@Ike Willis or anyone that has information on this question . I've noticed you mention getting a grocery delivery about once a week. Is that a store service, or do you have a family member deliver your household needs? I've looked at different stores online information, but they want you to sign up before you can view the pertinent information, like how much does the service cost.
I don't know what stores you have, Ina but I know Safeway delivers, probably most big stores do. I've never had it done but I did look at the site and it's not very expensive. I guess it would depend how close or far you live from the store too. I'm very close to all my stores.
Our neighborhood has several low-rent apartments up and down the street, and we live in one of the poor areas of Huntsville, although right near the arsenal . Quite a few of the people who live in the apartments walk up and down the street, and they think nothing of stopping right in front of our house while they are yelling and having an argument with someone, either with them, or (more often) on the cell phone. Some of the ones who do drive think they are on a racetrack, and love to "jump" over the speed bumps as they fly over them in their cars or motorcycles. Mostly, the people right around us are quiet (like us), but there is a small apartment building on the corner across from us, and they seem to always have people outside yelling and fighting, and sometimes there are gunshots as well. The other day, some crazy woman was going around smashing mailboxes and taking out the name tags inside because she was upset with some other woman. The police came and made her put the labels back; but they didn't arrest her. She was pretty drunk and loud; but probably not a danger of any kind, and I guess they just thought as long as she quit trashing mailboxes, everything would be fine.
My neighborhood is dead quiet, especially in the summer because everybody is inside. The only noise I've ever heard are dogs barking and that gets annoying but mine's a barker too. This is the quietest place I've lived and there are children in the neighborhood. It's a subdivision so if you don't live here you won't, be driving through.
A store in town (Hy-Vee) delivers to my building on Wednesdays and other places on other days. My fee is $5. This same store shows weekly picture ads online, so we can see what is on sale and for how much.
After experiencing dogs attacking cats at the last place and also here, I now understand why I hear of all these dog attacks in the news. It's not the dogs' fault, it's the owners' faults. If the dogs are particularly aggressive, they shouldn't be living in a neighborhood situation, where they can get out and attack people or other animals. When the owners have a laissez-faire attitude and don't properly contain or restrain their dogs, they put those dogs, as well as people and other animals, in harm's way. Invariably, the dogs who attack people and other animals end up being put down and tested for rabies, and it seems those owners just go out and get new ones. The same people who have problem animals here in this neighborhood often also have problem children. That sounds nice @Ike Willis, it sounds more personalized than ordering from Walmart.
Don't you have leash laws in your area, Diane? I seldom see a dog that's not being walked. Of course sometimes one gets out and that's when I see the "lost dog" posters but it rare. There are a lot of dogs in my neighborhood and thankfully I only hear them and I've tuned that out. Still haven't put my sticker on, lol.
Yes, there are leash laws here. I don't encourage animal control coming through the neighborhood though, because I feed two strays on the property, and if I get caught, I'll be fined, which I can't afford, and they will be collected and probably put down. I don't complain about the dogs for the same reason. This is a loose neighborhood, unfortunately. The strays I feed are cast offs. Many here have no problem moving and leaving animals behind. These are the last two, and although I love them, when they're gone, hopefully there won't be more. It's very stressful, since they are used to roaming, and won't stay contained in either of my yards. I used to have a full front yard fence, and they were somewhat protected and hidden in there, but the neighbor (same one I have been complaining about, but not the noisy one, he's on the other side) ripped out part of it where a tree stump is in the way, and hasn't replaced it yet. It's been like that for about a year and a half, and now that he has gotten wood delivered, I'm very hopeful that he will replace the whole fence along that side, which would again complete the front yard. All I want is to be left alone, and not to have to deal with idiots, but unfortunately, there are a lot of them here. Dogs are constantly 'escaping' homes and yards, and the owners seem to think it's humorous. People speed along the roads here and animals are killed all the time, yet it's as if these people are swatting a mosquito off their arm, they don't seem to have any compassion.
Yes, it can get aggravating if you can't live in peace. Fences are important, my dog hasn't escaped once in 8 yrs. but I an careful. When we arrive home from my trip to my daughter's and I pull into my garage, I make sure I close the garage door before I let my dog out of the car, otherwise he might run away and probably get hit by a car. I never open my front door if he's just loose in the house. I close him off in a room first.
The neighbor seems incapable of putting her dogs on a leash. The dog went after the cats again today (as well as again yesterday), and if it continues, I'm going to have to address the issue. If I had extra money, I'd bring her a batch of brownies and some leashes, to welcome her to the neighborhood and congratulate her on their marriage. I've always done the same as you, except with my cats. When I did take my cats outside in the past (other than on the balcony), I would put them on a leash, and take them out one at a time. I think some people think it's easier to just open the door and let the dogs roam, rather than actually function as a pet parent, and do the responsible thing. Apparently it doesn't occur to them that their dog might not be the biggest and baddest on the block, and could be on the receiving end of an attack, or that someone might actually drive down the street and hit it, not expecting animals to be running loose. God knows what her children are like. She seems like a nice enough person, but I have no time for people who create problems for others, especially when I'm one of those others.
I just killed the fly that has been bothering me for 2 days! I'm happy. Life is good. Feel bad @Diane Lane that you have to deal with that, some people are just inconsiderate and thoughtless. We have an online neighborhood group is the best way to describe it. It encompasses a large area, and people join and post things. Sometimes it's a lost dog or found dog. Sometimes someone needs a service. Sometimes people warn of suspicious activity. A few days ago it was that our community mail box was left open by the stupid mailman and 4 tries to reach the Post Office failed. So everyone who had a mailbox there went to get there mail and that was the day I had a check in there. Had I not seen the alert in my inbox, I wouldn't have gotten my mail til next day
@Chrissy Page "We have an online neighborhood group is the best way to describe it." Something similar is called the "Laughlin Buzz". Being a resort and gaming area, folks regularly post from around the world. A lady in Wales who comes over several times a year, wants to meet my wife and I! The Buzz is very carefully watched by Admin., and real nonsense is discouraged heartily. (Thus, I don't attend). Frank
@Chrissy Page It seems the post office is often non-responsive, unfortunately. I'm glad you didn't lose the check you were waiting for. Thankfully, this morning, there was no eruption and cat attack from next door. I don't know if that means she didn't go to work, or that she's finally wised up. The boyfriend's daughter has been parking in their ditch instead of mine, and when their lawn crew mowed yesterday, they mowed around her car . He put up a whole brand new beautiful fence on that side of his yard, as well as a nice new deck, yet left this side all dilapidated and falling down. I think he's too lazy to either move his crap or work around it. He has old boats and other junk stored on this side of his yard. Hopefully at some point, someone will mention it to him, and he'll get on it. I'm just glad the cats weren't harassed this morning.
Diane as far as the dogs are concerned you can do what I do and get a BB gun. When neighborhood dogs are running loose continually and cause a problem with my dogs who are not allowed to leave my yard, I put one pump on the BB gun and let them have it. One pump does not do any damage to the dog but let's it know it is not welcome in my yard. I don't do that unless it is a habitual problem and I always aim for the rear area of the dog. After the first time it usually just takes the sound of releasing the air with no BB to send them home.