Happy Halloween!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Thinking of Christmas Already

The weather is turning chilly, Halloween is right around the corner, Thanksgiving is down the road and then there it is CHRISTMAS! I get the fever early, thanks to my mother.
About this time every year we would ponder on those things that we were hoping to get for Christmas. We were asked to produce a list and then sat down to review it with our mother before Santa would receive it. It was like a Christmas Story all over again (by the way that is a must for me to watch for every Santa Season). We would be perched on the edges of the kitchen chairs as my mother would get her coffee ready before tackling the undaunting task of each list. I soon learned to write my list in great detail to make this process go faster so that Santa would be getting my list early, why yes I wouldn't want him to forget anything.
I of course would go first, I was the baby! This was the only time that I can remember appreciating being the baby.
Oh my the questions and facial expressions she would make as she poured over the list. "What is this?" she asked as she pointed to the bottom of my list. "Oh know she picked that out first to ask me about, I thought she would not see it". I hesitated and almost stammered then slowly in a very explicit manner described the Charley McCarthy ventriloquist doll with all of his attributes.
Her lips curved up into a smile and with a slight amusing laugh as she reached for a pen. "And where did you see this doll?" she asked. Well of course it was in the Sears and Roebucks catalog. I would make it easy for Santa and just rip the pages out usually and attach them to my list, but had caught such a raft from my sisters that I grew accustomed to listing page numbers and itemizing things.
With a flash I produced my second page of itemized, labeled, sized, gifts of color preferences and locations. I knew this would make things much easier for Santa with all the kids that he had to take care of.
"Now what are you going to do with that doll?" she inquired. Of course I would become a great ventriloquist and probably perform all over the country.
Oh the dreams you have when your are young. So simple to conquer the world.
I waited patiently and she reviewed things. The the big question came. "What do you want the most?"
Without a doubt the Charlie doll! She nodded her head and circled the Charlie doll and attached the itemized list carefully to the first page. Then off I was with grand thoughts racing through my head of Charlie sitting on my lap with his top hat and eyepiece in place just talking away.
Well by the time Christmas rolled around I had forgotten what the other stuff was that I had put on the list except of course Charlie.
Oh my God! The build up on Christmas Eve was tremendous! Of course my best friend Rickey and I would put out cookies, candy, soda, milk, slim jims, bubble yum, and any other goodies we could find for Santa and the elves. I pity the pour souls that had to eat all of that stuff. We would spend hours discussing the possibility of what we might get the next morning. Watch how the Grinch stole Christmas, then say our goodbyes and wait for Christmas. I swear I woke up early every Christmas just from anticipation regardless of how much sleep I got.
We would have to wait until Mom and Dad were up. That was the rule along with no peeking. It seemed like they slept for hours. Then I would hear that tinest bit of movement.
I tried to wait quietly then of course I had an excuse. The dog slept with me.
"Mom the dog has to pee" I would sneakingly quip. I would hurry and reach down to and shake that dog out of her dead sleep and motion for her to come to the door, race back to the bed and leave her poor puzzled statue standing in the middle of the floor. Of course I would make it up to her later by sharing dinner. Once she was up I knew she would become a little noisy, shaking her fur wildly prancing around the room. This only worked for three years before they caught on.
There door opened and I could hear the coffee cup bottoms hitting the counter, the spoons swishing around in the water. Well of course I could because at that age I had supersonic hearing to go with my xray vision. The sound of their slippers scuffing across the floor into the living room.
"Okay you can come out now" she said. I came around the corner to see none other than Charlie McCarthy sitting in a new rocking chair there in all his splendor with his top hat and tuxedo waiting for me to bring him to life.
I had Charlie for many years and he provided some of the best laughs (especially in a tavern full of drunks). We never got to tour the country together but. I remember him fondly which has me thinking of Christmas already.

odds and ends

I have been trying to stay positive and relatively calm but when I watch the news and read the paper I am starting to panic somewhat. Stock market still falling, banks still in trouble, and more closures. Another car dealership closed just 15 miles from us that was also a long standing business. This one was Honda. In the paper today I read where Chrysler is closing another plant in Newark, Delaware. A loss of about 1,800 jobs. This location is about 24 miles from us. There are no job openings in the tri-state area for Lisa. Her company has notified everyone that at the end of this month they will no longer have health insurance, life insurance, or disability insurance.
I have decided the best thing to do is for me to put in some applications for a full time chef's position. I have not figured this out yet, but for some reason there seems to be jobs in this area. So I better take it now while it is there. I have gotten a reply to one already so I am keeping my fingers crossed for a potential interview. I am hoping that between Lisa working part time and on my days off we can keep the business running until things calm down. With all of these layoff's I cannot predict how business will be in the next 4 months especially with lawn care season over. It is getting really bad and I don't want to be sitting between a rock and a hard place. Everyday the news gets worse.
I have also read wear Korea is having a food shortage. Now that is really bad. A month ago I had touched on this subject about the United States and the dwindling farm land used to build houses on. Where will we get our food in the years to come? Korea could be an example of what we will have to face.
So much for all of this doom and gloom on the bright side I fixed a toilet today and it only cost us $6.89 yeah! Maybe I was a plumber in my past life, it just seems to come natural. I made a pot of beef vegetable soup for dinner to go along with some grilled cheese sandwiches. What is really good is cream cheese and jalapeno peppers on rye bread grilled-yum! Now it is off to try to change my own oil-awweeehhhh!
You know 5 years ago I never would have done this, but I am learning to save money and stop being so wasteful. We have always bought what we wanted and have had nice holidays, but I am realizing that I have a basement and attic full of stuff that we don't use. That is really a waste. So now for the first time we are trying to organize a yard sale-that's gonna be a trip! Of course we have no ideal of what we are doing or how much to price things at. I for one hate to haggle over pricing, that is gonna be Lisa's job. If we ever move it will take forever to sort through this stuff. We have a electric guitar (of course I wanted it) that I never learned to play, an old piano that we don't play. Tennis rackets (bum knees can't play), roller blades (don't use since Lisa broke her wrist), sleds, vases, stuffed animals, comic books from our childhood, jewelry boxes, and the list goes on.
I have a new thing that I do now. Once a month I go online to eBay and buy either a gold coin, or bouillon bars. It is an investment, it is easy to store, and hopefully will increase its value as we age. I have noticed on eBay that people overbid on things just like at some auctions. I attended a closing of a sports goods store and people were bidding like crazy at the beginning. I just haven't figured this out.
Gas prices have came down dramatically here. Yesterday it was $2.49 a gallon. What a relief that is to everyone. We think we have figured out the neighborhood break in. Inside job! Due to excessive talk in the neighborhood and the absence of our neighbor due to the lack of funds for his rent it seems quite clear what transpired. People say time will tell in this case it has. I have lots running through my head today so just a post of odds and ends.


Holy Cow! I finally got it!

Master minds

Well I must truly tell you all that I am fed up with this program. I am not quite sure what it going on but I can not get anything to load correctly. It is either the carrier that we have or the computer security (I'm guessing?) that won't allow this. I just can not be this dumb. I have tried to load play list for about two weeks now only to keep getting messages that read broken gadget, failure or some shit like that. I've read so many I don't even know what they say anymore. So I put that aside for awhile and thought I'll try some of this other stuff. As Betty would say GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

Okay photo bucket slide show sounds good. Got everything set up in photo bucket and went to apply to gadget and a warning appears stating that this could cause computer to slow down and information may not be saved. What the hell? Yes I am sorry for cursing but these are just mild complaints that are leftover from my earlier rant. Could it be our Internet carrier? It is a small independent company, not AOL or Verizon. Could it be the security downloads we installed?

As I work my way through most of this I must tell you I do not really get what it means. What is a feed and what does it do? Some of programs have so much stuff it takes you an hour just to sort through it before you get started. UGGH! And all of the advertisement on these screens. I want plain and simple, cut to the chase, black or white, not all of this bullshit to sort through.

While doing this I had the phone ring 5 times. All of it was telemarketing except one. Number #1 Do I want to advertise for the business? I get about 4 of these a week. My new thing is when someone from their company signs on for a service then I will think about it. Number #2 New homeowner rates do you want to refinance? As bad as the economy is right now I just feel like selling! Number #3 My sister-wanting to let me know that she is donating her whole body to science. Okay! Your decision, I'm surprised she's not leaving it to the aliens. Number #4 Having a blowout sales event for Chevy. I may switch to Ford after that brake deal they put me through. Number #5 Advertising for the yellow pages two counties over. How much money do they think people have to advertise, but then again they should look on photo bucket, play list, and the list goes on. Who are the masterminds behind this blog?

Is it the Moon?

I was watching him watch her. Her hair was whisking around her face with the slight breeze that was in the air. He was silent. Could he possibly see her that far away with his cataracts? The wind picked up and her dress flowed around her body slightly adjusting her hat.

His gaze became more intense and you could see his muscles tightening. Did he recognize her? I tried to contain myself and kept quite. That was asking alot. Her eyes were very large with a piercing stare. He moved forward small steps at a time.

Finally I couldn't take it anymore and burst out in laughter. Chance (on of my clients dogs) has been fascinated by the neighbors Halloween witches display ever since she put it up yesterday. We have been through this scene at least 5 times.

It must be silly animal weekend.

Early this morning I guess I wasn't moving fast enough as my other clients corgi decided she wasn't getting enough attention and head butted me in the mouth. It has to be the cool weather because all of them are acting crazy.

Next stop is Whiskers the cat. I am giving her fresh water and food in the garage and she decides that she is going to try to stand on my back. Something she has never done. Well when that cold paw hit on a part of my back that was exposed I didn't know what it was. I reared up and forgot that a cabinet was over head and damn near knocked myself out. She just stood there purring away.

Came home and thought I would take a nice relaxing bubble bath. NOT! Abbey this foolish 3 year old that refuses to grow up must have remembered that I gave her a bath last week downstairs. Lisa lets her in from outside and she comes barreling through the house, up the steps, past the kitchen, down the hall, then into the tub in a single leap. She was soooo proud of herself! I of course was not a happy camper. This is when it turns into one of those "it's your dog things".

Try cleaning a litter box when the cat refuses to get off the top of it. I explained several times to her that I know that is her bathroom and believe me I really don't want to use it. Smokey must lay on top of the box and watch what I am doing. Good thing she is not really heavy.

Hmmm! I am rethinking this career change. Maybe its the moon!

Taking the Time

Click on picture to enlarge.

My mind is kind of racing today. It is one of those day's when I have fifty thoughts and 50 to do's going on and what am I doing but posting a journal instead of doing bookwork. Question for anyone. On my travels I have came across this plant in many areas and wondered what it is? The berries are small clusters that are purple. Seems to last from spring to fall.

Well this week was definitely different for us. I celebrated my 46Th birthday on Tuesday and we celebrated our 25th anniversary on Thursday. Wow 25 years! The good thing is that it does not really seem like 25 years. This has been the first time ever that we both had off together at the same time (one of the perks of owning your own business). The other odd factor is that we usually plan something big. This year it was Hawaii. Due to Lisa's surgery, the current state of economy and layoff's those plans were nixed. We did something simple (after I worked in the morning-I can't help myself!) We went to lunch with her Mom. Lisa's mother treated us to wherever we wanted to eat and it was my choice. You know we have never eaten at a golden corral which is a buffet restaurant. They thought I was joking! They of course were thinking seafood. Let me tell you it was quite a deal for what they had and I enjoyed it. The food was hot, fresh, and plenty of it. We ate leisurely without interruption and had some good conversations . The down side was that I ate like it was Thanksgiving. My belly grew three sizes. Later that even we had a nice bottle of wine, some cheddar fondue out on the deck with a fire. You know sometime the most pleasant of surprises are right in your own backyard.

Okay at 46 do I feel old. NO! I do have the crackling joints beginning and arthritis, but I still feel like I'm in my mid twenties. I even woke up with a pimple-ooooh! I hate that. I am going to try Windex one time like in the movie My big fat Greek wedding just to see if it works. I figure it can only go three ways. I will wake up and nothing will change, it will be gone, or I will have this big gnarly pimple three times its size. My sisters always call on my birthday and send cards with money-yeah! I think we keep sending the same $20.00 bill to each other. This year Sharon is going to send something unique, I haven't gotten it yet. Lisa's gift was an early card with money to gamble in Atlantic City, makeup, a box of candy and a movie card. She follows my mothers tradition and still makes me my favorite birthday meal. Since she doesn't cook that well I let her off the hook this year and requested something simple. It turned out nice! Except for Abbeys gift of a roll in the mud after I had given her a bath just the other evening.

Right down the road from us we have an old steel bridge surrounded by trees and and a creek bed that flows underneath. It provides some great fall colors as the season changes. Whenever I pass over I usually stop to listen to the water rippling over the rocks taking in all the color.

I recently accepted two new clients that travel often and need their dog taken care of. They go to re-enactment camps from the civil war time era. It is very primitive with no luxury at all and of course no cell phone use. Seemed very interesting. I have often thought that if I could go back in time I would have liked to experience the old west. The pioneer days and most of all the staking of your own claim for property like in the movie Far and Away. Things just seem to move too fast for me sometimes. We have three phone lines in our house and it seems like you spend more time answering phones than anything. I just hate having a cell phone. Customers are calling while your out on a job and I loose concentration or have to stop in the middle of something. I have just gotten to the point that I only turn it on when I'm in transit. Maybe we will retire in the Hills of Tennessee, the mountains of Montana, or a remote shore bank in Alaska. Really I do enjoy interaction, but I like meaningful interaction.

Meaningful Interaction. I will give you an example of this. I have a client in my neighborhood that I do work for. She is a divorced woman that is a VA nurse. She seems rather nice to me but had stated when I first went to work for her that she had a strained relationship with the neighbor. I was mowing her grass when the neighbor came out one day. A big man in his early 40's with a gruff attitude pointing to me where the property line was. I got off the mower and listened, smiled, and expressed to him that I knew where the line was and that I would do him a favor and cut his small side for free while I was doing hers. Just to make things look nice. He became very friendly after that. I have seen him many times and waived since then. I thought that this may soften their relationship. The other day I was mowing her lawn and Lisa went with me so she could see what I call the lawn from hell. Tony the neighbor that I am talking about was outside and his dog Coco was on the porch. I asked him if we could pet Coco. I had seen him staring at Lisa, then he came over and introduced himself to her. I was laughing inside because I knew what he had in mind and I thought you are barking up the wrong tree. I was petting the dog when Lisa came over and Tony expressed to her how he needed petting too. She was appalled! She did an about face and muttered "pig". Tony then proceeded to stress what a nut case and a bitch I was working for. That she looked like a troll and needed a new attitude.

This is what I mean by a NON MEANINGFUL INTERACTION!

I had quite alot to say today. The brain never stops! I wish that people would be more kind, more gentle, genuine, stop rushing and get used to taking the time.

Can you solve the mystery?

I have always been fascinated with true crime stories and the human mind. After the police came that night I thought about everything and what he had said, something still was not right. So the next day I saw the neighbor outside and went over and asked him what had happened and some other questions regarding the break in. Believe me when I tell you as before that you can not always judge a book by the cover and that there are skeletons in every one's closet. I am going to list the facts, characters, background, and events to see what you think.

LOCATION:
Cree Terrace: a climbing street that winds through heavily wooded areas comprised of many different types of homes located in a residential community that used to be a vacation area.

The beginning of Cree Terrace we have the Altman's on the right a modest rancher, us on the left a bilevel, Krissy and Mark next to us a small cottage, directly across from us is Barbara in a two story A-frame with the lower half rented out to Bob. All in clear view of each other, except for the shrubbery.
CRIME:
Bob's apartment was broken into, vandalized, and robbed during the day on a Monday (Columbus day).
POLICE REPORT:
Police report in not totally correct with all of the necessary information. Bob did not tell them everything.(This comes directly from Bob). Police interview Bob, Altman's, and Us. The officer in charge thinks that it is kids due to the vandalism and no theft. Bob did not tell the officer what was stolen. Guns and Money.
CHARACTERS:
Bob: 21 year old male renting lower apartment from Barbara. Current length of residence 7 months. Victim of recent robbery. Occupation construction/farm worker. Has part time live in girlfriend. Works day shift and not steady. Likes to party, is neighborly, quite, stays to himself most of the time. Has developed close relationship with the Altman's, mostly Steve and Duane. Currently on probation, has a DUI and struggling.

Barbara: 46 year old gay single female living between two residences. One in Baltimore, and the one on Cree Terrace. Recently renovated her home to rent out lower apartment to help pay the mortgage. Always comes up on Sat./Sun and stays until Monday. Very consistent pattern of everyday life. Very friendly with everyone in the neighborhood. Close relationship with the Altman's. Shares a large amount of personal and financial information with the Altman's. Occupation: Landlord/long time employee of Wholefoods Grocery/4 year coast guard. No police record.

Krissy & Mark: Both are in the Mid 30's. He is a tool salesman. She is a teacher. First marriage, no children. Just moved here about 9 months ago. Very friendly and neighborly. We share produce and goods, etc. They are busy and stick to themselves, work during the day, go away on weekends to hike. Krissy currently joined the board of directors for our development. No police records.

Us: We have lived here 10 years. We are neighborly and friendly but do not visit neighbors, nor share personal information. I run my own service business so my schedule is erratic. Lisa is a MRI Tech and works Mon-Fri. during the day. Lisa does not pay attention to what goes on in the neighborhood and is friendly and neighborly but does not socialize with the neighbors. We both are rather guarded. No police records

Altman's: Late 50's couple with two grown daughters. Steve's fourth marriage. Residence of 12 years. He is an injured truck driver with no police record and currently on Workman's Comp. Currently on a very potent pain patch that causes him to talk alot and divulge quite a bit of information. Nancy is a private house cleaner with no record. Both are drinkers. The two girls one living at home is 19. The other has moved in with an ex-convict and is 18. Steve does not work, and Nancy has an erratic schedule. The daughter works split shifts. This is the loud house on the corner. Very friendly people, will help anyone that needs it. Close relationship with the victim and the home owner. Steve has even worked with me on past occasion. Currently have a live in guest that is thirty three years old. Long police record. Steve states that he was a foster child and used to live with them there about 10 years ago. ( This has to be false due to his age). Duane: unemployed 33 year old male, long police record, no transportation or support. Friendly with Bob. The Altman's know everybody and everything. They are the ones that pass on all the information about what is going on in the community. Always outside smoking on front porch and working around their house.

FACTS:
The house was vandalized badly. Bob left the main entrance door open. There then is his apartment door, then steps that go up to Barbara's level. Another entrance door that leads to her side of basement. They punched a hole in a wooden flimsy interior door about the size of a 10 " diameter.
They trashed the house. Bob said they broke glasses, sliced up stuff with a knife, and put holes in the drywall.
Bob lied to the cops and said nothing was stolen.
Bob is on probation so that is why he lied about the guns being stolen. Two shot guns and money were stolen.
Bob denies having enemies.
Bob states that the money was in a place that only he and Barb knew in the one side of the basement, not his apartment, but you have to go through that way to get to it, or through her front door down to the basement.
Bob states that he doesn't have much company.
He seems genuinely upset and mad.
Bob contacted Steve to ask if he saw anyone or heard anything but did not ask anyone else. I went to him.
Steve stated no.
Bob left lower entrance door open because he thought Barbara was coming so she could get rent.
He reported this to Barbara and she stated about filing a home owners claim.
Babara did not come as she always does.
Steve does lots of personal favors for Barbara and knows his way inside and out of her house.
Nancy cleans house for Barbara's dad and Steve says she is always asking for extra stuff without paying for it.
Duane has been in Bobs house to party and have a couple of beers together.
Bob, Barbara, Steve, nor Nancy have contacted Lisa, Myself, or Krissy or Mark about this robbery.
We find this highly unusual because we all communicate and watch out for each other.
A robbery occurred on a street where I work for a client.
Steve has been with me several times at this street
The night before the robbery I heard Duane and Steve leaving in the truck late at night-unusual
The men were identified as wearing dark ski masks
They shot the woman's dog in the face.
The very next day Steve was outside moving a couch wearing a dark ski mask in 75 degree weather. Odd!
I asked why the ski mask (this is before I knew about the robbery) he stated that he did not want Workman's comp investigator seeing him move the sofa.
5 years ago we saw a traffic stream of young kids into this household during the day
kids of all ages not just their daughters age
Steve is friends with another man down the road that just got busted for drugs
I recently say Duane at this same house
The man is an avid gun collector (all had been seized by sheriff's department)
All of the young kid traffic stop completely.
Can not get the truth about who Duane is.
Steve admitted under the influence of pain medication some past events that transpired in the neighborhood that were underhanded imposed on other neighbors
Steve poisoned the neighbors two dogs
Steve is committing Workman's comp fraud
Barbara does not have a legal renters occupancy permit
Bob thinks he is being overcharged on his rent
Steve has a grudge against Barbara that she does not know
I locked myself out one day and Steve opened my door in 10 seconds with a credit card
In the last three days the weather has been gorgeous and there have not been any signs of the neighbors outside except for us and Krissy/Mark
Steve and Duane claim that they go out at night to scavenge trash metals.
Steve asked what i thought was an unusual question: Where do I keep the dogs in the house?
This sent a red flag and I stated they have free run.
Last of all the Altman's are suffering major financial problems.
The day of the crime the kids were in school.
Yes we do have vandalism problems on occasion here.
I have not seen many kids lately and the ones I have seen are very young
I was outside that whole day and did not see anyone at Bobs house
The dogs did not bark
Steve's dogs did not bark
There is a private passage way that joins the Altman's and Barbara's yards


My take: Past history has proven that many serial killers had no record and some were actually in the security profession such as the BTK killer. Ted Bundy was charming. Randy Woodside was an ex football player. History has proven that large bank thefts do not always generate from the common criminal but from high powerful executives that have no criminal record. Proven facts state that robberies occur from someone that knows you, knows your routine, and knows what you have. Murder victims lives are most likely taken from someone that they know instead of a random act. Criminals can be charming, witty, deceiving, while possessing a sadistic nature. Ted Bundy lured some of his victims in by using a dummy broken arm routine. Some of victims of child abuse and practice animal torture. Then there are those that commit a crime and want to be there to see the aftermath and bath in the publicity of the case.

Could our likable overzealous strange neighbors on the corner be behind the robbery/robberies?

Okay that is most of what I can remember so What do you think? Can you solve the mystery?