I don't expect to see crocuses till March, but they're often poking their heads up through snow. I also expect to see snow in May. I like seeing tulips with snow inside them.

The apartment complex keeps putting new rules in place, most have been minor tweaks but yesterday they sent out notice about two new programs.

If they're changing the rules of your lease, can't you? That doesn't seem fair.

There was a whole This American Life thing about the dog poop DNA testing! All of that sounds nuts.

Yes! That's the program I heard!

There are a lot of dog owners in our neighborhood, and, honestly, so many of them don't pick up their dogs' poo from the sidewalk that sometimes tracking them down via DNA is really appealing.

Debbie Logan

And I happened to come across it finally. And initially I thought that it was a little on the crazy side to DNA dogs.

Ira Glass

Really? Why did it seem crazy?

Debbie Logan

Doesn't it sound crazy?

Ira Glass

Yeah, it actually does sound crazy. Well it just seems like, really? Things have come to this? That that's what we're going to do?

Debbie Logan

And it's working.

The apartment complex keeps putting new rules in place, most have been minor tweaks but yesterday they sent out notice about two new programs.

There is a line in the lease that says "Resident agrees to abide by all amendments and additions to said rules after due notice of any such amendments or additions". They are saying these changes fall under amended rules.

The online community board is flipping out over all of this.

I asked why they needed to see the car registration, who will be enforcing the parking rules - private security or tow trucks, and why only 40 guest spaces (and do they really expect that some residents who haven't gotten their tags won't park there?).

I'm so done. Was talking with our maintenance guy about all this. He is a GEM. Told him we were planning on buying a place and he gave me him number and said he would be happy to do any handy man work and show me how to do stuff if needed.

Suzi, that's still ridiculous. I hope you get out of there soon.

In other news, I know it's getting close to spring because Finn is starting to blow his coat. His very fluffy, very white coat. I've got white floofballs tumbleweeding through the house even though I'm brushing him twice a day. Lucky for me, he likes being brushed.

Suzi, those rules are whack.

tommyrot, I did know that! But the birds are singing and it's almost 60 degrees, so I declare Temporary Spring. It's supposed to be really cold tomorrow again, and then back to warmer weather. I'd be okay with a winter with no snow. We had a few snowflakes one day, and that's been it.

Percy the Fluffy Emo Cat has not started shedding, but he likes his fluffiness and may be deliberately holding on to it. Or, maybe I just can't tell because it's been a month since I vacuumed the carpet. I should really vacuum. Okay, I will, but later, after I get rid of this migraine. I'm going back to bed.

Man, I would be better at my job if I already knew everything. Literally, everything.

signed,
Fucked Up One More Thing Because I Didn't Have ALL The Information When I Was Told To Do It

Told him we were planning on buying a place and he gave me him number and said he would be happy to do any handy man work and show me how to do stuff if needed.

That's so sweet!

I heard on the radio that this past January was the dryest on record for the Sacramento are. Records go back to 1877, so significantly dry. Supposed to rain this weekend. If only we could get y'all's excess snow out here to the Sierra somehow.

I feel like my cats shed more in the fall than the spring. Making room for their winter coats? Or maybe that's when they get cuddlier so I notice them shedding all over me instead of leaving their fur outside in the bushes.

Have you furminated him, Anne? Several long-haired felines of my online acquaintance are furminator sluts. Really gets the loose hair, too. You could spin it into yarn! Hah! I just realized you're one of the few people I suggest that to who actually has the equipment and the ability to spin things into yarn!

From back a ways, there's a fenced hillside near us that used to have two llamas, assorted goats, black swans, and a few other critters that seemed to come and go. Well, the goats and the llamas seem to have gone. I don't know if the property has changed hands, but in recent months we noticed the installation of a pair of scrap metal art running mustangs, which we'd seen in the artist's back yard for several years. Now they stand proudly, bracketing the gate into the field. And even more recently two little brown paint shaggy ponies have been introduced into the field.

What's odd, and both a little sad, and endearing, is that although the field is about four or five acres, the ponies seem to hang around the iron mustangs--maybe for company? I don't know. But it's odd to drive by and see the ponies lying on the ground, the mustangs appearing to stand guard.

Suzi, I hope you find a perfect place soon, and are able to make the move without penalty. Your maintenance person does sound like someone you want to keep in touch with.