Violation

Well, right after I posted the last, the hubs went over to the new house to check on things. He called me. Said the words that send shivers down my spine (in a bad way), "guess what happened?"

Someone took all $5,000 worth of our black iron fence panels. We'd had them delivered on Friday and locked and stored in the garage. There is a security gate in our neighborhood that is closed over the weekend so we know it was a contractor that knew the code. And, since the guys so nicely delivered the wood we were waiting for IN THE FENCE's SPOT IN THE GARAGE we are pretty sure of who it is. Can't prove it though.

I know to those contractors it looks like we are rich. I would like them to know that I don't know what rich is... but I don't feel like I am rich with money. Rich with love, good health and a wonderful family? Yes!

My husband put himself through college. Columbia University. Not exactly cheap. He has worked for every penny we have. Hard. We have scrimped and saved. No trust funds, no rich parents either paying for college or a down payment on a house. No inheritances.

We made our boys SHARE one GameBoy. Made them share other toys too. Made them save up their own money for XBoxes and the like. We usually pay cash for things. Pay off our cars in half the allotted loan time. How? By doing without other things. We drive very boring, American cars. No fancy sports cars or anything. No designer duds on our bodies either.

My husband was going to install the fence himself to save money. We built this house on a CostPlus basis which saved us a lot of money. I bought some of the fixtures on ebay TO SAVE MONEY. So, it deeply offends me that some person thought he could just help himself to my stuff.

I suppose we will file a claim on our homeowners insurance or the builder may be able to on his. I don't know. Its not the money as much as the feeling of violation.

According to Wickipedia - Violation is a general term for an offense or for any act or event that is against a rule, law, right or expectation. In some jurisdictions, violation is a legal term for a class of petty offenses, also known as infractions. Violation is also an old euphemism for rape.

Yup, that's what it feels like all right.