[senior smoke]

Hello:
I have an elderly neighbor who lives across the street. Her husband passed away a few years ago and I have been cleaning out her gutters every fall for her.

Yesterday, I went to get my mail and she was outside and told her I would clean her gutters for her. In front of her garage I was on a ladder cleaning her gutters and some kid yelled and I turn quickly and the ladder came down along with me.

I hit my forehead on her concrete driveway along with gashing my leg and hurting my other knee. I was dizzy and at first disoriented, but soon felt a bit better.

My wife drove me to the emergency, nothing was broken but I stayed overnight for observation. I am so sore and black and blue right now.

What's interesting is that two other neighbors saw me fall and both walked back into their houses instead of helping me out.

I wonder what is wrong with people of today?
Steve Balistreri
Wauwatosa Wisconsin

 

[timberfaller]

"I wonder what is wrong with people of today?"

To much into Themselves, to be bothered by other's problems. Pretty sad!!

Hope your feeling better!!

 

[Jim Zee]

Senior Smoke is the Larry David of T.S. Happy Holidays all

Jim

 

[BIGDON]

Steve, age old advice "watch your step". Neighbors are not like neighbors of old. Your helping is like it used to be, today people just don't care or in some cases don't even know their neighbors. Keep doing what you do.

Don

 

[senior smoke]

Don:
I think your correct. Last week my wife went out to get our mail and a gal from across the street was walking to get her mail too. My wife said hello, and the gal said nothing, turned around, and walked back into her house. Once my wife entered our house, this gal came back out to get her mail.

I told my wife that I think most younger people do not like senior citizens? What is interesting, a month ago her dog got out of the house and this gal was chasing the dog down the block and my wife and I both helped her capture her dog for her. Instead of thanking us for our help she said that she could have got him herself.

Back in the 50's neighbors would come over to borrow a couple eggs, a cup of sugar etc. I told my wife if we did that today, our neighbors would probably call the police.

Strange times we live in. Regardless, I will continue to do the right thing. When I'm outside and I see a neighbor I will waive or say good morning or whatever. The only person that will respond is the 92 year old neighbor that lost her husband.

She also said we have some very unfriendly people living in our neighborhood.
Steve

 

[Hauxfan]

Steve, sorry to hear of your little accident.

I don't want to come off as someone who lectures, but......once you get to be certain age, things like ladder climbing is a no-no.

Us old pharts have no business up there.

I know a lot of my friends still do it, but when you get a little older, we should try to have someone else fo our climbing.

It could have been a lot worse.

If it's any consolation, my cousin is 2 years older than I and he still gets up on his roof to clean the leaves off.

But two weeks ago, he fell getting out of the shower and had to go to the emergency ward. He had 2 cracked ribs.

The thing about an accident..........it can happen any time and any place.

Take care..........because we (TS.com) would miss you if worse came to worse. (Well, most of us would)

Have a great day!

Hauxfan!

 

[cubancigar2000]

I remember back in the 50's while growing up on my grand parents farm and they had a barn fire which destroyed all his cattle, some hogs and the barn was totally destroyed. Two days later there were about 50 folks at our place building a new barn. The women cooked and the men worked. They had a new barn up in 4 days and then came the animals. Each neighbor donated one or two milk cows and a hog. That's just the way people were then. So sad that people only care about themselves now. The hand shake for a deal is also gone. Don't let that experience change who you are Steve

 

[Ahab]

Steve ... you have to remember that young people fall and bounce ... old people fall and break!



Reminds me of the time that I fell off a 30 foot ladder ... luckily, I was only on the 1st rung!

 

[yakimaman]

A 62 year old woman I worked with a few years ago slipped and fell off her roof and broke her back. She was a year from retirement and had big plans. Kind of hard to do now since she's in a wheel chair - didn't kill killed her, but it sure killed her future plans. All of that just to hang some Xmas lights. Stay on the ground.

 

[shannon391]

First OSHA ladder rule, all ladders must be tied off!

Glad you didn't break anything.

 

[senior smoke]

Hauxfax:
"Take care..........because we (TS.com) would miss you if worse came to worse. (Well, most of us would)"

LOL when I read this. Thanks for the kind words but I get many PM's. Most are nice, but trust me, I get my share that say to "Shut the F up". This is a tough crowd to please at times.

I told a guy that sent me a PM that if God had a thread on this site, he'd probably get some people upset with him. Like my mom always said "like water off a ducks back" I have never got upset with any one on this site. I believe if we actually met we'd probably like each other. LOL, someone just PM me, and said "don't bet on it".
Steve

 

[senior smoke]

Cuban:
That's exactly what I would do to. Back in the 70's, one neighbor had a large tree come down blocking his driveway. I came over with a chainsaw as my wife and I were going to help him. He said thanks but no thanks, and refused any help at all? I had to scratch my head on that one.

When new people move into the neighborhood I have my wife make them a casserole on the day they move in because they are probably busy putting furniture away and set up.

My boy says "dad, people are not like that today, it's not 1950. Maybe we should act like it is 1950 and help and be nice to one another. I think it takes more effort to be mean spirited than to be nice to someone. But then, I'm just an old guy with a black and blue forehead, LOL.
Steve

 

[Snowjet]

You know it wasn't a kid hollering, it was that young blond in that hot pink jogging outfit, that went by.

Bob

 

[Tron]

My ER Doc once told me that there is no device that causes more injuries than a ladder. Very very common.

Get well Steve!

 

[senior smoke]

Joe:
I never fell off a ladder before in my life. I now realize that I am slowing down. Hard to accept though.
Take care,
Steve

Bob:
LOL. One day my wife and I were walking at the area mall and a tall blond bomb shell walked by and I just kept on walking without looking at her.

I knew my wife was watching me to see if I would look at her. After we got home my wife asked me if I noticed that tall blond in the short skirt? I said what blond? She said now I know your getting old.
Steve

 

[jdhog]

Lots of great advise here for us old timers but like you Steve I think I can still do about everything ,But there comes a day we have to let someone help us out .Happy you were not hurt more then you were and the neighbor deal is that way every where I believe now also .I miss the 50s and 60s , yes I do .
Take care and heal up fast my friend .
JDHOG

 

[Catpower]

Glad to hear you are kind of okay, I am sure you will be hurting for a while though, but it could have been much worse, so quit climbing ladders, I get a kick out of your posts

Since I have been in the industrial/ heavy commercial HVAC bidness most of my life, I have spoent many days climbing ladders, the other day the TV antenna on the 5th wheel was messing up so I had to get out a ladder, it's only about 13 ft (see it's even a bad bad number) tall, my butt was puckered up climbing it, so I manned up to it and had my wife climb it LOL

 

[shannon391]

Guns don't kill people, ladders....

 

[Snowjet]

Hey Smoke, never to old to look!!!

Bob

 

[chemist]

I have helped many neighbors in my earlier years here in NJ. I have a camp in rural NY state where I spend my summers since retirement. I find that helping one another in NY is an accepted custom with thanks being a handshake or food item. In NJ most offers of help are turned down, as the new, younger neighbors are afraid of the " L " word. L as in legal proceedings in case of an accident. The school that I attended and where I taught for 40 yrs is 2 blocks down. High school students would pass by and say good morning or good afternoon, today you can't get a civil response, as they either do not care, have no manners, or have the earbuds stuck far into their ears.

Family tells me to mind my own business but I guess my father taught me to offer help when in my ability to do so. Guess I'll have to learn the new rules , someday.

Hope that you feel better Smoke.

Rich K- chemist