Living in the Wild
Recently (2016), I was at the house alone with Chaos(dog). I was again in my bedroom getting ready to go to bed. All at once Chaos ran to the carport door and started barking. A 60 pound Red Nosed Pit Bull, I could tell from his bark there was someone on the other side of the door. My next door neighbors would know to call me first, so I decided not to go to the door. Easy enough. If you break in my home, I will do my best to hurt you. If you stay outside, I'll call the cops and if they find you great...if not.... again, unless you come in the house to hurt me or mine, I'll leave you be. A few minutes later, I saw the flash of light that could only be from a Police Car. Muttering "Damn...it's the cops...what now?", I walked to the carport and somehow kept Chaos in. I yelled out again (remember no doorbell). A very nice police officer introduced himself and told me that they had found someone in the fields/wooded area at the end of the street (other side of the neighborhood) The neighborhood streets are dead ends on entryway streets on the east and west side of the neighborhood, and the fields and woodland area goes to the river. They found possible stolen property on him and asked if anything was missing in my out buildings. I told the officer, I would settle the dog and put on some shoes and meet him in the backyard. I gave him permission to walk in the back yard. I went out the back door into the back yard. Chaos was NOT happy to be left in the house. I walked down the deck and there at the fence. There were 2 police officers in the back yard, and on the driveway side of my fence, there was another two police officers, one being a K9 officer. He was big and gorgeous. I said hello to the human officer and tried not to speak to the K9 officer. THAT was hard. He was cute, but I know better to talk to them.
The K9 had tracked the man to my fence. I honestly thing the man did come to my yard but heard Chaos and wanted nothing to do with my backyard or garage. The officer on the other side of the door at which Chaos had previously been barking said Chaos was my best security tool; as even he was intimidated when Chaos jumped on the door barking. LOL. I opened up the garage, apologized for the mess, and walked through. Everything, even tools were still there. Most people would be scared to go through the hoarder hell that is the garage. There is an antique bed, dresser, desk, kitchen table, computer table, end tables, old sewing machine, and various tools (nothing fancy).....or expensive, and definitely too big to want to carry off. We have another shed, where I keep gas cans, rakes, shovels, etc., but it's locked.
We determined that he must likely didn't come into my backyard. The officer explained that the wind could have thrown off the scent as much as 75 yards. We stared looking at neighbors houses. My next door neighbor owns a SNAP-ON tool business complete with BIG ASS Truck in his driveway. He wasn't there at that time, and the officers knew him and would check with him later. So, soon it would be time for the cops to move on. I know that the suspect had some white power extension cords still in the package...but I couldn't come up with anything missing. Thankfully. :)
I thought I would pee my pants when one of the officers, who remembered seeing the sign with my last name on it...said Beck? Are you related to W Beck? (retired Fireman). Before I answered, he said "Are you his daughter?". I am in my 50s. W. is 6 months YOUNGER than I am. I thought I was going to explode with laughter and a little bit of my psyche was saying "You go GIRL!". BAHAHAHAHAHA!
A fire?
In 2016, I was in my room (again) and it was late. I was up way too late watching TV (about 1am). I heard this POP sound and thought maybe someone had a wreck on the highway a block away. I heard a few other small pops afterwards. Again, if it's outside, I don't go looking for trouble. A few minutes later, I see red lights EVERYWHERE throughout the house. I'm like 'WTH?" I look out my window and my neighbors house diagonally across the street from me has fire behind it. At first I thought the fire was at this house I wanted to buy years ago. It belonged to a Railroad man who I'd known in the 1980s when he dated a co-worker at the Chinese restaurant where I worked. He had built on to his 1970s ranch style house and added almost another 1000 square feet behind his house as a new Den, Master bedroom and Master bathroom. Then, his fiance had run off with another co-worker (same restaurant)'s boyfriend. NEVER SAW IT COMING!!! Anyway, it wasn't his house. Ends up, it was the garage of the house diagonally across the street from me. The flames were way above the pine trees in the neighborhood. The whole garage was totally consumed in moments. The pops I heard where paint cans exploding. I found out later, Mr. J had 40 or 50 years of railroad memorabilia stored in that tiny garage, along with an older model car. Before the 2nd firetruck got to my street, the cops had parked in my driveway. Then as the firetrucks came in , the officer drove his car down and blocked the southern entryway (again, I live on a dead end street). Mr J's house is on the corner of my street and the side street, the cops were at the end of that street blocking traffic.
I remember when the 2nd firetruck came by, we were standing outside watching them, in my yard, on my side of the ditch. I didn't want to get too close. When they stopped, they turned on the side lights and I swear it was daylight. It was an amazing amount of light. I'm thankful that my neighbor was ok. He has now retired from the railroad, yet he has always and still mows his 1/2 acre yard with a push mower. I'm impressed. I'm not sure if it's cause he is 'green' or doesn't like riding mowers or 'cheap'. Of course, he has this huge tall ditch bank he could never drive down, so that's probably why.
No, not a fire, but boy is it hot?.
In 2013, I purchased a security system for the house. The process if the alarm went off was to call my cell phone, and if no answer, send a fire truck. One night in 2014, I left something cooking on the stove and went back to my room. ENOUGH WITH MY ROOM ALREADY. When the water ran out, it spit out some grease and smoked up the room a little. I'd added the smoke alarm that tied into the security system in 2014. Good thing! So - my phone was nearly dead and I left it to go put out the fire or do something to keep a fire from starting. I took the pot, added some water and let the Jennaire stove vent out the smoke. I reset the alarm. Megan and I are there talking about it when we hear that unmistakable sound of 'air breaks' on a big rig, plus some reverberation /echo of the speaker on the truck. I walk outside and there are 6 or so good looking fireman walking my way. I was so embarrassed. I told them everything was ok, but let them come in so they could professionally check things out. They took notes and told me I wasn't in any trouble for not answering my phone (I didn't hear it). Good guys. I'm thankful they got here so fast. :)
Tax time and someone is visiting?
I was working on my taxes on April 14th 2013 and received a text message from a young lady whose grandmother lives behind me. Morgan asked me "What are the Police doing in your front yard?" I was floored. I was sitting on my bed when I got the text and trying desperately to get my taxes completed before midnight. Yeah - I manage to do that more years than I want to admit. I got up and walked to my bathroom and looked out the window. There were 2 police cars parallel to my house on the street, blocking my driveway. By the time I got to the front of the house, someone was knocking on my front door. I opened my carport door and yelled out, 'Hello". (The doorbells do not work at my house). I have no problem with this because if you know me, you know my doorbells don't work. You'll knock. An officer responded to my shout out. Another Police car drove off. The Police officer told me that they were doing neighborhood checks and noticed a black man who was standing near my vehicle under the carport. He saw them and started walking toward the front door. He was standing on my front porch and they asked if he lived here. He didn't. He said he was looking for a friend who would give him a ride.....and that he knew who lived here (no - not). My neighbor is a retired police detective. He keeps an eagle eye on this property. If you come here and I'm not here, he will walk up and ask your business at this location. I love it! :)
So, they took him home (I assume). I assured the Police Officer that no man would be standing in my driveway and walk up to my door like that and I didn't know this person. The next day I found evidence where he tried to rip the back glass window of the SUV hatchback, looking for change. (assumption). No damage, just the door was pulled away but he didn't break the door. he got caught in time. Weird thing, the vehicle belongs to Mom. I was borrowing it while my car was in the shop. Everything calmed down and I haven't heard anything else about that.
Do you smell gas???
When Gregg and I first married (1990), we lived in a tiny 2 bedroom house on O'Berry Street. This house had the worst acoustics. If anyone knocked on the doors (front or back) you couldn't hear them. Gregg had been out and I expected him home at any time. I'd cooked something on top of the gas stove, and then put a cherry pie in the oven. Evidently, When I put the pie in the oven; the pilot light went out, and I didn't know it. I went into the living room and was watching TV. About 15 minutes later, I got up from the sofa and nearly fell. I realized I was dizzy and sick to my stomach. I knew INSTANTLY what had happened. I went into the kitchen and turned off the stove. I went to every window I could find and opened it. I had the phone in my hand and called 911. By the time I'd opened the few windows, I walked outside and sat on the front porch. Gregg drove into the driveway and I yelled at him as he came by. He walked up to me and I told him what was going on. The fire truck drove up, lights and sirens blaring. I was mortified!!!! I told Gregg I'd opened the windows and came outside to be safe. He then explained I was sitting in front of the open door and would have been blown away if the house exploded. sigh.
The firemen walked around, and evidently, I closed the bedroom door at some point. He said another 15 or 20 minutes and the gas would have come down from the ceiling and hit the stove other pilot light and blown up. I still don't like gas ovens. I have a duel fuel stove now. Gas on top and electric oven.
It was a scary night.
