28 January 2010 I didn’t realize the gene pool was that shallow

28 January 2010 I didn’t realize the gene pool was that shallow


Today’s hike with Mike began at 0930 and was essentially uneventful if one disregards the concerted attempts by the infamous neighbor’s dogs to gut and hamstring Loki. The Wolf-Shepherd mix was aiming for her neck when I pulled her away. I think she may have put a fang onto his muzzle as he missed his strike. The level of aggression from these dogs is becoming unacceptable.

On the way down to Mikes it was impossible to miss the amount of trash which had blown from the neighbor’s yard onto our property. On the way back I decided to clean up the blown trash, the dog-dragged trash, and the thrown trash this morning. Other people are unhappy with the amount of blown trash coming from the house across from our property.

After navigating another dog aggression display from all three dogs owned by the neighbor, I put Loki inside, changed boots and coats, and headed out with bag, stick, and grabber. I found and picked up multiple black plastic fast-food containers, multiple white plastic fast-food containers, beer bottles, soda bottles, plastic cups, drink cans, and a large “Dollar General” bag made instantly noticeable by its bright yellow color. When I went to pick it up, using the grabber, the bag opened enough to reveal ca. 5 pounds of feces. Since this bag first appeared in mid last week, I believe that one of the neighbor’s highly-cultured daughters placed it there. It could not have blown there, did not fall from a passing truck, or appear by magic. We can only assume that the Jerry Springer rejects thought to place it there for us to pick up. I emptied the bag and threw the bag away; leaving the contents for them to step in should they return with more trash.

I must admit my first impulse was to return bag and contents to the neighbor’s yard. But there is enough hostility coming from them as is. They apparently believe we are the source of all their troubles these days. The neighbor is extremely paranoid to begin with and has put up cameras to prevent people approaching his house. We have no desire to set foot on their property and certainly don’t intend to invite them onto ours. So the ill-mannered, juvenile natured, sack of feces just gets recorded and logged as further reason to avoid any contact with the neighbor and his ill-begotten spawn. The Austin Lounge Lizards recorded a song, “Shallow End of the Gene Pool.” The neighbor and his family must have come from the dried up muck beneath the pool.

We went grocery shopping today along with, apparently, half of Greeneville. There is a winter storm warning in effect for tomorrow afternoon and people recall the last big storm in December all too well. We’re stocked up for a few days of snowfall but power is always a concern. We have enough wood to keep warm.

Unless ETSU cancels classes tomorrow, I have class. Gloria also has a doctor’s appointment in Johnson City at 1340. I’m planning on meeting her there and then following her to the library and home. We’ll be lucky if the weather holds long enough for us to get everything done and off the road.

Tomorrow is my youngest child, Jedediah’s birthday. He’s living in the Boston/Cambridge area working at some job. He hasn’t communicated at all with me since blowing off a dinner get together in the summer of 2005. His siblings hear from him once in a while. I’ll e-mail him and offer birthday greetings. There will be no response from him.

It is time to finish this off and get dinner underway.