Category: Old Blog Posts Reposted

A real legacy gets past 2 generations

I heard something recently along the lines that it is sad if the only thing you know about your great grandfather is his name. I am a little lucky and not so lucky. I was young when my great grandfather on my dad’s side was alive. I remember him as a brown and skinny man. His name, James, I think. I remember where he lived, and that he lived with great-grandma across the street from my uncle, which was next door to grandma.
My great grandpa Kelly on the other hand, had a farm and the white man took it away. He was also a thin brown man, and his picture is on my downstairs wall. He had a couple of sons, one being my grandfather, the other my late great uncle who moved to DC. He also was an accomplished gardener and aided the family by keeping food on the table (what food could be grown in NC). I know nothing of his wife, she apparently died early as when I found him in the 1910 or 1920 census she was nowhere around.

This page contains a single entry by Mari published on July 15, 2010 10:45 PM.

More thoughts on the Camp Protest

Protest bannerThis morning I awoke to an NPR report on the OneDC protest at 7th and R/ RI Ave. Or at least I thought I heard a story as I can’t find a link on either the NPR site nor the WAMU site about it. Anyway, the Shaw area does not lack affordable housing. Now I say that as in there are buildings that take up square footage and whole blocks in Shaw that were built as affordable housing, take government money to subsidize rents, are public housing, and/or are subsidized senior housing. If you are going by market rates, then it all depends on how much you’re willing to spend and what living conditions you can deal with. Playing around with DC Housing Search I see there are individual landlords and other entities that rent out individual rooms, individual houses, and small typically 4 unit apartment buildings. So when a group is protesting for more non-market rate housing, I’m thinking how much more affordable housing in this neighborhood do we need? And concentrating poverty isn’t doing anyone any favors. The protesters are nicely caged up on the lot and so far aren’t a nuisance so I have no problem with their protest. I just disagree with their demands. I am part of the Shaw community as I live here, I shop here, I vote here, and what the city or other powers that be plop down has an impact on my quality of life. Concentrating dis-empowerment and dependency near a transportation hub will continue to hamper the neighborhood’s ability to succeed.

Argh rain

I like rain but last night’s rain got into the house via the cooling and power lines of the A/C unit on the roof. I called my contractor David and he’s going to look into it. I checked with my next door neighbor whose house was also gutted and completely redone new. Well new isn’t always perfect and he had a stream of water coming down the side. My thing I think is a small fix and my biggest problem is that I don’t have easy roof access. I need to buy a decent ladder so I can get on my roof because I’ve been experiencing all sorts of issues related to lousy roof access. That, and next year I want to get on the roof for the 4th of July fireworks.

This page contains a single entry by Mari published on July 14, 2010 8:01 AM.

Flower Power Nominees and Winners

Note- I’m leaving off backyards and the winners are in bold. If you have a chance walk by these properties when you’re out walking the dog or the baby or both.

Large yards
Though most yardspace in the northern half of Truxton is small, there are corner lots and the large front yards of New Jersey Avenue.
401 R St
1705 New Jersey Ave
1725 New Jersey Ave

Medium Yards
Whats the difference between medium and small? One looks a tad bigger. Also in this category are two neighbors who joined their yard to create something lovely.
314 P St
1612 3rd St
1419/1421 3rd St
1618 4th St
1533 3rd St (write-in)

Small Yards
112 Q St (previous year’s winner)
1532 1st St
1542 1st St

Postage Stamp Yards
These are yards so tiny there are area rugs bigger than the amount of dirt that sits outside the door. Note they are all on Bates.
64 Bates
72 Bates
74 Bates
94 Bates

Blocks
100 block of P St
1500 Block of 1st
1500 Block of 3rd

There were plenty of fine yards not nominated so these are the best of the ‘hood. Please take a look at them and steal some ideas.

This page contains a single entry by Mari published on July 13, 2010 8:12 AM.

Warning about Lockboxes

Lockboxes are those things you see outside of houses for sale, it is a lock and a box in one. Well this weekend someone broke the lockbox that was on the fence of a neighbor of mine. The neighbor is having work done and the place is a construction zone and there aren’t any major appliances in there. But someone posing as the ‘drywall guy’ was poking around, then later the lockbox was missing, the house unlocked. The lockbox was found later in a treebox, sans keys. From the looks of the lockbox it appears the guy took a vise grip and squeezed it popping the lock. The thief ran off with a couple of saws and other tools.

This page contains a single entry by Mari published on July 12, 2010 8:45 AM.

Another Fundraiser for Martin

Hopefully we will be nearing the end of this. But the legal bills for CCCA Prez Martin Moulton to defend himself against the accusations of the former SMD ANC Leroy Thorpe, who is suing him for a kajillion dollars because Martin was demanding an accountable government. Attached is a PDF about the July 15th fundraiser. June15Fundraiser.pdf

They claim this land in the name of Spain (Winners of the World Cup)

No not really.
Protest sign 2 ONE DC a local wayward child of Manna DC is staging a protest summer camp at the corner of 7th and R/Rhode Island, NW. I will admit I really haven’t paid much attention to what has been going on with that parcel. I am gathering some deal fell through and that primo spot is back in play. Yay! Can you tell I’m not too keen on a mirror for that other example of a human right in action, Lincoln-Westmoreland which sits across the street.

Trust, a fragile thing

The only reason why I’m mentioning this article from today’s Washington Post, “The Court of Vanished Dreams,” is because the court in question is in the TC. According to the article a homeless fellow had a good idea, create a basketball league, involve area teens to keep them out of trouble. Problem was James Russell, the homeless fellow who started it, bailed on the teens and the other homeless men who were to be coaches and timekeepers, taking $1,000 with him. Being charitable, one could say Russell couldn’t battle his own demons which part of him meant well but another part didn’t and that part won. Not being charitable, Russell was a con man who not only took away people’s money but heavily damaged their trust in others. Trust is a very fragile thing and when it is damaged it hardens the hearts of the victims and makes it that more difficult for the next person who might not want money, but good will, time, mercy, patience, and or faith.
According to the article, the league used the basketball court at 1st and Florida on the Shaw side of Florida, opposite the Big Bear. I’ve seen groups playing there but never really thought any of it was organized. Next time, I’ll take another look and be a bit more observant.
There is a bit of a bright light to this story of a bum that let his colleagues and the kids down, another homeless fellow, Wade Simmons, who was coaching for the league took over. Though the whole thing is less than kosher, meaning if it were run by some responsible non-profit a number of the participants might be excluded. But it is good in that it allows the usual recipients of charity to be charitable and it is better to give than receive.

This page contains a single entry by Mari published on July 8, 2010 8:13 AM.

Beau Thai

Don’t get that excited yet. Walking by it still looks like they’ve got a few more weeks of painting and shifting stuff around before she (the owner) opens up and starts making this neighborhood what I hoped it might become when I bought the stack of bricks and wood 9 years ago.
I got an email from Mr. Renew Shaw about what’s up and I’ll just sum it up. The opening should be soon, like maybe in about a week and she (Aschara) will be gradually building it up from carry out (phase I) to sit down real live restaurant (phase II). There is stuff to get through with BZA (Board of Zoning Adjustment), which is why she’ll have to start as a fast food carry out place.
Mr. Renew Shaw had an opportunity to taste Aschara’s food and says the menu has fresh and healthy Thai fare.