Disqus - Latest Comments for Ballardmom

Re: Eggs thrown at house, break front window

Ballardmom — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 18:18:18 -0000

I'll have to remember if something bad happens to me not to let myballard.com know so that it's not posted on the site for some people to use as a forum to be jerks using my bad experience as their jumping board. Sorry you had a bad experience, Julia and sorry some people have to be jerks whenever someone does have a bad experience. :(

Re: Eggs thrown at house, break front window

Ballardmom — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 12:09:24 -0000

Easy to be replaced if you know how. There are plenty of smart well-educated people around here who don't know how to replace glass in a window so it ends up being pricey to hire someone to do it.

Double-pane windows are a great idea if you can afford them.

I'm sorry this happened. What a pain in the butt. Not to mention an extra expense that no one needs to have suddenly thrust upon them.

Re: Chai House planning to close, employees say

Ballardmom — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 11:32:57 -0000

I'm glad that someone brought up that there are always vagrants hanging outside of Tully's too. I liked Mr Spots (and I'm a tax-paying, showered, home-ownin', middle-class employed person). I'm sad to see it go and see that space turned into an empty storefront like what happened with Epilogue. Broadway on Capitol Hill showed that when there was a block of empty storefronts just past Denny, crime on that street went up. I would rather have a good business like Mr Spots than empty storefronts. Even if god-forbid some of the employees have funny colored hair or dreds.

Re: Thai Siam serves hundreds of Christmas meals

Ballardmom — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 14:51:57 -0000

I've liked Thai Siam food for years and I always like seeing Ott. We eat there practically once a week unless I'm feeling less lazy than usual one weekend and end up cooking. A couple years ago I think they got a new cook because their food went up a notch in spiciness which I think is an improvement. Oh yeah - plus they're great neighbors and give back to the community. But we really like their food too.

Re: Car full of Christmas gifts stolen on Ballard Ave.

Ballardmom — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 19:07:32 -0000

That's kind of ironic. I lived in the worst part of Atlanta, GA, the worst part of San Francisco, CA and a "bad" part of Sacramento, CA. At no point was my car ever broken into. But my car has been broken into numerous times in Seattle. And neighbors on my block have had their cars broken into more in Ballard than any of the "bad neighborhoods" I lived in - at least the one on the other side of the Mississippi. If you look at the crime statistics New York City now has less property crime than Seattle. So "I'm from the East Coast and crime doesn't bother me!" doesn't really apply any more.

I have to say Capitol Hill is far worse than Ballard though. If I ever left anything on my porch on Capitol Hill it was taken - even my potted geranium. I think the feeling that the property crime is super high is because even ten years ago it wasn't this high. It's really frustrating. And saying, "Well, our neighborhood isn't as bad as Tehran or the Left Bank" doesn't really make it any less frustrating when some little punk-*ss piece of [poop] steals stuff that you can't afford to replace even though you work really hard to afford it in the first place. Yes, it could be a lot worse - everything in life could be a lot worse. That doesn't mean any of us should be expected to live with having our cars stolen and getting mugged because that's just the way real life is.

Re: Church responds to stabbing at shelter

Ballardmom — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 11:24:01 -0000

I agree that the Trinity Shelter definitely needs tight security. But honestly, if this was the biggest issue they've had in ten years, in our neighborhood I imagine there have been more domestic violence incidents such as this one in private residences than just one in the last ten years. It sounds like Pastor Lang is addressing the issue and the neighbors directly and being open to working with everyone. This is wildly unlike what happened at the OR shelter when Pastor Grumm just pile-drived his agenda and turned a deaf ear to valid concerns.

I really don't have much information on the Trinity Shelter so my opinion could change with more information. We'll see. Though honestly, at this point I'd say it's the folks actually living on the streets and the drug dealers (who don't stay at the shelters) who are causing the biggest problems in Ballard, not the folks at Trinity Shelter or the people who need to use the Ballard Food Bank. And my opinion is, a lot of the new population of "bums" started not with shelters opening or the food bank existing, but when police presence started pushing them out of Belltown, the financial (shopping/downtown) district and Capitol Hill a couple years ago and they all moved up here.

Re: Church responds to stabbing at shelter

Ballardmom — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 11:07:44 -0000

Wasn't that a sign at Trinity at one point?

Re: Savour specialty food shop now open

Ballardmom — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 11:05:15 -0000

Ok, I have a food item suggestion - I know there is a store in the Pike Place Market for this, but it can be a pain to deal with going down there and the tourist crowds and such. Red pepper jelly. I've looked for it at QFC and all I found was jalapeno jelly which isn't the same (since I don't like jalapenos). It's a common condiment in New Orleans and so good. Plus red pepper vinagraittes are really good too.

Re: Police continue search for stabbing suspect

Ballardmom — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 01:31:00 -0000

Ugh. That's exactly when I was walking home in that same area. Glad I was a couple blocks over.

Re: Christmas Ship sails to Ballard

Ballardmom — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 22:58:44 -0000

That's a great photo!

Re: Ballard Food Bank moving to industrial area

Ballardmom — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 11:09:00 -0000

I heard that the owner is planning to sell it. So, I imagine once it sells it the current building will be leveled and mixed use condos built.

Re: Ballard Food Bank moving to industrial area

Ballardmom — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 11:07:20 -0000

People are not bused in to be patrons of the foodbank. They may give you food once if you are not from the area (and if you are sober and not causing problems) but then they will refer you to another food bank in whatever part of town you are in. There are plenty of food banks all of over the city including downtown so it's kind of silly to think that people would bus in from all over town just to use our neighborhood's food bank. Check your facts before you spout off about things you know nothing about and are just assuming.

Re: Armed robbery at Ballard video store

Ballardmom — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 11:05:03 -0000

That includes working moms out walking their dog before work too, I guess. Sigh. I guess I'm pretty scary when it's cold out and I didn't brush my hair before leaving the house. Come to think of it - hoodie and pitbull. I must be dangerous.

Re: Cold snap to continue into the week

Ballardmom — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 20:20:12 -0000

Ironically, the coldest weather I ever experienced was in Atlanta, GA. Wind chill of -15 degrees. As long as our house has heat and I have ten layers of clothes to put on when I go outside I kind of like cold weather.

Re: Cold snap to continue into the week

Ballardmom — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 20:18:57 -0000

What Silver said!

Re: Woman attacked by masked man in Ballard

Ballardmom — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 16:10:32 -0000

Maybe I'll start carrying my pitbull in my purse.

It's sad that our neighborhood has gotten to the point where we need to talk about carrying decoy wallets and purses. That is like living in Spanish Harlem in the 80's kind of talk. Not the reason we paid so much effing money to buy a house in Ballard.

I like the colored dye purse idea. I may have to try and make one of those.

Re: 3,023 homes & businesses without power

Ballardmom — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 11:13:21 -0000

One of the moms at our school said that a company was trimming down large branches at the house behind hers and she heard a crash and a guy yell, "Well &$#!, that's never happened before!" and another guy yell, "Don't touch it! That's a live wire!" So, I think that probably explains what happened. I don't know the mom personally but I don't think she was making it up.

Re: 3,023 homes & businesses without power

Ballardmom — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 17:38:05 -0000

It's back on as of 2:35 - at least in our area so I'm assuming everywhere else. How does a tree falling on one power line affect such a large area? I guess I have no idea how the power grid works.

Re: Neighbors concerned after recent crime spree

Ballardmom — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 13:47:37 -0000

Does anyone have any hard statistics on whether or not porch lights detract burglars? My husband and I have been having a debate about that but haven't found anything to support either side of the argument.

Re: Helicopter over car accident near 20th on 64th

Ballardmom — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 12:12:21 -0000

I'm sorry that happened to you. I was hit by a drunk driver once too and every time I hear something like this it makes my blood boil again. I'm glad your family wasn't in the car too! I'm glad you weren't seriously hurt. It seems like the drunk drivers are almost never the ones seriously hurt and the people they hit are - so I'm glad to hear that wasn't the case this time.

Re: Police standoff ends with arrest

Ballardmom — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 22:20:15 -0000

Did they really set off a flash/bang?

EDIT: never mind, I was posting that as Silver was posting hers.

Re: Share your ideas for new 9th Ave park

Ballardmom — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:58:25 -0000

Public toilets are a nusiance, but also for some a necessity (like a friend of mine with Chrohns). I think they should make it a horse pasture myself.

Re: ‘Sustainable’ to replace flag store

Ballardmom — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:53:31 -0000

I think it's funny that the first sentence has "covered by plastic" and the name of the store Sustainable in it.

So, will it be a consignment shop, does anyone know? That would be nice both for buying things and not having to have a garage sale or posting on craigslist to get rid of things.

Re: Arson person of interest in custody

Ballardmom — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 12:04:57 -0000

Once again, go to the food bank and find out who they serve. You're slandering a hard-working non-profit that helps thousands of good people in Ballard every month with food. Go ask about your programs and if you get all the truthful information and are still enraged then make it public. Just pulling it out of your *ss makes you look stupid and spreads disinformation.

Re: Arson person of interest in custody

Ballardmom — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 12:00:01 -0000

Don't blame the Ballard Food Bank for that. They help thousands of people and have been around since I believe the 1950's. Maybe it was the 1940's. If someone comes to the foodbank from out of town or another part of town they may give them food once, but they send them to another food bank because they are already over-stressed by helping our neighbors here in Ballard.

You know, I'm starting to think you're a troll who doesn't even live in Ballard and I wouldn't even respond to you except the misinformation you are spreading needs to be corrected.