The poison ivy actually infests the entire strip, from mailboxes to the entrance, a stretch as long perhaps as three or four normal city blocks. But I am only concerned with the mail area.
Last week a dead limb fell across half of the street. It so happened I was picking up trash shortly after it dropped and I moved the debris out of the way. But now I see it is a rather large tree, completely dead and tilting to the street. Looks like it may fall in several months, but could come down a lot sooner. I am no good judge of such things. So I printed a request for a volunteer to cut it down. Put it on the bulletin board. In all likelihood, nobody will respond, until one day they find the street blocked by it.
My request was quickly removed. Likely some individual feared an unqualified volunteer would attempt the cutting of the tree and disaster ensue. No argument from me. When the tree does fall, somebody will deal with it then, since there is just one way in and out of the neighborhood.
To date I have spent about$100 doing this. But a health spa or gym charges, too, and nothing constructive results by going to them. My stamina has increased as a direct result. The other day I mowed the entire front and back yards in one go. Usually it has taken three days.
Going over the ground consistently causes long hidden trash to come to the surface. A sawsall blade, for instance, showed about an inch this morning and I plucked it up. Some who speak with me have strong opinions about how I should conduct the pick up. Most tell me not to pick up in front of the ten houses that I work past. To them it makes no difference that they are victims of thoughtless people and the daily trash that accumulates kills one's resolve, going on year after year, as it does. My friends don't have to deal with it, so, empathy does not stir with them.
My request to have a volunteer cut down the dead tree did not remain on the bulletin board a whole day. But, when I drove past it this morning, I saw a work truck parked near the tree and some tree climbing harness on the ground. Hopefully, when I leave out n the morning that big ugly sucker will be gone. At least on the ground in piles.
Turns out the man parking near the dead tree is in fact clearing the commercial strip of land that fronts the neighborhood, on the other side of the street. He is working from the center outward.
Just as I congratulated myself on a job well done, some punk dumped a pick up load of old carpet near the mailboxes. I loaded it all up right away and toted it off the the dumpsters the apartments has been allowing me to use. No use trying for justice, just hoping I can outlast the idiots.
About the dumped carpet. The day before it happened, I had an episode with a kid on a bike. He had dismounted the bike and was trying to use a fist to punch holes in the community bulletin board. I told him, "Hey. Don't tear it up. That's not nice." And we each went our way. As I walked back with my mail, I could see him down the side street, glowering and speaking with his friend, watching as they perched on bikes. I began to fret over retaliation, knowing I should have not spoken to him.
It's possible he inflamed his father or an older brother with a version of the incident and the carpet was their revenge. That evening, the same place the carpet had lain, fast food trash was scattered. The mess made a trail around the entire mail area.
I have made up my mind to keep all of this to myself and let my patience outlive their resolve to haras my efforts. I picked it all up and carried on, business as usual.
My trash has been stolen. Last time I drove in, I saw lots of it in the stretch bypassing the mail. This morning I went out with my trusty can and pick up stick, only to find it all gone. Fortunately the scoundaral only took it from there. I got to walk the rest of the way to the main road, plucking treasure of cans, bottles and fast food trash. Came back and used the blower around the mail area and it was finished.
Settled into a good routine. I use one bag for each two days of pick up. They have cut all the trees to the side of the entrance, about 4 1/2 acres along the main street, all but a line of them leading into the neighborhood. I started out driving to the mailboxes to do my route. Now I walk from my house to the outside street and home again. And I was driving back with the blower, but now I walk back to clean off the area. Had to start wearing a hat, as the days are now hitting 90 degrees.
My neighbor, a feisty woman of near my own age, insists on giving me a few food items, to express appreciation for my clean up efforts and occasional help with her lawnmower and such. I accept it, but always assure her I don't mind paying for what she brings. Local honey, eggs from Trader Joe - Some mighty good stuff. They finished clearing the land. It all looks pretty good, until your gaze moves to the back, where we see the exposed back sides of houses and property. Then it gets ugly. They left a line of trees and brush along the street. I figure it's because they didn't want to disrupt any buried lines along there. The huge piles of debris were converted to mulch. Now all they need to do is sell it and put in the inevitable little shops and fast food, which is what they are now about to do about a block up the major street in front of the neighborhood. North of where I live a Walmart was installed, against the wishes of residents. They vowed a boycott and a year later, this huge modern place attracts only light traffic. I anticipate the portion of street that crosses the railroad tracks will eventually get a bridge over the tracks. In the meantime, cars back up a mile there. Sometimes more.
