the break-in

ok, so.....time has gotten away with me yet again...but better late than never to record life's challenges.....my mother called the house around 7:30 am Fridaythe 6th to let me know that someone had broken in to her house around 2:00 am through the front door, and that he/she had taken her television.....yikes......we dashed up the street to find the front storm door ajar, grass clippings tracked all about her downstairs.....and the empty spot where the aging television once sat.....i say aging, because it was at least 6-y ears old.....an even older laptop that i had found in an upstairs closet, a leftover from Andrew's residence, was taken from her computer desk...this was an easy snatch as it was not actually plugged in....i had found it and brought it downstairs in hopes of attaching a slide/photograph scanner at some point.....this piece of tech antiquity was at least 7-8 years old....hardly something that a discerning flea market customer would covet.....but i digress from the actual break-in....seems the thief had paused long enough on mother's front porch to take a few sips from a Coors Light before using the claw end of a hammer to pry open her storm door.....she had neglected to actually lock the deadbolt....heavy sigh....she recalled hearing the entry, and being awakened by a light shining in her face as she laid in her bed just off the kitchen.....the thief did not enter her room...likely surpised to find that someone was sleeping downstairs in a two story home.....her dog, a jittery wreck of a shetland sheepdog, did not bother to bark....which means she was terrified....this dog saves her yipping for her extended family...... rather than call us, or the police, she simply got out of bed when the thief left, shut her front door....and went back to bed......gracious sakes.....my spouse walked the circle with our dog while we waited for the sheriff/deputy to arrive...he noted that at least two other weekend/lake homes had been also entered.....at least one had a partially drunk beer sitting by a mangled window screen in the front yard....so.....we are back to insiting that mother lock her deadbolts....and our youngest child is moving in with her.....makes sense to have someone staying in the evenings to make sure that the doors are secure....mother and i went through her jewelry to make sure all is present, and i have brought home at least one piece that i would mourn if lost to us....a cameo ring that my dad bought for her early on in their relationship.....she does not wear it because the gold in the back has worn through....i have wrapped a bit of masking tape over the breach until i can have it fixed and sized to my hand.....i am not much for jewelry, but wearing this cameo ring has brought a bit of joy into what has been a wretched weekend....