The Damages: Update 1

We have the damage totals back from the contractor!

For the wall damage and painting: $2,850
For carpeting beyond cleaning: $1,484
Damaged drop ceiling panels: $80
Misc Repairs (doors, woodwork, ect): $750

Total: $5,164

Soooo...

The new grand total is about $7,464. That is a lot of money. Something tells me Bob isn't going to get off as easy anymore.

He did at least $7,464 in damages, plus stole a deadly weapon, and desecrated the American flag. Looks like he crossed a line and there's no turning back for him. :P

The Damages

This is a follow up to Cleaning the Aftermath, so if you haven't read what comes before, you probably won't understand what I'm talking about here. I shall summarize though.

Steve had a tenant-gone-bad (Bob, for all intent and purposes), who after being told by a judge that he was going to be evicted, totally trashed Steve's house. The cops had to be called, and Bob was taken in, but released. That aside, we then had to start cleaning the house, and get estimates for the damages. Well, the cleaning is doing pretty good, so now it's coming down to money.

/end summary

So, now you have a basic idea should you not want to read the novellas. >_>;

Anyways... on the better half of society...

This morning (about 8am to be exact), I met up with my father and a contractor at Steve's house. Steve had to work, so unfortunately he couldn't be there as well. The guy is someone my father knows through the fire service or something, so he did the consultation for free, which is nice.

He couldn't give us any exacts, but after seeing the ceilings, walls, carpets, and other damages; he said we're probably looking at over $3,000 in damages. He'll have a better idea by this weekend though, after he makes the phone calls to the guys he knows that do painting and carpeting. He just took measurements and recorded what needed to be done to let them know. And the walls are going to be a nightmare because there's crayon and spray paint on them. >_<;

All total though, we're getting close to $5,000 in damages. We have:
-Two TVs at $1,100 total
-Two Mattresses, one full and one twin, approximately $800
-One Boxspring, approximately $400
-Damages estimated by the contractor, approximately $3,000+
-Damaged foosball table, unknown (not sure if it's claimable)

This alone totals at $5,300 or more.

Plus, we require the following items:
-Slipcovers for the furniture with paint on it (un-claimable, happened before this incident)
-New dining room table
-New coffee table
-New silverware
-New bath towels (tenants were using them like toilet paper because they're gross *gag*)
-Lightbulbs (minor, but it adds up)
-New Curtains/Drapes (Bob threw Steve's out because he didn't like them.)

Of those items, I have some pots, pans, and silverware from when I was in Massachusetts that I can give Steve, but we don't know yet if it'll be enough.

Dad says we probably won't actually see any restitution from Bob, since the county will put a judgment against him, but that doesn't mean he can/will pay it. However, with all this we will be able to file a claim with Steve's home owners insurance, and he'll get the money that way. Then if Bob does make any restitution payments, Steve will see money from him. Totally messed up, but at the very least it's better than nothing at all.

So there really is a light at the end of the tunnel. It's just difficult to see through all the fog.

Cleaning the Aftermath: Update 2

So, we've gotten a lot more cleaning done since I last updated! :O

My mom and brother came over to wash the dishes, and before they could they cleaned up the counters and the stove. The stove does need to be hit again because it was so gross, but at least the majority of the nasty is gone.

They both agree with my friend though, those dishes were a life changing experience. As it is, we're going to have to throw a lot out because even after being brillowed and bleached, they didn't come fully clean. So Steve and I are going through everything, and any that have black spots on them where mold must have eaten away at the coating or something are getting tossed. Thankfully I have some silverware from when I went to college that he can have, but we'll have to buy more eventually. Add that to our list of expenses.

I guess while we were off picking up Subway for everyone though, Mom and Ethan went to start the pots, and opened a lid... and had to vacate the house because it smelled so bad. >_>; And this is after Brendan dumped out most of the contents. >_<; So gross! So they left the pots to us, and we're going to do them soon. Along with bleaching the island and small eating area. After that all we have to do is sweep up the floor and mop it with some Lysol, and the kitchen is done, aside from changing one of the florescent bulbs, but that's neither here nor there. Steve cleaned up the fridge after Mark cleaned it out, and I don't think Mark wanted to have lunch after that. >_>; So we really are close in the kitchen!

Meanwhile, Mark and Dan got all the mats in the workout room scrubbed down with Lysol, and then Steve and I swept and tidied in there. It was probably the easiest room in the house, and now we can practice martial arts there! :D Plus, Steve is going to offer private lessons out of his home to help pay the bills. Seems like a great idea to me!

We also got the living room and dining room back in order, so all the furniture is arranged. As crappy as it is to have the graffiti on the walls, it's nice to walk in and see furnished and tidy(ish) rooms. We'll be moving the furniture when it comes time to have the carpets cleaned and to paint the walls. We're actually thinking of tearing the carpet out of the dining room though, since there's hardwood below. But that's a distant project right now.

The dining room table cannot be saved though. My mom was kind enough to point out that it's laminate, and so we can't sand it down and putty it up. So we'll be taking the advice offered to us by you wonderful people, and looking into places where we can get furniture cheap!

Oh! We also have hot water now. A friend of Steve's came over and hooked up the hot water heater, and so Steve can use all his home functions again. His Dad fixed the thermostat for him, which turns out that a wire had been deliberately cut it in.

We got in contact with the cops last Saturday as well, and upon informing him of the fact that Steve's katana was missing, among a few other things, an APB was put out on Bob for him to be arrested on sight for theft of a deadly weapon. Considering Bob was the only other one living there at the time the katana went missing, and we've searched everywhere, it's safe to say he stole it. He's also getting charges for peeing on his boxspring, mattress, and floor; and because he desecrated an American flag. But the noose thing nothing will come of, because it was so poorly done the cop said they'd claim we were drawing conclusions. At least he's honest. Still, there's so much more that can be claimed. So this guy... I'll honestly loose all faith in the judicial system of this country if he doesn't do some serious time.

There is a light at the end of the tunnel though! We get the estimates on the walls this Thursday, and possibly the flooring as well where it was peed on. Then it's just some minor cleaning from there, and purchasing items to replace what's ruined.

All total, here's what we need:
-Slipcovers for the furniture with paint on it (un-claimable, happened before this incident)
-Either new TVs or possibly replacement plugs, if possible
-New dining room table
-New coffee table
-New silverware
-New bath towels (tenants were using them like toilet paper because they're gross *gag*)
-Walls painted in three rooms(and it's an old house, so the ceilings are really high)
-New carpeting in one room (possibly, we think the urine might have soaked into the sub-flooring >_<;; )
-Carpets cleaned in the living and dining room
-Minor porch repairs (done before this incident)
-Reimbursement for the damaged foosball table (if we can get it)
-Lightbulbs
-New Curtains/Drapes (Bob threw Steve's out because he didn't like them.)

There's probably other stuff as well, but that's all I can remember off the top of my head.

So... we aren't quite out of the woods yet. :P

Cleaning the Aftermath: Update 1

Today we had what I guess you could call a cleaning party. There were supposed to be four of us, but one guy couldn't make it due to vehicle issues. So it was just myself, Steve, and Brendan--a friend of mine from high school who knows Steve from karate.

Brendan is a great guy, and we were so thankful to have his help. Especially since he gave us plenty of giggles and memorable quotes.

We managed to get another bedroom under control, though not perfected, today; by working all together. It was soooooo gross too because there were used condoms on the floor. I don't think I've ever been so disgusted. And I can never look at the person who left them the same way again. In fact, if I see said person I may have to slap them... because that is just plain raunchy. Thank god for latex gloves, and no latex allergy.

After we got that room under control, we split up. Steve started scrubbing the showers, I cleaned up all the hallways (with a little help here and there from Brendan or Steve to tackle the garbage), and Brendan was a brave soul who rather than help myself or Steve exclusively, volunteered to do the kitchen.

I think he might regret it. >_>;

Aside from the bathrooms, the kitchen is by far the WORST room in the house. I don't know how many different types of mold are growing in there, but the dishes have been sitting in that sink for at least five months now. Steve's tenants didn't believe in doing the dishes until they had none left... which is gross. Really, really gross. How do I know Steve didn't dirty them? Because he was at my house or the dojo almost all the time. He wasn't home long enough to dirty anything. So... Brendan was the brave soul.

There wasn't much he could do though, since the hot water heater won't be hooked up until tomorrow. The tenants who had the hot water heater they bought to replace the one that broke knocked off their back rent payments went ahead and sold it in anger and split the money. So, my parents had an old one in our basement that we took out when we renovated, and they gave it to Steve. Just has to be hooked up.

In the mean time though, Brendan organized all the dirty dishes and threw out the trash. So that did a lot, and it doesn't smell as much.

Steve and I also walked around looking to see if we could find the missing bed frames, and instead discovered a desecrated American flag, a huge mess upstairs, realized that Bob peed all over his bed before vacating the room, and that Steve's father's antique and practically priceless 60s Sears motorcycle is gone from the back shed. In fact, most of that shed has been cleaned out. You couldn't even really walk into it before, and now it's empty. So when we're able to get in touch with the officer who is handling this report tomorrow, he's going to be getting quite the earful.

In the mean time, we have to go to the town hall and see about a dump permit, because not much more cleaning can happen until we can get rid of the accumulated trash. We're running out of places to store it, and the shed's not an option because it's all the way across the yard. For you who live in the city, it's not a small square. We're talking a good 100 yards away, and in the back yard nonetheless. It's just not worth the effort to haul them all out back there, only to have to haul them back to toss them. So, gotta dispose of the trash we have before we can throw out more.

Like I said previously though, Brendan provided us with some humorous quotes, so I shall share them now.

"It's officially the House of 1000 Stenches!"
"That kitchen was a life-altering event."
"There was powdery green mold in a pot! POWDERY!"
"I've never seen a banana rot to that point! I didn't know they could do that!"
"I smelled smells in there that I will never be able to un-smell."

And yet he offered to come back and help more. Loyal friends like him are hard to come by. So Mom has asked him to help her, since she offered to wash the dishes and the fridge, although we are responsible for cleaning the fridge out.

Please don't worry, either. We bought masks to protect ourselves from the mold.

So this is what we have left to do:
-Chunk of the Kitchen
-Workout Room
-Three and a half Bedrooms

Once we get that done, we'll begin thinking about furniture repairs and the likes.

Cleaning the Aftermath

This is a follow-up from Cops and Court Dates, since we arrived at the house today and found no new damage to the outside. We are, however, continuing to find damage on the inside as we clean.

We have found out where Bob is staying as well, and it is a decent distance away from where Steve's is, so that is a comforting thought.

Over the last two days we've put five and a half hours into cleaning this house. All total we have to clean:
-Living Room
-Dining Room
-Kitchen
-Workout Room
-Two Bathrooms
-Five Bedrooms
-The Hallways

All rooms are in varying states of disrepair.

So far, we have cleaned to the best of our ability both bathrooms (just gotta do the showers), the living room, dining room, and most of one bedroom.

The bathrooms were GROSS. I wouldn't help Steve with them. LOL;;; Both toilets had been used and NOT flushed since before the power went out, and were used after it had gone out as well. The power was gone from July 16th to September 10th--almost two months. It would have been back sooner had the electric company not jerked Steve around so much, he'd been working on it since about August 10th. So there was nasty sludge and the smell was horrendous. Not only that, but in both bathrooms, especially the one just for the tenants, it seemed like the trash had never been taken out, and that towels had been used for toilet paper. The tenants also never cleaned their personal bathroom... which is gross. But aside from the showers, both bathrooms are completely clean and usable again.

Steve then set to work on his bedroom, which his ex left quite a mess for him. Our reasoning is thus: Steve is going to be moving into the master bedroom (finally), and if we move him in there ASAP, then we can use his old room as the kitty room, and thus shut the cats in while we're cleaning so they aren't exposed to the chemicals and molds. While we have masks for safety, the kitties don't. So we're trying to get them that space as fast as possible. And then it'll be there space after all is said and done as well.

I cleaned up the living room and dining room, since I'm shorter and can thus run the shop vac better. There was bits of cat poop still littered around with scraps of the wall paper that the tenants ripped off the wall. I'm going to still have to go through and try to get the paint out of the carpet, but I don't know how much I'll be able to do. I also cleaned up some of the spots where Bob scuffed cat poop into the carpet (he wanted to tile both rooms and was PISSED at being told no and having his tiles hidden on him after he bought them anyways). In the end though, Steve's uncle who has a carpet cleaning business of some sort is going to come in and do what he does best, since I can't get it all out.

As we moved the furniture back into these rooms though, we discovered a slash in the couch cushions, and the dining room table has HUGE dents in it, like it was hit with something. I know there's no way we can sand it out, but Mom is gonna take a look and see if maybe she can't think of a way to repair it. The coffee table is pretty much destroyed. And everything has paint all over it from where Bob and the other tenant were careless and goofing off while probably drunk. Can't say anything about the dining room chairs though, since the cats did that damage. >_>;

At this point though, we're doing pretty well. Tomorrow we'll finish up Steve's room and get him moved, and then that afternoon we're having a cleaning party with a bunch of friends who volunteered. We probably won't touch Bob's room though, since A)It still reeks, and B)We don't want to be accused of loosing his stuff.

The trick is going to be replacing things, like the curtains and mattresses, that Bob destroyed. Steve's only just getting back into work this coming Wednesday, and my hours are hit-or-miss at the office thanks to severe computer issues. Somehow though, hopefully, we're going to make it work. The restitution payment will definitely help.

Cops and Court Dates: Update 2

So tonight Steve and I went to get the cleaning supplies (which cost close to $100) to start working on the house. And we did start cleaning the house. We managed to get both bathrooms (minus tubs and showers), the living room, and part of a bedroom cleaned up.

As we were cleaning we noticed a few things:
1. Steve's real katana is missing.
2. Bob poured pineapples on the foosball table.
3. Somehow we missed the fact that two bedframes are gone.

So we're going to wait for the light of day tomorrow to look for some of this stuff out back, but we're pretty sure it's gone.

The biggest problem though was what we found upon arrival. There is brand new damage to the porch, in a huge chunk that appears to be smashed in on the left supporting post (when you're facing it), and on the same side one of the little rungs is broken almost in half.

What was the scariest though was the present left. There was a pile of rope not there the night before that was tied at the end like a noose. I'm not kidding.

So we called the direct line of the cops, and are waiting to hear back from them. But if it was Bob who did all this, now he's in violation of the restraining order against the house.

If it wasn't him, then it's probably the bastards across the street who he talked into watching the house constantly. They seem to be his little minions.

When is it all going to end? D:

Maybe we will take up my Aunt's idea and call the news. They'd probably have a field day with the story, and it might mean that Bob isn't let off on a plea bargain. :P

Cops and Court Dates: Update 1

So today we spoke to a different officer since the station felt that was the proper course of action to take, and we found a few things out.

First and foremost, the report last night lacked a few details that the station wanted, so a second report was filed, but we didn't have to go to the station to do so.

The biggest problem though, was that the judge let Bob go last night. And it was the same judge we saw at the eviction hearing. Steve and I are both pissed.

Worst of all is that there was no order of protection issued. The only thing that Bob was told was that he could not set foot on Steve's property at all, and that at a time that was convenient to Steve he could retrieve his property while being escorted by an officer of the law.

Still, that doesn't mean he can't wait across the street with his buddies and stalk us else where. And I wouldn't put it past him to do it. He's that psychotic.

So Steve now has to contact the D.A.'s office, and demand restraining orders for both of us so that he can't come near us, and while we don't have to appear at court when Bob is sentenced, it may be in our best interests.

Bob will have to pay restitution, and a judgment will be put out on him for it. The county will give Steve the money though.

It really bites though, because this is a felony offense, and the officer today told us that the most Bob is looking at is a few months in county, simply because they'll probably plea-bargain down to that. I really hope not.

All the officers are really pissed off that Bob got off as well, the officer today told us that.

So I don't even know what's going on at this point. All I know is that I don't feel totally safe anymore knowing that this bastard walked with nothing but court dates at this point, and I know he's probably gloating silently to himself.

The officer did tell us it was a good thing that we took our own photos, and that we may need them. So I'm tucking that memory card away for future usage.

So much for a fair and just system.

Cops and Court Dates

What a hectic two days. Good freaking god. =_=; If I never see another legal proceeding, it will be too soon. Let me explain why.

My boyfriend Steve has been renting a room to a tenant, who we'll call Bob for the sake of my ass not being brought up on libel and slander charges. Bob is not a nice person, and has already been to county jail four times now, at least.

Last night was the court date for the eviction process, and this guy went in there trying to claim the house had always been unlivable, and that he was brought in to try and fix it up and stuff. That he wasn't supposed to pay rent, but to mow the lawn and do the dishes. Which is bullshit, first and foremost, and even if that was why he was brought in, he didn't do that stuff anyways. The guy just drank his life away. Then he's trying to claim he has $60,000 worth of a lawsuit in fines for the tenants bill of rights that was broken, which is also complete shit. I'll explain in a moment. The whole thing was started by unpaid rent, but the judge ruled that since there was no actual paper trail or contract to prove it, that it didn't make a convincing case. He did say however that it didn't seem like a good situation, and then asked Steve if he was more worried about claiming the money or reclaiming his home. Steve told him he didn't care about the money, he just wanted his home back. So the judge asked Bob if he would be willing to just leave and avoid the legal proceedings, and he said no. The judge asked him why, and he started in with the lawsuit shit again. The judge stopped him in the middle of it, told him that played no part in this case, and asked him again if he'd take the offer. Bob said no. The judge said then, "Maybe I'm getting old here, but I fail to see the logic in your decision. You're claiming this house is uninhabitable, and yet you're fighting to stay." You know what Bob's response was? "Yes sir."

The court hearing took far longer than it should have though, because Bob kept trying to adjourn so he could seek legal council on the lawsuit thing, and to show the judge photos he had taken, and all this other shit. None of it flew, and the judge denied him the chance to seek legal council because he didn't feel it was necessary. So he signed the papers to send them to the sheriff's office to issue the warrant, and began explaining it all to Bob. The sheriff's office would get the papers, and would serve them to Bob. He would have 72 hours after being served to vacate the premises or he would be removed by force. And that the whole process would take 7-10 days, including the 72 hours. Bob, upon realizing that he really was screwed, started claiming it's all rather sudden, and he has no where to go, could he get at least 30 days. He was denied, and the judge told him to call social services, and that they could put him up for a few extra days while he found a place. He then asked Bob if he really couldn't go anywhere, and Bob replied thus:

"Well, I had $660, and I was gonna put it as a down payment on an apartment that would be $480 a month, but then Steve said he really needed the money and that if I gave it to him I could stay. So I did."

The judge's response?

"Wait, you made the choice to give the money to Stephen when you could have gotten out of a place you say is unlivable? Why would you stay?"

So in the end, the judge did issue the warrant and sent it off. Bob was pissed, and gave both of us the worst look upon leaving. The best part is, we asked Steve's lawyer if Bob could sue for the tenants rights, and because there is no contract he definitely can't. He has no grounds. And that was it.

We went home, were worried, but tried not to be.

So today... it just all exploded. And if Bob had even the slightest chance of suing Steve, it's gone now.

Steve had some job interviews and stuff this morning, so he was out of the house by 8:30am. Bob shoved him on the stairs during their only interaction this morning, but Steve let it go and went about his business.

After the interviews, he came over to my place so that he could do his school work, and so we could decide on what to do today. Plus he really didn't want to be around Bob, and just wanted to let him pack. However, we did decide we wanted to get Steve's two cats out of the house and take them to his parents', just in case. Both of us had this sick feeling in the bottom of our stomachs.

We arrived at Steve's house around 5:30pm, and upon walking in the door I noticed two things immediately. First, I smelled paint. Second, the cats that always came running to greet us were no where to be found. So alarms were already going off in my mind. Three steps into the house I saw the damage.

Graffitied onto Steve's living and dining room walls with black spray paint and black crayons were the following messages:
"$60,000 in civil rights."
"Enjoy the power I paid for"
"I paid for the paint"
"Cocky box, don't cross me" This one was aimed at me. Box is a derogatory slang for the vagina for any who don't know.
"This house is cursed."
And then just plain drawings of skulls and scribbles.

He smeared cat shit into the carpets in both rooms as well, and ironically the power does not work in either room. The dining room has been out for a while, but not the living room.

Our next move was to go upstairs. By now my mind is back on the cats, and it's telling me they're dead. So I began checking rooms. In the first room I went in (there are five), the mattress was slashed, and the piled up garbage that was left by the other tenant who left after getting the 3 day notice was strewn everywhere. But no cats. There was no damage in Steve's room, that we noticed, and then came the room with the stairs to the attic. The cats were in there, safe and sound but starved and confused. However, there was also another slashed mattress in this room, and a hole in the wall. Shit was flung everywhere in here too, and a knife was jabbed into the stairs to the attic.

Since we've now already found damage in two of the rooms, we check the final ones. One seemed fine upon looking, but in the room Bob was renting... it's almost indescribable.

Graffitied onto the walls with the same black spraypaint is "Puff the Magic Dragon", and there are two butcher knives holding a note to the door, one of which wasn't just in the door, it was sticking out the other side. We did see that before entering. It smelled like drugs and urine, and considering this asshole urinated all over his ex's clothing, we figure he did the same to the carpet in the room. The note was very liberal in its use of derogatory terms against Steve, and then on the door in crayon was another note that included Bob's cell phone number.

We called my parents to bring me my camera, I took photos of everything, and we called the cops. More specifically the sheriff's office.

So they sent out someone to look at the place, and he took down the information he needed. He was in his car when a taxi showed up, and don't you know it's Bob. Ironically the assholes he has across the street watching Steve's house for him showed back up at the exact same time. The deputy got out of his car, looked at us to confirm it was Bob, and then went over to Bob and asked "Are you Bob?" And the idiot said yes. The deputy then asked him "What's with the damage to the property?"

Do you know what Bob said? Oh god I still laugh at this exchange.

Bob tells him, and I shit you not, "What damage?"

So the deputy says "There's no damage to the property?", with that sarcastic kind of tone. Bob replies with a no, and the deputy made me smile when he said "Do I look retarded to you?"

He lead Bob into the house, and started grilling him as to why he did it. How could he possibly think it was okay. And he took none of the lawsuit shit Bob was trying to spew, and so Bob told him he owned the paint that was on the walls because he bought it and painted it on. So he just added some more. The deputy told him to his face that was a stupid move.

Bob then asked if he could just go upstairs and get the last of his stuff and leave. The deputy denied him, sat his ass outside on the hood of the car and told him "Don't you move from this spot, or I'll put a warrant out for your arrest." and proceeded to tell the cab driver, who was a friend of Bob's, "And if you take him anywhere, I'll have you arrested too."

Another cop was called, this one a sergeant, to take photos, and because the current deputy is a K9 patrol unit, so he couldn't take Bob in. By now though Bob is in handcuffs. So he finagles his cell phone out of his pocket to call his whore, because he already told us he doesn't want a girl for anything other than sex, and goes "Yeah, I'm getting arrested. Apparently trying to reclaim my paint is a criminal offense." Then they made kissy noises at each other, since he couldn't get it to his ear and had to use speaker phone we were all privy to this conversation, and the deputy is in his car chuckling at Bob. You could tell by how his body moved. It's like, seriously? You were reclaiming your property? Wow.

The other thing was this backpack Bob had that he was going to have sent to her. As soon as the deputy heard, he took possession of it to check for illegal substances and such. No idea what they found, but we heard Bob say there was a pocket knife in it.

So we were required to go down to the station to make the written complaint. No big. When we got there Bob saw us, and we got another dirty, dirty look. But we made the complaint, and asked for an order of protection. Unfortunately, because no physical threats were made, it's unlikely that we'll get one. However, the deputy is going to push for it because of the knives stuck into the door and such.

We figured that was it though. Bob was going to be brought up on felony charges since the damage would probably be over $1,000, and he's definitely going to prison. For right now though, he's being held in county jail until his official court date.

Upon returning to his house tonight, Steve went to play a bit of video games to calm his nerves, and I got a text that said "The bastard cut the cords to my TVs." I called him right up, and from what he told me, I'll see the damage tomorrow, Bob cut half the wires on both his TVs so that they won't work. Something so small it's easy to miss. So we have to scour the house tomorrow, and Steve called the sheriff's right back. So we get to see that fine deputy again tomorrow.

What a mess.

I spoke with my friend Brendan on the phone about it all as well. Apparently everyone at the market, which is where he works and where Bob and Steve frequented for food and stuff, saw Bob today, totally stoned out of his brain, or drunk, or both. But he's an angry drunk, and today he was being really friendly. They then saw him board a bus to Saratoga with his bicycle, and this was after 4:30pm. So we literally just missed him.

I'll know more of what's going to happen tomorrow, and what else has been damaged. We're taking the cats to Steve's parents' house anyways, simply because now there's a shitton of work to be done and whatnot, and we don't know what the smell is in Bob's room.

I also don't know if we'll have to appear in court, but the TVs were worth $1,100, meaning it's definitely a felony, and Bob could be looking at more than two years.

The past 48 hours have been absolute chaos, and I don't think we've seen the last of it just yet. Thankfully, it's almost over.

A New Project: Black and White Flowers

I have started a new project, and so far it's going really well. My goal is to get 25 really good b+w flower photos that I can combine into a book with inspirational-type quotes. I am having a great time with this, and I can't wait to actually complete the entire project. The quotes are going to be just as difficult at getting enough good photos though, probably, so I still have a ways to go.

If you want to see what I have so far, I urge you to visit here: http://www.photo-phantasy.com/bwflowers

Here are a few of my favourites though, just to give you an idea. And yes, this book will be available to any who are interested. :)


Nestled Inside by =Saknika on deviantART


Leafy Form by =Saknika on deviantART


The Solitary Flower by =Saknika on deviantART


A Short Life Span B+W by =Saknika on deviantART


Cradle of Life B+W by =Saknika on deviantART


Ruffled B+W by =Saknika on deviantART