respublica

Blurred images

Everyday one news outlet or law enforcement group puts out a security camera photo of someone who has robbed a store or broken into a car. The story surrounding that photo usually asks us "if you recognize this person please let us know."

The problem is the image is usually very blurred with little or no contrast. It's impossible to make out much except for the clothes being worn. I often wonder why they even bother posting those pictures. And, with the huge advances in photography and video cameras, why don't more users get a security camera which actually shows very clear images.

I know these cameras commonly exist because the seminary now has them and if we can do this so can stores and other places. A couple of weeks ago on a Saturday night one of our women students and a Washington University student walking through the campus were held up at gunpoint. Thankfully neither were hurt. The Wash U guy was held up in front of our house, they got his phone and a rotisserie chicken he'd just picked up at Schnucks. Our student had nothing to steal so they shoved her down and went on toward the other guy.

The police came here in force. Dale was out of town on that night and as I began watching the police look for the two perpetrators, I was rather frightened as you might expect. The police fanned out down the entire street, using flashlights to search backyards, inside homes, etc. They eventually found the Schnucks bag with the chicken and handled it with great care and took it to an evidence bag where they dusted for finger prints.

But how did they finally catch these guys? It was our security cameras upgraded in the past two years. Our campus facilities manager was called right away and he came in from his home. His phone is linked to the security cameras we have all over campus and it clearly showed what happened to the woman student. The police got the information they needed as the two culprits were clearly shown as well as the getaway car parked at the edge of campus.

The Clayton police were able to track that car and called for help from the St. Louis Police and they got the two somewhere on north Skinker at Delmar. I learned at 10:30 that night that they were in jail with a huge cash only bond.

All this is in aid of...if commercial places and homeowners are looking for a security camera, get a good one.

 

I miss my dog

There are days when a weird feeling comes over me when I walk through the house and expect to see Ferdie. We're not ready to get another dog, it's just too much to be planning to move and acclimate a new pet as well. It wouldn't be fair to the dog or us. But that hasn't stopped me from checking Dirk's Fund Golden Retriever Rescue website  and Facebook page every couple of days to see their adoptable dogs. At the moment I am in love with two or three and two of them won't be ready to be adopted for some weeks.

This is Lizzie. She was released from owners who kept her outside all the time and did not care for her health. So she's being treated for a few things. If we had her, we'd change the name since Lizzie is what we call our daughter. This dog is just so gorgeous and has that sad look of having been ignored.

This is Holly. She also has some medical issues from neglect and is being treated and will not be adopted til healthy. She looks so much like Ferdie, large and sweet.

Catching up on the tally

I got behind recently in adding to the tally of mattresses and ladders which fall on St. Louis highways.

Mattresses 19

Ladders 9

I have no idea why mattresses are falling so frequently at this point in the year.

Debate

I found myself watching the democratic debate last night mainly because I wanted to decompress after a very full week and HGTV was nothing but Property Brothers who I am very tired of.

Anyway, my reaction was: I wouldn't be able to tolerate Elizabeth Warren's speaking voice more than a minute plus her frantic arm movements. Very annoying. Bernie Sanders is an old grumpy coot. Joe Biden seemed to believe he has done everything for everyone already. Bloomberg seemed a fish out of water, quite surprised by being criticized. The other two, Mayor Pete and Amy Klobuchar were the most likable, people who I may disagree with, but who would be nice to go out to dinner with.

The six really did not seem to like each other.

And the week that was...

Katie, Charlie, and their two boys flew in on Saturday to spend several days with us as well as to be part of a retirement video the campus is creating with the whole family. It has been go go go and eat eat eat for 4 days leaving us with no time to take a breath.

Now the house is empty except for the two of us and it's back to normal business. Here are a couple photos of what the week has been like.

A visit to the milk truck part 2

Dale kidnapped all five grandsons and the two son in laws yesterday afternoon to show them the milk truck at the restoration place. It's almost done.

Download IMG_6492

 

In the evening Lizzie and Darren took all five to their house for a sleepover-movie night.

And when that happened, this happened to Katie and Charlie

When family comes to visit

We have Katie, Charlie and Drew and Jake here for a few days and we have been on the go since early Sunday morning First Church (late service) then lunch at the Old Herald Brewery in Collinsville, a walk down Demun to the candy store, reunion with the cousins who arrived in late afternoon followed by a basketball playing hour in the gym. Then dinner and a pretty darn good movie, The Sandlot.

This morning things are already on the move and its troublesome that it is raining. So what to do? I don't know.

About the hands free driving law

It has been some time now since the new Illinois law prohibiting the use of a cell phone while driving went into effect. In essence this law which took effect this year makes it illegal to have a phone in your hand while driving. Even touching your phone while car is in gear can get you a ticket. That's right, even while stopped at a red light you better not be holding your phone or checking anything on it. 

You can use the phone if it is hands free. 

I have no problem with any of this because I see way too many close calls and distracted drivers. But, it must be difficult to enforce because the most common offenders these days are drivers of the big semi trucks. Sharing the road with them I see way too many of these guys with the phone propped up on the steering wheel while they are reading or typing. Be a passenger in a car while on the interstate to and from Illinois to Missouri or anywhere else and just look up at the truck's driver and you'll see it too.

For this law to work it has to have vigilant enforcement.

Let's face it, we aren't used to real cold

This has been rather a miserable winter with mostly cloudy chilly days, lots of rain, some bits of snow and sleet. Nothing which lasted too long, but common enough that its been tiresome. Not nearly as awful as last winter when it snowed frequently and deep.

However, today is something totally different, real bitter cold. I just walked out into 4 degree weather and realized I needed more layers and fast. Of course the sun comes out when it does no good at all. Katie's high school cross country coach told her at the beginning of her freshman year that the human body can adapt to heat with regular exposure to it, but the body will not adapt to frigid temperatures. Maybe that's why highway workers and other outdoor workers can stay at their work in the worst heat of summer days.

Connor's new birthday bear even seems a bit reluctant to go outside.

Happy Valentines Day. It is pretty outside with the sun, sun is a mood changer.

Are you compulsive about anything?

I am. There are something I have to do or I don't feel right. Is this OCD or just normal?

I can't sleep in a bed which was not made. Frankly, if for some reason it didn't get made in the morning, I'll make it just before I get into it at night.

Also I wash my hands a lot. Ok, constantly. Too much germ news every day.

Well, it's a miserable weather day and I had some time to reflect on things that mean nothing.

 

Fireplace refaced

Lots of things need to be refreshed or re-done at our house in Collinsville before it becomes liveable. And, it needs to be liveable by June so we can take on the big job of moving back. Yesterday a fireplace company from Belleville came and not only refaced the main floor fireplace, but put in a gas insert. This fireplace had been wood burning so before anything could be done they had to move a gas line.

All this was done and completed by afternoon. They also were able to begin the same thing on the old gas fireplace in our bedroom. This should be done by later today.

 

Oh Illinois, just stop

As if taxes aren't high enough in Illinois and things which are taxed aren't numerous enough, leave it to one lawmaker to propose a law making it illegal to pump your own gas. This is coming from State Rep, Camille Lilly of Oak Park. It must be that our state reps have run out of real work to do.

If passed, the bill would create the Gas Station Attendant Act. It states that no gas may be pumped at a gas station in Illinois unless it is pumped by a gas station attendant.

It would go into effect Jan. 1, 2021.

Here's the thing. Some drivers need help pumping gas, but there are stations which have an attendant. What is bound to happen is the price of a gallon of gas will go up in Illinois because of this. Stations will have to hire more people to provide this service which means adding wages and thus raising the price of the gas. And, Illinois gas prices are already too high mainly because of the taxes put on.

More and more people will make a point to gas up in Missouri, Iowa or Indiana depending on where they live. In many cases this is already true. I haven't actually found a news story which explains Camille Lilly's reason for this legislation.

 

Well, it's Monday...

Mattresses 14

Ladders 5

Charitable hearts

There are times when our grandsons want to do something simply to help other people and it gives us, not pride as much as thankfulness. Recent days have seen four of our boys involving themselves simply to bring hope to those dealing with serious health issues.

Two of them, Connor and Nick, had their heads shaved to raise money to defeat childhood cancer. Last night Jacob and Drew chose to do a marathon jump roping competition to raise money for the Heart Association. One of their elementary school teachers died much too young a few weeks ago of a heart attack. These two will do this in her memory.

Connor has done this for several years and it looks like Nick will do the same.

These things make all the other days of commotion and joyful noise worth it.

 

What's Missing from the Westminster Dog Show?

Every year I set aside whatever else I have to do on the second Monday and Tuesday evenings in February in order to watch the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. And each year I hope against hope the Golden Retriever will win best in show. Actually I have come to have a low bar in expectations and merely hope a Golden will win its group. It never happens. The Golden Retriever is one of the most popular breeds in America and one of the few which have never won at Westminster. In fact, 11 of the 10 most popular breeds have never won.

These 11 include: Labrador Retriever, Golden Retriever, French Bulldog, Rottweiler, Dachshund, Welsh Corgi, Australian Shepherd, Great Dane, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Miniature Schnauzer, Shih Tzu. These are among the most popular dog breeds. Here is a complete list of dog breeds which have never won, you'll have to scroll down a bit.

So which dogs have won the most and seem to be the favorites of judges? The top 10. The Wire Fox Terrier has won 14 times!

Airedale Terrier

Boxer

Cocker Spaniel

Doberman Pinscher

Sealyham Terrier

Standard Poodle

Pekinese

English Springer Spaniel

Scottish Terrier

White Fox Terrier

You may notice 4 of the 9 are terriers. I know I'll be disappointed once again.

Shaving heads

Yesterday the seminary held its annual head shaving event to benefit the St. Baldrick organization to fight childhood cancer. Dale has done this every year but this year he had to skip it because in the next week or two he will be part of various videos and photographs and it was suggested he not be bald. However, our grandson Connor once again had his head shaved and he raised $1406. We are very proud of him. Also our vicar at Holy Cross in Collinsville had his head shaved.

Tonight the seminary will have another charitable event, a basketball game between our seminary team against a team of alumni.

A new item hits the road

On Wednesday, yesterday:

Mattresses 12

Ladders 5

Also yesterday a sewing machine in the road on Jamieson

And, that 5th ladder was the first ladder sighting in 19 days.

Is this scary or cute?

It's National Children's Dental Health Month and this is a photo which accompanies the promotion.

I'm not sure this isn't just a bit frightening.

If we learned nothing else...

One part of the State of the Union speech last night was the introduction of a two year old child who was born at 21 weeks and, thanks to medical science, she is now a healthy girl.

If this tells of nothing else, it should give us pause when we hear of people and legislators accepting (and wanting) late term abortion legalization.

Oh Iowa

While watching the fiasco that was the Iowa caucuses last night, I found myself laughing at the frustration all the cable news people were exhibiting. No matter what channel or political bent these news experts represented, they were getting testy and downright angry over the delays. They'd said everything several times over and were tired, sick of sitting on those panel chairs and just wanted to get out of there. At around 10:30, I began to be less interested in results than watching to see which cable channel panel would break camp first and just leave.

And rightly so. Once again Iowa's way of putting on a caucus rather than a traditional ballot primary looks like what it is: a bad idea. And, to use some sort of app to record precinct votes made things worse. If this night doesn't provoke a change in making Iowa the first state to go during a primary season, something is very wrong.