Joan here..."Home Invasion...what next?"

This past week has been very challenging and interesting all at the same time. Yesterday, I can really say that Thanksgiving was very hard. I was surrounded by wonderful family but missing Rick is unbelievable. The longing to talk to him, feel his arms around me, laughing together over stupid things....it never goes away.

One thing about having a terminal disease is that it gives absolutely EVERY one who wants to take the opportunity to talk to the person who is dying an opportunity to do so. They can never say they didn't have a chance for closure. We all knew Rick was dying. Just like for him...if he wanted to talk to anyone he had 2 1/2 years to do it. Most people don't have that chance especially if they are in an accident or have a sudden heart attack or something. Rick was so fortunate that way and he knew it. We talked many times about all of this.

I decided to take up an offer that was made to me to house sit. Well, what an experience!
I am in the south end of Wpg in a supposedly very nice safe area and.....
That night, I felt prompted not to sleep in the master bedroom but rather sleep in a lower level of a multi split home on the sofa. As it turned out that was the best thing I could have ever done!

As the evening progressed sleep would not come...which was a blessing....I got on the computer with the television going in the background. All of a sudden there were sounds coming from the upper level at the front door. It took me a few minutes to catch on...it was around 4:00 am in the morning and I realized that was someone trying to break in the front door!!!! At first I thought maybe I should just hide and see ...then I heard a voice say " call 911". Yeah Rick!!! That is exactly what I did...interesting how I felt like I didn't want to bother anybody....yikes!!!! Anyways, the operator kept me on the phone asking me if I was all alone....etc...etc...she was so great with me! I turned on the lower level light which would shine up through to the front door. I guess that shocked the intruder somewhat and off he went.

Three squad cars came out to block the streets. Long story short they chased a man dressed in black riding a bike minutes away from here on one of the pathways that join the bays. He eluded them and they even brought the canine in but too late...He was gone!

In between all of this, I was online with an Australian friend who was so afraid for me as I was in conversation with her as this was unfolding. Alaina had just lost her husband to ALS, and has two young children, and knew I was potentially in trouble. She hung in there until I was done with the police and knew that I was okay. We are talking Canada and Australia!!! Modern technology!!!

I was so amazed as this afternoon, the police victim crime's unit even phoned to see how I was doing...wow...kudoos to Winnipeg Police Department!!!!

Tomorrow, I am meeting an old special friend of Rick and mine for lunch. Rick and I have a lot of history with him and then I am back to my place for a couple of days. I was wondering how come I was feeling so sad today and then realized...it has been 5 days since I am home...wow...I made it 5 days!!! I have been invited by Rick's wonderful cousins to spend time with them at the lake. So this weekend I'm off there and then back to Winnipeg for a week.

It doesn't take away from the loneliness but I do have a real sense of Rick's being walking with me. I did have a thought though...if anything would have happened to me during the break in...hey..I would have just got to be with Rick sooner...so fear doesn't reign in me...love does!!!

I also got to talk to my friends by skype today all the way from Europe. How cool is that? I could see them and talk to them. Maybe Europe is in my future???? Rick and I always wanted to go to Greece and the Rock of Gibraltar. Never say never!!!!