Friday Follies...

And we made it to another weekend, with this one starting off with a nice sunrise, a solstice, some drugs, a shooting, and an anniversary.
Our Heartland weather today will be much like yesterday, EXCEPT it will be warmer, with highs expected to reach onto the upper 80s. And yes, this weekend will see the return of the 90s...(argh).
So, you might want to consider watering the plants and flowers early on...just to play it safe.
In the meantime, let's see what ELSE is going on.
*** Yes, today IS the summer solstice.

(not to be confused with the Pontiac Solstice 2 seat roadster produced before GM chose unwisely to DUMP that entire division of their company...dipsh*ts!).

Here is the WIKI for the "event", should you feel the need to become a druid once again:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summer_solstice

Today is the day with the longest period of daylight, and if you're into axial tilts and all that other fun astronomical stuff, you know WHY the day is "longer" than any other. And if the police scanner is a barometer of events, it would seem the perps are getting an early start as they "celebrate" in their own peculiar manner.

Enjoy the daylight, because it only gets shorter as the year progresses.
Moving on...
*** Sometimes a story from another city has a connection to OUR town...like THIS ONE:
http://www.wane.com/dpp/news/crime/chicago-drug-bust-nets-23-arrests-two-from-fort-wayne

It seems that a huge drug sweep in the Windy City, conducted by both the Chicago PD and the DEA has netted 23 people in connection with drug distribution, and GEE, wouldn't you just KNOW that TWO of the perps are from FORT WAYNE.
A-F$CKING-MAZING!

Michael Starnes, 35, and Misheela Belcher, 24, are among those busted by Chi-Town authorities, after a 9 month long investigation.
Heroin and cocaine were the street pharms of choice here, and ALL 23 defendants have been charged with possession w/ intent to distribute.
Tens of thousands of dollars, along with the heroin, crack and ecstasy, along and two guns were seized by the Feds.
A 262 page complaint stated the two from Ft. Wayne were sold WHOLESALE amounts by another listed in the complaint.
If convicted, they face between 5-40 years in the slammer with a max fine of $5 MILLION bucks EACH.
Nice job.
I like happy endings...don't you?
*** Now, you just KNOW the "locals" down here can't stay quiet THAT long, and here's a story that PROVES it:
http://www.wane.com/dpp/news/crime/police-one-injured-in-shooting

Yep, another shooting on the city's...(...all together, gang...)...SOUTHEAST side.
This time it happened near the intersection of Plaza and Drexel Aves around 1845 hrs yesterday.
When police arrived, they found one person suffering from a gunshot wound. The person was transported to hospital in serious condition.
As usual, no suspects, no witnesses, and no other information...after more than TWELVE HOURS.
Sure, that'll help the investigation by not informing the public to NO end.
(how much you wanna bet that both the vic and the perp are black?)
*** And it's another house fire, again on the SE side of town, only THIS time, the house was VACANT.
SO, that means that NO food was left unattended to cause the fire.
Score one for the stupid-asses out there.

Here's the story link:
http://www.wane.com/dpp/news/local/fire-damages-vacant-home
I believe this happened in the 4000 block of Lillie St. around 0345 hrs this morning.
Looks like we have ourselves a arsonist back on the streets...like all those other fires that occurred closer to S. Anthony a while ago.
The FWFD found fire coming from the back of the boarded up house, and it took about 20 minutes to get it under control.
This investigation is ongoing...and "nobody done saw nuthin"...in case you were wondering.
*** For some people, an upcoming marriage means something...something important. To others, not so much.

And often, those times leading UP to that marriage can tell a lot about how that marriage will fare.
Case in point, THIS story:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20130621/LOCAL07/306219923/1002/LOCAL
Now, I'm familiar with the whole BRIDAL SHOWER thing, but I have NEVER in all my life come across a situation that involved BLUDGEONING of one woman's face by another AT such an event.
But, apparently, here in Fort Wayne's more dubious neighborhoods, such IS part of the "festivities".
One woman, a Taranika A. Cain, 23, of the 4000 block of Bowser Ave (still on the SOUTHEAST SIDE of town) was arrested after the FWPD responded to Parkview Hospital where Cain and another woman took the victim after they realized how BAD the injuries were (bludgeoning one with a bottle tends to DO that to people).
A fight had broken out at a VFW (bet I know WHICH one) and Cain claims she stepped in to break it up...(the fight or the woman's jaw?).
The victims' face had a crescent shaped cut from the temple to the jaw and required 45 minutes of plastic surgery (gonna STILL leave a mark).
Cain was being held in lieu of $3,250 bail on a felony charge of recklessness and a misdemeanor battery charge.
What? No "assault with a deadly weapon"? Gotta remember that.
*** And lastly today, but certainly NOT least...(Let the pigeons loose and sound the trumpets at our "Fortress" )...today is the anniversary of the lovely Mrs. Bobby G and yours truly.

It's been a sweet SIXTEEN years, and although the vicissitudes of things and people around us have kept us on our toes more often than we'd like to prefer, it has not been a hindrance to our relationship over time.

I always tell Wifey that: "As long as I'm still here every night when you hit the sack, and here when you wake up every morning, you know I love you."

I'm sure eventually that DEATH will have something to say about THAT statement...LOL.

We're not planning anything special...
Wifey's birthday is next week anyway (talk about a "double-dip"), so we've taken care of that.

I will say that the familiarity of having someone around is better than the familiarity of being by oneself.

You can acclimate yourself to BOTH when the circumstances arise, but knowing you're there to watch over someone, to care for them and about them, and make sure that life for both of you has as few speed bumps as possible is worth the challenge.
Now, there is no formal "gift" that goes with 16 years of marriage, although some say "silver hollow-ware" is okay. And the genmstone is peridot.

To me, I can only think of SILVER HOLLOW POINTS, and the Lone Ranger has THAT one covered.
BTW...You never heard of him being bothered by werewolves, have you?
In any event, we might spring for a small cake (cake is always good), sit back and enjoy whatever solstice solace we can find.
And perhaps, with God's continued help, we can manage another 16 years.
We find the best way to do this is...one DAY...at a time.
That's the way ALL good memories are made, too.
DO have yourselves a great weekend.

Be well, make a difference to someone today, and as always...
Stay SAFE out there, America.