One of the nice things about having two BBQ grills is that when some asshole in your neighborhood steals one, you still have one left. Does one trust to karma that fuck-whits will get theirs in grand roll of the universal dice? It’s a dangerous thing to wish because of the log in one’s own eye (to paraphrase the parable). I have all the lawn furniture chained up already. I guess I’ll have to get another chain for the remaining grill. In two and a half months we shall leave these fuckers to their own devices.

I was just talking to my landlord about the theft. Between my car, now the grill, and the almost perpetual thefts from Jes’ parents house (recently the licenses plates off the cars twice and bicycles out of the garage - after jumping the nine foot security fence – plus endless odds and ends), the additional theft “tax” on city living is perhaps too high. Her parents are upping the fence ante – building a new one that is higher, faster, and stronger. They have a lovely and historic home and also have to live in the city as a requirement of his job.

Unless St. Louis can get crime under control and education funded (which is one issue, not two separate issues) they will never really have the urban growth and recovery that they hope for. Several low income housing districts in North St. Louis were recently demolished and this has sent of flood of individuals with socio economic challenges down to the south side. As a result my local crime rate is just off the chart.

I have this perpetual desire to have friends over and be social and I can’t do that when I know people are taking a risk parking their car on my street. An obvious corollary would be that I like to have BBQs, but unfortunately my big Weber has been stolen.