DISTRAIT MYRNA

Today's post features Myrna, the lovely lady who was the focus of attention yesterday.  She being the very same one who PG&E wanted to cast into darkness. 

Firstly, many wanted to know what could be done to help Myrna and made this old geezer promise that the outcome to her plight would be told.  That is why am doing another story, to share what came to past and how things are going with Myrna.

All will be pleased to know that a brother to Myrna came forward and paid the amount owed to PG&E.  This be a different one met the other day.  Myrna has quite a few brothers, and am told she be the younger sister to them.  If nothing else, it is quite plain to MOI that much love is there, even if Myrna does not entirely grasp it.  Mind there are reasons for that and will share them with you.

Also wanted to let one and all know that Linda is blessed to have an elected official who truly cares about the folks who live here, as he does all of the folks in Yuba County.  Supervisor Andy Vasquez got in touch with almost as soon the the story about Myrna appeared and asked what could he do to help.  So willing to help was he that he got in touch with the County Administrator, Robert Bendorf, and brought the matter to his attention as well.  Fancy that!

Myrna tells all  she meets, that she wants to be completely independent.  Does not want any to deal with her affairs.  Sadly, the lovely lady's ability to focus on the important is not as it should be.  Why else would the electric not be paid.  I expect that there are other things that are not being dealt with proper as well.

Myrna has a grandson staying with.  Correct that, did have.  Have met the young chap in the past and was not impressed.  So clever he is not that once in office he kept going at a visiting copper about how he should remember him.  When his ability to jog memory of the copper failed, he told of having been arrested by the copper, on more than one ocassion.  I knew that he was dodgy and filed it away.  Yesterday, I told the grandson that he had to find another sofa to surf.  Myrna was no longer going to be put upon.  He did not like being told that his comfy ride at the expense of his grandmum's purse was over and glared at MOI and told he could stay as he willed.  What did I think of that?

Truth be told, have more information on him than he knew and with a little reminder of how horrid his not helping his grandmum looked to world, he started to re-think his position.  Told him straight off that he would be best served if he had the good grace to depart NOW or wait until I rounded up enough info to go the legal route and get him truly well.  Hint was got and was told later that he was packing to departure for another squat.

Myrna worked hard in life.  Retired with a pension, it should be her time to enjoy life, free of care.  Money should not be an issue, and there appears to be enough to meet her needs.  IF she is protected from greedy buggers.  Myrna does not see how much she is loved by her brothers, only thinks that there is a plot to take her independance away.  Feels that they look down on her and that she herself sees as 'an old hag'.  How sad.

Myrna is lonely.  Give her the opportunity and she will tell you many tales of younger years.  She will tell of being a 'line girl' for Sunsweet, worked there for 17 years, checking to make sure that passing fruit was perfect.  Regale you with stories of working in hotels.  She will also tell of her husbands!  There were 3.

I truly believe that Myrna is in need of some help.  Mentioned this to Mr. Robert Bendorff and he is looking into how best to serve this lovely lady.  Mr. Bendorff and I were made aware of certain conditions that might be of concern and only want to make sure that Myrna is protected to point that she enjoys her retirement in peace.  That might mean that some effort will be made to be certain that ability to care for self is there.

I will tell you true, having been in Myrna's flat, she is a perfect housekeeper.  Neat as a pin it is.  Almost spartan in furnishings, there is not even a telly.  Myrna loves to come out onto patio and chat with folks who wander by.  That is where I met up with her late afternoon and we chatted.  She is a wee bit of a lady and has much pride in her figure.  There is a twinkle to her eye and a laugh comes quickly to mouth.

Spend a little time and you quickly learn that however 'independent' Myrna wants to be, she is much in need of looking after.  Biggest fear of her life is to be locked up.  As if society did that anymore.

What is quite grand for MOI is to know that there are folks who care.  Her family.  Now the family is joined by members of the community who will not let harm come to.  Is that not how it should be?

PG&E's PECUNIARY OFFENSES

GREED for lack of a better word in NOT good.  Read on and see where this post is going...

Late morn had an older lady come to office with a complaint.  She was brought to the office by her brother.  In a tick, MOI could see that what was to be told was not good.  The look on the brother's face told that he thought this old geezer or Kay Properties was not looking after his relative.  Having been round block a few times, it is very clear what the 'SLUMLORD' look is.

The lovely lady lives in a small flat and it seems that she has been without heat.  Taken  to using stove to heat her flat she has.  How horrid and dangerous.

I rang up a repair man and had an emergency call placed for repairs.  Was so concerned for health of tenant that I pleaded with the repairman to allow my call to jump the queue and be seen soonest.  Have been told that I know how to cry HELP, and in this case it worked quite well.

The repairman came to check wall heater and soon discovered that the gas had been turned off.  Turned off by PG&E!  There was nothing wrong with the heater that gas flowing to would not fix.  So much for being prompt, and having to pay $60.00 for a wasted service call.

The tenant came to the office to pay rent.  Mind, the lovely is quite old and not entirely aware.  When asked why she had gas turned off, she giggled and told that she had not paid the bill.  Ignored it.   Placing a call to PG&E confirmed that she had indeed not paid, not paid for so long that she owed a bill close to $500.00.

A Mr. Tom Track, out of the Stockton office, told this old geezer that so serious was PG&E to collect for bill that they planned to turn off the electric as well.  So close was this to happening that as we spoke, it might well happen.

Mr. Track told this old geezer that short of paying the bill, there was nothing to be done.  PG&E did not care if the lady was 70 and not of right mind and that it  was right cold.  PG&E wanted the cash owed.

How very odd.  This coming from a company so daft that it would continue to ignore meters using massive amount of electric, so long as their records showed the flat as vacant.  Sending a meter reader out failed to show that the meter was in constant use.  How many thousands were lost to that fraud before this old geezer brought it to light?  Or the scroungers with wee ones who do not get shut off due the 'public image' of PG&E not wanting to appear heartless in making children suffer.

Truth be told, the old lady has much to answer for.  She should have paid the bill.  She should have told true about why the heater did not work.  She should have more attention paid to.  Sadly, it falls to management to play a role above landlord.

How this will sort self out is not clear.  Not clear if there is anyone who can help pay the bill, cash is tight and most programmes that offer help have none left in the purse.  The brother to this lady is going to see if another relative can get this sorted out.

Meanwhile, the lovely old lady will be in a very cold flat.  No heat and no lights.  How very sad.

Oliver! - Consider Yourself

Quite fond of this tune. Me way of saying HELLO to all of the lovely new neighbours that have moved into the community.
Neighbours, what a lovely word...

HOME SWEET HOME

'YOU CAN FOOL THE DEVIL BUT NOT YOUR NEIGHBOURS' BEN FRANKLIN

The Linda Villa is not the sort of place  posh removal vans pull into with the sticks of furniture that be the wordly goods of new tenants.  Folks who come to the Linda Villa are budget minded, the sort that gets 'friends' to help move, using trucks, trailers and vehicles.  Yesterday being the 1st, saw the arrival of 7 new neighbours to the family that be The Linda Villa.

Weather co-operated and did not rain upon the lovely folks as they tried to remember what box went to what room.  The move-ins were spaced apart enough to allow the car park to not be congested with too many trying to go back and forth with heavy items.  The parade of new tenants began at just past 8 and did not let up until the sun had set.  It was quite dark when the last truck returned with the last load of the last tenant to move in.

Some of the new neighbours came from not far away, others came from a distance.  One family told of driving from Red Bluff at 65MPH with a heavy truck full of furniture, praying all the way that all would go well.  Another came from near by, but had not moved in ages and was gobsmacked at the number of boxes to be sorted through in new flat.  Mind, this lovely lady had much help to carry up the stairs.

Have you ever noticed that the arrival of a removal van brings out the neighbours?  The patios filled up with curious and dare I say it "nosey" neighbours who want to see what sort of furniture is coming in.  To get a peek at the new neighbour and see if there will be an invite to tea.

As well as the move-ins went, there were a few surprises.  One of the flats had a bad icebox.  That meant getting a new one for.  Another had a small problem with the electric switch.  There was some rubbish left by cleaners in another and there were other bits and bobs that came to light as James, the maintainance man, jumped from one flat to another, sorting out keys and such.  Have no doubt that past never had so much attention paid to comfort of new tenants.  Right, a little pat on back there for MOI and James.

My dears, have come to know that the world of Yuba County be a small one.  So many of the folks who moved in know someone connected with management.  It helps to have staff that has lived here since they planted dirt...

The rental agreements have all been signed, monies collect, judgment made as to how lovely the new neighbours will be in the future.  Now comes the real test.  Will the new neighbours live up to expectations?  Will some dark secret come to light to sour the goodwill that exists between landlord and tenant?

Whatever comes to light will be due to how neighbours reveal their true nature to one another.  No neat trick to be on best behaviour during the vetting process.  It is almost impossible to keep up a charade for very long and one will revert back to true self in short order.

Went to bed last night with a smile on face.  Knew that all new tenants had been treated grandly and were made to feel most welcome.  Lovely...