Tuesday, January 1, 2019

DIBS! - A Chicagoland New Year's Post

Yes, as a former farm dweller, Chicago was the last place I thought I would end up.  Until I married an Illinois native that got his dream job there (wherein he leaves me to fly to China and South Africa and Texas on business a good part of most months :-)  What we do for love.

But I've grown to love our life.  We live in a home built in 1915 that's been 90% restored to look like a home built in 1915 in an outlying village that has almost no crime other than the occasional garage break-in, a few small and quaint local businesses, and it's surrounded by park system on three sides, which is a great gang buffer (especially with rivers as most of them don't know how to swim).
That being said, as we ring in the New Year, a smile for your New Year. Here in Chicagoland, there is something known as "dibs" wherein after you spend an HOUR digging your car parked in front of your house out of multiple feet of snow, you block the spot so you have a parking space when you get back. It's also legal, some wordage to the effect in the city code. It's considered rude to do it unless there is a boatload of snow, it must be a spot in front of your house, and slashing the tires of someone who moved your blocks is considered rude, even in the worst of neighborhoods.It's like our hotdogs, pizza, and Cubs, there are some things you just don't mess with if you are a local. We are lucky in that the original owner of our 100+-year-old home bought two lots so we have a large side yard on one side of the house with a driveway, though we may clear a "dibs" spot for party guests for New Years.

Some of the "dibs" seen around the city still crack me up. Happy New Year everyone and thank you all for your growing friendships this last year.

If it looks like a 60's shower curtain, even more the better. 
 Want to bet that is electrified.
Santa's job in the offseason.
A little dose of guilt never hurts.
It's Chicago, if they could tax it they would!
This pretty much sums it up.
 Unfortunately, now the chickens have gotten out.
 Zep isn't a poison unless you drink a gallon but I like how he thinks.
 If that's full, that IS going to get lifted in 5 minutes.
A Force to be reckoned with.
 My personal view on ironing.
When Harold bought this for their 25thAnniversary he never figured it would come in handy.
 Yes, Jesus Saves - the ORIGINAL Dibs
“Never refer to me as an item. I'm a bird.” — Big Bird
 Use Grandpa's Walker because being old in the winter isn't hard enough.
Sam's parking spot. 
 My kind of guy.
It's not like we vacuum or anything.
 That girl that dumped me after the State Fair won't care.
Just another day in the neighborhood.
 I made my child dig my car out.
 Don't' go out half dressed to free your car.
 My roommate doesn't think much of my musical talents.
And my PERSONAL favorite (because what's a gal to do with a Leonardo DiCaprio life-sized cardboard figure).

11 comments:

  1. At least it wasn't a blow-up-doll version of Leonardo. That would have been a bit fearful, wouldn't touch it.
    Hilarious.
    DIBS, make it legal. All the time, everywhere, snow or no snow.

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  2. Mom thinks these are all hilarious. We were too busy drooling over all that snow that WE don't have. Mom says her daughter could have used some of that ingenuity when she lived in Boston as a Boston College student.

    We wish you a wonderful year in 2019. Lots of joy, fun, good health, and happiness with family and friends.

    ☆¸.•°*”˜˜”*°•.¸☆ ★ ☆¸.•°*”˜˜”*°•.¸☆
    ╔╗╔╦══╦═╦═╦╗╔╗ ★ ★ ★
    ║╚╝║══║═║═║╚╝║ ☆¸.•°*”˜˜”*°•.¸☆
    ║╔╗║╔╗║╔╣╔╩╗╔╝ ★ NEW YEAR ☆
    ╚╝╚╩╝╚╩╝╚╝═╚╝ ♥¥☆★☆★☆¥♥ ★☆ ♥♥♥

    Woos - Lightning, Misty, Timber, and Mom

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mom's daughter went to Boston college. Mom says she thinks she graduated in 2001.
      Happy New year!
      Abby Lab

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  3. Too funny...and brings back memories of east coast NJ antics(with more colorful language LOL

    Happy New Year!

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  4. I've never personally seen anything like this, even thought the snow where I'm from in PA got that deep. Do people steal the stuff that's left out?

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    Replies
    1. Actually, they don't. There's sort of a "code" about Dibs that all the locals respect.

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  5. That is just tooooooo FUNNY!

    Wishing you all a very Happy New Year!

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  6. Momma says she always loved seeing the dibs spots come out every winter when she lived in Chicago. It's a tradition!

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  7. BOL LOL! Those are great! Ghostwriter knows how it feels to have to literally dig your car out of a snow bank. In winter, no matter what the forecast, she always has a snow brush, ice scraper, regular broom, and a snow shovel in the back seat. I guess the broom is for if she gets stuck in a ditch, she can still get home.

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  8. We liked your idea with Leo the best! Our mom said when she was a kid they always said DIBS to save their seat and it was always obeyed. Happy New Year!

    Keep Calm & Bark On!

    Murphy & Stanley

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  9. These were rich. I love it when peeps here 'pinch' those orange cones from construction sites but the upright vacuums are the best!

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