Scene 1)

Everything started out just like on a "cops" show on TV. My life long interest in this occupation was to be a detective - I want to solve crimes...so meeting my constable friend at the station for this adventure of a life time (for me anyway) in her police car was so exciting.  I got to wear a special jacket that read Observer and I also got a radio that clipped to my collar so I could hear dispatch, so very official.

Scene 2)

We did what they call "parade" this is where the crew that is about to take to the streets approx 12 of us for this night shift starting at 7pm, sit class room style, I sat behind a rather funny cop who was signing tickets from the night before to submit, and there was several tickets for one person. A well known prostitute. He gave her tickets for everything, being drunk in a public place, loitering, etc etc and these tickets were quite high some were around $175 dollars.

So, this is how this works, they give them tickets for every wrong move if they are being rude or obnoxious -  to get them off the streets - they don't or most don't pay the tickets and they fail to appear in court - they their tickets become outstanding so they have an arrest warrant. Again if they fail to appear in the court for this they will be sent to prison to work off the time and the amount of the tickets.

Almost always these people (prostitutes) are re-offenders.

We listen to the Staff Sargents go through the previous shifts take-aways - there was a roudy, I believe it was a code 12 which is intoxication in a public place several men got out of control -- our district had to call for backup and it became quite the scene . Then they go through the top interests for the day. This includes people that have been released from prison known offenders that are back on the street, thefts in the area like a couple of expensive guitars that have been stolen - they have pictures of the perps. Pictures of young men that have been caught steeling kids cell phones, new half-way houses that have just opened in a new area as these locations cause the crime in the area to increase as well as known drug dealers. They show pictures of the people they have, their vehicles and whatever they can provide to us before we go out.

Scene 3) 

A stop at Tim Hortons proved to solidify the cop stigma of stopping for coffee. Tim Hortons loves that the cops stop in to have coffee as it creates a safer environment around the Tim's for other establishments as well as people who live in the area. They just sat and talked about their families, sports, and just regular life stuff - these are just normal people, did you know that?

Scene 4) 

Once getting settled in the car, which by the way is rather sparce, no carpet, it's quite large inside with a laptop mounted to the dash, control panel between the driver and the passenger as well as just your bare bones basic needs. It was a rather cool night that night for April 30th but a nice night...

So we check the log for the outstanding calls to see if there is any code 3 or 4's these are the ones that need to be addressed immediately, we were in area 2-4. Each car gets an area within the district. There was only level 1 and 2's which are low on the priority list but still need attention. 

Scene 5)

Call comes in from 911 but it's hung up. Every call that connects to 911 and hangs up get's cops to visit their premise no matter what. In this case dispatch calls the house back - sends the call to us in the meantime and we head over there - dispatch connects back to us and lets us know that a child was playing with the phone - we visit anyway. We get to the house, it's a philipino family, we step right into the front door, this women greets us with her 10 month old boy and a dad come walking down the hall as well as a young girl. You can get a pretty good sense of the situation from here - everything seems calm and fine and safe.

We leave, clear the call and carry one.

Scene 5)

Driving around for a few minutes, we run a couple of liscence plates - which they run as many liscence plates as they can - they are looking for stolen vehicles and known offenders. My partner (let's just say I'm a cop for one night of my life) she is quick with driving and multi-tasking, plugging in liscence plates and checking on the driver. a) does the plate match the vehicle? b) does the driver match the plate name (mail, female etc) location fit where we are? d) look up the registered person - some of these people were arrested for guns, drugs, and other crazy things...so if there was an outstand warrant and this person was in the vehicle in front of us - we would have done something I'm sure of it!

Scene 6)

We come to an area where there is known loitering and prostitues...my partner spots a women wondering about, we pull over and ask a few questions. She's plesant enough, give my partner her name and address - checks out. She's supposedly waiting for her "friend" to fix the window in his truck...he's no where to be seen, but she carries on with this elaborate story about how he's fixing the window of his truck. She's speaking about a million miles a second - I can't quite make out what she's saying except a few words...fixing a broken window, needs a thingy, honest. My partner asks her if she's high and when was the last time she did crack? Yep the real world people - the P was honest and said like 10 minutes prior...she didn't have any outstanding warrants or anything, we made sure she was okay, and carried on to our next stop...

Intrigued about my adventure...more to come.

or something from this book:

Thoroughly Modern

or something from this book:

~why is it when you want to take a close up picture you have a cat in your way - it didn't matter how many times I tried to move her she purred louded and was stiff there - like I need to take a picture of her paws (again) lol such a nice cat she is though my sweet Tig!

So I knew I wanted blue or some measure and here's what I was thinking...

Thanks to all the facebook feedback as I went along this is what I chose and I'm super happy with it!

Tig (aka the brat cat) has already picked a chair...now I need to make a quick quilted throw for the living room to connect the two rooms together with the same blue...what do you think? I ended up recovering them in just a couple of hours, so if you've been putting this undertaking off - wait not further and forge ahead!

Nice job Danielle, hope you don't mind me showing everyone on your behalf?

So this chenielle quilt turned out pretty big at approx 50" square, and so cozy comfy.

Here's a close up of the chenielle

If you haven't heard of etsy...get with the times people it's a place to get lost in I just absolutely love it there and always find something special for someone special and sometimes that someone is me...

So, I've been looking for a new makeup bag because mine is so OLD and embarassing even I blush when to go to use it each day and more of the edging crumbles...eeeks!!

 So, I jumped onto etsy and spent numerous hours while playing scrabble and finding things for London and me and Jeff and the neighbour down the street and my sister...well you get the point, you just about want to buy something for everyone you know. Plus you're supporting someone who's trying to make a few bucks make something that they love - so it's a worth while cause, woudn't you say...so while searching for a new make up bag only 18 thousand options come in in every shape and size...I found a few that came close to mind but still weren't exactly...but as I mentioned I found something for London - aka Bugs which is this adorable owl hat...which is from my buddy (bestie really) Jean from Quilted Cupcake so now that I've convinced Jean to make me a new make up bag with zipped pouch in her choice of one of my favourite fabrics - I'm totally sold and can't wait for my new bag...Jean makes most things and has them posted on her shoppe page - she's sold well over 200 items, if there's something you need for yourself or your friend, please check out Jean's shop and tell her Valerie sent you!

I'll of course post about my new bag and Bug's (aka London's) new hat when it arrives...until next time, stay happy and creative everyone...