Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Docked

I had run up to Kroger on Monday and on the way home, I noticed a strange noise coming from what seemed to be the right front of the van. It sounded awful.

Seeing as how it is 7 years old and we've owned it for 5 and never had an issue with the brakes, I'm thinking it's the brakes - and so I took it in this morning. The guy asked if it was a grinding sound and I said yes. Looks like it needs rotors too. I also need to have some freon pumped in as the AC isn't cooling as well as it had been.

Oh well, I'd rather have a couple hundred or so in maintenance work than have to buy a new (well, something new to us) van.

I was lucky enough to catch my friend and neighbor at home and she followed me down there and brought me back home. She even told me to call her when it's ready and she'd take me back down. It's not far down the road, but I still feel grateful to have such good neighbors.

So, I'm stuck in the house until the van is ready. That's cool - I have at least 2 loads of laundry to do, empty the dishwasher and reload and a few other projects that should keep me busy.

Besides, I'm a little leery of leaving the house anymore. Yesterday, our elderly (in their 90s) neighbors house was burgled. They had been out for about 2 hours, running errands and someone kicked in their back door, in broad daylight, and stole jewelry and cash. A police officer came to our house to ask if I had seen or heard anything suspicious, but I hadn't.

He said it was the fourth house in this area that had been broken into during the day! And, according to our friends across the street, cars on the next street over had been broken into recently. Our house is locked up tighter than Fort Knox, but we never lock our cars. Guess that will change and I also need to look into getting a fake "security system" sign for our yard.

I also need to hide my parents' wedding bands. They're the only jewelry I have worth anything. I wear my mom's engagement ring on my right hand all the time - the rest of my jewelry is not worth much, sterling silver, etc.

The police officer did say this person (or persons) who are breaking into houses seem to target elderly couples and single women.

This is such a nice neighborhood - it's a shame that we have to feel unsafe all of a sudden. We live at the top of a very steep driveway, so a break-in and get-away would have to be carefully planned.

I've always been the Mrs. Kravitz of the 'hood (for those too young to get the reference: Mrs. Kravitz was the nosy neighbor on "Bewitched"). I open all the blinds in the morning and as I make my rounds thru the house (kitchen, laundry room, etc.), I always take a second to look outside. So, I dare this scumbag thief to try to rob anyone on my street. I will SEE you, mo fo!

Happy Wednesday, hooligans!

13 comments:

  1. I always wanted to have sex with Mrs. Kravitz because then she would go around telling everyone in the neighborhood how good I was in bed. Cheers ETW!!

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  2. That's a bit scary, especially with you home alone w/ the kids!! We had two car windshields smashed in randomly last year. That doesn't worry me so much cuz it's probably just kids vandalizing.

    I hope the car doesn't turn out to be too expensive for you!

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  3. If any questionable looking people come to the door, shoot first and and ask questions later.

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  4. Here is hoping you are not throwing good money in for bad in regards to the Van.

    I can certainly understand the disappointment of watching a good neighborhood go downhill. I am watching that here is as well. But hey, if burglars come in here, they won't be leaving.

    Arkham is like the roach motel. They will check in, but they won't check out.

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  5. Our house was broken into twice in 9 months. The second time the cops said it was probably the same people because they knew we would go out and buy NEW stuff.

    We got an alarm system. No more trouble.

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  6. I had a security system. The place ended getting burgled by an employee. I don't have the security system anymore. I do have recording cams that log what happens outside the building paremiter and motion lights!

    I've been broken into in two other places I've lived. The things they took were stupid; food, fake silver, etc. I figure anyone breaking in better like books and worthless 30 year old TV's. hehe

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  7. I'm sure if you had animal carcasses outside on your lawn with large caliber holes in their bodies the burlars would pass you by ;-)

    Just an idea.

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  8. I LOVED Mrs. Kravitz! Kick ass, girlie!

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    http://www.bukisa.com/articles/300919_give-love-and-get-love

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  10. Get a small yap-yap dog. Most home burglaries happen during the day, Always has been the time !!

    If you need freon, there is a LEAK. A/C is a closed system. When the freon is low this is an indication of a further problem ! Don't "just" have freon put in, FIND the cause ;>)

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  11. The break ins are happening down on Monroe Ave, too. One was in the daytime while the family was home!

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