Dear So and So

[emily_in_nc]

So sorry, Oak. I don't know the circumstances, but that just doesn't sound right. If people know who did it, can't they be reported and questioned at least?

[OakLeaf]

It's not like we "know" know. It's like, these people are a known problem, they've broken into other surrounding houses and gotten caught doing that, there are only a handful of people who even know our house is back here. We're half a mile from the road on a shared lane - we try to intercept any parcel deliveries and have them held at the depot, but when that doesn't happen, half the time the delivery drivers leave the parcel at one of the other houses on our lane because *they* don't even know our house is here. So there's a pretty limited pool of people who might have done it, and most of those I know well enough to be sure they didn't, but no evidence against anyone.


Security system wouldn't help anything for the same reason, but I'm thinking about a webcam that would at least capture images and let us know if someone's inside.

[Crankin]

Our web cam helped us a lot during the sale of our house. But, the reason we got it was because we had a weird scam-like thing happen in 2008. We were in San Diego for Thanksgiving, when DH got an angry phone call from a woman berating him for stealing her credit card and using it to order things to be delivered to our house. It was surreal, when it happened; we were in Barnes and Nobles, purusing books with both of our sons. But, DH and the woman figured out that somehow her data and DH's had been compromised, and we were worried that a bunch of packages were going to be dropped off on our front door, which, as you know, isn't really visible to anyone. We called the Concord Police, and they either intercepted the scammers before anything got delivered, or the people got scared. But, it freaked us out, and as I said, I am not the paranoid type at all. It was also helpful when we were away and the weather, was bad, we could monitor the need for snow removal or if a package was delivered when we were not there.

[OakLeaf]

Mind if I ask what system you used?

[Crankin]

It is a Logitech, but it has been discontinued. There is much better technology out now.

[OakLeaf]

[snaps fingers] Dangit, I guess I have to do my own homework then.

[Aromig]

Dear Bicyclists who seem to need to race during big events: You're why motorists hate bicycles, and I'm starting to hate you too.

During the Horsey 100 this weekend, I got an early start and got passed by several large groups of very fast moving cyclists. They never warned that they were passing, and they'd force us slower people to run over potholes, etc. since we had no room to avoid bad places in the pavement as large groups were passing. A few times they'd squeeze into me when other faster bikes were passing them and I ended up on grass once, and rubbed wheels another time but managed not to wreck. Seriously. It's 100 miles, you can wait to pass one at a time. It's not going to impact your time that badly. Luckily it got better later in the day as the riders thinned out.

Other times (and I realize this is the exact opposite problem), I'd be behind these groups that were riding two and three wide when cars would be trying to pass them for a few miles and they'd never cinch up.

Seriously riders, you have all day to finish. Use common sense and slow down when necessary or slow down to cinch up and allow cars to pass.

Thank goodness the local club who puts on this ride marks and advertises in advance so there weren't tons of cars, and the cars who were around seemed to be very patient with the riders.