All Hell Broke Lose

After a blissful week of weather so enjoyable that I got out and was active every single day, all hell broke loose.

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday were cross fit training days.

Wednesday was that 5K at the fancy mall.

Friday, Saturday, Sunday, I drove back to that mall for leisurely 2+ mile walks where, on one of those days, I found myself captivated by this topiary.

Because, as I walked by, tiny little heads suddenly appeared.

The mall is a bird sanctuary of sort, as I noticed not just this topiary, but most, if not all, of the hedges in the mall were sheltering places for birds.

Nearing the cultural center library, an interesting poke stop pinged on my phone.

Detouring to check it out, I spotted Shakespeare himself, looking all alone and inviting.

So all alone and so inviting that I sat a spell and gave him some love.

So, while I’ve been enjoying myself with working out and leisurely walks at this mall, there was chaos over at the other mall ─ the indoor mall that I’d walked the perimeters just the week before.

Then, four miles from the complex was an officer involved shooting, which shooting resulted in the death of yet another Black man and a facebook warning, from my friend The Archeologist.

Avoid due to an active protest with pedestrians walking into the roadways.

But, not to worry. My route didn’t take me though that area and, after reading the specifics of the shooting, viewing the video, I have to ask my people ... “Why are you protesting? ... Why are you marching”. Fair is fair. The shooting was clearly justified.

As is the recent one in Philadelphia, resulting in protests, looting, burning, where the dead guy is described as having refused to drop a knife, had “seven children, another on the way”.

Because of experiences in my own family, folks having a plethora of children they can’t afford to have is a pet peeve of mine. Though it may seem heartlessness, I make no apology that, hearing the dead guy, at 27 years of age, had fathered seven, had another on the way, my thinking of it was as an incident of suicide by cop to get out from under and/or some guy who goes around impregnating women, who couldn’t stop, wouldn’t stop, and needed to be put down.

Then there was further chaos in the area when the winds kicked up, the complex was caught in the middle of a dust storm, and the utility company shut down power .... all day yesterday.

Power was restored at 3:00 this morning and, taking no chances on how long before it was cut again, I was up at 3:00 when I heard the lights go on, to clear the refrigerator of that which had not survived, cook what I could before the next cut off.

How did I hear the lights go on you ask?

The smoke detector woke me up and told me.

When power gets cut, the detector goes off, whereupon I remove the battery to stop the beeping.

When power gets restored, the detector goes off, whereupon I put the battery back in place to stop the beeping.

It’s a never ending cycle with that detector, but it beats the annoyances I recently read about in other housing situations.

Yesterday’s dust storm wreaked havoc. Dirt even snaked its way up the stairs, through the door, into the unit.

Makes me wonder how the downstairs units are faring.

Also, filed under the category of all hell breaking lose, yesterday’s mail was left at my door, instead of the mailbox.

As to why the mail carrier would go to so much trouble, I went down to check the mail area to see what was going on, and also to mail off the rent check, and found the outgoing box had been taped up with a note to not use.

That means, I’ll have to drive down to the UPS Office to mail my check this morning.

Evidently, someone is once again trying to break into boxes.

But really sweet of the mail carrier to drop off my mail and the package, which was my new 6 Feet Tee, to the door.

I’ll have to get her a thank you Starbucks Gift Card.