I got a letter in the mail today. From an investigator in Florida wanting me to mail something to the District Court in Los Angeles. A statement saying I was not the person who was sexually assaulted in February 1996. Apparently the document was written incorrectly and it showed me as being the first AND third victim.
In September, 1995, one week before my birthday, a man broke into my apt and did disgusting things while I slept. He cut the window screen, climbed in through the window, unplugged my phone from the telephone, but not the wall (this makes all other lines go dead), unplugged my nightlights, moved my cordless phone off my bed and locked the door on the way out. I didn't realize until I woke up at 5:00am or so that someone had been there. It took me an hour to convince myself that someone had indeed been there and to call the cops. The only thing missing was a kitchen knife with a five inch blade from the butcher block. I didn't realize at this time that he had performed lascivious acts on my bed while I slept. The cops told me that this doesn't happen in this neighborhood and it had to be someone I knew. I then proceeded to question and fear every man I knew, until I found out who it was.
Needless to say, I did not stay at the apt for the next two weeks. When I did go back, I returned during the day and then left again, then returned at ten o'clock or so for the night. Well, upon my return at ten o'clock, I found a note on the door from the same guy, describing in detail what he wanted to do "for" me, and, if I was interested, to leave the door open and he would be there at eleven o'clock. He knew I had returned because he had been watching. I hightailed it to the sheriff's dept and gave them the note. I never returned to the apt. except to move my things. I spent the next six months in fear for my life, thinking I was being followed, or watched. I didn't know where this guy was or who he was. The second victim, about four months later, was in the shower when he broke in and stole credit cards and watched her. In February, I was very relieved to find out that he had been caught, but, unfortunately for the third victim, his crimes became much more violent. There were numerous sexual counts against him after he cut the phone line outside her apt and she woke up to a guy on top of her. At the trial, in which I testified against him, he got twenty seven years.
This was not one of the highlights of my life. However, even during this time, God was watching out for me. Aside from the emotional trauma, I escaped unharmed. That was enough.
At the time this all happened, my boss had two of the guys at my job help me move. They didn't want to. Someone at the place I worked decided I was lying and had made all of this up to get attention. Huh? I never really understood that one. I guess since it sounds a bit far-fetched, but it was all true and I had to defend myself against all of them thinking I was lying, on top of what I was going through at the time. Nice. When it showed up in the newspaper six months later, I brought it in to prove I hadn't lied. Then they thought I was trying to get attention. Couldn't win.
Well, I met the third victim, Jane Doe (she didn't want to release her name) through all of this and we became friends, and she has told me that when he is released from prison, they will notify her and she will notify me. I didn't expect to receive a letter from an investigator on his behalf. That gives me the creeps.
It stated in the letter that he doesn't know where I am, but how do I know? The investigator is working on his behalf.
I don't want to help him in any way, but am I bound by law to return this form to the court? If I do, am I helping him?
I am pretty freaked out by this, since I have tried to put it all in the past.
Is he trying to get released from prison and they want the record set straight?
Should I write and try to get involved and explain what DID happen? They apparently cannot get ahold of "Jane", since she did not want to be identified. But I know how to reach her. And if they can't get ahold of her, then how will they notify her when he is released from prison?
Should I call "Jane" and let her know what is going on?
My head is spinning...
Saturday, July 08, 2006
Fun on the Mountain
Today's Forecast
Sunny this morning. Partly cloudy this afternoon with a slight chance of thunderstorms. Locally heavy rain possible with thunderstorms. Highs 100 to 108. West winds 15 to 25 mph this afternoon. Chance of precipitation 20 percent.
108. 108!!! WITH possible heavy rain! The rain will be boiling hot! I can't do 108 and raining. That's just gross. I thought the worst of the summer was supposed to be in August. How much worse can it get than 108 and raining?! Ggrrr!
Yesterday we went to my dad's house. I got my oil changed and then we looked for ways the mice were getting in the car. Well, when we pulled out the air filter, the entire bottom of it was covered with little pieces of paper. Nesting materials. Great. The air wasn't so clean. Dad did put a screen on the air intake where we found the dead mouse, so hopefully there won't be any more going in there.
The girls had SO MUCH fun at Papa's house. He took us for a ride in the golf cart, but the battery was going, so I got out at the bottom of the hill and followed the golf cart. He got out a little further up and had Jess put her foot on the gas peddle while he held the steering wheel. They loved the golf cart! Then we had lunch, which the girls ate a ton of. I think it was the mountain air. Remember the story of Heidi? Who goes to visit her grandfather in the mountains of Switzerland and the mtn air is so good for her that she gets really healthy. Well, the girls yesterday had rosy cheeks, ran around in the yard, ate a ton of whole wheat pasta with mushrooms and corn mixed in, with spaghetti sauce and they had a grand time. Then we went outside to water the plants and then drove up to Dad's brother's place. They oversee a Greek Orthodox church camp that is about two miles from Dad's place. Well, when we got there, my aunt was in the pool and my uncle was next to it. So, the girls didn't see her at first, they saw the swingset and were all over that. Big slide on the side and everything. Then they came over to the pool and my aunt, they call her Oma (which is Grandma in German), let Jess get in the water. Stripped down to her undies and put a floaty ring around her. Jess swam around like that for a long time. Then Bekah wanted in so Jess got on the raft and Bekah used the floaty ring. They swam and played and traded places and splashed and then, when it got too cold to stay in any more, Oma brought them a bag of Oreos and sugar cookies and Jess munched on those a while. She sat, shivering by the side of the pool, eating Oreos. She was in heaven! The temp outside never got above 85 degrees up there and when they got out of the pool, it was probably closer to about 75-78. The pool was 75 degrees. Cool. Very cool. We all went inside and Sandy dried their clothes and the girls went up to the attic, which their four granddaughters (10,7,3,2) use as a play room and they had a blast! Then they came down and sat in Opa's chair and munched on all his snacks - pretzels, chocolate covered popcorn(!), cookies, candies. They were not lacking for junk food yesterday! Opa pulled out a bag of beads and they made bead bracelets. We have to finish Jessica's bracelet today. Oma sent them home with a HUGE bag of beads to take home with them. They did not want to go home! But at 8:30, we headed out, with the girls promising they would come back! With a quick stop at Dad's house to gather our things, we headed down the hill and by the time we were halfway to the freeway, Bekah was asleep. Jess wanted to stop at McD's and I pulled in and asked her what she wanted. By the time I got to the window to pay, she was fast asleep. They had a busy, fun exhausting day! Me, too.
It was so nice, though, to be where it was cool. Dad says it was 55 degrees yesterday morning when he sat out on the front porch and ate his breakfast. I can see why he lives there. I would love to have him closer, but how can you beat that? Pine trees, soft breeze blowing, his wildflowers blooming, bunnies hopping around, the sound of quail in the brush, clear, bright blue skies. Dad lives where people go to camp, to get away from it all. Nice.
We will go back again before the summer is out. They are already planning to bring their bathing suits. Actually, they got up this morning and Jess mentioned that they might want to go up there today. Can you blame her? This is the place she got hot cocoa and cookies after playing in the snow and sledding down the hill in the wintertime. She calls it the cookie place. She is going now to draw a picture of the pool and the slide. What fun. I could kick myself for not having a camera with me! Dumb, dumb, dumb. And we just went up for an oil change!
Sunny this morning. Partly cloudy this afternoon with a slight chance of thunderstorms. Locally heavy rain possible with thunderstorms. Highs 100 to 108. West winds 15 to 25 mph this afternoon. Chance of precipitation 20 percent.
108. 108!!! WITH possible heavy rain! The rain will be boiling hot! I can't do 108 and raining. That's just gross. I thought the worst of the summer was supposed to be in August. How much worse can it get than 108 and raining?! Ggrrr!
Yesterday we went to my dad's house. I got my oil changed and then we looked for ways the mice were getting in the car. Well, when we pulled out the air filter, the entire bottom of it was covered with little pieces of paper. Nesting materials. Great. The air wasn't so clean. Dad did put a screen on the air intake where we found the dead mouse, so hopefully there won't be any more going in there.
The girls had SO MUCH fun at Papa's house. He took us for a ride in the golf cart, but the battery was going, so I got out at the bottom of the hill and followed the golf cart. He got out a little further up and had Jess put her foot on the gas peddle while he held the steering wheel. They loved the golf cart! Then we had lunch, which the girls ate a ton of. I think it was the mountain air. Remember the story of Heidi? Who goes to visit her grandfather in the mountains of Switzerland and the mtn air is so good for her that she gets really healthy. Well, the girls yesterday had rosy cheeks, ran around in the yard, ate a ton of whole wheat pasta with mushrooms and corn mixed in, with spaghetti sauce and they had a grand time. Then we went outside to water the plants and then drove up to Dad's brother's place. They oversee a Greek Orthodox church camp that is about two miles from Dad's place. Well, when we got there, my aunt was in the pool and my uncle was next to it. So, the girls didn't see her at first, they saw the swingset and were all over that. Big slide on the side and everything. Then they came over to the pool and my aunt, they call her Oma (which is Grandma in German), let Jess get in the water. Stripped down to her undies and put a floaty ring around her. Jess swam around like that for a long time. Then Bekah wanted in so Jess got on the raft and Bekah used the floaty ring. They swam and played and traded places and splashed and then, when it got too cold to stay in any more, Oma brought them a bag of Oreos and sugar cookies and Jess munched on those a while. She sat, shivering by the side of the pool, eating Oreos. She was in heaven! The temp outside never got above 85 degrees up there and when they got out of the pool, it was probably closer to about 75-78. The pool was 75 degrees. Cool. Very cool. We all went inside and Sandy dried their clothes and the girls went up to the attic, which their four granddaughters (10,7,3,2) use as a play room and they had a blast! Then they came down and sat in Opa's chair and munched on all his snacks - pretzels, chocolate covered popcorn(!), cookies, candies. They were not lacking for junk food yesterday! Opa pulled out a bag of beads and they made bead bracelets. We have to finish Jessica's bracelet today. Oma sent them home with a HUGE bag of beads to take home with them. They did not want to go home! But at 8:30, we headed out, with the girls promising they would come back! With a quick stop at Dad's house to gather our things, we headed down the hill and by the time we were halfway to the freeway, Bekah was asleep. Jess wanted to stop at McD's and I pulled in and asked her what she wanted. By the time I got to the window to pay, she was fast asleep. They had a busy, fun exhausting day! Me, too.
It was so nice, though, to be where it was cool. Dad says it was 55 degrees yesterday morning when he sat out on the front porch and ate his breakfast. I can see why he lives there. I would love to have him closer, but how can you beat that? Pine trees, soft breeze blowing, his wildflowers blooming, bunnies hopping around, the sound of quail in the brush, clear, bright blue skies. Dad lives where people go to camp, to get away from it all. Nice.
We will go back again before the summer is out. They are already planning to bring their bathing suits. Actually, they got up this morning and Jess mentioned that they might want to go up there today. Can you blame her? This is the place she got hot cocoa and cookies after playing in the snow and sledding down the hill in the wintertime. She calls it the cookie place. She is going now to draw a picture of the pool and the slide. What fun. I could kick myself for not having a camera with me! Dumb, dumb, dumb. And we just went up for an oil change!
Thursday, July 06, 2006
thoughts
So, we were at the Home Depot on Sunday afternoon and there was a squirrel running around inside eating all the seeds under the seed display and trying to find other food. Jess announced to everyone who walked by that they had better watch out because there was a real live squirrel in there! So, she tells this to a HD employee and the lady tells me that about a week earlier they had five hundred toads there that were in the fountain in the garden area. People came and got them and took them home. Small ones. Well, I had read that after the toads are attached for two or three days (!) they lay eggs and have about 400 eggs. Umm, when I mentioned this to Scott, he said we may want to get rid of the toads. It is going to feel like another plague around here! I'm telling you, this desert stuff is for the birds. Who have also been hanging around my front porch a lot lately. Either they are trying to eat the toads or they are waiting for the babies.
Scott caught another gopher by water the other day. We flushed him out. That is four with traps and three with water. The water way is a lot less hassle. And we do it when Scott is home and he gets the satisfaction of killing something. Dad really enjoyed shooting his, but I don't think we could get away with that here.
Our lovely neighbors up the street decided that since they didn't get to do fireworks on the fourth, they would throw a party the day after. A Wednesday. Mid week. Fireworks going off until after 10pm. Dogs barking, can't sleep. Talk about annoying! He is a sheriff, one of MANY in our neighborhood, and one of three on our street within about 8 houses. Well, he probably had to work on the 4th, so they had all their friends over last night and woke up the whole neighborhood. On the 4th, the people one house over behind us had purchased a Ryder truck full of fireworks and that took a while to use up. They were shooting fireworks late into the night on the 4th. Our dogs are sleeping during the day since they cannot possibly at night. What fun. You would think with all the brush we have out here that people wouldn't shoot these things off, but they are for sale everywhere! Dumb. Be thankful you live in the city where they are not allowed!
On the fourth, we went to our friends house and had a bbq and watched the fireworks from their balcony overlooking the whole valley. They had a great view and it was nice. Their neighbors and every tenth house was shooting off fireworks. Pretty, but I can wait another year to see them again. Last year we went to the fairgrounds, well, off the fairgrounds. You just drive out to any street near there and park. There are only open fields around the fairgrounds, so you can see them from anywhere.
That was fun. Especially watching the fires that the fireworks started and the closing of the freeway so they could put out the fires. Like I said, they probably shouldn't have fireworks out here. But since it is not my decision to make, they will still have fireworks. If they would only listen to me...
Scott caught another gopher by water the other day. We flushed him out. That is four with traps and three with water. The water way is a lot less hassle. And we do it when Scott is home and he gets the satisfaction of killing something. Dad really enjoyed shooting his, but I don't think we could get away with that here.
Our lovely neighbors up the street decided that since they didn't get to do fireworks on the fourth, they would throw a party the day after. A Wednesday. Mid week. Fireworks going off until after 10pm. Dogs barking, can't sleep. Talk about annoying! He is a sheriff, one of MANY in our neighborhood, and one of three on our street within about 8 houses. Well, he probably had to work on the 4th, so they had all their friends over last night and woke up the whole neighborhood. On the 4th, the people one house over behind us had purchased a Ryder truck full of fireworks and that took a while to use up. They were shooting fireworks late into the night on the 4th. Our dogs are sleeping during the day since they cannot possibly at night. What fun. You would think with all the brush we have out here that people wouldn't shoot these things off, but they are for sale everywhere! Dumb. Be thankful you live in the city where they are not allowed!
On the fourth, we went to our friends house and had a bbq and watched the fireworks from their balcony overlooking the whole valley. They had a great view and it was nice. Their neighbors and every tenth house was shooting off fireworks. Pretty, but I can wait another year to see them again. Last year we went to the fairgrounds, well, off the fairgrounds. You just drive out to any street near there and park. There are only open fields around the fairgrounds, so you can see them from anywhere.
That was fun. Especially watching the fires that the fireworks started and the closing of the freeway so they could put out the fires. Like I said, they probably shouldn't have fireworks out here. But since it is not my decision to make, they will still have fireworks. If they would only listen to me...
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
It's Hot
The forecast. Hot. Sunny. The extended forecast. Hot. Sunny. The foreseeable future. Hot. Sunny.
I don't like hot and sunny. I want cool and cloudy. Sixty degrees, streaky clouds through the sky. Light breeze blowing. Maybe a little sprinkly. I am ready for winter. I would rather complain that it is too cold out than too hot. I can't wait for the cold! Plus, I look better with a whole bunch of clothes on than less clothing. Hmm. I should have been born in the Pacific Northwest. Someday that is where I would like to be. I know my husband concurs, but what of the job, kids, etc. Oh well. I have a nice home, wonderful hubby, great kids, hubby has a good job. I have nothing to complain about. I'm just hot and I don't want to pay the electric bill if I put the a/c on. Thank you God, that I have a/c. Thank you God, that I have a home. Thank you God, for all that you provide.
I am not feeling as hot now......
I don't like hot and sunny. I want cool and cloudy. Sixty degrees, streaky clouds through the sky. Light breeze blowing. Maybe a little sprinkly. I am ready for winter. I would rather complain that it is too cold out than too hot. I can't wait for the cold! Plus, I look better with a whole bunch of clothes on than less clothing. Hmm. I should have been born in the Pacific Northwest. Someday that is where I would like to be. I know my husband concurs, but what of the job, kids, etc. Oh well. I have a nice home, wonderful hubby, great kids, hubby has a good job. I have nothing to complain about. I'm just hot and I don't want to pay the electric bill if I put the a/c on. Thank you God, that I have a/c. Thank you God, that I have a home. Thank you God, for all that you provide.
I am not feeling as hot now......
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