In the 70’s and early 80’s, there was a very serious movement against the rash of rampant kidnappings. On a national level, from that era people probably most remember the tragic story of Steven Stayner, the boy who was kidnapped at age seven and turned up again as a sixteen year old. Though he was even from central California, if you ask anyone in Fresno, the name we all remember is… Victoria.

Thirty years ago, she was a beautiful eight year old girl, walking with her three year old sister, looking for her lost puppy that had slipped it’s leash.

And then she was gone.

She was found three days later, raped and beaten to death before she’d been dumped in an irrigation canal. Fresno–as well as our family–has never been the same.

For thirty years, the city has wondered, has searched for the stranger that stole her and so brutally destroyed her along with our illusions that children were safe from the monsters on the streets.

Victoria was my eldest sister’s best friend, her mother worked with our mother. I don’t remember her personally, but I do know that losing her shaped my sister’s life indelibly, not to mention the entire education system of the state. The sudden emphasis on child safety and the smallest kids being taught to protect themselves saved many lives, even my own, although that’s a totally different story.

My sister still cries, unable to talk very long about Victoria. An old wound that never healed.

Until now.

Because they’ve discovered the man who killed her, thanks to new advances in DNA. A serial killer, it turns out, who has been in San Quentin since 1980 and whom they know killed 5 children and likely more.

I keep coming back to it, thirty years. All this time, everyone has looked over their shoulders, wondering…is THAT the one that took Victoria? Is he the one that accepted a child’s plea, an offer to go willingly if he spared her sister, leaving the three year old alone on a busy street? Is that the monster that killed Victoria?

Now we know.

And for myself, it’s a reminder that there’s always hope. Always a chance that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. That old hurts can be salved. That there CAN be justice, just sometimes when you least expect it.

To learn more about Victoria, click HERE

I really am. I used to sing pretty well–no promises now–so I LOVE karaoke. I just don’t love singing in front of everyone much. Have to work to tune them out. It seems the babies love my addiction, though, because last night, we found a Singstar game with mikes on clearance for 15 bucks! I gave the babies one to hold each and plugged one in and they had an absolute blast trying to sing. Nia just wanted to hold mikes, but Noellie… ah, just as I thought, she wants to sing.

There’s nothing cuter than watching a baby sing “Put Your Records On” and “Lovefool”.

Now if I can just get her not to spike the microphone like a football after a song… Guess I shouldn’t have had her on a strict NFL regimen, eh?

I admit it. I kill crickets. I hunt them down. I threaten them. I kick at them and I yell.

And as of this morning, I’ve killed 4 of the little bastids. Unrepentantly.

Die, cricket. Die.

Now, I know, some folks think it’s good luck or heartwarming to have a cricket in your house. I have a small house. Full of lots of crap I can’t move. And there’s a cricket infestation outside, in the condo complex. It sounds like a bloody air raid signal on crack from pre-dusk to about 10 am.

But not in my house. Not today.

And wouldn’t you know it, I don’t have a headache.

So yes, I did it. I killed the crickets. And I’ll do it again. The poison is out there for them to eat. If you’re a cricket, this is Jonestown, baby. You’ll eat that poison and you’ll like it.

I just have to not say that next to the open window. Anymore.

:)
Dee

I’m not sure what’s up with me. I need to write. I WANT to write. But the moment an opportunity comes up–however rare–I can’t seem to drag myself to the word program. Even to edit.

Oh, darn you excellent procrastinating skills!

But on the upside, I did a whole bunch of laundry!

What are you doing this week?
Dee

Talking about SIMS and real life and how never the two shall meet, lol. Head on over…. RTB!

Hubby knows my affection for hilarious signage and shares it, so he sent me this one, knowing I’d howl looking at it.

LOL, at least they’re honest.

Well, I’m awake and I got one kid off to school. The other was sick all night, though. I had a weird night. It’s always a little hard to sleep without the hubby, but I’ve got two little bodies keeping me warm on either side, lol. A LOT easier than when I have our big bed all to myself.

So, Today I have a full slate once again. But I also have to find a few hours to take a last look at Pale and get him sharp before sending him out again, now that Avon has said no to him. In other writing news, though, I have mostly plotted out new shifter novella idea. The trick will be figuring out where to start–where the hero finds his mate, tied to a stake in an enemy camp, beaten but alive while the rest of the camp is a crater of destruction around her? Or should I begin with how she got that way?

Questions, questions, questions…

Oh, and as usual, must clean the house. But, with the younger two kids back home with their other aunt, that should be a wee bit easier. I hope. At least Pet is here to keep the babies busy, right?

Dee
who ate too many cupcakes and sees a walk in her future.

Sister Pet is visiting with me while Hubby heads off on business trip to NYC. We have plans to play “Deadspace”–Gory space game where the dead bodies get turned into alien zombie monsters, muy cool–and a whole blender full of margaritas. The real problem will be getting the house clean before hubby gets back.

So, I’m going spend today getting all kinds of caught up and up to date again. Oh, and in case you haven’t lately, back up your computer! :)

Dee

Yeah, you’re probably wondering… “She left?”, since I’ve been a suckish blogger.

What happened was that my power cord literally popped from the inside and I couldn’t get in to replace it until last night. I can’t TELL you how much I’ve missed my computer, lol.

Even better, cord was under warranty and so I didn’t have to pay a dime for it. Which is awesome because I don’t have any dimes left at the moment.

Also, have had the niece and nephew all week, so been keeping them and the babies busy. Today, sister and Dad are taking them to Disneyland, and it’ll be back to normal scheduling. Too bad Dad is only in town for the D-land trip, but really happy to see him. Even better, I made dinner last night and not only did everyone like it, no one got sick. Bonus!

So, that’s my Saturday news. Now I’m back up and have a ton of work to do.

Hoping y’all have a great weekend!
Dee

I try to think of myself as a patient, reasonably thinking person. (Hubby might disagree with this, but we’re talking MY POV) I do my best to be circumspect about most things, because getting all blustery about stuff just wastes energy and might get in the way of a solution.

But some days, you just wanna screw reason.

I was reading posts somewhere today and some of the things said were driving me up a wall, in particular advice from an experience writer to newbies. I won’t go into what was said or why, but it struck me as the most assinine, self-important diatribe that I’ve ever read and I wanted to reach through the screen and hurt this woman. I really did.

Of course, reaching though is impossible. Saying something wouldn’t help, I’d just come off looking like a moron. So here I sit, still offended, still irrational and have nothing I can do with it. It’s like holding bile in your mouth with no where to spit.

I hate feeling this way, but I can’t seem to shake it. How do you get out of your bad moods?