Rant for the Day (keep it clean)

[Double R]

The “city” irrigation district decided we needed more fees. All who have irrigation are to be charged yearly per irrigated acre of land. The well on our land has been capped and not functional for well over 50 years. There isn’t even power to that end of the property. They know this yet put us on the fees list. They “accidentally” didn’t see our response email so the fees were accessed on our property tax bill. Finally got a hold of someone from the irrigation district from the town we don’t even live in whose office is the next town over (what!?!) and they confirmed we shouldn’t have been charged and should have been taken off the list. Apparently they are “rarely” in the office to boot.
Next step is what to do because it’s now on our property taxes. “Call the state and see what they want you to do”. Called and was told we’d better pay it because it’s already on the bill and they don’t have control over it because it’s from the town. Then the irrigation district will have to give us a refund. They were concerned if we didn’t pay because it was already on our property tax and a different agency that we would end up with failure to pay on our property taxes. Paid the fees immediately so we could submit the receipt and get our refund. That was in October and since there has been zero calls back and zero email’s back from the irrigation district.
I’m at a loss as to what to do and beyond angry at this point that they would do this and not even have it all figured out beforehand. I have a sick feeling we will be stuck paying these fees with no way to have it straightened out for real.

 

[Neb]

The “city” irrigation district decided we needed more fees. All who have irrigation are to be charged yearly per irrigated acre of land. The well on our land has been capped and not functional for well over 50 years. There isn’t even power to that end of the property. They know this yet put us on the fees list. They “accidentally” didn’t see our response email so the fees were accessed on our property tax bill. Finally got a hold of someone from the irrigation district from the town we don’t even live in whose office is the next town over (what!?!) and they confirmed we shouldn’t have been charged and should have been taken off the list. Apparently they are “rarely” in the office to boot.
Next step is what to do because it’s now on our property taxes. “Call the state and see what they want you to do”. Called and was told we’d better pay it because it’s already on the bill and they don’t have control over it because it’s from the town. Then the irrigation district will have to give us a refund. They were concerned if we didn’t pay because it was already on our property tax and a different agency that we would end up with failure to pay on our property taxes. Paid the fees immediately so we could submit the receipt and get our refund. That was in October and since there has been zero calls back and zero email’s back from the irrigation district.
I’m at a loss as to what to do and beyond angry at this point that they would do this and not even have it all figured out beforehand. I have a sick feeling we will be stuck paying these fees with no way to have it straightened out for real.

Maybe start with a registered letter to them and a duplicate to yourself that you keep sealed?

When talking to people take notes who you talk to and the nature of the conversations. Ask when you can reasonably expect a result. If the person you are talking to ask to speak to their supervisor. If the supervisor cant help talk to their supervisor. Follow up and keep on them and be the squeaky wheel.

Attend town hall meetings and exercise your 1st amendment right to petition the government.

Write letters to the editor of the local paper.

And then there is the lawyer option.

Repeat
Take notes take names and follow up.

Ben

 

[zannej]

Dademoss, that really sucks. Kinda reminds me of how my grandfather donated blood to Red Cross every year for decades. Then one year he was too sick to do it and my grandmother needed surgery & a transfusion. He asked Red Cross for some blood for her & they told him to piss up a rope because he hadn't donated blood *that* year.

DoubleR, the town I'm in pulls crap like that. Will tack things on to people's property taxes. My friend is being taxed at a higher rate than he should be because they are claiming there's more acreage-- but the church took at least 20ft x 40ft of the property (they built a fence and half the church on his lot) and a local judge fenced off at least 20ftx20ft of his property to steal to use as rental space for a trailer park. I told him he needs to have someone come out and see how much land he still has access to and re-evaluate the taxes at a lower rate since much of the land was stolen. Church has been there long enough he can't legally get that part back. Judge only did his crap in the past few years, but no lawyer in the area will challenge a town judge.

 

[Amish Heart]

Don't you have animal poop you can use for fertilizer, Peanut?
Ours will be a mix this year. We have lots of aged cow poop, and I constantly throw rabbit poop out, and our grandson will be shoveling sheep poop this weekend for our farm neighbor, and he said he'd dump a truckload on the garden area.

 

[Double R]

Maybe start with a registered letter to them and a duplicate to yourself that you keep sealed?

When talking to people take notes who you talk to and the nature of the conversations. Ask when you can reasonably expect a result. If the person you are talking to ask to speak to their supervisor. If the supervisor cant help talk to their supervisor. Follow up and keep on them and be the squeaky wheel.

Attend town hall meetings and exercise your 1st amendment right to petition the government.

Write letters to the editor of the local paper.

And then there is the lawyer option.

Repeat
Take notes take names and follow up.

Ben

Thank you
Supposedly there is only 1 person to deal with so no supervisor. I will do as you’ve stated above however. I take very detailed notes so that won’t be an issue. Has paid off many times previously.

 

[Weedygarden]

Yesterday some goober in a jacked up truck passed me on a double yellow in a school zone. 25 was just too slow for him.

I see this and it is dangerous for everyone on the road. I have heard some people say that people in general are driving too fast, and the person talking about it is going way under the speed limit. Going slow to control traffic so he can gawk?

I know someone else who does something called a brake check, by hitting their brakes when someone is driving too close to them. I told her that is dangerous and can cause an accident.

There are two ways that I handle tailgaters. If I am able to, I pull over and let them pass. I have no idea if they are having an emergency, are late, or are just jerks. Either way, I am safer if they have passed me. If I am not able to pull over, I take my foot off the gas and let the vehicle slow down. I recently had someone riding my tail and it was so close that I took my foot off the gas, and they actually slowed down and put reasonable space between us.

Ever have someone ride your tail and finally speed around you, to get to the next light and there they are?

I also keep my eyes on the road, pay attention, and go the speed limit or slightly above it, depending on what else is going on. I think that if the speed limit is 30 and someone is driving 20 or even 25, it creates a dangerous situation. I doubt these people ever look in the rear view mirror and see the line of cars behind them.

Some people do have places to go and people to see. Some people have nowhere to go and all day to get there, and they are making a day out of going nowhere. People who are driving like that are equally as dangerous, imho, as people who drive recklessly.

I remember riding in cars with older people when I was a child, and realizing how reckless some were. They were all over the road. They couldn't talk and pay attention to their driving. Of course, the old people that I rode with never had to take a driver's test. They just had to go and fill out an application, pay a fee and they were issued a license. I had a strict driver's ed teacher for a semester. I cannot parallel park without thinking of him.

 

[ClemKadiddlehopper]

Well my life just hit a curve.

My son the MD, is contracted to move to the big city for six months to get edjumacated in obstetrics. He and his wife had a colleague that was going to house sit for them for the duration. That person has just canceled on him. They have to leave on boxing day. Guess who is going to be house sitting now?

So, I am going on a nine hour road trip on the 24th. Eat Christmas dinner on the 25th with the kids and then twiddle my thumbs rather anxiously for the next six months at the most inopportune time.

I have a week to get my piano, gardening crap and some odds and ends loaded in the horse trailer. Here's hoping the world doesn't fall completely apart before June. I think it's a long shot.

 

[havasu]

Well my life just hit a curve.

My son the MD, is contracted to move to the big city for six months to get edjumacated in obstetrics. He and his wife had a colleague that was going to house sit for them for the duration. That person has just canceled on him. They have to leave on boxing day. Guess who is going to be house sitting now?

So, I am going on a nine hour road trip on the 24th. Eat Christmas dinner on the 25th with the kids and then twiddle my thumbs rather anxiously for the next six months at the most inopportune time.

I have a week to get my piano, gardening crap and some odds and ends loaded in the horse trailer. Here's hoping the world doesn't fall completely apart before June. I think it's a long shot.

Life is an adventure. Enjoy it!

 

[joel]

Don't you have animal poop you can use for fertilizer, Peanut?
Ours will be a mix this year. We have lots of aged cow poop, and I constantly throw rabbit poop out, and our grandson will be shoveling sheep poop this weekend for our farm neighbor, and he said he'd dump a truckload on the garden area.

Had a friend offer me his rabbit poop. He has problems cleaning under the cages, so I am going to give him a hand.

 

[Peanut]

Don't you have animal poop you can use for fertilizer, Peanut?

The problem is scale, I have about 45 acres in grass. Whether poop or commercial fertilizer I need several tons. Right now I have a horse, donkey, 8 chickens and a scrawny calf. I doubt they could poop a ton in a year.

 

[MoBookworm1957]

Come on. Where's the sympathy?

Out the window, blowing in the breeze.

 

[zannej]

I used to collect up the dried cow manure for my late elderly friend. He loved to use it in his garden. He jokingly mentioned he wanted me to gather some for him. I said I would and he gave me a bag. The concept of women doing farm work was still alien to him. He was shocked when I climbed up on his roof and swept the leaves and branches off (I actually had to hide so he wouldn't know I was up there so he wouldn't get upset). He was a little salty about it but was grateful that I'd done it. He later came to accept that I could climb up and do stuff on the roof for him. Wish I could still do that-- ankles don't cooperate anymore.

Weedy, there are some people who drive super slow for no apparent reason. I got stuck behind several of them this past week. No passing zone going over 10mph under speed limit. Worst I saw was some dude who decided he was going to drive way under speed limit but make sure nobody could pass him so he drove right down the middle of the road and anytime someone tried to get around him he'd move over more to the left. No idea what his deal was. Maybe some control freak thing. But, I've been going speed limit or within acceptable limits over speed limit and had people riding my tail. I've only brake-checked a couple of times. One was an 18-wheeler driving in the wrong lane (they were supposed to stay in the right lane) and getting closer and closer to me. I tapped the brake lightly and resumed speed but he got the message. He was super pissed though. I was in the left lane and there was another 18-wheeler to my right and no lane to pull off into on the left so I was stuck there and this guy was fishtailing slightly from going so fast before I tapped. He did slow down and was shaking his fist and red-faced. Tried to get along side me and was fishtailing but truck in front of him was going too slow for him to keep up.

My BIL told me it was dangerous to do that, but then he's the guy who will chase people down to confront them if they give him road rage. I just flip people off and move along.

 

[Terri9630]

The problem is scale, I have about 45 acres in grass. Whether poop or commercial fertilizer I need several tons. Right now I have a horse, donkey, 8 chickens and a scrawny calf. I doubt they could poop a ton in a year.

Feed em a bit more, they'll get there!! I ordered (and received) our fertalizer for next year. Our compost is great but some things need a bit....more. Like the blueberries and grapes. Our soil is to alkaline for them to be happy.

 

[Peanut]

Your soil must be very acidic. Blueberry's here grow best in acid soil. Pine forests are the most acidic soil in these parts.

 

[Terri9630]

Your soil must be very acidic. Blueberry's here grow best in acid soil. Pine forests are the most acidic soil in these parts.

Nope. Our soil pH is 8 1/2 to 9. Very alkaline. Our pines apparently don't like acid soils. Really surprised me when we got the soil tests back.

 

[Peanut]

Nope. Our soil pH is 8 1/2 to 9. Very alkaline. Our pines apparently don't like acid soils. Really surprised me when we got the soil tests back.

Whoops... got my words confused...

teach me to do 2 things at once...

 

[joel]

Your soil must be very acidic. Blueberry's here grow best in acid soil. Pine forests are the most acidic soil in these parts.

In your part of bamba, do you have a lot of iron in the soil?

 

[joel]

To keep my tiny blueberry patch in happy (and productive) health, each spring I pour acidifying halos around the shrubs. The details:

If your soil is naturally acidic, with a pH of 4.6 to 5.5 (as determined by a soil test), you’re good to go, as far as blueberries are concerned. Otherwise, if your soil is alkaline, or “sweet,” meaning its pH is 6.0 or higher, you’ll need to amend it.

And speaking of amendments! I keep hearing that pine needles and oak leaves will lower the pH of soil, and make it acidic. But that old wives’ (husbands’?) tale was debunked by scientists several years ago. Unfortunately, the myth persists.
How I Acidify My Blueberry Soil (& other useful tips)
BY KEVIN LEE JACOBS | MARCH 30, 2017 96 COMMENTS

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Last updated on March 29th, 2018
What do blueberries, rhododendrons, and azaleas have in common? They all want acidic soil! To keep my tiny blueberry patch in happy (and productive) health, each spring I pour acidifying halos around the shrubs. The details:
If your soil is naturally acidic, with a pH of 4.6 to 5.5 (as determined by a soil test), you’re good to go, as far as blueberries are concerned. Otherwise, if your soil is alkaline, or “sweet,” meaning its pH is 6.0 or higher, you’ll need to amend it.
And speaking of amendments! I keep hearing that pine needles and oak leaves will lower the pH of soil, and make it acidic. But that old wives’ (husbands’?) tale was debunked by scientists several years ago. Unfortunately, the myth persists.



Now, before we add our acidifier, let me offer you 7 tips for blueberry success:
Tip #1: Consider the real estate. Although blueberries will grow in part shade, they will grow even better in full sun.
Tip #2: Before planting, work plenty of organic matter into the soil. I added shredded leaves and peat moss to my boxwood-edged bed.
Tip #3: Never plant just one shrub! Cross pollination of different varieties will give you more and bigger fruit. I grow early-, mid-, and late-season varieties.
Tip #4: Even if it pains you to do so, remove flower buds the first two years after planting. Otherwise, growth will be slow, and the shrubs will never amount to anything. I speak from experience.
Tip #5: After three years have passed, winter-prune while the bushes are dormant. Pruning forces the plant to produce extra fruiting branches. Click here for pruning advice from Ohio State University.
Tip #6: Mulch the bed with 2- or 3-inches of…something. Over the years, I’ve relied on shredded leaves, pine needles, and wood chips to mulch my blueberry patch.
Tip #7: Provide adequate moisture. Blueberries, like most plants, prefer 1-2 inches of water per week.


https://www.agardenforthehouse.com/2015/04/how-i-acidify-my-blueberry-soil/img_6372/

 

[zannej]

Pine trees grow well here-- hell, they grow like weeds. Didn't have much luck with the blueberries though. Birds kept eating them when they got near ripe. Tried strawberries too but that didn't work out.

My current gripe is my crappy ISP. We have not increased our usage or changed our internet patterns but for some reason it says we are using far more data than we actually are. Our data resets on the 12th every month but within 4 days it said we used 50gb even though we weren't downloading much. I did all my windows updates at my friend's house. It went over bigtime last month. Way more than we actually used. I checked my bitmeter and it showed I used maybe 20gb the entire month. I've heard there is a class action lawsuit against my ISP for bandwidth miscalculation. Although, it counts 1000mb as a gb so they lie up front about what the bandwidth really is. I think we're already over 80gb used and we aren't even halfway through. We've been using less data than usual but it's still taking more. Router is password protected, no unknown devices showing as connected, and our signal doesn't reach outside of our yard- so no chance of anyone stealing bandwidth.

There are currently no other options for internet (not counting Hughesnet bc they suck even more than Viasat). T-Mobile set up a tower in town but still does not cover my area and Skynet Starlink isn't available until at least February. If the bandwidth miscalculation keeps up we may lose our service before something else comes along (they claim they will cancel service for people who go over the limit).

I hate that they have us over a barrel. We've tried other services but they didn't work.

 

[havasu]

So, it looks like I got bit by a brown recluse or black widow spider in my right index finger. It has half my hand swollen and hurts like the dickens. I've soaked it in Epson salt, taking antibiotics and have it under a bandage with Neosporin. If I had to go somewhere to get it looked at, would I go to the doctor, a dermatologist, a 24 hour emergency care or a hospital?

 

[Peanut]

@havasu I leave now for the nearest (large) medical center known for dealing with snake bites, insects. If it was a brown recluse or black widow your going to need serious follow up care, they will have that capability also.

A doc in a box or some small location isn't going to have the resources or expertise to help you. If you find any sida rhombafolia on the way to the big hospital eat a belly full... its a hemotoxin blocker (and has more protein per ounce than a ribeye steak).

 

[Peanut]

@havasu how far are you from Loma Linda hosp? They treated snakebites for Riverside county and beyond back in the day, may not be applicable now.

 

[havasu]

Loma Linda is about 35 minutes away.

 

[Peanut]

I've seen rattlesnake bites treated at Loma Linda but that was long ago. Soft tissue damage can be serious with mean ole nasty spiders. They might have an outpatient treatment center dealing with just that.

I'd call them directly and get an info available. You might have to be referred to them by a local doc... won't hurt to call and see.

 

[Peanut]

I went out this afternoon to feed and water all the critters. I grabbed 2 full buckets of water and started for the corral. The puppy almost knocked me over… at least a pint of ice cold water poured into the top of my muck boot. So, it took an hour to get the critters taken care of… all the while ice cold water is sloshing in my boot. I really hate when that happens.

 

[havasu]

Doc wouldn't see me and recommended I go to an urgent care. After 2 hours, they confirmed it was a black widow bite, and gave me Keflex and Bactrim. Since the skin was hard, they didn't want to lance it open. Well see what the next few days hold.

 

[Peanut]

Glad you got some help! There really isn't a lot that can be done hours after the fact. Hope the tissue damage doesn't develop problems in the days to come. Keep us updated!

 

[Bacpacker]

Hate to see that Havasu. Hope the treatment helps out. Prayers goin up for you

 

[havasu]

Thanks, but please save those prayers for someone more worthy. I can name a dozen just here in our dysfunctional family.

 

[Bacpacker]

Thanks, but please save those prayers for someone more worthy. I can name a dozen just here in our dysfunctional family.

More than enough prayers going around to include you in them. I pray for one or more in this family every day.