Most people when they hear the name of the neighborhood we live in automatically think it is a nice neighborhood. When we first lived here there were many great families from our ward that lived in here too. The Merrills, the Taylors, the Stogdills and the Wisers just to name a few. Sadly they have all moved on and now we are pretty much the only family from the ward in this neighborhood. When we moved to Annecy from here we were leaving because we had definitely outgrown this house. Isabelle was a month old when we moved. Now we have one more child (Ruby) then last time and we are bursting at the seams! Ruby sleeps in the loft, which is surrounded by everyone else's rooms, so if she cries in the middle of the night I can't really let her cry it out because I don't want the other kids to be woken up too. So I have been very sleep deprived because of this! Also, when we moved back we lost 1600 square feet of living space. It's all now packed into our garage and a storage room that we are renting. I could probably deal with all of these problems but the one thing that I can't handle is that I don't feel safe in this neighborhood! The Mesa police have been putting bait cars in here to try to scare away car thieves and they tried to get a neighborhood watch program going but there wasn't enough interest. Plus we have had a few strange, weird, or scary things happen to us since we moved back. First of all, I can't believe some of the people that live in here now. I'm not trying to judge but some of them are definitely not people I would ever want to be friends with. I think when the housing bubble burst it must have allowed more of a variety to buy in here because they definitely wouldn't have been able to afford it before. I could deal with this too but I can't deal with these next few things. One day when Dave and I came home from church we found the back door wide open. When Dave went to look out back there was a black crate (not ours) pushed against the wall like someone had used it to jump over the wall. Luckily, nothing was missing, perhaps we interrupted something?! Another time when I came home with the kids the back door was wide open again and I swear that I heard somebody upstairs and then I could hear someone running in the rocks, like they must have jumped from the second story down. One time we found an old frying pan in our backyard that got there who knows how? But finally today something else happened. When I was coming back from QT a neighbor two doors down who looks like he is part of a Mexican gang was standing in our front yard. I only know who he is because many times when I come home he is standing outside with his girlfriend making out and they don't bother to stop. Anyways, he was in my yard holding a semi-large rock and then when he saw me he dropped it and started walking away. He didn't bother to acknowledge me at all. You know a nice, "Hi i'm standing in your yard for some strange reason" smile or nod would have made me feel a little better but no, nothing. So I roll down my window and say very nicely, "Are you looking for something?" and he very nicely without stopping says, "No, I just dropped something" and keeps on going. Excuse me! You're looking for something in my front yard with a rock in your hand! We don't even live next door and you don't take walks to give you the opportunity to drop something, all you do is make out. And if you are REALLY looking for something in my front yard, why don't you ask me if I've seen it. Needless to say I didn't believe him but i'm still not quite sure what he was doing. All I know is I need out of this neighborhood! I personally think feeling safe is a necessity in life! Unfortunately we aren't able to buy a house at this time and renting a house when you already own one doesn't quite seem right but that's what i'm leaning towards. In the meantime I think I am going to become G.I. Jane and learn to protect myself, especially with how much Dave is out of town and it's just me and the kids. So next time you see me, I might be packin' some heat!
Monday, January 11, 2010
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9 comments:
OH MY GOSH!!!! I cant believe it has gone downhill SO much!! It sounds like a lot of the crime/burglary comes from with in the neighborhood. I would be freaked too! You've gotta get a gun. Oh I wish I were down there still to go to shooting ranges with you. I want a firearms license so bad! And try putting a long piece of wood down on the track of your sliding glass door. And I would get a safe and/or put all your valuables somewhere safe. That has to be the most horrible feeling, feeling unsafe in your own house!! I'm sorry!! :(
Jilynn, sounds like just a constant party over there! Maybe if you offer to makeout with the neighbor he'll leave you alone? ;)
No seriously, just kick the people out of your old house and move back in. We don't really like them, course we never see them, and when we do they won't look at us, so I'm sure they are really nice. ha
Kathryn totally cracked me up! He was probably missing his woman, looking for some love...
That is all pretty strange. Especially since you guys are gated. We have a gun but it doesn't really make me feel safer. I hate to say this, but it's the dog that makes me feel safest! Maybe you should borrow your dogs back for awhile ;) Or get a new less large dog? And motion sensor lights, they make me feel safe too.
Sorry you are feeling unsettled. That would be hard. Hang in there!
You go GI Jane!
It was fun to read the last few posts of your blog! Your family is adoreable!
I hope things work out somehow so you don't have to live like that.
Keep your cute family safe, I say!
I am so sorry:( I know how frustrating this past year has been for you! We feel your pain:) Joe would be ecstatic if I learned how to shoot a gun!!! Good luck friend!
That's really scary. Sounds like it is definitely time to get an alarm. We have one at our new house and it makes me feel so much safer. If you have sliding doors or windows you should put a bar or something in the track so they can't be opened without first removing the bar/pole. And if you don't have them you should get motion sensor lights for both the front and backyard and any outside doors.
Hopefully that will deter your crazy neighbors until you can move again.
Sadly, we have an alarm but never set it! I forget that we even have it! The pole in the sliding door would be great but our kids go in and out of the door all day long and that's why I forget to even check if it's locked when we leave. I could definitely be more careful there. Nichole I think you're right, a dog would be very helpful but I don't even want to think about having a dog again!!!! I guess i'll have to consider making out with my neighbor...yuck! I guess not! Basically, I just want to move!!!!
Oh, you're kidding! That doesn't sound like the neighborhood you live in. Get an alarm, get a weapon, and get out! (Come over my way--I love my neighborhood! Although maybe in a couple years it will slide too?!?!?)
WOW! That is crazy! I cannot believe how much it's changed. But it makes sense if the homes are worth less now and renting for less. I wonder if other neighborhoods in the community are experiencing the same changes. Be safe and put on your alarm. Learn some self-defense moves. Get a weapon. In Tahiti it's bad too, with the economy and higher unemployment rates than most countries there is a lot more theft now. More graffiti. It's sad to see this! Renting would be a good plan too.
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