

Babydaddy and Little Mama

Well, Babydaddy and Little Mama moved out yesterday. It wasn't without drama, of course. Babydaddy and Cuz had apparently made up, as they were all cozy downstairs as they moved out Babydaddy and Little Mama's stuff. They were moving well into the night, Monday night, about 1:30am until they finally shut it down. I wasn't about to complain...after all, I was happy they were moving out. They said they hadn't shared their moving out information with the property manager, however by the time I got home from work yesterday, the apartment for rent sign was in the window. I reckon they found out...and last night Cuz was showing the apartment to a fella...Babydaddy might have been a drama queen, but who knows what will move in below.

After Cuz showed the apartment, he and his missus got into a rip roaring fight in the vacant apartment, and on out to the porch before they took it back to their apartment. Apparently she thinks he is an idiot, as that word was used repeatedly...I would have to agree. He is also a very smelly idiot...nothing like the putrid smell of the unwashed.

Babydaddy and Little Mama have apparently made up, as they moved into a two-bedroom apartment together. I'm not sure what they moved into the apartment as much of their furniture was either stuffed into the dumpster or left beside it...

Babydaddy and Little Mama paid me a visit on the weekend...actually, they termed it more like "we have highjacked your balcony, I hope you don't mind" and proceeded to open up their snacks they brought and started eating. WTF? I wasn't even on the balcony at the time, was in the kitchen, puttering with the door to the patio propped open. It was a beautiful sunny and warm afternoon, so I figured I should join them on the balcony and enjoy the sun. Conversation was interesting...let's just say that. And now they're gone. Phew. At least I don't have to listen to that crappy shit he played all the time....rap and country...what a mix.

Neighborhood Stroll

Living downtown in a city has it's benefits. It is early spring, so things are not quite greened up, and the flower boxes are yet unplanted for the summer. However, it still holds its charm, with promises of a lovely greenspace to stroll through. This starts just past my house, and continues through to Alderney Landing, where there is a Farmer's Market, multi-plex theatre, pubs, restaurants, a library, art galleries, boat docks, shops, and the ferry terminal to Halifax. It was a beautiful day today as I strolled down the path to the market.

Happy 50th Birthday Barbie

It's about time life caught up with her...

Easter Weekend Happenings

The long weekend started well enough for me. I was off on Thursday as I work a modified work week. It was sunny, I painted some patio furniture, I sat out on Good Friday. Then it clouded over. It's been raining since. Thunder and lightening last night, sending the resident coward, Stormy running under the bed. Where would he go if the bed was on the floor?

Babydaddy from downstairs picked a fight early this morning. Nothing like having a chat with the police on Easter Sunday morning about why you were fighting, after having spent the night drinking...all night. I think he agrees it was a stupid thing to do. Insult your neighbor after you've spent the entire night pouring beers down your throat and look suprised when he gets pissed off. The police rang my doorbell by mistake, so off I went thumping down the stairs in my jammies....only to be informed my presence was not required. Great. See you later.

Babydaddy seems to like picking fights. The day before he was waiting for a carload of fellas to come and fight with him. What an idiot. I told him to let them beat him up somewhere else, because I don't want that shit at our door. Babydaddy is 22. His ex-girlfriend is pregnant with twins. These are not his first children.

Saw a man standing at the Tim Horton's this weekend, hugging a huge remote controlled car. The man was about 80+ years old, and the car was about 3 feet long. I'm not sure what that was about, but I can imagine there's a story there.

Had my niece here yesterday for a short visit. She rounded up some of Stormy's mice for him to play with again, while finished up some weekend chores. We went grocery shopping for my parents then, and stopped at McDonald's for some grease. My body paid for THAT later. The police were in the parking lot next door when we arrived at my apartment. They also had someone pulled over the night before, across the street from my house. Watched the whole scene go down from my living room. Sometimes I can see too much...will be glad when the trees finally come out in leaf and block much of it off.

The cannon at the Citadel will be going off shortly. I often hear it from my house, even though it's across the huge harbour, in another city. One day it rattled my windows. I can only imagine what it was like here in Dartmouth Cove during the Halifax Explosion. I must check my book again to get some context, now that I'm living here.

I've put up a couple of bird feeders. One is just a seed bell, hung in one of the many trees outside my house. The other is a hummingbird feeder, for which I made up some sugarwater. They should begin to appear any day now, though I reckon the temps will have to go up again. They have dipped today, and we may get snow yet. The hummingbird feeder is hung off my balcony. I may move it to my eaves if I can reach them. I'm hoping both will entertain Stormy during the day. I had a bunch of them when we lived in the woods in the Yukon. The squirrels and birds alike spent their days in my feeders. One particularly insistent squirrel built a home in the birdhouse that was nailed to a tree. Kept bringing stuff in there to build a nest, like parts of my mop...

The grass is beginning to green in front of the apartment building next door. That's a good sign. I also have some crocuses coming up below my balcony...possibly some seeds that fell below? I can't wait to get some balcony planters filled with flowers. What a treat to live in a climate that supports outdoor greenery so much....I hope I don't mold...

Efforts of the Day

Yesterday afternoon I spent shopping for the last bits of furniture - this time for the small balcony outside. I knew I wanted pub height as the railings are tall and I couldn't see over them in camp chairs. I also knew I didn't have a lot of room on this tiny balcony, so wanted stools and a small table. I found a beige table and wooden stools. I did not like the colors as they seemed rather bland...so I bought some spray paints (rust-proof for the table) and got busy. Not too many accidents, and the wood took it very well. The table didn't take the paint as well, even though I had help from the paint dept picking it out...but whatever, it will do and I have paint leftover. It sure brightens up the balcony!

One Of Those Days

How's this for a segue wrap-up of the day...

It was pouring rain and wind beat into me on my way to work today, popping my pitiful umbrella several times. I was pretty wet by the time I got to the bus stop. At least it wasn't raining on the other side, so I walked up the hill in just damp fog so thick, I couldn't tell if the walk sign was on until I got to the curb...

My dad's health has declined somewhat, and my mother was upset, so I grabbed my work together at the office and headed home again, to spend the day at their place, with my paperwork to work on and keep them company. I had mostly documents to review, so I could just read on the sofa while my dad slept, and keep my mother company. I would bring my laptop to write up a few notes as well. Sometimes my mother just needs someone else in the house with her so she doesn't feel so scared to deal with the gravity of the situation. I can understand, so I don't mind hanging out with them for the day, and work on my own thing inbetween a few minutes here and there to chat, and get a bite to eat. Should have been simple, right. The forces were against me to get there today.

I am given a laptop to use for work, and it is locked to my desk by a combination cable lock. Those things get stolen from offices these days as the single unit is easily turned into money, or drugs. So we each get a lock with the computer to lock 'er down. I couldn't remember my combination number off the top of my head because I hadn't used it since I put it there two months ago. I did however, store the number in my personal blackberry. Of course, when I went to pick it up and look it up, my blackberry had died. Within the last two minutes as it was flashing when I put it on my desk after getting to work. Shit. Now what. I had to call the HELP desk to see if they kept them, as I didn't choose it, it was taped to the package when it arrived at my desk. Yes, they had one. But my computer wasn't registered to me, they had someone else. Ok, so now I have it...give me the password. After waiting about 10 minutes, he was finally able to look up the password, and give it to me, thus freeing the book for home. But wait, where is the power cord. I didn't get a brand new laptop, so it was just there when I got there. I hadn't taken it out of the office yet, so hadn't really looked for one. A 20 minutes search through the offices around me located one that would fit, belonging to someone else. I didn't check the bag, just the connection and shoved it into my bag. Alright already, let's get the show on the road. I packed up my new government bag and headed for the ferry terminal. It's pissing down rain by that point, and I popped my umbrella a few more times. The puddles I had skipped around earlier were now lakes to trudge through.

I made the ferry with a few minutes to spare, and we chopped across the harbour. It was the most choppy I'd seen it on the ferry since I began taking it across in January, but the wind was strong, and the lops were high. I was across in no time, and grabbed a bus shortly after for my street a few stops down. I parked my car at the foot of my stairwell, and now it was in a huge puddle, and the grass next to the lot was soggy and mucky. I was wearing hiking sneakers, summer ones with openings in them. My feet got wet, of course. Stomped up the stairs in the pissing rain and made my way in the door. I grabbed a few things, not knowing what was in store when I got to my parents, as it could be a long night. I put down my keys before going into the bedroom to grab my pyjamas...and then I came out and left the house. Shit. I just locked not only my house keys but my car keys, and my parents house and car keys in on top of Stormy's condo. Shit. Wait...I have a car key at least, in my bag...which I had put into my car before I trudged up the steps...hopefully my car has not realized I am not in the car and has locked me OUT! FUCK! So down the steps I tore, hoping against hope, and thankfully, I was able to get into the car. Phew. Good thing, because my blackberry was dead, remember? I couldn't even call the landlord...I didn't have a quarter on me.

So as I went to get into the car from the driver's side (I had put my bags in the car from the passenger side) I noticed my seat was wet - WTF? Shit again. I had been out the night before and didn't remember to put up my window...had it down a crack...which in the pissing rain, turned it into a rushing torrent onto my seat. DAMMIT! And I couldn't get back into the house to get a blanket, a garbage bag, something to keep me dry on the ass...however, being the girl guide that I am, I remembered all of my camping gear in the trunk. It was still pissing rain, so I didn't root around too much as my ass would get soaked as I leaned into the trunk to get something, defeating the purpose...so I grabbed a vinyl tablecloth, brand new one I bought months ago for our camping trip in the desert...unused of course. But whatever, it worked, and I jumped in and got moving. Let's get this show on the road.

I got to my parents, settled in, and took out my work laptop to set up shop and get to work. Dammit, there was only half the power cord there...and my parents didn't have a laptop, so I couldn't even borrow one. Closed up the laptop and put it away. I spent the rest of the afternoon reading through facility documents for inspections coming up. ZZZZZZzzzzzzzzz.......they were interesting enough, but after a couple of hours of that, I was ready to nod off. I popped out for a Tim Horton's coffee and to pick up a package at the post office down the street from my house. I received a card earlier in the day for it. It wasn't there. They weren't sure where it was, but they knew it wasn't there. They also weren't sure why I was at their post office for my packages, given where I live.

Supper was upon us before long, and I wasn't real hungry, and my dad was having seafood. (I don't eat seafood. At all.) Taking advantage of my mother's home made bread, I toasted a few slices, and poured myself a glass of chocolate milk. We had picked up the carton a few days prior to see if my dad would like it for something different to drink that had extra calcium added. He didn't like it, and my mother wasn't impressed either, so I tried it. It tasted a little different, but I thought oh well, maybe it's the calcium...I should have investigated further...I drank about half the milk and ended up with a slimy portion stuck to my lips as I was sipping a bit more...oh, ewww...something lumpy at the bottom, maybe it's separated, sour, who knows. All I know is I spit it back out and took it out to the kitchen to dump down the sink. Um, what is that thing still in the sink? Something slimy and jelly like...and made of chocolate milk. And it has a blackened portion along one side...WHAT THE FUCK? That was what was about to go into my mouth...UGHGHGH, I want to puke just writing about it. I think I shall have a word with the store about this. And the manufacturer...sigh...

So it was one of those days...what wonders shall tomorrow bring?

Here We Go

I'm into month three in my new apartment, here in dartmouth cove. Spring is slowly creeping in, and the trees are about to erupt in buds and blossoms. The harbour is just a short walk down the block, and I can smell the salt air when the wind blows from the south. Sometimes it plasters your face with a bit of rain and fog while you're at it. After all, it is the east coast, not California. This will be my first spring in the city. After arriving in mid-winter just in time for a nasty blizzard, I am looking forward to seeing my new city bloom. It was waterfront artwork like this that got me through the winter. This is just down the street from me.