June 11 – “Bach Day” (as in the lonely guy, not the music guy)

Chris and Mom left for Mansfield today.  Zakary's big four year old birthday party is tomorrow.  I'm scheduled to join them tomorrow.  They are driving for four or five hours.  I catch a 7 a.m. flight out of Houston Hobby and arrive there around 8.  One hour.    OK.  They left at 8:30, so I mowed the grass.  Didn't have to edge, though, so finished by 9:00.  I decided to "protect our property" a bit, so I hopped our fence and took the weedeater to the fence line.  I even trimmed up a wild some-kind-of tree right next to the fence.  Chris said if it had to be there, she would rather it be trimmed so it would grow like a tree.  Her wish is my command.  I was very surprised when I finished that by 9:45.    I tried unsuccessfully to fix the power washer.  Don't understand that one at all.  Water goes in, the engine come on, but the water never comes out.  Beyond me.    Next came painting.  We never finished the trim on one side of the house because Nathan's jet ski was parked there.  The jet ski is in the shop (a whole other story), so I got that done.  While I was painting a pickup parked in front of the abandoned house next door.  Interesting.  Before he could get out, our neighborhood police officer pulled up next to him.  They talked for a few minutes, and the code compliance officer pulled up.  Then another compliance officer arrived.  Now this was a very interesting development.  When the police guy got out of his car and headed my direction, I came down from the ladder to greet him.  He said, "You got to them before I did."  Now I was really intrigued.  To make a long story short (well, shorter), The pickup guy was from the group that has been assigned to work with FEMA to cut down trees at federal expense.  He was horrified that someone had said the trees were not dead.  And he whipped out his can of orange spray paint and went to work.  The tree leaning on our fence was tagged.  So was the one leaning on the power lines.  And so was the monster dead pine tree in the front yard.  He said he would report back to FEMA and do his best to get them out here as soon as possible.  Good news.   But the news didn't stop there.  The police guy told me that they had found an obscure program that may allow them to demolish the house with no one out any money because it's a hazard.  He said not to hold our breath on that one, because it could take anywhere from three months to three years to get it approved.    I also got a call about the jet ski.  The engine is shot.  Looks like it will take around $2200 to fix it up.  Blue book value on it is $3500.  We'll have to sleep on that one.  Quarterly income tax is due this week, so we sure don't have the money in hand right now.  I'll talk to Chris and Nathan about it.    That's quite a day for any bachelor.  Glad it only lasts one day.  Have a wedding tonight and fly out tomorrow at 7 a.m. for Zak's birthday party.   Psalms 4:8 says, "I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety."   Father, thank you for the peace you give in the midst of stressful and painful and sometimes downright weird situations.  Amen.