{{GC}} Much ease~ma for Josie.

{{{{{GC & GF & Josie}}}}} Lots and lots of ~ma. Some for peace, and some for a miracle.

Indeed.

Is it worth it for us to complain to our landlord about the idiots in ringing the doorbells last night? I'm pretty sure it was either someone that lives here or one of their friends, but I doubt that he will do anything about it.

I think so, sj.Maybe they might tell their friends to cut it the hell out already. It's a valid complaint.

I'm so sorry, GC.

Fay, one of my father's cousins tends to forward similar sorts of things. I'm actually pretty surprised that I haven't gotten the "Obama's a Muslim" email from them yet. (She's older, and she's a survivor, so not so good at the internet and very likely to evaluate anything political in terms of "Is it good for the Jews?" first and formost.)

Silly living in a small town story from my sister's email this morning: (names removed)

I stopped in to Slickers to pick up orders of french dip sandwiches on the way home on S's birthday (that's what he wanted, he's easy). I was standing and talking at the bar when the phone rang. After a couple minutes the bartender handed me the phone saying "KB wants to talk to you". (K is one of our town cops that went to school with S (I was his extra-strength tylenol supplier when he was playing basketball in high school) He was standing looking out the window at the police station across the street and could see that my orange vibe was parked facing the wrong direction on the side of the street and pretty much under the stop sign. He called to ask if I had only temporarily lost my sense of good judgment or had gone totally insane. Only in town name......... He did let me wait for my order before going out to move my car. So.....I'm back on my good behavior for a while.

I told her next time I visit I am going to drive her car to be safe. It is a resort town with loads of people in for skiing and snowmobiling right now. Lots of other folks to ticket.

This is the good part of family email. She likely wouldn't share her daily news otherwise since neither of us are phone people.

The local newspaper's story about the fire - the photograph is from the southside of the house.

Contrast that to my home town where my dad had been a part time cop back in the 50's, most cops in town knew him.

One day in the 80's he parked his antique 48 Ford pickup on the wrong side of the street to unload some stuff at my brothers house on a hill. Parked downhill in the parking lane so that the stuff would not fly out the back when we opened the tailgate.

We had taken a load into the house when we heard a bang. A woman had been adjusting her car radio while driving up the hill and had drifted into the parking lane and plowed into dad's truck head-on. As it was an antique, it was pretty much totaled.

The cop that came to the scene had the gall to tell my dad it was going to list it as mostly his fault because he was "parked illegally."

Oh, GC. I am so sorry. It has been such a shitty time for you guys. Much love and many hugs.

sj, I would totally report that to the landlord. And next time it happens? Call the cops. No. I'm not very forgiving, I guess.

sumi, that's so scary!

Stephanie, those are things you should actually say--especially to your boss. How insane!

There was other stuff. I didn't take notes or meara. I suck.

I'm home from jury duty four hours earlier than I anticipated. YAY! Also, it was kind of interesting, even though I didn't get on a jury. Relatedly, what is wrong with people? You come to jury duty with only your tiny purse that holds a chain purse and cell phone (which you can't use in the jury pool room) and complain the whole time about how boring and stupid this is. I think there is a correlation between the two. I was quite busy and happy. You were literally twiddling your thumbs. Next time, be more prepared. You may be happier. I know I will be, because I won't have to listen to you for four and a half hours.

(((((GC)))))) Sadly, I can sympathize more than I want to, having two of my family die last year. I will be thinking of you and Josie.