Another Mopar Off My Bucket List - Barracuda Fastback
Thanks dcdriver. I've always liked the look of those old tin ceilings. Original ones are worth a fortune. Reproduction ones are still more costly than I could afford. It cost me about $250 to do the kitchen. If I had torn down the old tiles that were up there and installed new drywall it would have been more $$ than putting these up. I am considering using some in the dining room too but I'll probably choose white instead and maybe pick another pattern.
Well, yesterday was the big day. We had received notice that they were planning on inspecting the property after their meeting (that we were required to attend). During the days prior to the 6th we spent the majority of our time cleaning and moving the building supplies out of sight. We also brought in some extra furniture and nick knacks to dress the place up. Teresa and I felt that these clowns had no vision of what the house could eventually look like so we figured we'd be best off demonstrating it visually. The sad part about it was that it was only going to further delay any real progress we could be making. Everything we were moving in was going to have to be moved back out so we could continue working. Waxing floors that still need to be sanded was another waste of our time that we'd rather have spent making headway on the house.
With everything in place we headed to the meeting. The last time we met with the mayor and city council it was a nightmare. They openly mocked us and gave us no credit for having made any of the previous progress we'd made on the property. We weren't eager to attend another session like that.
I knew we'd done the best we could in the time we had. I had the house looking the best I could. I tend to be non-confrontational. I don't like controversy. When all is said and done I usually come off as someone that's a pushover. I was determined that today would be different. I figured that no matter what I wasn't going to take any more crap from them and I sure wasn't going to let them get away with the way they'd treated us in the past.
Teresa and I walked into the Community Center (where the meeting was being held) at 7:30. Teresa doesn't do well speaking in front of crowds so she expected me to do all of the talking. They were all seated around a table with their attorney present. Two chairs were set up for Teresa and I. Outnumbered about 10 to 1, it seemed they had the upper hand. I needed to grow some stones.
I don't know these people. The only time I'd ever spoken to any of them was at the last meeting we'd attended. I did know that they were capable of being rude and demeaning. I knew they were arrogant. I had the impression that they liked pushing people around.
One of them spoke up. He began by saying that he commended us on the progress we'd made. Then he started to make it sound as though the council deserved the credit for it because we wouldn't have done anything without 'their encouragement'. I interrupted him. " Excuse me. Who are you?"
It was obvious that the question raised his ire. It was as though he was offended that anyone wouldn't know who he was. "I'm Heath Vrbka and I am mayor AND head of the city council!" The other members of the council seemed to be taken aback by the question. They looked around at one another a bit nervously. They were aware that their mayor had taken the question as an insult. I truly did not know who the hell he was. None of them had ever introduced themselves.
"If you're going to start out with a chip on your shoulder, we're not going to get anywhere!" he retorted.
I refused to show any sign that I was impressed by his title anf fixed a steely gaze upon him.
I told them that any progress made on the property was no thanks to them. I said that they'd set us back six months from where we'd otherwise be. I went on to say that they should have no reason to expect any friendly responses from me after the way they'd treated us at the last council meeting. I described how they'd insulted us and belittled us. - How they had given us no credit for previous progress made during a time period when Teresa and I had lost each of our parents, I'd had two heart attacks, we'd endured almost $10,000 damage from break ins and vandalism and I'd quit a lucrative job to spend the last 3 years of my mother's life caring for her. I further went on to detail that I'd also cared for their attorney's father (during his last few years) at a nursing home. So if he wanted to lecture me about civility it wasn't going to be accepted well. I also let them know that several neighbors had suggested I sue the city and council as did a few attorneys.
A few of the council members spoke up and apologized for the way we'd been treated at the last meeting. - Not all. Some of them stared back full of hatred.
Their attorney finally spoke up and said that it was obvious that we'd more than met all reasonable demands for improvements and said that he believed the city's interest in the matter was over. He'd been staring down at the floor ever since I'd made the comment about his father.
They never did come over after the meeting to tour the property. I think some of the members were too afraid.
I managed to leave without having to kiss anyone's behind. I felt good about that. But I really felt the most satisfaction in telling them what I thought of them. I didn't make any new friends. But as the saying goes, 'With friends like that, who needs enemies?'.
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Thanks dcdriver. I've always liked the look of those old tin ceilings. Original ones are worth a fortune. Reproduction ones are still more costly than I could afford. It cost me about $250 to do the kitchen. If I had torn down the old tiles that were up there and installed new drywall it would have been more $$ than putting these up. I am considering using some in the dining room too but I'll probably choose white instead and maybe pick another pattern.
Well, yesterday was the big day. We had received notice that they were planning on inspecting the property after their meeting (that we were required to attend). During the days prior to the 6th we spent the majority of our time cleaning and moving the building supplies out of sight. We also brought in some extra furniture and nick knacks to dress the place up. Teresa and I felt that these clowns had no vision of what the house could eventually look like so we figured we'd be best off demonstrating it visually. The sad part about it was that it was only going to further delay any real progress we could be making. Everything we were moving in was going to have to be moved back out so we could continue working. Waxing floors that still need to be sanded was another waste of our time that we'd rather have spent making headway on the house.
With everything in place we headed to the meeting. The last time we met with the mayor and city council it was a nightmare. They openly mocked us and gave us no credit for having made any of the previous progress we'd made on the property. We weren't eager to attend another session like that.
I knew we'd done the best we could in the time we had. I had the house looking the best I could. I tend to be non-confrontational. I don't like controversy. When all is said and done I usually come off as someone that's a pushover. I was determined that today would be different. I figured that no matter what I wasn't going to take any more crap from them and I sure wasn't going to let them get away with the way they'd treated us in the past.
Teresa and I walked into the Community Center (where the meeting was being held) at 7:30. Teresa doesn't do well speaking in front of crowds so she expected me to do all of the talking. They were all seated around a table with their attorney present. Two chairs were set up for Teresa and I. Outnumbered about 10 to 1, it seemed they had the upper hand. I needed to grow some stones.
I don't know these people. The only time I'd ever spoken to any of them was at the last meeting we'd attended. I did know that they were capable of being rude and demeaning. I knew they were arrogant. I had the impression that they liked pushing people around.
One of them spoke up. He began by saying that he commended us on the progress we'd made. Then he started to make it sound as though the council deserved the credit for it because we wouldn't have done anything without 'their encouragement'. I interrupted him. " Excuse me. Who are you?"
It was obvious that the question raised his ire. It was as though he was offended that anyone wouldn't know who he was. "I'm Heath Vrbka and I am mayor AND head of the city council!" The other members of the council seemed to be taken aback by the question. They looked around at one another a bit nervously. They were aware that their mayor had taken the question as an insult. I truly did not know who the hell he was. None of them had ever introduced themselves.
"If you're going to start out with a chip on your shoulder, we're not going to get anywhere!" he retorted.
I refused to show any sign that I was impressed by his title anf fixed a steely gaze upon him.
I told them that any progress made on the property was no thanks to them. I said that they'd set us back six months from where we'd otherwise be. I went on to say that they should have no reason to expect any friendly responses from me after the way they'd treated us at the last council meeting. I described how they'd insulted us and belittled us. - How they had given us no credit for previous progress made during a time period when Teresa and I had lost each of our parents, I'd had two heart attacks, we'd endured almost $10,000 damage from break ins and vandalism and I'd quit a lucrative job to spend the last 3 years of my mother's life caring for her. I further went on to detail that I'd also cared for their attorney's father (during his last few years) at a nursing home. So if he wanted to lecture me about civility it wasn't going to be accepted well. I also let them know that several neighbors had suggested I sue the city and council as did a few attorneys.
A few of the council members spoke up and apologized for the way we'd been treated at the last meeting. - Not all. Some of them stared back full of hatred.
Their attorney finally spoke up and said that it was obvious that we'd more than met all reasonable demands for improvements and said that he believed the city's interest in the matter was over. He'd been staring down at the floor ever since I'd made the comment about his father.
They never did come over after the meeting to tour the property. I think some of the members were too afraid.
I managed to leave without having to kiss anyone's behind. I felt good about that. But I really felt the most satisfaction in telling them what I thought of them. I didn't make any new friends. But as the saying goes, 'With friends like that, who needs enemies?'.
View attachment IMG_5515.jpg
View attachment IMG_5516.jpg
View attachment IMG_5522.jpg
View attachment IMG_5523.jpg
View attachment IMG_5524.jpg
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View attachment surfeit-of-skunks.jpg
