The Hounds of Hell

I love dogs.  Really I do.

I have had dogs since I was a kid - mostly large breeds, and some (well, one) with socialization issues.  I understand that dogs are a lot of work, and that sometimes they have genetic or puppyhood-related personality issues which can be challenging.  I am totally sympathetic to this.

Nevertheless, it ultimately an owner's responsibility to keep their animals under control, and - if they have socialization issues - away from other people/dogs/etc to which they might do harm.

Unfortunately, not everybody seems to get that.  And what is even MORE unfortunate, is that it seems often the folks who are most irresponsible with their animals happen to own breeds which ALREADY face challenges due to perceptions of genetic propensities toward violence.

I am speaking, of course, of Pitbulls, Rottweilers and similar.

Take, for example, my neighbors.  Not only do they have three huge Rottweilers that live 24/7 outside, are un-fixed, bark and snarl their brains out ALL FREAKING DAY, but, on TOP OF THAT, their fence is so broken-down that the animals regularly escape and terrorize the neighborhood.  I myself have called animal control no less than three times over the last two years when these animals escaped.

I feel sorry for them, really.  The dogs, I mean.  They have a terrible life.  They are stuck in the hot sun in a dirt yard all day and night, with nothing to do - they don't get walked EVER... but seriously people.  This is not cool:

Greasy Kitchen Ceiling

I have a pretty tough eye when it comes to houses. I've seen a lot of disgusting stuff in my day, and I like to think that I'm able to look past it. Indeed, I can tour at a home with caved ceilings, dead animals, frozen puke and yanked pipes, and STILL squeal with glee at a buffet or stained-glass transom... you see, I am an optimist.

And I like to transform things.

However, I am here to tell you that new house 1.0 (aka the next-door house) was NASTY... even to me.

NASTY. NASTY. NASTY.

I'll spare you photographic documentation of the worst. It's really too gross for mass consumption. (Let's just say it involves excrement.)

However, I will show you the ceiling which I had to wash this afternoon, prior to painting:

(Unlike your average slumlord, I DO wash before I paint. That way my paint will actually stick!)

But never fear, this too shall be rectified.

And this house will become sweet even if I have to carry a barf bag along as I work on it.

I'm just sayin...

This kind of stuff makes my heart palpitate:




(Thanks to JN for the photos.)

OMG

I made an offer on another house today.

I'm not sure which scares me more: getting it or not getting it...

Even more ugly

This actually kinda makes me want to puke.

(But I will transform it, don't worry.)

Ugly Duckling