OT June Chit Chat

[agate]

So the people at that collision center place should definitely be on the lookout for that lady with a possum on her head?

[nuthatch]

Had a rather unnerving experience Friday night. I was at one end of the house, half asleep at my computer desk, listening to an episode of This American Life on my computer. My DH was in the living room watching TV. At 11:15 some guy came up and knocked on our back door (it's on the side of the house actually)! I did not hear the knocks, but my DH did. The guy knocked a second time so my DH flipped on the porch light as he stepped into the pantry, so as not to be right in front of the door. He asked who it was, but of course, did not open the door. The man said he was lost and his cell was dead. We live on the end of a short culdesac street, the freeway is very, very close, we had no outside lights on but most the other houses on the street did. It was very, very suspicious!!! We've all read about home invasion robberies, so that's what immediately came to mind!

On top of that, all the drapes on the sliders across the back of the house were pulled open because the slider frames, which are wood, were stained on Thurs. The drapes had to be open and tied back while the stain dried, plus the alarm system on the doors had to be temporarily removed and was thus inactivated. This guy could/may have walked around the house and seen everything, including where DH was, the layout of the house, ect. Thankfully he could not see me.

DH shouted through the door and told the guy to leave the way he came in. The guy said he needed help, but again, DH told him to go out the way he came in. He watched out a small pantry window and was surprised to see a motorcycle drive out our driveway. He thought he was on foot! The guy had parked way up our driveway by the garage, where it couldn't be seen. We have a long driveway, there were no outside lights on, no street lights, and it was dark as pitch out there! He must have glided into our driveway with the motor off, as neither of us heard a thing. I'm sure we would have heard a motorcycle drive up close to the house . . . we usually hear anything come down the street, especially at night!

I didn't know this was going on because the TV was on and I was listening to my computer at the other end of the house. I did hear talking that sounded like DH's voice, but wrote it off as something on the TV. After all, who would DH be talking to at that hour? As soon as the guy drove away, DH came and told me about it and we immediately called the cops. The police station is very close by and they were here in about 3 minutes. Said we did the right thing in not opening the door . . . duh! Promised to patrol the street more frequently. Thanks.

My world has been rattled by this. I quiver just writing about this! I was so freaked out, I didn't go to bed until it was light! Still afraid and staying up late, it's 2:30 a.m. now. Shotgun is kept out and handy now!

What freaks me even more is that I had a premonition about a home invasion two or three days before. Never had that feeling before and there was no reason for having that feeling, like seeing something on TV or hearing of it happening recently. I had even told my hubby about it, because the feeling was so strong, and I'd asked him not to open the door to anyone he doesn't know, even in the daytime! I've learned to trust feelings like that, because I've had premonitions before (earthquakes, ect.) and they've been pretty accurate and all too often come true!

Would it help if I wore a possum on my head? Maybe it would calm my nerves. These things aren't supposed to happen!

[SuzE-Q]

How scary!

Glad DH must've thought something was very wrong by his reply to the guy, not offering to call a # for him, just telling him to get outta there. He must have had a good instinct about it too, maybe because you'd just reminded him not to open the door.

Scary that the drapes were open too.

We've sadly come so far from the days of leaving your door unlocked and the kids required just to come back home before dark.

Glad it had a good ending. So glad the police showed up so quickly too. Hopefully he'll now go elsewhere, being unsuccessful and then if he saw the police around so quickly too.

Glad you had shared that caution with DH earlier!

[stillstANNding]

Speechless. Scary just reading that, Joan.

I wonder if he knew the alarm was off? It sounds like your house was targeted? Maybe because you didn't have outside lights on?

Possum on your head??

Husband did good.

ANN

[Virginia]

Very scary Joan! Get that alarm back on, if you have not already. I keep mine on even in the day when I am here, at least most of the time. My entrance is kind of isolated and I just feel that I am safe with it on.

I wonder if he had another person waiting on the motorcycle for him to signal them?

Glad you trust your instincts enough to tell your husband what you were feeling, though at that time of night he probably would have acted the same way he did regardless.

[Howie]

Possum on your head works for Agate, but a shotgun works better.

That would have scared me without a doubt. Your DH did exactly the right thing. That guy was definitely trouble, and probably wasn't working alone. I would just tell you, having a gun is great, but be sure it's the right person you are pointing it at.

As a kid, late one night, a friend followed me up my driveway about half way as to not wake my parents with his motor cycle. We were talking at the end of the sidewalk, and the light comes on, my dad with shotgun pointed yells....
WHO'S THERE? me! ME WHO? me your son!!!

I don't know who was scared the most, but my friend never tried a late night chat again.

Don't worry about what COULD have happened, but what DID happen because a gun was present. Sleep easy because you know protection is there. Just be careful.

[agate]

Nuthatch (Joan), I'm so glad nothing worse happened but it sounds as if it was unsettling, to put it mildly!

About the possum, if anyone missed this, Howie was talking about his sister adopting a baby possum a while back and mentioned that there's a photo of her with another baby possum on her head:

My sister feeds them some special food she got from the vet, and it seems to have worked well on the first one. I wish I could post a photo I have of the first one sitting on my sister's head.

[Howie]

IF I remember, I'll ask her to send me that one, then it will be online, and I can post it. But my brain is getting pretty full of things I need to remember today. I know, I'll put it on my shopping list. OR, just email her later! No wonder my widdle bwain get's filled up!

[stillstANNding]

Car Day!

(Message was too short to post. Better now.)

[Howie]

Car
C day
CD
Wheels
Something like that?

[agate]

Not to worry, Howie. If I'd ever had a car I'm sure my head would have been so full of car details that there wouldn't have been any room for much else. Over the years I've noticed how complicated cars must be, just from hearing people talk.

Years of helpers who often reported their car problems, for instance: "I need a new TRANSMISSION!" or "It's the FANBELT!"

My own daughter was even talking about "shocks and struts."

Howie, I hope you'll post about it when you get your car back at last. Don't keep us in suspension!

[Sunshine]

Nuthatch, you did the right thing. Premonitions are real. Good you trusted it.

Something not unlike that happened to me recently. DH was out of town. I will spare you details. But the sheriff came and confirmed it was right to call 911. Like you, it ended okay. It pays to realize these bad things, although unlikely, CAN happen to you.

[Howie]

Okay, I'm back, and remembered everything, but didn't think about the possum picture until I clicked on this forum.

The car looks great, from the front bumper forward, then the rest looks like the owner hasn't even washed it in 10 years, because....uh....well...that's what rain is for!

The difference ALMOST makes me want to wax it. There are places that do that, but I'd have to save up for months for it. I was Mr. Wash and Wax when I first got it. A new car, shiny and new. And now it's just a machine that gets me to the grocery store. Bah Humbug!

But now Pinky......

I'm very tired. 4 hours sleep last night. But I have spaghetti to make later, and THAT will knock me out.

Have a great day all!

Sam, spaghetti day today, bring me a bib!

[stillstANNding]

Glad "we" finally have this car back.

[Howie]

HEY, get away from my car, I don't care if Sam IS your buddy!

I'm livin' large today. Got my car back, made coleslaw, and made spaghetti. I won't eat for a while, but it sure will be good!