Ticked me right off...

Equestrian Girl and I got back from the cottage a little while ago. We were there a bit longer than planned - we had just ran up to clean the house to get ready for renters we have coming in after Christmas. Last night when I was cleaning the basement I noticed one side of the window in the bedroom was cracked. On closer inspection I saw that it was actually pushed out of the frame at the top and the latch was unlocked. I ALWAYS lock that window and usually the blinds are closed too (and they were open which is how I noticed the window was cracked in the first place). After mulling it over since nothing was missing and the house looked just like we left it, I decided that when Motocross Boy's friends were over last time we were up one of them must have fallen against that window and broke it but never said anything. We called and asked Motocross Boy and he didn't think that had happened but it seemed to be the only logical explanation. I probably should have gone outside to look but it was dark and I didn't.

So this morning I'm dusting the TV and I realize the stereo is gone! I'm 100% sure it was there when we left because Equestrian Girl had asked to take it home just as we were walking out the door and we said no because we didn't really have anywhere safe to put it since the truck was packed. I had already called the window people to come fix it so then I had to call the police. When I went outside with the officer to see the outside of the window, sure enough, someone had carefully chipped away the seal in order to pry the metal holding the glass out of the wood frame. The prying cracked the glass but none had actually broken out. They had pulled it out from the top corner just far enough to slide something down to flip the lock open then slid open the window. VERY odd that all they took was that little stereo - probably not more than $50 3-4 years ago (Scott's mom had sent it as an x-mas gift) and even closed the window when they left. The detective dusted for prints (I was cracking up that he was doing that for a $50 stereo but whatever) but didn't find anything useful. He even tried to get foot prints from the little bit of dirt that was there!! Slow day for the detectives in Mancelona I guess. He was thrilled to discover that I still had the box for the stereo including the serial number on it. That about made his day I think. That's what happens when you don't have garbage service - you save all the big boxes to burn in the bonfire pit in the summer but that one hadn't made it out yet.

I was pretty proud of myself last night. That window was leaking cold air pretty bad and we had plywood in the garage and plenty of dry wall but no saw. Nothing to measure with either. Then I found a couple of pieces of ceiling tile that looked to be pretty close to the right size. I fit the two big pieces in pretty good and then found two narrow strips to fill the gap. One was too long but I could score it with a kitchen knife and then break it. Then I found a roll of duct tape and went to town! That side ended up better insulated than the good glass side. But the window guy that came out this afternoon was supposed to board it from the outside too so it should be pretty secure since they can't actually fix it until after January 4th. Apparently the glass supplier is shut down for the next two weeks. Only up north.

Scott was freaking out that we were up there alone and hadn't even taken the dog with us but I really wasn't worried. The snow is so deep now that anyone would be nuts to try getting in through the back again and I had left the truck outside so anyone driving by would see someone was there. The detective said it looked like whoever did it knew what they were doing the way the window was opened but to only take that little stereo was weird. Didn't even take the bottle of tequila in the frig... So we are guessing that someone might have pulled in the driveway and spooked him off. We get a LOT of turn arounds for whatever reason. Very weird.