the story.

Wednesday, November 7th, was provincial election day. I started the day thinking i would come into the office, finish a few things - then leave at 12, vote, and go home.

At the office, it seemed there were more than a few things to do, and i kept pushing back the time to leave. "Noon? naw, i'll just finish this up first,....1:00 i'm almost done, it would be a shame to have to finish this up tomorrow..." in then end, i left at 3:00 and went to my polling station and cast my ballot.

I drove home, i walked up to my door and put the key in the lock, and the door opened on it's own. My first thought was: "What the? B-rad's home?? why would he break the door like this?" then, i looked around my living room. my stomach hit the floor... it was obvious that neither B-rad or i had left the house in this condition. someone had been in my house!

i ran downstairs thinking it couldn't be true, but when i saw my laptop missing and the playstation gone,.... i knew it was. frantically, i ran through the house checking... they had gone through every room.

In the bedroom, they had gone through the jewellery box, grabbed both mine and b-rad's coffee cans full of change, swiped a ring my grandmother had given me, and the silver pocket watch with the Blue face that reminded me of B-rad's eyes that i had given him on our wedding day. They went through and pulled out clothes and keepsakes from Brad's dresser drawers.

they left the room a mess, and things dumped over on the bed.

they had taken my laptop case. They left the "Big Buddha Book" that was in it, and when i picked up the book - i saw a knife on the bed. Unfortunately (??) it wasn't thier knife, it was ours. They had taken the knife from the kitchen and brought it to the bedroom and left it on the bed.

i felt like i was going to vomit.

i panicked.

i went into hysterics, actually.

at this point my brain turned into mush. i couldn't remember B-rad's work number, or even the NAME of the place he worked. The first number that popped into my head happened to be Melsie's phone number - from WAAAAY back when B-rad was living with his older brother... like.... 7 years ago.

"Melsie will know the work number" i thought - as our husbands work at the same shop...no answer.

i called my parent's house and got my little brother Willy Billy McNilly - i was crying so hard, all i could get out was: "MOM! I need Mom. Where is she?"

she was not at home.

i curled up into a ball on the hallway floor and sobbed, trying to pull myself together enough to process the calls i needed to make. first thing's first. i needed my mother. she would come, she would be calm, and she would know what to do. When i called her cell, i was crying so hard she couldn't understand what i was saying. eventually, i got it out. She was only 10 minutes away. she was coming.

so. Next. Call b-rad. i found the phone number in the phone book (coulda looked in my cell, but i wasn't thinking so straight) and called, the secretary said he was there but she'd need to take a message for him. i said: "This is his wife, and it's an emergency."

B-rad borrowed a truck from a friend and came home straight away.

Mom arrived and she called the cops at four.

B-rad came home and we tried to create a list of the things that were taken.

we ordered pizza, cuz who wants to cook? nobody.

The police did not arrive until eight. The constable took down our information, walked through the house, and took a list of the things that were stolen.

One of the first things he asked me was if we had any bags or backpacks stolen. "Why yes. My laptop Bag was taken too."

it turns out that the folks 3 houses down were broken into the day before, same M.O., small electronics etc, and then they walk out with it in a backpack or bag. The theory is - "Longterm Criminals" these are the ones who are no longer juvies, but have made a career of B&Es. Adults. not kids.

He said the Finger Printing team would be there that night, and if they couldn't come, they would call. Well, no one came, and no one called.

We couldn't close the front door because it was smashed, so B-rad had to barricade it, and drilled the barricade into the door jam.

The energy in our house was/is awful. I made a mental note to purchase a sagewand to smudge the house and purify the energy. Tomorrow.

The next day, we got up and made the necessary phone calls to the bank (Bank information on my laptop...silly laura) and the insurance place, and the cops to question about the printer.

The printer arrived in a grey van and when she came in B-rad thought: "Damn... I should have had that "Who are you" song playing when she came in the door" fuck yeah. that would have been funny. The Sargeant was very awesome, and she let us look at the prints she was finding (partials and double taps only - look at me, all CSI and shit), but in the end it seems the thieves were wearing gloves. Lots of finger marks but no prints. and any prints that existed were probably ours.

B-rad and i spent the rest of the morning cleaning our bedroom. It feels better, but i still feel edgy when i 'm in there.

Next came the task of the front door. B-rad's older brother Doug was nice enough to spend the day into the evening helping B-rad install the new door.

i'll try to post some pics if i can.

i was exhausted. by 6 i was beginning to feel a migraine coming on, i tried to lay down - but upon seeing me on the couch B-rad said "Why don't you make a pot of coffee?"

"Can't i just have a quick nap?" i asked. But i got up. By 7 it was a full blown migraine, and no amount of @dvil liqugels were gonna get rid of it. Finally, i downed some back relaxers and passed out.

This morning at work, i told the story to my colleague. She was kind and oh so generous to give me some sacred Cree tobacco for my sage smudge. I am deeply touched by this gesture, as i know that in the Native tradition Tobacco is extremely sacred. She told me to light the smudge and pray for protection from the Great Spirit, as tobacco strengthens prayer, then to put the tobacco near the foundation. I will do this when i get home.