As Sand Through The Hourglass,

It's odd how something little can make a big impact in our lives.

The city said they were repaving our road today. My uncle bought two cars a few years ago. They have since broke down. My uncle lives next door to us and both cars are by our house. The one in question has a problem with the transmission (third gear is gone) and it just isn't worth fixing. The police said we had to move it because of the road work that was going to take place. We started it up and I drove it around to the back part of my uncle's driveway. The police made this huge to do about it when it was no problem what so ever. Everyone in the neighborhood was told they had to have their cars at least two feet off of the road. The road was going to be closed for the majority of the day to do the work. And of course, nothing was done. Not a single part of the road was touched.

Now, we live in an out of the way area and everyone but a few have a parking place that consists of some shale at the end of their yard or beside their house. That meant that everyone had to have their cars out of the area for the day. I don't know if the work has since been done as I'm at work at the moment (4-12). If not, tomorrow everyone will be expected to do the same thing. It's a little annoying having someone making you inconvenience yourself to do something, and then not do it. Especially after the commotion the police officer made over a simple moving of a car. It got to the point that my father told him he had to leave or call and get back up.

I'm glad my wife will be at work tomorrow, I'll be in Pittsburgh, and the children will be with my mother-in-law. We won't have to deal with the whole mess. If it doesn't get done, and correctly, I pity the workers. The neighbors will be all over them.

We have a gasoline company at one end of the main road and the big tanker trucks come through and just tear the road up. They rarely fix it, so if it's not done right, watch out! The only reason they're doing it to begin with is because the Tour De Toona will be on that road. We're now wondering if they're going to repave our road, a horseshoe off shoot of the main road, or not.

Since they started the Tour De Toona they fixed all the highways and the roads that the bicyclists ride on, but all the other roads have gone to pot. The downtown area is deplorable. They send the cyclists through the countryside to show them the "beauty" of Pennsylvania and make a few bucks. The people that live there have to do without the roads, as they are closed for the race, and can't even get to their homes at times to appease the cyclists. They also close sections of the highway down to do time trials. The entire deal is horrible.

There was a problem a few years ago where an elderly man was trying to drive to his house a few yards from a road block during a race. He was stopped be the police officer who was guarding the area and told to turn around. The officer got upset because he had to tell the guy several times due to him being hard of hearing. Then, when the gentleman pulled forward to turn around, because there was traffic behind him, the officer reached in the truck, turned the motor off, took his keys, and proceeded to physically drag the elderly man out of the car. The temperature was in the 90's and the officer made him kneel on the side of the road, handcuffed, for over an hour. When he was released, his family took him to the hospital where he was given intravenous fluids because he was dehydrated. The police station was befuddled as to why they were being sued. I don't know if it's just this area or not, but something is wrong somewhere.

Just to let you know, my family has lived here for years and we know all the local police; most of whom are related. It's not the highest class of neighborhoods. At one time the police wouldn't come into the neighborhood after dark, for any reason. The officer giving us a hard time was trying to show how tough he was and throw his weight around, but it didn't take him very long to get in the car and leave.

My family also has a not so friendly past with the local police, and everyone knows it. My one uncle has been in jail more years then I've been alive, or somewhere close to it anyway, so there has never been a love connection with them and my family. It's funny to think that I started my nursing career in the prison system (my uncle was doing time in the same prison when and where I started my job). I'll bet that's why I got along with the inmates as well as I did. At the county prison I started at, I personally knew at least a third of the population at one time (not relatives but friends).

Isn't it funny how life twists and turns and takes you in directions you never even thought you would venture? Well, I guess I've ranted enough for tonight. It's been a little while since I've felt the need to do it. So, that being done:

Best.