Clyde And His Bonnie

The legend of Bonnie and Clyde is at it again. A married couple from Quincy, MA ; Joseph and Jennifer Carrier, decided to support their heroin habit by robbing banks up and down the East Coast with their seven dogs in tow. Their brazen crime spree started in Ludlow Mass when they robbed a bank and made off with not-enough-cash-to-make-it-worth-it. To make things worse-the couple made their getaway in a stolen brown Buick Encore-that Jennifer is wanted for the theft of.

Living the glamorous life of crime, these two then continued on to Florida where the Bonnie and Clyde act continued. Joseph walked into a Wells Fargo in Palm Coast and demanded "large bills". The teller reportedly gave him $300.00, before he reached in and grabbed more leaving with $800.00 total. I'm not sure these two-with their seven Brussel Griffons dogs-can live a life in the lamb and support a heroin habit on $800.00.

So they would, of course have to do it again. And do it again they did, yesterday. This time they chose a bank in Wilmington, Delaware and took off in the stolen car. Police were called and the couple was spotted on I-95 where a high speed  chase ensued.You know how that goes... the couple was arrested and taken into custody. I'm thinking Bonnie and Clyde didn't have a heroin habit that made them sick, but the addiction is still the same. The addiction the the high. The high that they get from stealing and the high they get from the drugs.

These two had a better ending to the story than Bonnie and Clyde, although they may not think so. They get to continue living-without each other-in prison and have a chance at getting clean and turning their lives around. Bonnie and Clyde didn't get that opportunity-prison or not. They ended up dead. Killed by the authorities that hunted them in an ambush. Although their story went on  o became one of legend the real tragedy is that they never got to live long enough to realize that crime, really doesn't pay.

Did I Ever Tell You About The Time I Was Robbed?

Twenty Things Your Burglar Won't Tell You

1. Of course I look familiar. I was here just last week cleaning your carpets, painting your shutters, or delivering your new refrigerator.
2. Hey, thanks for letting me use the bathroom when I was working in your yard last week. While I was in there, I unlatched the back window to make my return a little easier.
3. Love those flowers. That tells me you have taste ... and taste means there are nice things inside. Those yard toys your kids leave out always make me wonder what type of gaming system they have.
4. Yes, I really do look for newspapers piled up on the driveway. And I might leave a pizza flyer in your front door to see how long it takes you to remove it.

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5. If it snows while you're out of town, get a neighbour to create car and foot tracks into the house. Virgin drifts in the driveway are a dead giveaway.
6. If decorative glass is part of your front entrance, don't let your alarm company install the control pad where I can see if it's set. That makes it too easy.
7. A good security company alarms the window over the sink. And the windows on the second floor, which often access the master bedroom-and your jewellery. It's not a bad idea to put motion detectors up there too.
8. It's raining, you're fumbling with your umbrella, and you forget to lock your door-understandable. But understand this: I don't take a day off because of bad weather.
9. I always knock first. If you answer, I'll ask for directions somewhere or offer to clean your gutters. [Don't take me up on it.]
10. Do you really think I won't look in your sock drawer? I always check dresser drawers, the bedside table, and the medicine cabinet.
11. Helpful hint: I almost never go into kids' rooms.
12. You're right: I won't have enough time to break into that safe where you keep your valuables. But if it's not bolted down, I'll take it with me.
13. A loud TV or radio can be a better deterrent than the best alarm system. If you're reluctant to leave your TV on while you're out of town, you can buy a $35 device that works on a timer and simulates the flickering glow of a real television. (Find it at faketv.com.)
14. Sometimes, I carry a clipboard. Sometimes, I dress like a lawn guy and carry a rake. I do my best to never, ever look like a crook.
15. The two things I hate most: loud dogs and nosy neighbours.
16. I'll break a window to get in, even if it makes a little noise. If your neighbour hears one loud sound, he'll stop what he's doing and wait to hear it again. If he doesn't hear it again, he'll just go back to what he was doing. It's human nature.
17. I'm not complaining, but why would you pay all that money for a fancy alarm system and leave your house without setting it?
18. I love looking in your windows. I'm looking for signs that you're home, and for flat screen TVs or gaming systems I'd like. I'll drive or walk through your neighbourhood at night, before you close the blinds, just to pick my targets.
19. Avoid announcing your vacation on your social networking site. It's easier than you think to look up your address.
20. To you, leaving that window open just a crack during the day is a way to let in a little fresh air. To me, it's an invitation.

Maybe I'll tell my story soon.

Packages, Boxes and Bags

I was just thinking....

• I am overjoyed that Green Bay LOST this weekend! The Pats undefeated regular season record (tying Miami's historic undefeated season) still stands. But here's the thing, some say Green Bay wanted to lose, to take the pressure off the team as they chase the ultimate goal; back to back Superbowl championships. I got to thinking about our guy Bill Belechick when the Pats were on their 2007 historic run to an undefeated season. Never was there any talk about strategic losing. Never. Belechick and the Pats just continued winning and winning big. And they ALMOST did it and won it all. They might have peaked early that season, but they continued to beat teams. And ya, I know they lost to the Giants in the Super Bowl. You need not remind me.
  
  




• I had my best day ever at The Candy Bar yesterday. Let's just say that as a retailer, I am very encouraged.





• Where is that missing 20 month old toddler from Waterville, Maine? My heart is heavy and my throat has a huge lump in it every time I think of the Polly Klass' and the Jaycee Dugard's of the world and what potentially happened to this child. It really makes me question why is there such evil in this world.
  
  




• Speaking of evil, on Sunday afternoon there was yet ANOTHER attempted break in in my small town and a teen was home alone at the time. Good thing the kid did not answer the door and called police immediately. This is the 5th attempted break in this month. In a personal email to make us aware of the incident, sent out yesterday to the student body of this town by the parent of the child, "This was a frightening experience" was how it was described.
  





• Five more shopping days left and I still haven't got my parents anything. HELP! I also have more than a few things to $till buy and I'm going $hopping all day tomorrow. I should have just taken Heff's advice and just bought Christmas on Amazon. Brilliant idea! One click and you're done.





• Merry merry....have a song in your heart and a spring in your step. It's Christmas.
  

Like A Thief In The Night....

I am certainly no stranger to robbery.

Just 8 months after my EX-ASS and I split up many years ago, my home was burglarized. Thieves took every bit of my jewelry and my daughter's jewelry and nothing else. It was so violating and scary, even if it was an inside job, that we were all shaken by it. But that's a blog for another day. Today I mention it because we got hit again, on Sunday night.

It was minor, and thank God for that, but violating nonetheless. Frick's car and My Guy's car, both parked in our driveway, were cleaned out. They only got about 3 bucks in quarters from My Guy, but poor Frick had her iPod Touch stolen, along with her iPod connector for her car. My Guy discovered it on Monday morning when he got into his car to got to Home Depot.

While walking to his car he happened to glance inside Frick's car, parked just beside his. He noticed that the inside of Frick's vehicle looked completely ransacked. He figured it was her looking for something in a teenage fury and had not cleaned up after. That was until he got into his car and realized the same thing had happened to his car, but to a lesser degree.

I felt so bad for Frick. I mean, she was only 10 when our house was robbed, and she was more frightened then about the violation of her security than the loss of her jewelry. This time, she was just pissed off that someone stole something of hers that she cherished. I think she was more upset about the loss of the iPod car connector than anything else, but she had a real uneasy feeling about the thought of people rummaging through her stuff in her car.

And let that be a lesson to all of us. Take nothing for granted. Frick also left the keys to the car inside it that night. The thieves could have taken her car, so it could have been much worse, but it got me to thinking. My mom (who is also one of my neighbors) was telling me that her handy man took her to the front door to show her something disturbing last week. He was working on the outside trim all week and when he went back to check his work around the door, he noticed that the freshly painted area between the door knob and the door latch had been scraped up. It definitely appeared that someone was trying to get in, then he showed her a drop of blood that was dried on the threshold of the door. Sure enough, this could be a tel tale sign of an attempted B&E.

Then last Tuesday, just as I am leaving to go to work, Buddy, my big white boxer, started barking ferociously and caught my attention. As I glanced out I saw a very tall and large man in a suit with a brief case and a woman in a long skirt approaching my door. They weren't at all afraid of ferocious Buddy, which unnerved me right away. Instinctively, I opened the door and went outside with more than an attitude and I might have even been rude.

"How can I help you?" I snapped as I went to grab my dog before he reached them and possibly hurt one of them, leaving me liable for their injuries.

"We are here to talk to you about the Lord," they pleasantly replied.

"Ya. No. My dog doesn't like solicitors and I'm not interested so please leave," I said. It gave me a freaky feeling all day. Stupid, I know, but even though they seemed harmless, the little visit left me feeling uneasy.

And now this.

Let's just hope my thief quota has been filled for good.