A City of Transients

The U Hauls and moving vans are everywhere. August seems to be the month where everyone is getting out of town. But then, someone usually comes back to take their place - especially in our neighborhood. It is particularly more acute when there are renters in a shared community space. It always takes awhile for newcomers to learn the "rules" of sharing space. One of my pet peeves is leaving the door open for everyone and their brother to just wander in, and then leaving whatever vehicle that brought all the belongings in sitting in the driveway - overnight. There is a sign in the lobby that clearly states the drive is not meant to be a parking lot for many reasons including a fire hazard. But I have found since moving here that a lot of people prefer to ignore courtesy under any circumstance - even if it is clearly spelled out. I suppose the rules just don't apply to them. How was that determined?

An Eviction, a Homeowner, and a Cement Truck

There is never a dull moment in the neighborhood. I suppose one could describe our neighborhood block as a microcosm of the city at large. In the morning there was an eviction, complete with marshals and disposing of all the junk on the curb. The city allows these actions only when the weather is warm enough regardless of the mortgages and fees in arrears - plus a 48 hour time period to repossess any of the stuff left on the sidewalk. Whatever is not picked over by many interested parties is hauled away by the city. Later in the day a new homeowner arrived with a moving company to take possession of her new home - not the same place as the evictee, but nonetheless unsettling if you're not used to these things. Just one door away was a cement truck that was being used to install the material for a new walkway to the lovely townhouse. Then the large FedEx and UPS trucks made their usual rounds, and a catering vehicle was preparing for an event at the truckers association building. On top of that was baseball game congestion and workday hub bub. I don't ever recall seeing someone and their possessions removed, but it's not so unusual here. My husband loves the sights and sounds of an urban environment. Some of it I could do without.