A Tribute To NoMi Dogs - And a GIVEAWAY!

Here's a photo of my furbaby, Hogan, watching the sights and scenes on Newton Avenue on a gorgeous fall day.

This is in conjunction with fellow NoMi blogger Carla and her furbabies Rocco and Sadie over at Hammers and High Heels.  She dedicated a blog post to her pups and is even doing  a blog giveaway contest, perhaps the first ever giveaway contest of any of the NoMi bloggers.

So, give your pooch an extra hug and kiss and head over to Hammers and High Heels to enter the pet treat give-a-way. Hurry, I think it's today only! Nope! It goes through Sunday October 9th - so get on over there and leave a comment!

Time to Lift the Tornado Clean Up Grace Period

All of these photos were taken last weekend, August 27 and 28.  Over three months after the tornado.  And they are all from an approximate radius of three blocks from my house, this isn't even the whole tornado zone.

As a person who is working hard to get house and yard put back together, I am taking a certain liberty to declare a "time's up for clean up" work after the tornado.  I am not talking repairs and rebuilds, lord knows how complicated that is. I'm simply referring to cleaning up. Removing damaged fixtures and debris. Getting yards as neat and tidy as possible. Cleaning up the mess that I call the "garbage disposal effect", when a house, yard or garage looks like it got spit out of a garbage disposal.

What are you waiting for dude? Grab a ladder and a trash can!

So, revitalizers, feel free to call 3-1-1 or send emails to minneapolis311@ci.minneapolis.mn.us  to report debris, trash, messy yards, damaged fences and other house, garage, and yard type stuff that really should be cleaned up by now so we all can begin to return to some normalcy as soon as possible.

The messy, overgrown yard isn't even the best part. Check out the house way in the back ground, no more second story, totatly exposed to the elements, hidden behind an overgrown jungle.

How much  longer do we have to live where it looks like bombs dropped from the sky?

Trying to live in a disaster zone is hard for everyone.  It's past time for everyone - slumlords, decent landlords and homeowners and business owners to all do our part to clean up the mess and put the pieces back together. Restore some order and neatness while bigger repairs continue and improvements move into place. 

C'mon people, it's been over three months!

This is the "garbage disposal effect" I was referring to.

"Neighborhood leaders are all, like, WTF?!!!"

It's been this way for over a month folks.

How long will these sit here?

See the trash can right there? Use it.

I don't even have words for this.

There are lawn mowers and weed whackers for rent at Northend. Just sayin'.

Santa will be needing that chimney soon. Get on it people.

Nice dumping. Real nice.

There are some revitalizers that would love to burn this up in their back yard fire pit.

This business didn't look much better before the tornado. Put it out of its misery!

I wish it would fall on the building and do us all a favor.

After the Tornado: A Photo Collection of Month 1

JACC Treasurer Denny Wagner sponsored six thank you signs to post around Jordan for the big volunteer weekends

Within days after the tornado, this Red Cross outreach vehicle was making regular stops on my block, passing out snacks and meals of apples, oranges, cookies, sandwiches, water and other stuff.  The volunteers made talk with folks asking how they were doing, how were other folks in the family, etc.

Sadly, living through a tornado is a good way to meet neighbors.

The emotional toll can be seen on the faces of children.

This little gal had never seen herself on camera.

The heaved up sidewalks make a great perch.

Faith based organizations mobilized their volunteers.

Despite the tornado, other neighborhood clean up must continue.

During the big city organized volunteer day, this group of neighbors moved a huge pile of roofing debris to my back alley.

Here's the volunteers before they moved on to the next house.  I got to meet some new neighbors from Jordan. Robert and Marlee a/k/a "James Neighbor" are on the far right.

"Thank You Northside Volunteers"

This is what I mean when I say houses look like they've been put through a garbage disposal.

Neighborly love flowing strong at the Jordan Pond.

And of course roasting peeps! (yes, peeps, the sugar coated marshmallows - try it!)

Nomi Tornado - Just A Few Photos

Looking out  my back door

My already famous American flag was down the street, a friend fetched it and stuck it in my window box.

Bike Cops For Kids founder Mark Klukow stopped by and posed on my open attic floor