Thankful Thursday

I planned on doing a nice picture post and Thankful Thursday on my visit by very special friends this last weekend. But then I started the day taking on the boogie man so I have a whole different TT to do instead.

Today, I am thankful for a bus driver that is observant and willing to pass on information regardless of all the drama and trouble she's had with our stop this year.

Our street is a dead-end. There is a cul-de-sac at the end where you can turn around. There is also a basketball hoop and picnic table. Now, its not truly a dead end street because there is a dirt road that goes back into the woods to a gated and chained area. This fenced off portion of the forest is actually an old garbage dump. It has been superfunded so it just looks like woods and great big rolling hills covered with grass. Behind that chained gate there is a small building. I thought it was an incinerator because I would see smoke when the cars/trucks were back there. I have since learned its actually a pressure valve to let off the gasses that build up underground due to all that garbage under there. (Stay with me - there is a point to this.) Workers don't come out every day - just a few times a week -- and they are not military. So, this means we do have trucks (its a little muddy for a car) with strangers come in and out of our street on a regular basis. This is also important in that at the entrance to our neighborhood, it is posted that only residents and their guests are permitted.

Back to the bus driver.

When the bus comes, she drives to the end of the street, turns around and then comes back down the street to collect the kids at the bus stop. Today, she actually pulled up to the bus stop. (Only a few of you understand what an amazing feat that it.) I knew something was up.

After the kids got settled she called the moms over and asked if we knew the car at the end of the street. None of us did. She then informed us that the man pulled his hat down over his face when she went back there to turn around.

Eeeewww.

So there are 3 of us. One is heading straight to work. The other goes inside to call the person who lives at the end of the street (and has a daycare) to ask if its one of her parents. And I? I go get the dog and head for the snow covered dirt road to take him for a walk. Right past said car.

Cause that's what the momma of girls does. I mean really. MM is only allowed to play in the back yard...but its not fenced yet and it would take half a second to snatch her up and disappear. And Songbird? She has to walk her dog several times a day. If that one loses any more weight she will blow over with the next big gust of wind. Not much of a challenge. Except for the evasive/defense stuff she has been taught. Hmmmm, might be time for a refresher now that I am thinking about it.

So, I stop and say hello to another neighbor while just checking out the vehicle and giving A a chance to call C. I fill her in and start back on my way. She is fearful for me...but I tell her not to worry I have my attack dog with me. Right. She offered me one of her dogs instead! LOL! I guess she's not impressed with the 6 pound rat! But now I have another set of eyes standing outside and paying attention.

So I reach the last house and C is standing in her doorway on the phone looking out the glass door. So I assume she is calling the SP's. She is obviously upset/concerned and this is not someone related to her daycare.

When I pass the car the guy doesn't look at me but he's really not acting suspicious or anything. So I decide to drag the rat down the snow track and come back. This is funny because he won't walk in the snow so I really am dragging him. Behind me. Like this is not SO obvious!!! LOL!

When I start heading back I can see the SP's coming up the road. Good old C! She's on it! And man weren't the SP's fast today? So he goes around the guy very slowly and creeps back down the street slowly.

I watch and wonder if he thinks I'm with the car and the guy is waiting on me. (Which is exactly what happened.)

So when the SP gets back to the entrance of the streets, the guy in the car pulls it up to the other side of the cul-de-sac where it can't be seen. I see a tap on the SP's brake lights but I'm not real sure if he was watching the car still. He drives off.

I look at the guy all the way going by him and he rolls his window back up but doesn't say anything.

Hmmm.

Just not sure.

Does he work at building down there and just can't drive his little car back there? But then why would he pull out of sight?

So I stop at C - and she comes out all relieved that he is gone. Except I'm stopping to tell her he's not gone...just moved out of sight. I was afraid she would think he was gone so I stopped to let her know as its the side of her house he's hiding behind at this point. Creepy. She also tells me the car has been there all weekend...without the guy.

So I start back home....and T is still outside and freaked out because she saw that the car was gone and I never came back. LOL! (I reassured her that I might not be very tough..but I am incredibly loud when necessary.)

The SP was coming back at this point. Kudos for being observant! So I stop him and tell him that the guy moved out of sight as soon as he got to the end of the street. So he said he'd go check him out. All this time I am assuming he has been called and knows what is going on.

As I'm about to go into my house the SP comes back and honks at me. Turns out the guy says he works down there and is waiting for someone with a truck to ride in with. I told him I wondered if that was it. I also let him know I wasn't the one that called him (in case he was supposed to reassure whoever called) at which point I find out it wasn't called in he was just doing his rounds. MORE kudos to the guy. And he did think the guy was waiting on me which is why he didn't stop and talk to him the first time. And at that point I filled him in on the bus driver and hiding his face...yada, yada.

So the SP will be back to insure our visitor is who he says he is - cause that's weird.

So anyways. All that writing to say nothing right?

But I am very thankful for our bus driver. And I called her boss and let her know. Which I am sure gave EVERYONE at the depot a heart attack since we are all seen as them crazy military wives from hell. LOL!

And now I'm going to research a self defense class in the area, cause Songbird and I need a refresher.

Stay safe friends!