Post-party

The party last night had a few twists on the usual, #6, party.  Instead of playing soccer in the backyard, they played it in the front yard. 

My front yard.

Now, I should add, houses on our street are set back 20 feet from the curb.  The lots aren't very wide, I think mine is 35' at the curb, and most of it is taken up by the driveway.  #6, of course, had his truck parked in the front yard, and 2 cars in the driveway.  They didn't have enough room to turn around, much less play an active game, so the kids ended up playing soccer in my "empty" yard. 

At first I was pretty upset.  I went to a lot of trouble, 6 years ago, of telling him I specifically did not want any of his kids in my yard, at all, under any condition.  I understood why they were doing it; if they lose the ball, I don't give it back immediately, I wait until the next day.  They didn't want to risk losing the ball over the back fence. 

It was also probably rather crowded in the backyard, I'd smelled the BBQ going, so that occupies space in the yard, in addition to, forgive the pun, his addition, so they really had limited room to play in the back. 

But I didn't want them in my yard.  They were pretty quiet, and they only hit the house a couple times, so I decided to pick my battles.  I absolutely did not want them in the backyard, where our bedroom windows are located, and the catio.  I didn't want them looking in the windows and messing with the catio, so it seemed to be the better of two options. 

Baby Girl was on alert, though.  Everytime someone came close to her window she leaned forward, ears pricked.  She found it all very interesting and just a little bit alarming. 

I am probably raising antisocial cats.  We never get visitors so they don't know anyone besides me and Ron. 

Then they turned on the stereo, very loud.  Sometimes they do that, play one song, and then turn it off.  I waited through the song.  They kept playing it. 

I decided I had had enough and called our local precinct.  Now, each area of Harris county, proper (not in the City of Houston limits) has a precinct, 1-5 I believe.  I won't say which I am.  Suffice to say I called the non emergency number for my locale. 

I explained I had a noise complaint and gave the address.  She got it wrong, twice.  Then I gave the street name.  She kept getting it wrong and saying we weren't in the county.  I should have explained I have been, in the county, for 13 and a half years now. 

I am a former ham radio operator.  I spelled the street out, phonetically.  Say, she thought it was "Pam" street when it was really "Palm".  I said "Pappa, alpha, lima, mike".  Then she got it and filed the complaint. 

I was very frustrated and unfortunately I'm sure it showed, but what if I was being assaulted, or Ron was bleeding to death on the floor?  We'd have died! 

Then I realized they had turned the music down, so I had to call back, got the same dispatcher, and explain I didn't need the officer after all. 

Ron is a real stickler about cancelling the call if you don't "need" them anymore. 

Later on they turned it up again but Ron was still asleep.  My general rule of thumb is that it's not too bad if Ron's still asleep. 

Much as I'd like it, I can't have a perfectly quiet neighborhood every day of the year.  Not in a 70-thousand dollar house. 

Other than that, it was pretty much the same old party routine.  People talking loudly in Spanish right outside my bedroom wall, kids screaming and playing, loud music, etc. 

I'm not sure when they wrapped it up, sometime between 11 and 12, I think.  I fell asleep. 

I woke up with a headache, it was pretty nasty.  I was also wide awake at 7 AM.  I decided to get up, my headache wasn't going to improve if I slept anymore and it was an Excedrin level headache.  I got up, drank a diet Mountain Dew, and took an Excedrin.  I am vibrating now but the headache is mostly gone. 

I got online for a bit ('most everyone is still asleep) and did my God Time.  Very pleased I got that. 

Torbie is laying on my foot.  She's pretty cute.  I need to take a shower pretty soon.  I don't need to shave my legs today or tomorrow, so I get a break from that. 

I really want to get going on my Spanish Bible Handout.  One driver told me Airline and West road is a good spot but I need to look it up on Google Maps and see if it will work.  It needs a median, wherever I go. 

And at some point I need to get my Spanish Free Bibles sign laminated.  The lettering is so pretty (not mine) I want to preserve it for as long as I can. 

But for now I have today off.