Buzzards

Having been off from work for nearly two weeks, I've noticed a few things as I work outside repairing storm damage from Ike.

First, it seems that many, if not all of the people who've suffered damage to their homes are waiting for insurance adjusters before they start with any repairs.

For their sake, I hope it doesn't rain any time soon!

I've spent the majority of the last couple of days up on the roof replacing damaged shingles. It may not look all that great, but the roof will not leak when it rains. As far as I'm concerned, that's 9/10 of the battle!

Second, I've noticed an inordinate number of folks out "trolling" for junk. They're cruising slowly up and down the street carefully eyeballing everyone's stack of garbage, stopping to pick out this item or that item. How can you tell? They've got a trunk full of yard umbrellas, bar-b-cue pits, twisted steel poles, and other assorted stuff that got damaged by the storm.

I know that one man's junk is another's treasure, but tell me a few things, will you, Mr. Junk? How is it that you have time to troll around looking for trash all day? Is scrap metal your hobby or your livelihood? If it's the latter, get a trailer so you look a little more professional, will you? If it's the former, school is starting back up soon, you'd better hurry! Next, pile things back up neatly, will you? I know that twisted pool ladder is really valuable and all, but someone is trying REALLY hard to get things back to normal and they really don't need to re-stack all of that garbage that they already stacked up neatly once before. Finally, stop and ASK someone before you just grab stuff and drive off, will you? People have been laying stuff out to dry and the LAST thing anyone needs is for their stuff to dry out and then drive off!

Here's a reall business opportunity! If you have a chain saw, a trailer, and a hydraulic log splitter, you have an UNLIMITED supply of firewood piled up on every street in town and no one, and I mean NO ONE, would mind even a little bit if you drove up and removed their stack of THAT at your leisure!

School starts back up for teachers and administrators on Thursday! That means, of course, that I won't be around to guard the trash piles so, Mr. Junk, PLEASE be kind to my neighbors!