Well, its that neigbhorhood watch, National Night Out time of year. I walked downtown this morning for the first time in a month, noticed Scenic Floral moved, also the plywood from many of the windows damaged. Perfect spot for the mental health empowerment center self help, etc I'm sort of looking for a site. I suppose the landlord could be persuaded to talk terms, but the window breakage of the last few months, usual suspect teenage gang vandals, homeless or crazies likely suspected, may block the issue.

One of my favorite florists over the years, as convenient to home. But, has the parking lot, size for a counseling center, sits on its own lot across from a city island park, near the bus, etc, but sad to see the grafitti, the broken glass, the store gone after thirty years. I think the metal building its in, one of my uncle's old projects, first to use one in a commercial retail in town.

Downtown seemed a bit dingier than usual, but the horse dung from the horse cops not in evidence from recent events, so maybe an effort to clean it up.

Walked on over to my house. Social Security building still empty, Modesto Inn, the solar water heater collectors damaged, can't be good for tenants, such as they are. More vacant than its heyday as homeless refuge, drug dealer den, scoundral and scammer hideout, hooker haven, it seemed as I've often thought ready for tear down.

Two houses up for sale up on Orange, by owner. Some new paint jobs in the neighborhood. Around the corner, across from Evan's, the problem on the corner, new "sort of" yard sale still in progress, though the car part dismantling in evidence such I'd send the horse dung cleaners to pick up the glass here. Amazed at what the house sold for, then the new landlord moved her sister in, who moved her boyfriend in, etc. It's Modesto.

My house, which once had these problems, including the great drug bust on me and others on psych meds, rounded up our prescribed depakotes, haldol, lithium, rather poor haul. If you're bipolar or schizophrenic, or psychotic, the psychosis likely rocks you more than mere drugs, and our up all night behavior, the newspaper delivery jobs, painting and all night music likely thought we were the cranksters that had lived next door. That was a decade ago. They let us keep our meds, nobody arrested, but seemed a waste of time, as we could have told them they moved a year before the cops showed up.

My section 8 tenants just as bad. They've been gone for five years now thank god. When one rents one out in our area, you find out why other landlords don't. I had stable rent payments for six months, then 17 people living there at time I finished eviction. Hanley lived across the street, my tenants had hooked up with the gangsta's next door, and..... i had calls for 5 months while I had the eviction in progress, so I got property manager.

So, after 4 years of having the Great Tenants, we get to call one in, as the studio apt 2 doors down, now has 3 welfare moms, 4 kids, and attendant boyfriends, with gangsta friends visiting, such they will surely be tonight's topic of National Night Out and my bro is making the call on the neighbors, as it was his three cars, the inept idiots tried to rip off using a phillips screwdriver. In our area, we don't even get competent car thieves thank god, but its a nuisance to have to take a new bid on another fence for the alley.

Admired my new handrail for my great tenants in where I usually live. By the time I have the house paid off, should be of age to use the handrail, strongly bolted in with two posts in my steps. Alas, I have to pay for it out of this months income on my rent check, but these tenants the dream come true for taking care of the place. After all, I do wish to return to my front porch at some time, likely prior to refinance in 5 years.

So, its hot, but not like it was, seems quite cool in relief. and that's what is going on here.

jim