My big plan last night was to make a start on that list from Thursday, and I’d even printed out a pattern to do some paper piecing of a sort from this lady:
Just as I was about to start cutting it out though, the night took an unexpected turn. I don’t talk about where I live really, but it’s not one of the nicer areas of Glasgow. It’s a flat I bought as a student, and while it does me fine, we have gone through periods of trouble over the years with some of the neighbours, and other people’s issues with some of the neighbours. Of late we’ve had the occasional problem with some local neds who particularly like to pick on 3 of my neighbours. The flats these neighbours live in are owned by a charity that rehouses homeless men, after they’ve been through a rehabilitation for whatever their troubles are and a halfway house. These particular gentlemen are older, all in their 50s or 60s, and are quiet, fairly self-effacing people. I’m not sure what exactly kicks off these incidents, other than that the neds are going looking for trouble, but last night they apparently lost the plot entirely.
About 8pm, one of them decided he was going to act the hard man, pick up one of the next building’s wheelie bins (that happened to be full of Talk Talk junk mail, wonder who was meant to be delivering them!) and scatter the contents all over the road, trying to break the wheelie bin on our front fence, however the police caught up with them and chased them off (and the bin was made of sterner stuff). Later that night, a bunch of them came back and kicked the door in to our ‘close’, then started trying to kick in the door of the guy downstairs. He went to see what was going on, and they started trying to attack him with bottles. He managed to drive them out the other door to the close, using our neighbours’ cot side (which is lying in pieces outside their front door waiting for something to happen to it) as a shield. The flatmate and my downstairs neighbour went out to see what was going on, which eventually cleared them out of the close and into the street, as I was calling the police.
Much shouting and arguing in the street revealed that they were actually looking for one of the other neighbours in the next close, but had got mixed up when they came round the back of the building looking for a way in. We have no idea what sparked their looking for him, other than that they claimed he had hit one of them earlier in the night. Given that this guy couldn’t beat the skin off a rice pudding, all we can assume is that one of his friends had taken his dog out for a walk, and something happened that we weren’t privvy to. So I went down to discover they’d cleared off, after threatening everyone else, and the guy whose door they were trying to kick in had what we strongly suspected was a broken wrist. Having given our details to the police, I took him up to the hospital, and by the time we were done up there, including statements to the CID officers that came up to see us, I got back to bed at 4am *sigh* So much for a nice long lie today, because, you know, the city may wake up a little later on a Saturday, but it was quite determined I should be awake at about 10 am and up at 11. Oh well, there’s always tomorrow…
I’m spending the rest of the day at my gran’s telling her all about the holiday, I may be some time ;o)
I am sure there are several words in that account that are entirely lost on most of your readers! Hope everything has calmed down now. Shame how mindless people can cause so much trouble.
Flip not the best way to spend an evening – glad that you're ok except maybe a little tired and shaken! Hope Sunday is super productive.
What's a 'cot', 'ned' and 'close'? Sounds like a crazy night. I'd say it's quieter round here but apparently there is a traveller funeral happening in the neighbouring village on Mon/Tues with 800+ travellers expected to turn up in the Services areas. Police have told business' like pubs etc to close for the two days because they can't provide enough cover if their is trouble…
Blimey, it's all go round your way, isn't it?! I hope things are very, very quiet tonight so you can get some beauty sleep!
Never a dull moment, I am glad you are ok and the neighbour too. Enjoy your day with your gran.
Sorry they're at it again sweets, I take it the cameras havent appeared yet?
Tea and tiffin at your Gran's is just the ticket! Hope you have a restful night and Sunday 🙂
Maybe after you tell your gran about the wonders of your trip you can take a nap. Glad you and your neighbors didn't come to any really serious harm. Hope your Sunday is more productive. Hugs
Oh crumbs, that must have been very stressful. No to mention tiring! Hope you had a good time at your gran's and that all is quiet tonight. Juliex PS love your fabrics, especially the madrona road
Bloody hell Florence Nightingale! I am as confused as Jan, but get the gist and am please you are all OK x
How distressing for you. You wonder what gets people so worked up and violent. Hope you get more beauty sleep tonight and you can enjoy a pieceful day with Gran.
Hugs
What an awful night of it! But what a good samaritan you were! Mega brownie points for you my dear! Let's hope it's a bit quieter tonight. Jxo
Blimey what a lot to deal with, I won't complain about quiet old suburbia again. Well done for doing your bit and fingers crossed for peace and quiet for a while.
Oh my, you had quite a night. I'm glad you and the other neighbors were able to help and nothing worse happened than a broken wrist. I hope you were able to have a lie in today.
What a sad and disturbing incident! I hope things settle down, that you get some rest and are back to your sewing soon.
Whoa!! That's a full on story!! I'm glad it wasn't worse than it was, a broken wrist is bad enough. I hope the nasties stay away and leave you all alone.
You certainly see life in the raw! I think you need a holiday!
Not good.
Hope you had a good visit with your Gran and managed to get a better night's sleep last night
you know I was expecting you to say you came out and threw quilts over the bad guys, tied them up with thread and waited for the police to arrive and take them away! Your photo would have been in all the papers and nobody would dare come and mess with you or your neighbours ever again!
Seriously though, i don't envy you that. When I think back to some of the areas of Swansea I looked at when I bought my first house i can well picture the kind of neighbourhood you live in. I'd have had the confidence to live there back then though fears of re-sale potential kept me looking in slightly nicer areas. After living in luton several years later and being attacked in the town centre that Christmas, my confidence in dealing with such rowdy and troublesome people vanished and I'm very wary of where I live now!
hope you've caught up on your sleep and got over the shock, and that things are calmer again around your flat x
bloody hell! I hope that your neighbour is ok and you get some sleep
xxx
Glad they didn't come after you ! It's not all hi-brow culture in bonnie Glasgae! Better luck with the sleep tonight!
It sounds like a nightmare. I'm glad that you weren't hurt! I remember years ago a robbery took place in the house next to ours. I heard the crash of the window breaking and a very few minutes later the police were there and the big tough robber was crying like a baby!
Hope you get lots of rest today.
Hugs
Iris
What a horrible incident.
Hope you get a bit of a rest and the trouble is done.
xxxx
Far out…sounds like a completely crap night.
that brings back memories of my time as a student in a tenement in glasgow. Hope you get a more restful night tonight. And aren't you lovely helping out? I don't know many who would – you wee star.
Oh dear! When i think of all the people that asked about visiting Scotland, and you didn't even mention this kind of adventure tourism! Could be a whole new market! Glad you're ok!
Oh dear, this sounds terrible. I am glad you are safe. Stay at your gran's until the police get things wrapped up. Thinking of you
I hope everything has settled down and hasn't upset you too much! Take care!
Where were the bears – didn't they come to the rescue?
Seriously though Katy you could have floored them all with your bad language!
Well, at least life isn't boring…then again, maybe a little "boring" would be nice after all of that? Sheesh! (going to have to reiterate some questions up there…ie, what is a ned? LOL)
I'm glad you are ok! It's good that you and your neighbors banded together and called the police so that hopefully those guys know they can't come back without trouble. Ah the joys of living in a city! I have fun stories too about living in Boston.
Sounds horrible Katy but glad you are okay. Neds!
good lord! i am so glad you are ok but i think it might be time to move! eek! xoxo
I'm so glad you are okay!!
What craziness! I'm glad that you're okay!!