I didn't have to use the chains...

Ever since my front yard was marked to show the underground utilities the week of Thanksgiving I have been rather worried about the redbud in the park strip.  I know that it is not my tree, but the city's.  However, somehow it got slated for removal and I have been trying to get the city arborist to stop the process.

Yes, last spring, when it did not bud and looked "dead" to me, I called the arborist.  After two weeks, he finally returned my fourth call and said he would come out and look at it.  He never did.

Well, the warm weather finally arrived and the redbud leafed out, albeit rather late.  Firewood Man looked at the tree and cut into a branch and told me that it seemed fine.  Since my beloved weeping cherry did not bloom either, I realized the redbud tree must have been just as sensitive to the extended winter we had with warm days followed by further cold weather.  It was a confusing time for all of God's creation in Fort Wayne.

I treated all of my trees and bushes with a fertilizer and systemic and put extended release nitrogen spikes at the base of all of my trees.  The redbud looked better and better all summer.  However, unbeknownst to me, it was put on the city's list for removal, and a contractor arranged to have my utilities marked.

It took three calls to 811 to find out why my yard was marked and then five calls to 311 to finally get someone to come to my house.  The funny thing is ... the city guy and the tree removal guy happened to come at the same time.

During my last 311 call, I learned the city arborist is on vacation until January 26th and so there was not much anyone could do because he directs all the tree planning for Fort Wayne.  Essentially, I kept hearing that no one at 311 could change the arborist's instructions.  Finally, I got transferred to the voice mail of the arborist's emergency contact.  I left a rather frantic message with his emergency contact about the need to stop the madness of removing a healthy tree.

Calling the contractor directly (after getting the 811 folk to cough up the company name), did not help.  The contractor said he had to follow his paperwork for the city.  I cannot remember who, but someone quipped that I could always chain myself to the tree.

Tears worked just as well.
I guess.

Anyway, after my fifth 311 call at the end of last week, I have been so worried I would sleep through the tree removal that I have been unable to go back to sleep in the mornings.  Today, I was up far too early once more.  However, that ended up being a good thing because I was up to notice both the contractor truck circling my block and then the truck with the city logo on the side.  Despite my disheveled, pajama-ed appearance, I promptly went outside to talk to the city guy.

[Yes, I forgot I still had on my breath right strip.]

He said that he checked the city computer before coming out here and the redbud at this address was not scheduled for replacement.  [He checked the listing of curb markings for tree removals.]  When I mentioned the name of the contracting company, the man who had been circling the block and who was listening to us walked up and showed his paperwork to the city guy.  The paperwork that he received from the city clearly said that the tree was to be removed and replaced.

Now, the utilities marking showed just how close the gas and water lines are the to the tree.  So, even if it was dead, I would not welcome much digging there.  However, the tree is alive!

I was able to scroll through my phone to one of my rain videos to show the city guy that the tree was leafy and looking well.  He finally agreed to go back to the office and figure out where the removal order was and re-send the information to the contractor so he did not have my address on his list.

Bureaucracy at its finest.

Call me silly, but this has been a true weight on my shoulders.  The first marking was atop the leaves, so I was relieved when they were finally removed during the make-up week for the city leaf collection program.  I took the liberty of recycling all the flags.  Last Thursday, however, the yard was marked again.  Big THICK spray-paint markings, with lots and lots of flags.  Yes, I was tempted to try and mow away the markings and remove the flags.  But I talked myself ... barely ... out of doing so.

Once both men left, I was practically giddy in relief.  And I was even more exhausted.  It was as if I've been holding my breath for weeks.  You know ... if something is "on the list" there is not much a citizen can do to keep that government list from being followed.  SIGH.

So, I worked out my angst by making Black Bean Soup with Roasted Bell Peppers and Thai Honey Peanut Chicken (a double batch).  I had planned to make Pasta alla Vodka, too, to balance out the meal options in my freezer, but I forgot to thaw the cream.  I have it sitting out right now, but I am sort of fading fast.

Doesn't that look ever so tasty??  I managed to remember to turn down the heat after adding the rice, so there were no cooking disasters.  Making a double batch of rice, though, was a bit tricky with the timing.  I let it go for two and a half minutes extra.

The fun part about this recipe is that you can be a bit cavalier about your measuring. I mean, I take the "two heaping tablespoons of peanut butter" to mean that really you just end up with almost three tablespoons.  It was hard to put all eight servings in the jars and pop them into the freezer.  But I did have pulled pork tacos thawed out to eat for today.

I had Beef Stew with Beer yesterday.
Try not to be jealous.

I have become such a slug when it comes to cooking.  All those things in my freezer are so tasty that when I start to run low on them, rather than try a new recipe I just replace my stash.  Four jars from now, I'll be making another pot of that heavenly Chipotle Chicken Chili.  I will try the new chicken recipe I found ... if I can figure out how to pick out bourbon at the store.

When I checked my email, I had even more good news with the auto policy.  I received another discount because I completed all the paperwork online and set up (again) electronic payments.  This means that the policy is actually $16 less than the quote.  Every little bit helps.

Armed with the monthly payment information, I decided that, while the cream is thawing, I would start entering all the transactions for 2015 into my register program.  I did that for 2014 and it helped with trying to keep my expenses down ... or at least stay on track with what I budgeted and immediately see the long-term impact when my medication expenses leapt up with the cost of the pill version of erythromycin.  For the utilities, I put in guestimates and then update them each month when the bills come.  I admit I get a bit giddy whenever the bill is less than I predicted.  Given that I charge everything I can and have a budgeted number for Capital One, I can basically tell you how much money I will have at any point in the coming year.  Or, at least, how much money I hope I will have at any point in the coming year.  I do have to watch out for those pesky, unplanned medical expenses.

I was in March, with my data entry, when a certain box arrived.  I have not yet girded my loins enough to open it, but I did stop and watch this for the third time:




How many times should I watch it before I open my own box??  If you go to You Tube, you will see that this very, very, very cheerful person made a video for each and every page (function) of the instruction book.  I take comfort in knowing that I have videos to watch, but I am not quite brave enough to open the box.

After all, I have data to enter.
And pasta to cook.
And a lonely puppy dog to cuddle.