Saturday, May 26, 2012

Memorial Day Weekend

Yesterday was kind of crazy - when I stepped out in the hall to go grab a fresh bagel, one of my neighbors and I stopped to chat.  As we were about to part ways, we realized there was a pair of legs visible on the landing of the north stairs.  I told the man that I'd check out the person, and we parted.  I paused at the bottom of the north stairs - I could see dirty tube socks and hairy white legs.  I was not sure if the person was alive, dead, drunk, high, or what...  I projected my voice and called out, "Sir?  Sir?   Hey, mister; are you alright?"  His right foot moved, but there was no other response.  I went to the bakery, then returned home.  The legs were still on the landing.  So I called the non-emergency police number, and told them there was a white male that I did not recognize as a tenant, asleep (or possibly passed out) in our stairwell.  The police came and it turned out the man was so drunk he couldn't stand without aid, and he is also homeless.  I felt badly about calling the police, but I like to feel safe in the hallways of the apartment building.
   Speaking of which, a couple was awakened the other morning by the sound of someone wandering around in their house - the footsteps came closer, and the man grabbed his licensed gun from his nightstand.  Before the intruder walked into the bedroom, both husband and wife yelled warnings - that they had a gun, and that they would shoot, if the intruder entered the bedroom.  A woman entered the room, and continued to approach the bed, even though both people were yelling warnings.  The woman was shot in the side, just above her hip.  Turns out, she was dead drunk, and had just graduated from CU last week.  She managed to find the one unlocked screen door in a $2.75 million home, and entered, trying to find her own room.  (She lived two miles away.)  Colorado has a "Make my day" law, under which, if a verbal warning is given, the home owner has the right to protect him or herself with deadly force.  The young lady survived the shooting, and announced that she is "disappointed" that the state and home owners are still going to charge her with felony trespass.....
   My kits are super, but I missed sleeping with them last night.  Instead, I had Dhisana, Lily and Lyra in bed with me, and Tessa on the floor next to the bed.  Before 6:30 this morning, I had fed all the critters, re-filled the bee water dish, watered the organic garden, and watered all the potted and hanging plants that are outside.  When I left to come back to see my kits, the morning newspaper had yet to be delivered.  The Boulder Creek Festival begins today, and since it pretty much encircles the Public Library, the library is closed until Tuesday.  There are arts and crafts exhibits and sales, music, dancing, face painting, tumblers, environmental displays, food tents, ...  just about everything you can think of.  Monday, the 10k Bolder Boulder will be run and walked and wheeled - there are wheelchair races, and both pro and amateur contests for runners and walkers.  Monday will also see the Rubber Duck Race on Boulder Creek, for the Creek Festival.  I'll come see the kits Sunday in both the morning and evening, and then return Monday evening - because the four blocks immediately around my apartment building are closed by roadblocks on Monday from 4 a.m. until 2 p.m. for the Bolder Boulder.
   I hope all of you have a nice Memorial Day weekend!

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