Vandals and other bastards

Actually I wanted to write something positive and uplifting today, but my intention was smashed into smithereens when I looked out of the window this morning. No, it wasn't the weather. Early this morning it was quite nice. Some bastard or bastards smashed our two driveway post-lights. At first I thought we might have had a strong wind overnight, but when I checked it out, I saw both lanterns about 30 ft away from the post, broken into little pieces, the glass in tiny shards. That could only have been done with a crowbar or a baseball bat. The bulbs were also broken. In addition they broke off one of the reflectors I have at the entrance to my driveway and bent the pipe it was in.

I called the RCMP and reported it. I don't know if they'll do anything about it.  One of the officers called me back but I wasn't home. He left a message.

When we drove away I saw another house had been victimized as well, with one broken lantern on the driveway. On the next street the same punks busted the For Sale sign on one of the houses.

It seems there are a bunch of young criminals (I assume they are young) roaming the area and destroying property. I spoke with the owner of the other house and she told me it happened shortly before Midnight last night, because their dog woke them up barking, but when she looked outside she saw nothing. Apparently, her lights were still working at 11 pm. She also told me that the RCMP informed her about a rash of calls from irate citizens whose property has been vandalized. Our neighborhood has always been pretty quiet and without crime. It seems a crime family or more than one has moved into the neighborhood. And when they catch the bastards they don't get the punishment they deserve. They should be made doing community work and pay off the damage they caused, or if it was juveniles the parents should be responsible and pay for it. We are much too lenient with criminals. They should be dealt with harshly, but if we catch them and beat them up the tables turn and we are the criminals.

We went shopping this afternoon. When I told one of the sales ladies in one of the stores about the incident, she said, "Well, the kids are out of School this week and they are bored. Kids will be Kids." I told her these were not 'Kids', these were punks who need to be taught a lesson. I was young ones too and I didn't do stuff like that. Neither did my children.

Replacing the broken lanterns is a problem. It is hard to find ones that fit onto the posts. The manufacturers always change the designs and sizes and discontinue older models. I am not a happy clam today. Right now it is raining mixed with snow outside. That doesn't help my mood. Maybe tomorrow will be a better day. It can't get any worse.

Here the sad remnants of a once beautiful and functional post-light, victim of a bunch of hoodlums who have no regard for people's property, privacy, and right to have beautiful things: