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Thursday, December 27, 2018

Town on Lockdown

NUMB
3rd hit in less than a week
Still reeling from #1 and #2

On Dec. 26, 2018 at about 2 am our phones started sending alerts. 
We were under Blue Alert.

Blue Alert - The purpose of the Blue Alert Program is to establish a quick response system designed to issue and coordinate alerts following a violent attack upon a law enforcement officer. The goal of a Blue Alert is to provide immediate information to the public about violent suspects via media broadcasts, and other notification resources to solicit help from the public in the safe and swift apprehension of the suspect. 

These alerts continued throughout the morning on our phones and TV.
We were told to stay inside, lock doors and windows.
It took a few hours to find out exactly what was happening.

We finally got word.
Our K9 Officer Cpl. Ronil Singh was shot and killed at a routine traffic stop.
The suspect had disappeared, but they did have a description of his vehicle and photos of him at Chevron on Main St.
That's only a couple minutes from my home.

Hwy. 33 (N St.) which runs through our little town was closed.

About 3:30 pm we received an update: 

BLUE ALERT UPDATE - The suspect's vehicle has been located. The suspect is still outstanding. IF SEEN, CALL 9-1-1

About that time Hwy. 33 was semi-opened 
and a traffic check was posted.

Our community is in mourning and remembering Ronil by 
 dropping off flowers, cards, and balloons at the Station.


 Cpl. Ronil Singh was a very sweet man and an asset to the force.
Our sincere condolences go out to his wife and 5 month old little boy.


There have been no more updates to his whereabouts
 or where his vehicle was found.

End of 2018 and No Break in Sight


Dec. 23, 2018 sure won't let go without a hand grenade aimed at us!
We've been taking it easy trying to be calm since the fire next door 3 days ago. It's very unnerving and takes longer than you think when you have a history of PTSD. You feel very unsafe. 

We had another big scare yesterday, 12/22. Around 2pm we heard Tora barking and what sounded like fighting in the backyard. Couldn't imagine what was going on. She was at the fence which looked at first like she was fighting with our neighbors dogs through the fence. There's not a hole in the fence and besides they don't fight, but we could hear their's going crazy acting the same way.

M walked out to check and screamed RACOON!! About that time I saw it climb our small tree. Yelled for Tora to get inside, locked her in. Went looking for our other 2 smaller dogs, they were shaking under the table. OK all dogs locked in.  I and M cried as we immediately checked Tora for wounds. Searched and searched ~ couldn't find any this time, even though it was on top of her as it fell from the tree.   In the meantime, T & C had gone after the coon with a shovel and claw cultivator my Dad had made. The coon finally headed out but not before stopping and charging them even after they had stopped hitting it. They thought they were done, had turned to come in and luckily saw it coming from about 8 feet away. Had to defend themselves, it finally turned and left. 

This was 2 in the afternoon, what was it doing out??? It took a while for all of us to compose ourselves. We checked our security cameras ~  the 40 ponder nonchalantly walked down our sidewalk, used the stepping stones to the street curb then strolled across the street and went into the neighbors yard.  Never ran, just calmly walked.

We went next door to see if their dogs were OK, which they were. They're on board to get rid of the six that think these are their homes not ours. They have to be careful when they come out their front door because coons sit in their front tree and will jump them.

Not sure how many of you have followed my blog and the terrorism from these raccoons since '09. You can see blog 11/22/09, 11/25/09, 11/27/09,  10/08/12, 10/19/12, 12/12/12, 3/25/14, 5/16/165/24/16, 12/26/18.........

Anyway, dog door is locked up - can't let dogs out day or night on their own.  Need to pre-check for safety.
Frustrated, exhausted mentally which has affected us physically. Scared to even take trash out.

Wasn't even able to finish this post before #3 bomb was thrown.......next post.

Perspective


Dec. 19, 2018 was just another day. Dr appointments in the morning. Stopping at the grocery store on the way for last minute needfuls, then the pharmacy for meds before the Holiday closures.

Got home, checked my purse calendar with the kitchen calendar and realized I hadn't updated the one in my purse and double booked a day in Jan. I was frustrated with myself and dreaded the call to reschedule. M was running kitchen trash out to the tote, she came running back in saying there was a fire.


Still caught up in dates it took a minute for what she said to sink in. I ran outside to find the street filled with thick black smoke. The house next door to us was on fire! Being in a similar previous situation, my thought was move the cars. Which we did further into the Court away from the fire. Walking back into the house I heard someone yell ''grab a few clothes and get out!''.  Surely they weren't meaning us. Unfortunately they were!

 Thrown into a panic the 4 of us started grabbing things...things?! what the heck do you grab? "What do we put them in?" I heard, I yelled back "grab a trash bag!" Seemed handy at the moment. A few of us grabbed clothes, I grabbed everyone's meds, including the animals. M got the carriers down and loaded the cats. OMG Tilly! The only carrier we had left was an old one I was getting ready to toss that had been out in the rain full of debris - yuk! NOT what you put a bird in! No time to clean it I lined it with a thick layer of newspaper.  Pet food ~ having several geriatric pets they each have their own special prescription diets. Their food was grabbed by one of us.  As each of us thought of something, we yelled it out. The next person who was able, grabbed it. Water! was yelled, someone grabbed it.

As panic stricken as we were and not knowing what we were suppose to be doing, I thought we did exceptionally well as a team. Species separated in different cars, special foods, everyone's meds, a few clothes ~ headed for the cars to leave and told we couldn't take the cars ~ say what?  We just ran crazy for 10 - 15 mins -  not fast enough. The entrance to the court was blocked by fire engines, police cars, etc. - and they had sealed off the streets.  A firefighter told us ''you have to leave on foot.''  I asked where do we go? is the corner ok? he said there's smoke there and smoke is deadlier than fire. OK - the park? His response, well, there's no fire there.
OK ~  I get your drift, you can't tell us where to go for liability reasons in case something happens to us.

Leashed the dogs, grabbed the crates and paraded through the 25 - 30 onlookers to the park -  I was thinking open air, less smoke? No idea what I was doing. AND didn't understand how come we had to evacuate but on lookers could stand across the street, watch, take photos, videos, etc.?????

But I was more concerned for our pets and that thick black smoke. Tilly would be the first to go. Trying to weave through the bystanders, not breathe but peek at the house - couldn't see much as the smoke stung our eyes. I don't know how the onlookers could stand it.

We stayed at the park until we saw a fire engine leave, then headed back. The streets were still blocked off. Firefighters were in clean up mode.

Walking by our neighbors house it looked like a tunnel. You could see from the front all the way through to the backyard, there wasn't anything inside.
Heart pounding as we got closer to ours - did we have damage? did it jump to ours?

God was watching over us! The firefighters kept it from jumping to our home! They had put sprayed/something down, a retardent? along the property line, fence, roof...
Such a relief to see our home unscathed.

I saw our neighbors as we came home, they both had gotten out and were ok. They are elderly and rent the house. The Salvation Army had already contacted them and were to receive help. Our little town had an outpouring of support and was ready to help them in anyway possible.


We're still each processing and decompressing in our own way. Each day is different. Back on an emotional roller coaster. I keep thinking tomorrow I'll feel normal again. I think my normal has changed.....again


Bottom line everyone was safe. But it puts things in perspective. You don't know what's going to happen tomorrow, heck not even an hour from now. Be thankful for what you have. Try not to sweat the small stuff. Choose to be HAPPY!
Keep your family in your heart and tell them you love them

I didn't post this before Christmas when it happened. Not sure I could have, emotionally. It's not meant to bring anyone down just wanted to share my experience.

Love to all

Wednesday, December 26, 2018

Rabid Raccoon?

Aug. 12 -
Spent most of the night at Taylor ER Vet. The boys were going out to get into the car with Tora. A raccoon jumped out of our tree onto Tora. ðŸ˜±They had no idea it was even there. Luckily she didn't get torn up as bad as Cyndar did, she was able to grab it off her shoulders and toss it. But it kept coming back for more. T was able to finally get a good kick in and get Tora in the house. The vet said there was something wrong with it for it to attack without being provoked and to report a rabid raccoon. Will do come Monday. She also said we have every right to shoot to protect our property ~ our dogs are our property. Out come the guns. We've seen 6 - 8 HUGE raccoons in the front yard the last few weeks. Scary. It could have jumped on T! They are out of control and SO aggressive. Tora is cleaned up, on antibiotics, got another Rabies shot and the cone of shame ðŸ˜¥ We finally got home about 4am, she's stopped shaking and is at last asleep. Wish I could say the same, I had just fallen asleep when the alarm went off. No worries tho, we've been drinking to calm our nerves. Feeling pretty good ðŸ˜‹ Gonna be one of those liquid or sleeping days.....😴



Aug. 13 -
Tora is doing better, Thank God.
Attact reported. NPD Animal Control wish more would report attacks due to rabies epidemic.
Tora is quarantined 45 days per vet even w/3 yr. booster, 8 mths.after reg. 3 yr. vaccine. She's still on antibiotic & pain meds, but now walking on injured leg. ðŸ’– Been up with her the last few nights. Hoping to sleep tonight ðŸ˜´