Thank you, Officer Hoyle

And I thought Mondays were tough.

This morning, I drive to the end of my street, which is a one way street, and there is a tireless stop sign, dutifully protecting us all from the onslaught of traffic speeding its way north at the intersection closest my home.

Not uncommon to see drivers unaware that there is an intersection before them until it is too
late, we get a lot of close calls. C-L-O-S-E M*^%$@*F*^$%#@ calls, I say.



















Some closer than others. Note that the impact to this SUV at this very intersection knocked the entire wheel off of the SUV. They frequently come up on this intersection from the South too FAST.














My problem is that the road is bent in such a manner that as you come to the intersection from the East, your view to the South is, well... not there. The building on the Southeast corner comes right up to the road, just a couple of feet of sidewalk there.

In order to actually see any cars coming from that direction, you have to inch your car's nose out into traffic about 20 feet past the stop sign in order to see anything. And even then, you're taking your life in your own hands.

This is where a lot of those close calls come from.

sneak... sneak...... sneeeeeeeeeeeaaaak.... W!H%AMMO!











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So I'm guessing when the police officer saw me inch out into the street, trying desperately not to be T-boned by a Mack truck or a TANK Bus, he thought he saw me rolling through a stop sign.

I'm sure that warranted the U turn in the middle of traffic. I'm sure of it.

I'm dangerous that way.
Rolling stops in a devious attempt not to become a mangled comatose burden on society.

Evil, I am. Pure evil.




















So as I see it the only way to actually SEE a car coming from the South is to:
1. Inch out into traffic and hope to Galt that the oncoming vehicle is not going to ram you at 50mph, because you'll only have about 2 seconds to avoid that deathtrap... or

2. BUY A G$@#D*^#@ CONVEX MIRROR TO HANG ON THE POST ACROSS THE STREET LIKE I ASKED THE TRAFFIC TECHNICIAN TO DO LAST YEAR. COME ON!!

So thank you Officer Hoyle, for 1.) reminding me that the insurance card in my wallet is out of date, and 2.) reminding me to get back on my fight to get a mirror at this intersection, and 3.) for giving me the traffic technician's direct line.

I have a call to make.

Will work for wood?

The hubby just had another birthday recently, and although we haven't had a lot of time to spend with the folks lately, they were generous enough to give him the gift of a new electric smoker.

This is the kind that plugs in outside, you can add water and/or wood chips ... and Oh oh oh.... before I forget-- if anyone local has some apple wood chips or chunks, we can trade a smoked chicken or some such wheelin' and dealin' for the wood. The trade will be worth it, guaranteed.)






Seriously, I need the wood.
I'll be out front of the house with a sign.
You won't be able to miss me.






So anyway, DH starts putting the smoker together, and suddenly some familiar feeling comes over me... like I've seen this all before... a long long time ago... in a galaxy far away....