Weekend Injury Report

[pen_grunt]

I suppose "spring" marks a new weekend routine for us. Instead of leisurely perusing thrift stores and reading, we actually have to *do* things...you know, "as long as it's so nice out."

Our front steps have transformed from caved-in cut-rate concrete, to solid, hand built wood. I'm still amazed at D's ability to just decide he's going to make something and then miraculously be able to produce an end result. Of course, such projects always have a certain number of casualties.

Injury Report
--------------
Derrick:
2-Slivers in his hand
1-Sore body (all over, apparently)

Missy:
1-Blister
1-Scraped knuckle
1-Tiny bruise on the shin (where I got a little bit too swingy with the sledge hammer)

For the record, taking a sledge hammer to concrete is fun. Really fun. Fun as in, I don't care if you have a wedding to go to, I don't care if it's your own wedding--if someone asks you to demolish something the answer is ALWAYS yes. Just do it. Smashy-smashy goodness :)


Things were going well and good, the steps were almost built, until our neighbor--Crazy Dave--decided to "help." This is the:

"It's 7am on a Sunday morning, wanna bet Dave's drunk"
"Yeah, 5 bucks says he's not."
"Morning Dave!"
"Mpsdfh. Jhusdp skn, goubt boustbill."

"Gimme that 5 bucks."

neighbor. Who was drunk again while harassing Derrick about building the steps. That was frustrating, irritating, even ire-inspiring. BUT it was nothing compared to Drunk Dave taunting the gang members while standing in front of our house.

Derrick is peacefully working on the steps, Dave is giving running commentary over his shoulder, and a group of teenagers comes ambling down the street. Dave yells at them. They ask Dave to give them a beer. Dave taunts them, and then tells them that he's not giving a beer to underage kids. They explain that they're 18 and part of a gang, so they should be given a beer. (They're showing off their nice, purdy matching red bandannas and calling themselves the "bloods" *shrug*)

He tells them that if they want a beer, they can go in his f*cking house and get it, but see if they come out alive. They, again, refer to their gang affiliations. Dave starts shouting about how he has a gun. They also have guns, apparently. Dave shouts that his gun is bigger. Said teenagers make some threat and walk off. Dave turns to Derrick and says, "Isn't alcoholism great?"

This is happening in front of OUR house, mind you, not Drunk Dave's.

So if you hear about a gang-related shooting in a typically gang-free, low-crime neighborhood in St. Paul, that's our house. Ahhh, crazy neighbors.

Comments

[llythefaerye.livejournal.com]

Loverly . . . *grimace* And yes - Smashy-smashy trumps just about anything, I'm sad I didn't get a piece of the action! Though I am *highly* amused that you hit yourself with a sledge hammer . . . *wicked grin*

*sigh* You've got a good'un . . . and the whole family agrees and, well, rather expounds on that point . . . *nods*

[pen-grunt.livejournal.com]

It's a teeny, tiny bruise. Made by a slight miscalculation on my part as to how quickly a particularly thick chunk of concrete was going to break apart. That being said, the sledge hammer barely tapped my shin--it could have been a lot worse considering the force involved--but I was standing in a good/correct position so nuttin' doin'.

I dun knows howta break stuff. :)

[llythefaerye.livejournal.com]

I know, but it still makes for a funny image in my mind, (mostly 'cause I *know* you didn't really get hurt), so it's fun to accuse you of whapping yourself with a sledge hammer. . . You understand. *serene smile*

[pen-grunt.livejournal.com]

It was made all the more perfect by Drunk Dave leering from his yard and slur-shouting, "Donn drop thatthing on yer foot, that'll hurt like a summofabitch."

[llythefaerye.livejournal.com]

Agreed.

[irishinmn.livejournal.com]

You do realise that you could have involved the extent of injury by just **asking** for some help .....

Help is always here .... you just have to **ask**

[pen-grunt.livejournal.com]

Well, it was only supposed to be an easy 3-hour project (and at that stage, it would have been excessive to ask for help...cuz I wouldn't have gotten to do any of the fun smashy-smashing).

Then Drunk Dave got involved...

...and Derrick's far too polite to say, "Fuckoff, I wanna do it my way...and incidentally, can you stop provoking gang bangers in front of MY house."

So it stretched into an easy 6 hour project.

[gigglerz.livejournal.com]

may we borrow D to come over and work on our house? you and i can supervise with a lemonaide or something in our hands :)

[pen-grunt.livejournal.com]

You can't have him until he's built the bookshelf leading downstairs :)

After that he's all yours...err...I should say, "After that, you may ask him if he wants to help."

No use giving away the fiance without his consent. *shakes head*