Updates from the Alley

This past fall I bought a home. I bought it in a “gentrifying” area of St. Louis (read: only 50% sketchy). Why would I do this? I couldn’t help it! It’s #73 on Stuff White People Like!

I love my house but there is the occasional disturbance that does occur mainly in the form of loud neighbors and speeding cars. Those are things I can deal with. Now maybe it’s the spring weather but in the past month there have been some extra sketchy things going on in the alley behind my house. My backyard opens directly to the alley. No fence, no garage, nothing. Sketchy.

Here’s the summary:

1. I come home for lunch one day to let my dog out. As I walk outside I see an abandoned car, crime scene tape, and about 30 police officers standing around. Not the most encouraging scene. After talking to a detective I determined that the guy who caused this accident which killed a police officer decided to ditch his car in my backyard. In MY backyard. Why? What are the odds? I’m in the middle of the block! Luckily the guy was caught and will probably be serving 25 years for 2nd degree murder.

2. Last Wednesday I came home around 9pm and once again let the dog out. This time there’s a police car in the alley directly behind my home and 4-5 officers with flashlights and guns drawn searching around. Looking in dumpsters, behind fences, under decks, etc. Apparently looking for a “black male with dreadlocks.” A police helicopter hovered over my neighborhood for at least 30 minutes. I haven’t 100% been able to determine what was going on but I think a woman was robbed about a mile away and the guy must’ve somehow found his way to my ‘hood. And my alley apparently!
3. Jump to yesterday. Sunday. This is much less scandalous but still not something I would see living in the suburbs. I was sitting in my kitchen enjoying my weekly Mimosa when I look outside to see a firefighter at the home diagonal to mine across the alley. I take a walk outside and I guess there was some kind of small kitchen fire because there are firefighters on a ladder breaking out windows for ventilation and smoke billowing (ok not quite billowing) into the air.

Needless to say my top priority this spring/summer is garage and fence. I already have the bids in I just need to secure some financing. City living at it’s finest! Now where’s that gentrification?

6 comments April 19th, 2010

I’m a Daddy!

No not the kind of Daddy that has to raise his genetic offspring, or the kind that has to worry about schooling, or my child becoming the town skank. Because this isn’t the type of child that started as a twinkle in my eye (balls). It’s the kind that has 4 legs and is covered in fur. We got a new puppy!

Trying to think of a name I was looking toward naming him after a famous figure in literature or music. Somebody that I would be proud of naming my pooch after. After many (MANY!) ideas I decided to go the simple route and name him after a key ingredient in one of my favorite drinks. So here he is —- Barley!

So far owning this dog hasn’t been much different that raising a human child (I imagine). There have been too many 5am whining wake up calls and some epic dumps on the living room floor. But we’re working on it. He’s only 8 weeks old right now and he just got his first puppy shots. Soon we’ll start leash training and taking him to Tower Grove Park for his walks.

He is 3/4 Chocolate Lab and 1/4 German Shepard (I think) so he could grow to be a big ‘un. All the more reason to spend my evenings trying to train this little monster.

Here’s a few more pictures:

5 comments March 11th, 2010