Did you say GUN?

Amberlee called this morning and asked me, "What's going on in M.?"

My reply: Oh, I don't know, I haven't heard anything interesting, why do you ask.

Amberlee: Heard any sirens or anything?

Me: No.

Amberlee: I just read on facebook from someone who just moved back to M. that she always thought that M. was a safe place to live.

I suggested she asked her why she said that. Her reply came back that her mother had called and told her to lock the doors and stay inside. The elementary school is on lockdown, and there is some man going around trying to get into peoples' homes and he has a gun!

Amberlee's next words: Oh, Mom, lock your doors and go hide in your basement now!

With my mouth hanging open and my heart beating in my throat, I just sat stunned, unable to move!

Amberlee (thinking I was already in my basement): I am going to check on something right now and I will call you right back with my report.

I am still sitting in my chair, when she called to tell me that she called the N. sheriff's office and they told her that a 10 year old boy reported this morning that a man came to his door or someone's door and it looked like he had a gun, but the sheriff suggested that it could be a meter reader, but people could feel safe again when the school is no longer on lockdown and they are searching all over town, looking for some man. I quit worrying and went back to my sewing.

The phone rang a few minutes ago -

Amberlee: Have you heard anything yet?

Me: No, but there is sure a lot of traffic in town, probably out looking still. (secretly, I keep hoping that the meter man will stop here so I can tell him to please call the sheriff's office, admit that he is the culprit, so things can get back to normal in our "safe" little town).

Then Amberlee informs me that I can probably come up out of the basement now, and she would clear things with the school or sheriff's office and report back to me. I didn't have the heart to tell her that I never did go down the basement to hide - however, I have been keeping an eagle eye out my windows.

I am sure that the sheriff is having a genuine chuckle that the news traveled so quickly on facebook from M. to Oregon and who knows where else in such a short time.

Still chuckling myself, now that I have my composure back. Love Mom - still feeling safe.

P.S. Amberlee also ordered me not to answer my front door. I must admit that it took awhile to gather up the courage to open the front door to check and see if the Fed Ex man had picked up the package that Susie left there for him.

My greatest concern this morning is my four grandchildren and my daughter who are all at the school this morning, probably shivering in their boots, pretending to be very brave.

Here is a blip from KSL.

Got keys?

We have some lovely new doorknobs, oil-rubbed bronze, good quality. BUT - beware - they open from the inside, eventhough they are still locked. So far, the only time I go out the door is when I am leaving for somewhere in the car, and whenever I feed the cat, I never shut the door AND, the other day when I had to look in the garage for the tile saw, I unlocked the door before going out AND as added insurance, I took Dad's keys in my coat pocket. Pretty clever was I. Last night, I opened the back door, went out and shut the door, fed the cat with NO coat - did fortunately have shoes on, turned to go back in, only to find myself locked out. What to do, it was snowing and cold. I walked across the street, rang the doorbell - no one home; walked to the neighbors, rang the doorbell - no one home; did not look like LaRue was home either - thought I might have to walk clear to Doran's office, but just in case, I rang LaRue's doorbell. She answered the door, wondered what in the heck I was doing all covered in snow looking like the abominable snowwoman with no coat on, but invited me right in. I called Susan who always has a spare key for our house, (Doran answered the phone and would not have been at his office) but when she arrived at LaRue's, she informed me that the only spare key she had was for the old doorknobs. Now what are we going to do. I was feeling thankful that I had not started cooking my dinner yet when she asked me if I did not know where the spare key was Dad always hides. She made me feel for it after she informed me that she had already brushed away all of the cobwebs. What a relief. I have really not ever had a need for the spare key, but I was most grateful for your Dad's foresight, however he had neglected to give Susan a new key. I could have gone out barefoot to feed the cat, left food cooking on the stove - thank goodness some one was looking out for me.

Footnote:
That happened to me once in Sterling - I walked out the door to the garage in my stocking feet to get some water we kept out there in jugs, but forgot to unlock the door first. We had to walk up a couple of stairs to get into the garage. Of course, your dad was out for his hour long walk and all I could do was wait in the cold for an eternity. It wouldn't have done me any good to walk out into the sub zero weather (it was winter) in my stocking feet and take a change on frostbite because the front door was locked anyway. I looked everywhere in the garage, in the landlord's office area for some kind of key that might work, but no such luck. I was pretty cold by the time your dad got back. Your dad found the spare key outside, went downstairs, unlocked the basement door and let me in, then proceeded to show me where the key was kept. To my chagrin, I realized I had left a teakettle on the stove with water heating for some herb tea. I am sure you have heard of burning water, but also the landlady's tea kettle was ruined, scorched inside and out.

Bathroom

The bathroom looks so wonderful. I wish you could all see it in person. These pics do not do it justice. Mom wanted me to pass on her deepest gratitude for those who made this possible.

I got a kick out of this email I got from mom today. Sounds like she is having lots of fun...

I am so lonesome I can hardly stand it. I did finish tiling behind that toilet today but thought I would die in the process. I have been waiting for Doran to make one 3inch cut on some trim to use for the baseboard on the wall behind the toilet, but he is waiting for the weather to warm up more so he can use his saw and you know me - I am not a waiter - so I found another shorter piece of trim just to put against the wall so I could tile above it the other day and did the left side of the toilet by the outside of the shower. Today, I tried to finish the tile and found that it kept slipping down where the trim did not fit - kept moving the tile back up, only to have it slip more, gouged my knuckle, got into the worst sweat ever, bled all over the place, but kept struggling working from one side of the toilet to the other, with same results - lift the tile up the wall, run to the other side, lift that side up, to the other side to lift it up again - back and forth - finally got the farthest end up far enough to slip a small piece of trim under to hold that up, struggled some more - prayed a whole bunch without ceasing. What made it so extremely difficult was the part behind the toilet where I could not reach very effectively and the whole thing was just plain awkward. After 2 1/2 hours of blood sweat and tears, it is done - it should have taken me only 1/2 hour to complete the project. I sat for a long time afterwards before I could get up to eat something because I was in low bloodsugar, ate some lunch and am now taking it easy for the rest of the day. Eventually, I will clean up the mess I made in the bathroom.