Life After Jury Duty

Life was back to normal after my stint as an alternate jurist.  With the super warm temperatures the flowers think it is further along in Spring than it really is.  I do love seeing the crocus popping up in the grass and I really need to remember to plant some more this fall.  

While Baylor does his homework I get bored and scroll Instagram and check Snapchat filters.  I guess these are both future possible faces of this guy.  

Baylor wanted to chop his favorite candy bar for ice cream topping so I pulled out my ulu knife and cutting board that Karen brought me from her trip to Alaska.  It was perfect for him to chop finely but not risk his fingers.  And a perfect Sundae topping!   

Saturday morning was the Aunt's Meeting at Heather's and she was all worked up about a photographer coming over to take pictures of her red booth.  Baylor and I were an hour early to help her out and keep her calm about it.  After all the whole family would be there and we were bound to be able to convince someone to sit in the booth for photos.  In the mean time the kids played with the St. Patrick's Day dress up stuff.  

These two pretended they were on kitchen duty and wanted documentation they they helped, or maybe did all the work themselves depending on who told the story. 

We first had the kids in the booth, the photographer is in the doorway. 

We tried to be subtle in the dining room. 

Aunt Joan moved in when Connor left.  

I found these two on the couches which is really how they help.  I made sure that was on FB as well.  

I was looking through old photos for another booth photo and I found this gem of Eddy.  Such a pretty girl, I miss her beautiful face!  

Here is what I was looking for, about two years ago, March Aunt's Meeting at Heather's.

Brigid and I played dress up too. 

But then they photographer wanted to do a video interview.  We grabbed DiAnn and Mom and joined Heather and sat through more photos and the interview.  And then a few days later it was online (make sure you watch the video at the top of the article) and two days later it was in the paper. On the front page. Not just on the front page, it was the front page!  Dad went on a paper hunt and had to drive to Wrightsville to pick up three of them! Baylor was excited to be in the paper!  

Sunday morning I made the ableskivers again and they were a bit better than the last time.  More rounded this morning.   

Monday morning Gloria had to stir breakfast while I helped Baylor in the bath.  He does not like her helping him so she had stove duty again. This girl is on fire! 

When we got home Baylor's glasses from Zemmi had arrived.  Since he does not need them for all day wear I did not want to spend a lot of money on the glasses.  He has two pair, two hard cases and two cleaning clothes all for less than one pair somewhere else.  

He says they help and that is what I want to hear.  

Jury Duty

In early February I received a notice in the mail that I was to report for Jury Duty on March 6, 2017.  Well crap.  It was the first time I received that and I was really not very happy about it.  Molly loved jury duty, Gloria was a hostile jurist and was dismissed on Tuesday without being sent off for selection. I mailed back the information card and advised my boss and waited for the date.  Thankfully I did not have to be there until 10:00 so I could drop Baylor as usual but I always get nervous leaving the pick up to Gloria because her work can make her stay late a drop of the hat.  But she did tell them I was in jury duty and they said they would do their best to not make her work late.  The Jury Assembly room was filled with backless couches, tables and lots of chairs.  We had to check in and fill out a jury survey asking questions about me and my spouse and true or false questions about how I would be likely to answer this question or that.   By the time we were all checked in the room was full with 150 people.  No one talked to us until around 11:15 so we chatted with each other.  Then a sheriff told us he and his staff were there to protect us and everyone.  Then a member of the tipstaff  talked us through a few steps and procedures and then the judge came and walked us through what to expect today and for the rest of the week.  On the white board behind me was the number 317.  That was how many cases they had on the docket to get through.  After he was done talking, he was a nice judge, very personable, he told us to go ahead and leave for lunch and be back in an hour to start the selection process.   

I packed my lunch and decided to stay there.  The lady across from me was doing the same so we chatted while we ate.  It turns out she knows my nephew Jason because she works for the school for the deaf that we went to.  I filled her in on a few things she did not know and hopefully she can help him find a job! Our kids go to day care on the same street in the same town but different churches.  When the man sitting at the end of table came back we were talking about how small the world, or county in this case can be, and he asked me where I work.  No one knows RB or where it is but he did.  His company inspects the water pump out back of the LC every month!  While we were all at lunch a tipstaff changed the number of cases to 9! Apparently one of the judges was working the cases in the morning and that was all that was left for this week.  Around 1:15 they called the first round of people to go to a court room.  I tried to get my work laptop connected so I could work but it was futile.  Our security is so high I could not connect to the courthouse network.  So I looked at magazines and talked to the people around me.  Then the second round came and the man next to me left.  And I opened up Snapchat and made a picture. 

The third round and my lady friend left. The room was getting less crowded with each 40 people leaving but I was getting bored. Snapped again to keep my peeps updated.  Should say "Made it through round three" .

I thought I might be in the clear because it was pretty late and they said they close at 4:30.  Well, they called round four at 3:15 and my number was called.  We were walked up to court room four and asked to sit around the room.   The DA asked us all general questions regarding whether we could give a fair judgement regarding this or that issue.  No one said yes so the defense attorney took his turn with questions.  He was just a kid, so young looking.   Then 16 people had their number called to leave and then 24 of us were left in the room for the lawyers to choose 10 to leave and 14 to stay.  While they sifted through the books with our questionnaires, we watched Youtube videos on the history of the courthouse and the Civil War battles in the area and where we can find the marks on the old courthouse from where it was hit by bullets or canon balls. It was odd to be watching Youtube but helped while away the time.  Well, you can guess I was left when the 10 were dismissed and then since I was the last person sitting in the row of chairs I was named alternate #2 and the lady next to me was alternate #1. We were all given our instructions to return on Wednesday at 9:00 am to the jury room by court room 4. And with that we gathered up our stuff and headed home.  Well, I headed to Aldi first, because I could.  

I worked on Tuesday and Wednesday dropped Baylor off at COF and headed to court.  A few fellow jurist were arriving at the same time I was so we walked in together and waited to be escorted into the court room.  It was International Women's Day so I Snapped a few while we were waiting.  

So we went into the court room, were reminded of the charges, listened to three witnesses, including the accused. Long story short, the accused, the 26 yo kid, and his mother's long term boyfriend caught feelings overs some inappropriate music, the kid wanted to talk to the bf, the bf got snappy called the kid a faggot and walked past the kid to go inside.  The kid got pissed at that and pushed him in his face and then they both grabbed each other by the collars until the family rushed in from the other room to break it up.  The police were called and the police filed assault charges and the bf did not drop them and the kid wanted to fight it to keep a charge off his record. After closing arguments the two alternates were told to take their stuff and leave the jury room and to not talk about it.  Thankfully the judge came in and talked to us the whole time so we did not have to try not to.  But when they had decided and the judge left we gave our opinions because it was said and done.  We were able to be in the courtroom, outside the jury box, for the verdict.  Not guilty of the charge, which we agreed with.  But then the judge said he was guilt of harassment, to be sentenced later and we all whipped around and watched him be walked out in handcuffs.

The most interesting part was after everyone left other than three interns and the jury, and the judge talked to us about everything. It was fascinating to see how they protected us from ever knowing he was currently in jail in another county for other charges but they made sure we never saw him come in or leave.  That there was this lesser charge on the table that he would get if we found him not guilty, the lawyer knew it and the kid should have known it.  That the mom was subpoenaed but did not come because who would she defend, her son or bf?  Even though it was equally their faults and it sounded like they did not get a long anyway.  Anyway, they did a great job protecting us from anything other than what we needed to know to decide on the case.  If it ever happens again, I don't want to be an alternate. All guts and no glory!! I am off the hook for at least three years.  

Happy Birthday Kartikey

For breakfast I tried my hand at ableskivers, or pancake puffs as I told Baylor when I served him.  Not quite the big puffy hollow balls but OK for my first try.  I think I will need to watch a few how to videos before trying again.  

In the afternoon Baylor and I went to Kartikey's birthday party at the Coliseum.  First the kids bowled for two games which was fun seeing them together.  Ryder was there. 

And Caden.

And Trevor, Landon, and Chase.  A good group of crazy fun kids.   

Baylor did well in both games of bowling.  Not enough for the leagues but held his own. 

One looks cooler with one's hands in one's pockets. 

He broke 100 on the last game but there was a pin glitch.  There was one pin in the lane so we told him to go for it.  He actually hit the pin and it counted as a strike.  He was quite pleased with that.  

After bowling was pizza, which they somehow burnt the bottom and under cooked the top. How do you do that? And then cake.  

And lots of running around the big room.  Which I think they would have been just as happy with for the whole party.  

And then presents.  He started out with my gift, which was underpants.  Because the other night when I asked him what he wanted he could not come up with something. I told him if he did not give me an idea I would get him underpants, and he would have to open them in front of all his friends.  Hee Hee Hee!  Baylor gave him a Star Wars Lego set and he received many nice gifts from his friends. 

Sunday morning was the annual snow tubing trip and we invited Kartikey to join us.  I forgot I said I would bring him snow pants, oops!! They were making snow because it was so warm all week that what they had for the last few weeks had melted.  

It was pretty to see but a bi$*% to tube through.  It stung they eyes and burned the face!  

After three runs they were cold, well their hands were cold.  The place was empty so I let them run around upstairs to warm up.  They totally need driers for the gloves.  

We did one more run and they were done,  Cold hands make it not worth staying. See the blizzard over my shoulder?  Not fun to zoom through without ski goggles.

The ground outside the snow zone looked like Spring was on the way.  

They boys ate lunch at home and played video games. And then asked to go to the park.  They dreaded park where he slipped on sand and broke his collar bone.  Right there at the bend in the wall.  

They made friends with another boy who was there by himself and played tag and hide and go seek with him.  When it looked like they needed a break, I took the boys for a walk where Baylor promptly slid his hand on the wood railing and got a large wood cut, like a paper cut only bigger.  So we headed home.  This place is cursed I think!