No April Fools

While we laugh and joke, often at each other's expense, we aren't much to actually pull off an April Fool's joke or prank. But, once, we pulled a prank on my son when he was about 15. It wasn't April 1, but a prank nonetheless. My dh planned it all out quite well and video taped it. He even called on an old friend he hadn't seen in years to help. Son had never met this friend of dh's, so didn't know who he was. It pulled off great and friend did a great job and turns out it was the best thing, as that got him and dh back in touch on a regular basis for these past 15 years. He's a great friend. He would even just take an afternoon off work just to go watch dd play a tennis match when she was in high school. 

It was kind of an interesting day yesterday. Around 11am, the gun shooter up on the hill on the other side of the river started up. Usually he will just do it for a couple hours. Yesterday it was until 5pm. In the meantime, we were discussing the squatter in the camper. No one seems to know for sure how long they can camp in a spot. Mr. Neighbor thought it was 7 days, our other neighbor thought it was 14. The info I found online said 16. So, I called our local Forest Service office to find out and explained to the lady who answered the phone what is going on. She asked is that the one near such and such creek? I said yes and she said someone else already reported it. She said it's 16 days limit every 30 days....unless..he is a logger working for the logging going on nearby and then he is permitted to camp there. I said well, it's the same guy who moved around all over last summer and you'd think if he was permitted as a logging employee, he would have stayed in one spot. So, then I said ok, how do we find this out, whether he's allowed to stay 16 days or a logger with a permit? And if he's not a logger, who tracks the 16 days? He's been there since at least last Saturday. She said they have to make contact with him and the 16 days starts then. She was vague about exactly when contact would be made, but just said "it's slim pickins with people available today". 

I got off the phone, wondering if Mr. Neighbor was the one who also reported it, so I called him and yes it was. He talked to someone else at the FS, but didn't really seem to get much answer on any of it, so he was interested to hear the info I got. He said he also stopped by the sheriff's office yesterday and asked them if they can stop there and see what is going on? The deputy told him he'd have to check to see what he is allowed to do. Mr. Neighbor said he knows its the same camper as last summer, as last summer he was doing the census taking and he stopped at the camper and there were several cars at it. He knocked, heard lots of noise and shuffling inside, but no answer. He stopped by a 2nd time, no cars and no one answered that time either. Yesterday he stopped (no cars/trucks there) and knocked. Heard shuffling around inside, but no answer. He took a picture of the campsite and the campers license plate. He said he also tried to get the ear of the head sheriff (new guy), but he's just brushing Mr. off.

Mr. then said he knows the lady I talked to at FS and has her email, so he emailed her and cc'd me, that he was following up on "our" reports and here's some pictures and we'd like to be advised if he's on his 16 days or a permitted logger. And like DH said - that logging site is miles and miles back up the mountain. Yes, we can see workers would be permitted to camp up there near the site. This isn't near it. DH is always up late, until like 1am or 1:30 and sitting at his computer in his den with that window facing out towards the main road. Our main road gets little traffic as it is during the day, but once it gets dark it's pretty non existent.  Since Sunday night, almost every night is cars driving by. Usually very slow, one time stopped in the entrance to our road. So, either casing out the area or most likely trying to find this camper (it's pitch dark out there, no street lights). Most likely dealing drugs.

I'm outside where dh is scooping dog poop, telling him all this and boom, boom. It is loud outside! I mean if we can hear it in our house, it's definitely loud outside. I especially can hear it when I'm in my office. Not quite as much downstairs, especially if other house sounds are going on - washer/dryer, dishwasher, or tv. Mr. Neighbor, if home during the day, is usually in his basement office and can't really hear it, unless he's in his kitchen or outside.

The guy just didn't stop yesterday. Late afternoon I even opened my office window for some fresh air (it was almost 70 degrees out, yay!) and then the shots are really heard, with the window open. DH decided to call the sheriff's office to ask for a deputy contact about 2 issues (the camper 1/2 to 3/4 mile from us and the gun shooter). As he's giving the gun shooter info/location to the dispatch lady she says oh, ya. He's my neighbor. Then dh determined she is the lady that dh went to her house once with the woodworker guy to help him deliver a log bed he made, so dh told her he was that guy. He said "so, are you as annoyed as we are by his shooting?" She is obviously at work all day, but said we are just trying to live with it......(they are also very new to the area). In emailing during this with Mr. Neighbor he asked it I could keep a log of the shots, since he's not usually home during the day to keep track, so I started doing that. When I started the log at 3:40pm there were 11 shots between then and 5pm. These are coming from a very high powered rifle.

So, the deputy who called dh is one dh has talked to before and he's a good one. He told dh there is still a "nuisance law" that this shooting could fall under. He was on his way to a call he had to deal with but he will look into this and follow up with dh. So, we are feeling some hope. He gave dh the number of that state code law, which does say someone can't be a nuisance to their neighborhood or neighbors, including shooting.

Our younger (now 8 1/2 yr old) dog was laying by my feet last night. He got up to move and was limping on his back leg. Would hardly put weight down. Once he got to walking he seemed better, so we thought maybe his leg had fallen asleep, but it continued to bother him every time he got up. I was just hoping it's maybe a strained muscle as dh has been trying to throw the ball for him for exercise. This morning he seems much better, thankfully, but something to keep an eye on and I told dh to give him a break from exercise for a day or two.