Things have been busy lately – I was in Toronto Canada for a few days meeting some AWESOME women that I’ve been interacting with online for the last few years. I’d love to go back someday and visit again! Then I was camping and tubing right after I got back. Let me just say that tubing down the AuSable river was quite the adventure! It was 3 hours and by the time we reached our ending destination I was exhausted. I had arm muscles aching that I didn’t even know I had those muscles. But it was a blast and one I’d easily do again in a heart beat.

But putting my fun adventures aside I”m at a point in the road that is serious on more than one level and decisions need to be made as quickly as possible. Aside from being busy and not having time to post I needed to have a conversation with my best friend about things before posting here. The conversation we had this morning so I can share what’s going on.

Almost one year ago I moved into this totally adorable, comfy, cozy, inviting, warm, perfect for Caleb and I house. I was in love with this house far before the possibility of me renting it was even talked about. I shared that shortly after moving in my car was broken into (well I guess I can’t say ‘broken’ into because back then I had a car that the doors didn’t lock). There have been other things in the neighborhood that have happened but none that directly involved me until the other night.

There was someone outside my bedroom window. I didn’t confirm that it was a person until the next morning when I walked to the side of the house by my window and found a print (it was really weird it was only one footprint) and could see where someone had stepped on some of the shrubbery/leaves type stuff that surrounds that area of the house. The normal thing would have been to call the cops. I didn’t. I figured what are they going to do now?

Last night there was some fighting going on at a house a few houses down from me and I stepped out onto the back deck to listen (yes I’m a nosy neighbor!) and the lady behind me came out as well. She called me over to the fence and we got into a lengthy conversation which led into me telling her about what happened with someone being outside my window. She then asked me if I had heard anything around 2:30 that morning. I had slept at my best friend B’s house that night because we had just gotten back from our tubing trip. But anyways she shared with me the noises they heard and the fact that someone was outside their house. I didn’t ask if they called the cops. I was a little too freaked out to even think about asking her that question.

So the fork in the road that I’m at – I don’t feel safe in the house and can’t stay there. But I don’t have a lot of options for places to move to unless I go back up North. And I don’t want to but at this point I guess I’m just like if that’s what I have to do then I have to do it.

I’m overwhelmed, frustrated and wondering why this is happening, what’s the lesson in all this and why does life have to be so difficult sometimes?

Take Last Night (or Should I Say This Morning?) for Exmaple:

Nothing like being awakened at a little after 2am to screaming (it brought back memories of when I was in my old apartment up North and was wakened the same way one night).

There was a woman walking down the street screaming a bunch of profanities and obviously yelling at someone behind her at a house near by. The sad thing? She was dragging a small girl. The little girl couldn’t keep up with the woman so she was basically being dragged down the street. I didn’t know which was worse – the woman screaming or the child screaming.

I picked up the phone to call 911 but someone had already called. A cop was already pulling in. I don’t really know what was going on but the next thing I know there were cops coming from all directions and then shortly there after an ambulance showed up as well. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that there was something else going on other than some sort of domestic dispute.

Eventually the cars started to leave…1 city cop takes off with 3 sheriff cars following behind. 2 cars were left and didn’t seem to be going anywhere anytime soon. Then a government car showed up – I’m sure it was to take the child out of the home and I hate to say it but it’s probably for the best. This particular house is always fighting, the cops have been there before on several occasions and shortly after moving in I was informed (whether it’s true or not I don’t know) that this house has been busted for drugs before.

Take Sunday Night for Example:

Sunday evening my driveway was blocked off because cops were at my neighbors house for what was supposedly a concealed gun on one of the young men that was there (this info came from the little 9 year old boy that was there talking to my son and telling him what was going on).

What I find interesting is that the other end of the neighborhood is quiet – no cops are ever down that way but you look to my end of the road and the cops seem to be around more than they should have to be.

I hate feeling like a nosy neighbor and honestly maybe last night I was a bit too nosy – peaking out the window for way too long, opening my back door to hear but part of me feels like I have a right to know what’s going on if I’m living next door to this stuff.

With all the drama who needs a TV in this neighborhood? All you have to do is step outside or peak out the window and you’ve got news or entertainment – however you chose to look at it.

Tish

Yeah those were the words Caleb and I heard about 30 minutes ago. We had a nice morning at church and decided we would grocery shop for the stuff I needed for the rest of the month (last night I actually made out a menu plan for the rest of January!!! Yeah me).

Things were no different this time as we entered Wal-Mart, nothing out of the ordinary. We spent about 15 minutes in the Subway where we split some nachos & cheese and a pop. The both of us needed to eat something so we could each take our medicine. After that we grabbed a cart, Caleb complained about how long the grocery list was and we were on our way. No big deal. We’ve been in this Wal-Mart a gazillion and one times. It’s in a nice neighborhood.

The first time the announcement came I looked and Caleb and asked him if he heard what the man on the speaker had said. Of course Caleb hadn’t heard. Then just as soon as I had asked the getleman was back on the speaker repeating the words. All customers please leave your unpaid items and exit the store as quickly as possible in an orderly fashion due to some circumstances. I look around and everyone else in the aisle doesn’t seem to be paying attention, they continue shopping.

I on the other hand decided that we had better leave our cart and get the heck out of dodge. Because (1) I’m smart and follow directions (2) I have an overactive imagination and because we are in the city that mind of mine went into overdrive of all possibilities going on and (3) I remembered back to my days as an employee at Wal-Mart and the few circumstances that would warrant customers being asked to leave the store – a bomb threat or a gunman.

Do you know what it’s like asking a group of a gazillion people to leave a store in an orderly fashion? It was like a heard of elephants once everyone caught on to what was going on and we needed to get out of there. I couldn’t believe how some people were acting and I was not happy when a woman pushed my son out of the way to get herself and her daughter passed us.

As we exited the store my mind was in overdrive and Caleb told me that he was a little creeped out by that and scared as to what was going on. When I saw the police cars and watched more come in as we walked to our car and even as we left the parking lot I was definitely wondering what the heck was going on.

I have to say that at first I was irritated that I had a cart full of groceries and was being asked to leave the store. But after exiting the store all I could think was oh well I can get another cart full of groceries anytime. Suddenly groceries didn’t matter anymore. All that mattered was getting the heck out of there and home. And then my mind went to oh my goodness I so totally have to blog about this!

I’m thinking it had to of been something like a bomb threat but of course until news is released about the incident I won’t know. I certainly hope they have it on the 6 o’clock news tonight!!!!!! I need to know what happened in that store today that caused customers plus employees to be evacuated.

UPDATE:

Caleb and I went grocery shopping at 6:30pm. Wal-Mart was shut down for about 3-4 hours while cops investigated the bomb threat. Nothing all that exciting. The cashier that I talked to said they had one last year too. So that was our excitement for the day. Thankfully it was just a threat.