esrosedotblog

As promised, the city is resurfacing Baristo Road this week.

That is the street that runs east and west just on the other side of the hedges behind our condo.

They have been working in our neighborhood all month and I was sure that it was only a matter of time until the dirty, broken, guttered street that we abut would be redone too.

Right now, I can see the machine that is used to chew up the old surface, about three inches deep. It is going by the back at quite surprising speed eating a few feet of pavement as it goes.

Soon, the whole surface will be completely new and Booker will get to walk on a renewed road surface.

I mention him because when we leave the sidewalk on our side, there is long patch of open desert and he insists on walking on the road. He does not think that he should go across the street and walk on the sidewalk there. This is our goddam side and he will walk on it.

Nor will he walk on the desert. Pebbly and nasty, he disdains it.

And yet he will walk on the extremely rough street surface where perhaps decades of tar have eroded out leaving a surface that I would never consider for my bare feet.

It has gotten so bad that for certain lengths he will only walk very slowly. Nearly stopping. Picking his way along for maybe a hundred yards.

Airedales are stubborn.

If he could, he would be one of those shrill bastards who go to City Council meetings and demands action. He would have written letters to the editors of the Desert Sun.

Fortunately I have a neighbor who does this and while he is not even as close to Baristo as we are, he has almost single handedly formed a neighborhood association (The Baristo Neighborhood) and has hounded the City into action.

Of course, it has been bad traveling. One of our autos might have fallen into a pothole.

Now, not so bad. The new surfaces are quite remarkably smooth.

Booker will have a soft place to walk and our neighbor will be able to point to another achievement of good gad fly ism.

Labels: neighborhood

RIDIN' AROUND

I worry that Booker lacks stimulation with only one dad so we both took a ride this afternoon. Mostly out to the Bogert Trail, high up overlooking South Palm Springs.

An old reliable ride. We just sit at the top of the hill and smell, look and listen.

We stopped back at the old neighborhood and rode around. More houses for sale than before.

We went past "our" house and there was no charge to it anymore. No outrage at what he had done to it, mostly paint. No worry about the plants. The ocotillo was in bloom.

It is kind of messy out front. A big pile of debris in front of the front stone dry wall. The first thing that we put in.

It has been two years for it to become not-our-house anymore.

Over.

Labels: history, neighborhood

FUN WITH THE HOMELESS

Yeh, I know it is too bad and all that but not in my backyard. All liberal impulses stop at the property line and, also, I am not a fan of the homeless anyway. If you are, then a tip of the hat to you and, obviously, you don't live cheek to jowl with any of them. You can send a donation to our local shelter which is a pretty good one.

This morning Booker went all watch-dog on us and, as it turns out, it was some homeless guy parking his shopping cart and stuff just over our wall. He jammed the cart into the new plantings that were just put there by the condo guys.

This is actually unusual. They usually park them in the evening before they go to the flop because they can't take their stuff with them. And they put them over in the desert under some trees that hang close to the ground. This was pretty visible from the street.

But here it was, the morning, and Booker called him out.

So the plan was that when John and Booker walked, John would pull the cart out and take it up the street to the vacant sand lot and just set it there.

I went to take a shower.

When I came out someone was pulling the cart out of the bushes. I figured that the guy had come back so I went out and hollered not to bring it back!

Ooooops.

It was John and Booker. They had left while I was showering and I didn't know it.

John, startled, said something as I realized it was him. So funny. I laughed for quite a while over this.

It is interesting that, when they got to it, Booker growled at the cart. He had the scent of his prowler. Good for him.

So the cart is gone and perhaps pilfered by others and tough shit. I hope it will develop that this particular hiding place is not safe.

Labels: neighborhood

BORDER WARS

Our first bit of tension with the next door neighbor.

He got an OK from the HOA Board to regarden in front of his unit. Our units stop at the inside of the garden wall.

We had talked about this a long time ago. He said that he was going to a desert planting. And asked about the bushes that were between our two sidewalks. Two big prickly plums, which are ubiquitous here, and a beautiful, tall purple sage which has bloomed three times since we came.

We said that we would rather not change them and he sort of passed on in the converstion. That was our input.

A qord about "desert" plantings. The plantings are water conservative but not desert. The standard here is to scatter the plants with pipette sprinkers and put stones between the plants. The stones are from non-local waterways and look a bit dumb but that is beside the point.which is not really desert but that isn't so much the point as that he tore out all the larger, older, well developed bushes in front of his own unit and also on the east side of our walk outside the gate including a beautiful old heavily blooming purple sage bush.

While we had discussed the general topic and had expressed our pref for not touching that part he did it anyway. So. We talked about filling it back in again which he has done with dinky little Lowe's prickly plums and a faux sage bush. Yellow. All these are desert plants as they were before he hacked them down.

SO we offered to get four or so larger plants like the one that was there and put them in. Get them at Mollers, a nursery down valley, which is much better stock than the cheap shit he put in his place.

We talked about this and I called and made the offer to do it today.

He called back and said it was too late, we would have to take it up with the Board as they had approved his plan.

Oh.

In my training business we used to call that "bureaucratic avoidance". Push it off to other unavailable authorities. And today he is madly installing the irrigation, repiping it, covering the dirt with "fabric" and now the stones are going on.

We have retreated. We are letting it go.

Sort of. You can tell I am still pissed.

We know that the "board" gave him an OK in general because that is what their ultimate aim is, desert planting. Just so they don't have to spend the money. The HOA.

It is too bad. One of those "neighbor" things. The people who have to cut down and reconstruct and repaint everything in their new home. And the fucking stones are not desert stones. They are from some stream somewhere or perhaps dug up in China and polished by high tech machines for export to the USA for the upward striving bourgeoisie who can't leave fucking well enough alone.

See? I am over it.

Labels: condo, life, neighborhood

STILL AT IT

My neighbor, Herman Wouk, has a new book.

The Language God Talks

Here he writes about how the book came about.

The Language God Talks: The Back Story

Mr. Wouk is 95. And, obviously still active with the writing.

He is also out and about. Walking. Sometimes alone, sometimes with a helper.

He is affable and charming and not ready to make much contact. I admire that. He seems to be happy to just be doing what he is doing and to let me do the same.

This is just what I want so we have a deal.

I read his first book from which he made so much, well, money what with plays and movies and all.

The Caine Mutiny.

It was very funny and insightful about the psychology of power.

Not very deep but entertaining.

It hit a nerve just after the war. Everyone had their Captain Queeg somewhere in the military.

And the other books were pretty good too. And most, still in print.

In recent years he has written about his faith. He is active in the local synagogue.

His age makes him a hero to me. So does his exemplary life. So does his simple and somewhat humble demeanor.

I am glad he is holding on. Our properties abut and I am sure that the sons will subdivide the property and some asshole will build something horrible right behind our house. But I can get over that for now and wait for the sons to act before I do anything unwise.

It is nice to see him still promoting himself so nicely.

Labels: heroes, neighborhood

WEEKEND

This is the Coachella festival weekend.

We are well away from it but the hotels here are chock full and many of the rental houses (all?) are occupied. There is an enormous market in short term rentals of homes here. More now that they can't sell them.

They bus people down to La Quinta where the venue is located.

The thing is very well organized and, this year, there are said to be a record attendance, maybe 75,000 people a day.

Some of the acts got caught in the air shutdown in Europe but it is still rolling along nicely.

This is not the kind of thing that I want to even get close to but I do not have to get close.

It is nice to know that a lot of people are having relatively safe fun and enjoying themselves while the locals are cashing in.

Once they heard me shouting over the sound they nicely turned it down.

Today it was a little louder but now, I think, they are on their way for the fest and will be gone tomorrow.

It is OK. It is so rare that this happens.

The last time I asked someone to turn it down, it was some fat plumber type guy playing Rush Limbaugh at the 11 setting. I took care of that very quickly. He was OK about it but puzzled as to why I didn't consider Rush out loud to be a public service.

Labels: fun. music, neighborhood

HELLO!

There is a mynah bird in the neighborhood. Again.

About ten years ago, neighbors down the street got a well versed minah bird who could do a variety of whistles, a credible cat meow, a motorcycle kind of raspberry noise and so on. It sort of said hello if you were forgiving.

But, sadly, the bird died of the West Nile virus.

The new bird is working on two tones. They go up, they go down. They can go up then down (the wolf whistle) but there is some stumbling.

I am working on it. It is on a porch nice days and we exchange whistles for as long as I am in range.

I always wanted a parrot or something.

Someone else's is far superior. Their birdseed, their newspaper, my song bird.

Labels: bird, neighborhood

NEIGHBORS

I walked a ways with two neighbors yesterday with Franklin.

Actually three neighbors. Joe had his little dog Pee Wee on her walk.

Franklin adores Pee Wee. Pee Wee is a bit stand offish and will take only so much before she snaps but still, Franklin adores her. We all want the unattainable.

The other neighbor, Herman, was out by himself. He is out every day.

Lately he has had a walking companion that looks like a nurse or something. But not yesterday.

I told John that I saw him and wondered how old he was. John thought in his 90's.

I looked it up. He is a well known author. He is 94!

This really crept up on me. I look for the 90 set all the time and here is a member right next door. I figured he was in his 80's or so but I made that estimate ten years ago, I guess, and stuck with it.

I have not seen my good friend Leo who was/is headed for 95 last summer. Not a good thing.

The old men sort of disappear. I guess it will be my turn some day.

"What happened to that old fart who walked the Airedale?"

But not too soon. I am going for 90 myself.

18 more years.

If I can be moving along as quick and be as sharp as Herman I will be very fortunate. Another hero.

Labels: heroes, neighborhood

SIGNS OF THE TIMES

I have mentioned that the real estate 'for sale' signs are at a record high.

More than there were when we bought 11 years ago at the height of the savings and loan disaster.

A broker friend says that there are 17-23 properties for sale in our neighborhood depending on where you draw the lines.

Some houses have been taken off the market unsold.

Now, there is a new phenomenon. The 'for sale' signs on private autos. Well, mostly SUV's.

They are everywhere. Some are parked. Some are being driven.

This is evidently the result of two things. One, the finance crunch and loss of income (we live in a predominantly service economy here) and, two, the sudden disdain for gas guzzlers.

It is amazing how $4.05 a gallon can awaken your sensibilities.

I am not too sympathetic.

Labels: automobiles, economy, neighborhood

DOWNSIZED!!

We won!!

No two story monster next door.

The final City Council hearing on the appeal of our neighbor's proposed MiniMansion was held last night.

They voted 3-2 to sustain the Planning Commission's denial of his application.

We all trooped up there again and made little speeches.

There was a good turnout.

That is the end of the current project. The guy can build within the code without seeking a variance or he can submit a new plan.

I presume that would take another year.

The best we can hope for is that the current housing slump will engulf the entire project and, for now, delay any further plans.

If we are lucky we can play the clock out and never have anything over there in our lifetime.

But that conflicts with my 'live to 90' plans.

This has been a long march.

The first applications were made over a year ago.

There have been 12 hearings.

We submitted letters to every board with detailed photos, data runs and graphical information.

In most hearings we stood and spoke against the project.

There have been as many as 20 neighbors engaged with a hard core of 10-12 people who have shown up for all events.

There has been little support from the Planning Department or any other public body.

Indeed, the project was approved on the first bounce.

The Architectural Advisory Committee made up of developers and architects have always OK'd it.

We have pushed back.

And back. And back again.

Finally, the Planning Commission went our way. Twice. Once on the original proposal and, then again, on the revised edition.

The City Council was not sympathetic in the first hearing, got more so in the second and finally went our way in the last go around.

Persistence.

A lot of credit goes to John. Most of it actually.

I have never wanted to bother with it much. Too inconvenient to go to hearings and all.

And I really can't stand the bullshit there.

Nevertheless it feels good to have the issue resolved and in a way that meets our objectives.

Another side benefit is that it has drawn the neighbors together.

There has never been much of that kind of spirit here. People are friendly but pretty much go their own way.

That has changed. There is a much stronger bond with each other and a greater sympathy for other issues.

One of the neighbors is having trouble with anothers' dogs. The dog guys aren't part of the network. Guess who we are rooting for.

On a broader front, this matter has engaged a wider following in the area which is known as The Mesa.

A year ago, we were one of the few areas in the City that did not have a City sponsored neighborhood organization.

This issue aroused the others to see that the same thing could (and has) happened to them.

So today, there is about to be a chartered Mesa Neighborhood Organization which can represent our interests more forcefully in the various City departments.

Not a bad result for all the effort.

We stopped an egregious project, got tighter with our immediate neighbors and stimulated a larger neighborhood movement for self protection.

Labels: neighborhood

MACMANSION DENIED

This is for those of you who have read about our long fight against a two story, over powering house on a minimum lot just over our wall.

I have a conclusion to the story.

The developer submitted new plans to the Planning Commission and was denied a third time.

That should be the end of the story.

We think.

At least it is the end of the story for this set of plans.

He appealed to City Council and got a bit of relief the last time he was denied and it is doubtful that he will try it again.

But who knows.

He is a maroon.

John made a heroic speech and was instrumental in organizing the neighborhood's fight against this monstrosity.

My hero.

Labels: neighborhood

DEVELOPER BECOMES JUST ANOTHER GUY

We had the informal meeting with the guy (and wife) who want to erect a monument to themselves across from our pool.

I only have one objection. I don't want them to have two stories so they are looking at my bare ass when I go swimming.

Or more.

The upshot of the meeting was that there is some movement.

As it turned out and, as is often the case with these things, everyone developed some human dimensions and got a bit friendlier than before.

At the end, he was even marking his plans up with various alternatives that would make us happy.

They 'had to' ask 60 people to this—within 400 feet—and only four of us showed up. Three households.

That is normal too.

And good.

It let us all become a bit more relaxed and fess up to true and non-rhetorical positions.

I was not surprised at this.

I spent 35 years in a business that taught people just this fact along with the skills to make it work.

I would like to say that my abilities in team leadership came to the fore here.

Not so.

I also know that a participant with an axe to grind cannot lead or, for that matter, even do a very good job of being positive and helpful.

I can be an asshole just as well as the other guy.

But, we all took off our asshole hats and got somewhere.

Meaning that we got off our positions and maybe we can reach some kind of rapprochement.

It was a good exercise.

I shook hands with them at the end. Wished them luck.

Progress.

Labels: neighborhood

ON AND ON

We are going to a meeting today with the developer who wants to build a 'high rise' house next to us.

He was turned down by the Planning Commission then, when he appealed to City Council to overturn, they refused and told him to work with the neighbors and start over again with the Planning Commission.

This is his meeting with the neighbors.

He was also told to widen the 'net' by mailing notices to all owners within 400 feet.

This has almost doubled the neighbors officially affected. All of whom, it is presumed, are in opposition.

Actually, I don't need a meeting. If he goes to a one story house, I really do not care one way or another what he builds.

This is not true of my other neighbors however.

We share his 'back' and a wall. They will have to look at his way out of taste facade.

Another interesting chapter in the two-story story.

Labels: neighborhood

LIFE IN THE DESERT

The influx of full time residents is undeniable. It has been going on slowly over the last five years.

Now, the news has made the New York Times.

The audio is awful but the slides are pretty good.

Here Comes the Sun

Labels: neighborhood

OFF LIMITS

We live on a hill. Actually, a mesa.

They call our neighborhood 'the mesa'.

The mesa has two sides.

There is a connecting road from one side of the hill to the other.

You go up and you come down in a 'U' shape.

At the base of the 'U' at the very top, the road is actually on private property and is not a public right of way.

We have never observed this. The owner of most of the property never objected when we walked there.

But she has died and the property has been sold and we are no longer welcome to walk through the new man's property.

Now this is perfectly understandable.

If I lived up there I wouldn't want a parade of dog walkers and all going by 10 feet away from my front door either.

So I understand why he has closed the gates (and written a few terse notes to some people who went around them).

And yet, there is a feeling of loss; an entitlement (not) has been taken away.

It doesn't make sense and it will only last a few days.

If you get anything out of being 70, you get a handle on dealing with loss.

And I don't say that in a self-pitying way. Life is gain and loss. The loss is almost always replaced. Well, until the very end. Then you don't know that it happened anyway.

The costs of this one are few.

It will be a bit difficult explaining to Franklin why we can't make the U.

I will miss seeing the houses on the other side.

But there are solutions.

The magnificent view is not lost. There are many other vantage points. We will go there and stand and look and look and look.

And we can walk up the both sides separately and come back down again.

It is just that when we have a routine we don't want it to change even if it is the right thing.

Labels: neighborhood, routine