They're officially charging GMH for the murder of Cheryl Dunlap.
http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/gwinnett/stories/2008/02/28/hilton_0229.html?cxntlid=homepage_tab_newstab
http://www.wsbtv.com/news/15442083/detail.html

On the radio they are saying they will probably be seeking the death penalty.


Now why is it when I see this horrible news story about this couple starving their five month old to death, all I can think about is Mere. The two stories aren't even remotely related; there was no evidence that Mere was starved.

Maybe its just how helpless I feel. Like something could have been done so easily, but wasn't.

Something keeps bugging me. I have been making a real effort not to blame law enforcement in all of this. I know that they didn't want to directly name GMH as a suspect so that he would come out of the woodwork, and they did GET him, so it could have been a lot worse.

But why weren't they keeping track of Mere's bank transactions? Shouldn't that be standard for a missing person? Thats WHY Mere kept giving him the wrong pin numbers..so the bank could see that someone had been trying to use her card and failing, and the *locations*. When your wallet gets stolen, credit and debit cards companies are immediately tracking attempts at transactions; why weren't they doing this?

Because if they had been, they could have saved her. I know, coulda woulda shoulda. I shouldn't think like that...People like to tell me, "You shouldn't be thinking about that" and when I do allow myself to think about it and actually converse about it with a close friend, it winds up being a dark, creepy crawly and morose conversation, like the one I had with Marisa the other night.

But I was so damned angry when they said over and over again 'No evidence of foul play" when we all KNEW she wasn't on that mountain...We blindly hoped we were wrong, but nothing was right about the situation up there. Nothing made sense.

I just want to know why something so simple wasn't done. Why didn't they save her? Why can't I call her right now and tell her PS I Love You is showing at the dollar theatre and we should go. ..or geek about Oscar dresses on GR...or see My Mother's Castle together (We watched My Father's Glory in mid November and were supposed to watch the sequel after she got back from Denver. Its one of my very favorite movies, and I rarely get to see it with anyone without subtitles) we were supposed to see La Mome together at Cine, but never got the chance, so we were going to rent it. Never going to happen.

And, completely inappropriate lyrics, but this song has been stuck in my head all day.

You know, its a hard balance. I hear strangers who never met her say, "I feel like I knew her" and my first reaction is to lash out. Its a very base reaction, animal..."No, this is my pain, my friend; you can't have her."

Then I think about her parents, Julia...her family in France. I'm just her Wednesday night junk-tv pal; am I trying to steal their pain by grieving? There is surely enough "pain" to go around 9_9

When Steve and I had our 'argument' he said to me, at one point, "Meredith was the only one who ever loved me." It really struck me, because when he said it, not for a moment did I doubt it. When I was talking to my mother about it she said, "Meredith was probably the only one who loved a lot of people."

This is very true. I think that is why so many people have been drawn to her story, drawn to her...why she is a daughter, sister, friend to so many who never met her. Meredith had an amazing capacity to love. I think that has become evident to strangers all over the globe.

I am not a perfect being. I have fought back the desire to say things like "You didn't know her like I did." But it would be dishonest to Mere to let that thought have any sort of authority. I guess I just have to acknowledge that its there, lest I seem benevolent.

So what was this post inspired by? There's a person who is supposedly 'channeling' Mere to try to find evidence about GMH. This really makes me angry. Even if I believed he could do this (Which I don't) How dare he drag her back into this after all she went through?

Then I read poems he has written for Mere and Ella, and I realize that this is a sick person. A different kinf of sick than Hilton himself, but there is definitely a wound there, festering into this overflow. I have quashed my anger, and hope that he seeks help.

So if you read this, Mr. Adams, please find help. You don't need to be the helper right now; there is something inside of you that needs healing. Please try to focus on that for a while.

I did something stupid today. I was talking to Stever (Meredith's boyfriend) and we had agreed to exchange some photos. I went through my hair tutorials and some old snaps I had of her playing with the children and sent them off to him. I was actually pretty okay with it all. I have looked at these photos a million times and let them upset me, but today I was feeling happy about them. Then Steve sent me back one line, "God I miss her" which I didn't even see at first(Because of the way my gmail is configured) Then I read it and it was like instant tears EVERYWHERE. I went to sleep (The baby was napping) and proceeded to nap for 4.5 hours. In the middle of the day. I cried myself to sleep and then slept like the dead. When I woke up, poor Munch (well, sort of poor Munch) had been playing video games the WHOLE time and The Baby had crawled in bed with me and was tapping my forehead.

Then Joy called and cancelled Munch's playdate for Luke tomorrow. Then I realize it was Wednesday and the house wasn't clean, and, considering the mood I was in, didn't look to GET clean. I started crying again, out of frustration, and Munch came upstairs, and without even asking what was wrong, said, "I miss Meredith, too, Momma."

I don't deserve them sometimes, I really don't. I made them 'noodles and sauce' for dinner (Just maceroni with red sauce and parmesan) and then took them to the store, where they chattered happily to one another in the truck shaped shopping cart and pretended they were UPS guys.

Now they are in the bath playing...and I am listening to them and realizing I have done nothing of worth today, except maybe love them. I guess that makes a day worth living.

Two interesting new articles. Apparently as part of his plea baragin to talk, Hilton insured Dandy would have a good home.

Why does this monster have to have a good side. Its so much easier to blindly hate...

here and

here

Oh, and another new one here Looks like they may have enough evidence soon to definitively link him to Cheryl Dunlap and the Bryants

So I got on a downhill roll about two days ago, kept getting into these circular thoughts I keep thinking eventually I will get to talk to her again, and then reality slaps me...and then I think of it again...and reality again. Ugh, This culminated in me calling her voicemail for her phone, (which isn't disconnected yet) hearing her voice and leaving this looong ranty sobby message for...no one. But it helped. Then I called Stephen and had the best conversation I've had with Stephen in a while (He's been studying for his final med school exam, I've been a lump of cottage cheese...you know how it is) It was nice. I felt much better. I felt so much better that when I got hom and had a friend link me this, I was able to just smile wanly and say, "Mere (Who had her degree in French, for those unaware) would have found this completely hysterical" and move on with my day.

Hurray ;)

As I was listening to this album on the way to the library today, I remembered this was one of Mere's favorite song, and the time she went to see Ani even though she had a sinus infection


Not a Pretty Girl lyrics

I am not a pretty girl
that is not what I do
I ain't no damsel in distess
and I don't need to be rescued
so put me down punk
maybe you'd prefer a maiden fair
isn't there a kitten stuck up a tree somewhere

I am not an angry girl
but it seems like I've got everyone fooled
every time I say something they find hard to hear
they chalk it up to my anger
and never to their own fear
and imagine you're a girl
just trying to finally come clean
knowing full well they'd prefer youwere dirty
and smiling
and I am sorry
I am not a maiden fair
and I am not a kitten stuck up a tree somewhere

[Ani DiFranco, Not a Pretty Girl lyrics and video on http://crocmusic.com/]

and generally my generation
wouldn't be caught dead working for the man
and generally I agree with them
trouble is you gotta have youself an alternate plan
and I have earned my disillusionment
I have been working all of my life
and I am a patriot
I have been fighting the good fight
and what if there are no damsels in distress
what if I knew that and I called your bluff?
don't you think every kitten figures out how to get down
whether or not you ever show up

I am not a pretty girl
I don't want to be a pretty girl
no I want to be more than a pretty girl

A little ironic, no?

Man, I don't know if I should have done this. Just cut and pasting all of that...I feel as low as pavement.

02/10/08

They found John Bryant's body..the male half of the missing hiking couple associated with GMH. His head was found 20 feet from his body. This seems to be this wacko's MO, but could help to attach him to the murder.

Apparently the Bryants were also wonderful, amazing 'shirt-off-your-back' kind of people. I'm just glad that Mere's case being so high profile, their family is probably going to be able to find more closure by knowing their friends/parents' killer is incarcerated and will never be free.

Also, Hilton is talking a little. At the spot where they found the water bottle and the leash there was an extended struggle. Mere fought very hard, but Hilton had not one but two weapons (Baton and hunting knife) and was eventually able to overcome her.

Had Mere not been the person she was, so loved, so loving, and if she had not fought and made him leave those clues behind (baton and her things so close together) people may not have made the connection between the man with the baton (who they later identified as GMH) and people would not have recognized the white van which had switched license plates. She had the world in love with her (and rightfully so) and so people everywhere were looking.

Her struggles, though her life ended, were not in vane. This is a man who would keep on killing until he was stopped. He has nothing to live for...so he was just taking what he needed until he was caught. Mere obviously knew he was going to kill her as soon as he got the money (As he did the Bryants) and wouldn't give him her pin numbers, even though it made him angry. She was hoping we would find him, rescue her. And we were just a few hours too late. But though we didn't rescue Mere, we did rescue countless others that would have come after her. The kind hearted, those willing to talk to a strange man with no teeth on a cold day.

02/09/08

If I could stop having dreams about trying to protect Meredith from demons and failing, that would be great, kk?

/woke up looking like I'd been swimming
//hot soothing bath didn't help my psyche for shit

01/31/08

this.

Ironically, this is the first day Munch has brought up Meredith's death directly. There has been a few moments...last Friday, out of nowhere, "That bad man...he's never going to get out of jail, is he?" And while making crepes, "Oh, I just thought of something really sad. Meredith isn't going to get to use the crepe make we got her. I hope her family brings it home with them and uses it."

Today he said, simply, "I really miss Meredith. Its sad that she died."

I said something mommy-like about how we were lucky to get to know her while she was here and that she lead a good life.

Munch said, "Yeah...but its still really sad.

Me: Yes, it is. And its okay to be really sad about it.

Munch: Yeah, I know.

*lots of silence*

01/27/08

Days like today remind me of what a Camelot existence I lead. I woke up to baby feet in my face and a request, "Beakfast?" which was followed by toast making and jam spreading. Munch got up and he and The Baby played in the fort they made yesterday while Munch peppered me with 'Favorite' questions, his new 'thing' (What's your favorite thing to do? What's your favorite band? What's your favorite song?) and the discussion that snaked around these questions filled the house. The Baby threw a 2-yr-old tantrum at having to get dressed and screamed from house to car, but was then content on our drive to church.

We had the coolest sunday school class; we're studying the reformation through paintings for the age of enlightenment, and there was an art history prof who came from the university and explained the absolute coolest shit about these paintings...how just looking at the moulding on the walls could place your perspective on the painting to show that, were you in the scene, you would have to be *kneeling* to see what you are seeing, etc. Also that the way the people were holding their body formed the shape of a proscenium, which contained the most important message, which those outside of this physical arch were the secondary characters...Very cool.

Then service was hilarious...zomg, the music was so bad today! But in such a deliciously bad way...two of the members were trying to modernize the service with some of their own compositions and it was like listening to Yanni music with Ace of Base singing lead... Munch was kind of bemused by the whole thing while The Baby had to be removed at one point for taking off socks and shoes and making a mad dash for the front of the sanctuary. "THIIIIIIS WAAAAAY, MOMMMY!"

(added)

We had a guest pastor, who was the mommy of one of Munch's closest preschool friends, Caroline. The sermon was mainly about being a mom and trying not to let your pride keep you from asking for help. We are a community for a reason, and we moms...well, sometimes we feel that we have to be the great, grand crusaders of awesomesauce who never need help EVER. She related a story of her trying to get Caroline (who was about two) into the car when Caleb was a newborn, diaper bag swinging, babe in arms crying and caroline suction cupped to the pavement, "Nooooo, I don't want to GOOOOOO!" and someone asking her if she needed help. "Oh no, I've got it," she stammered, as she bent down to pick up caroline and the diaper bag swung around and biffed baby Caleb in the face.

"Actually," said the stranger, "I don't think you do..." and picked up Caroline and carried her, kicking and screaming to the car.

Sometimes we really need that person. It sucks, and society tells us to lash out at them; how dare she imply I'm weak!?!?

But how many times have I relied on all of you? How many times have I had to call Crickie, or Mom, or Kevin and say, "Come spend time with my kids because I'm about to scream my head off?
(/added)


I talked to my friend Marie, who just finally got a new job after years of the same horrible slog, and she is positively glowing, as is her partner. Seeing those people, who have worked so hard and are SO deserving of some good fortune actually *receive* it...well, its nice :)

We came home, had leftover pizza for lunch, then Munch took his video game time while The Baby and I napped.

After our naps, the boys wanted to go outside and blow bubbles, which I set them up to do. Munch and The Baby took turns with the bubble machine while the other used a 'sword' to attack the resulting bubbles, some of which were as big as my head.

I kept an eye on them while I dissected the chicken Blix had boiled, separating the white meat out for a chicken pie for dinner (which is cooking now) and the dark meat for another dish later this week, and extraneous scary bits to add to the stock. Its so therapeutic to make stock...chopping the onions, carrots, turnips and cellery and then simmering all that delicious goodness until your whole house smells like veggies and salt.

And now I'm talking to you people, which will be followed by more fort building and then pie eating, and then a trip to the store to buy milk so we can have 'rich chocolatey ovaltine' for dessert.

And it comes back to a pleasant thought; my life wouldn't be this good if Mere hadn't been a part of it. How many of us can say that? Plenty. Stars in her crown.

01/21/08

Warning: Gruesome and sad

Some idiot who might be considered an aquaintence of mine felt the need to drop me an email a few days ago to let me know that they found Mere's head not only separately (Which we all knew) but sitting up on a tree stump, facing the cops when GMH brought them to it. It REALLY upset me that night...I'm not sure how it makes it different...but it does....then last night I started thinking about it again, when I read an email from Kim's mom.

I keep running into her in my life...scrolling down through my cellphone...Mere is right above 'mom'....whom I call most often. Logic would dictate I would just remove her.. its not like I can call her, but I won't. And her Mii...roaming around the other miis on our wii...I want to tell this stupid little cartoon figure..."You look so happy. Did you know you're dead? Did you know they found your head on a tree stump?"

I barely slept last night. Blix even got up with the kids so I could catch up this morning, but I woke up and immediately started thinking of how cold it must have been, how cold she must have been.

I want to hug her. I want to hug her and tell her about her memorial...about how much we all loved her. People who didn't even KNOW her fell in love with her. Her laugh...she didn't have this musical laugh or this pretty laugh...she had this kind of goofy, "You would think she was pretending if you couldn't tell there was NO WAY she was pretending" kind of laugh, and I'm never going to hear it. But i want to tell her, "Mere, I love your laugh." And I want to hug her and hug her.

And I want to say something...to someone. I want to talk about it...and sometimes I do...all in a rush because I feel like the person listening shouldn't have to hear it...Kevin, Marisa, Blix...Its not like THEY aren't sad. It isn't like I'm not just kicking up feelings THEY were trying to get over. Then I shut up because I'm embarassed. Or I won't talk about it when my mother asks, but when my hairdresser asks? It all comes out :( And then today I didn't want to talk about it at all, but I got a phone call, spoke to an old neighbor and got an email from people offering condolences and I just want to hang up, turn away, delete the email.

I remember when Larry died, and Munch was two. I got the news and started crying and Munch ran into the room and hugged me and said, "Its okay, Mama. No monsters!"

But there are monsters. Apparently.

01/17/08

A few things I have learned today:

1. The Baby knows how to alter the trajectory of his bowling ball to pick up spares in wii bowling
2. The Baby would rather play wii sports than do just about anything else on this planet
3. It is possible to play wii tennis with a two year old and play tug of war with a dog/rag bone at the same time
4.Wii golf is not as easy for a 2 yr old as wii bowling and wii tennis
5. Seeing Mere's mii come up on wii baseball is really depressing
6. Reading Courderoy to The Baby and realizing Mere gave it to him for Xmas is also really depressing
7.I am a better doggie momma having lost Mere. Focusing on her love for Ella has made me realize how much I've been neglecting Saki. We've been bonding. N'stuff.

01/16/08

I thought tonight was going to suck. Tonight normally Mere would be over and the dogs would be playing and we would be eating brownies, or popcorn, or pitas and red pepper humus, and watching something terrible on TV...Marisa and Heather might be there, too and by this point in the evening, we would be talking about something silly, like erection directionality or something equally mindless.

But, you know, that wasn't going to happen, so...

I made crepes, and fed myself and the kids. Blix was stuck in nasty weather for an hour and a half and got home to cold crepe (Which was tasty but not what it was when warm)

And then...it snowed. Drippy at first, but then huge feathery, beautiful flakes. The boys were in the bath and it was eight o clock at night, but I knew what Munch wanted and I wanted it, too. We suited up and went out to frolick. The Baby had enough after five minutes; he couldn't see what all the fuss was about. "I'm cold and I'm wearing more clothes than usual. Fuck this." So he went inside and sat in Bruce's lap while Munch and I trudged through the snow, threw snowballs and made a small snowman. We sang snowy songs and made track and had an hour of snowy togetherness that just made my month.

Oh, and I like Munch's atom bomb sneak attack tactic. "Hey mom, look at my snowball that I made."
"That's a pretty goo-" *BIFF*

"Hey! You can't show it to me then hit me with it!"

"Yes I can."

Towards the end of the snowman making, Kevin showed up and Munch did his reading with Kevin, drank some hot chocolate and went to bed. Then Kevin and I sat up for two hours eating chocolate chip cookies and playing a new board game of his (Kevin has the best games...Trinny can vouch) and really had a great time.

What a great night! Totally went from thinking I was going to have an incredibly sucky night to having a fantastic evening. Oh, and I took some pictures of Munch playing in the snow; I'll post them tomorrow.

01/16/08

4:28:33 PM) ces0008: Now I'm eyeing the dishes with trepidation; after dishes I'm making savory crepes for dinner
(4:28:43 PM) ces0008: Then settling in to be really depressed.
(4:28:46 PM) smirkingatyou: nice nice
(4:28:52 PM) ces0008: Because, you know, its wednesday.
(4:29:00 PM) smirkingatyou: i also have a pile of daunting dishes
(4:29:08 PM) ces0008: Mmmm, daunting dishes.
(4:29:34 PM) smirkingatyou: of course, daunting dishes aren't nearly as bad as scary german panties.





(4:30:45 PM) ces0008: Okay...that was funny.

01/14/08

Okay, I don't mean to come off sounding like an asshole, but if any of you who might be thinking of using the words"You're coping with this surprisingly WELL" could REFRAIN, I would really appreciate it.

I've just heard these words three times (once from my mom, once from my grandmother and once from a friend who barely knows me) in the past 48 hours, and I just want to scream. How does one cope 'well' with something like this, anyway? I'm coping 'well' because I can go from fine to crying in two seconds because my dog put her head in my lap? I'm coping well because I go for two days without crying at all and then call and scream at my son's school's front desk clerk, "THE LAST TIME SOMEONE I LOVED DIDN'T SHOW UP THEY WERE DECAPITATED!" A+ I got overwhelmed last night and told Munch to 'shut up.' I think I'm at least 130lbs right now, which for me is abnormally heavy.

So yes, I'm doing okay, and I'm glad I'm doing okay; none of these things are so horrible I need to be locked up, but telling me I'm coping 'surprisingly well' is almost like saying, "Gee, you don't seem nearly as upset as you should be." >:(

01/14/08

have now kicked the ass out of my The Movies game, which Kevin gave me two years ago but I had given a long hiatus until the Mere thing. When this happened, a total escapist game was just what I needed.

But as I said, I've now won it into the ground.

So I bought Sims2. 9_9

Fear me.

Edit:
Okay, when a friend of mine dissapears and turns up dead, now is not the time for the school to effectively LOSE Munch.

No, but really his substitute teacher just put him in afterschool (Which he isn't enrolled in 9_9) instead of letting him ride the bus home, so I'm off to get him. Still, when he didn't get off the bus, I think my heart fell through the floor.

WHERE IS MY BABY!?!?!?!?

Edit 2: Also, thanks to Trinny for linking me this.

Mere would have LOVED this. She is a huge IG fan
http://www.11alive.com/news/article_news.aspx?storyid=109462&provider=top

9 I left Mere's funeral friday feeling like this:

I've had enough of this parade.
I'm thinking of the words to say.
We open up unfinished parts,
Broken up,
It's only love.

And when I see you then I know it will be next to me
And when I need you then I know you will be there with me
I'll never leave you...

Just need to get closer, closer,
Lean on me now,
Lean on me now,
closer, closer,
Lean on me now,
Lean on me now.

Keep waking up without you here,
Another day, another year.
I seek the truth we set apart,
Second glance, a second chance.

And when I see you then I know it will be next to me
And when I need you then I know you will be there with me
I'll never leave you...

Just need to get closer, closer,
Lean on me now,
Lean on me now,
closer, closer,
Lean on me now,
Lean on me now (lean on me now).

And when I see you then I know it will be next to me
And when I need you then I know you will be there with me
I'll never leave you... just need to get...

Just need to get closer, closer,
Lean on me now,
Lean on me now,
closer, closer,
Lean on me now,
Lean on me now (lean on me now).

closer, closer... closer, closer.

01/10/08

01/10/08

Meredith's memorial service will be held tomorrow at 2pm in Athens, GA at the Central Presbyterian Church. ( http://www.athenscentralpres.org )

Her family and roommate are currently working on establishing a fund to be donated to where Meredith rescued her dog Ella. Donations are preferred, but if you would feel like you have to send flowers, sunflowers were one of her favorites. As soon as the details are worked out on the fund I will let you all know.

Anyone is welcome to come to the service and friends are asked to arrive a little early for reserved seating.

Also, on a side note, her favorite color was green and many of us will be wearing some green b/c that is what we feel she would have wanted.

01/10/08

Dear Mere,

Its cool and all if you want to come to me in my dreams, but after having a great birthday, having you come to me in my dream and tell me nothing bad really happened and that you're fine and chatting about the movie...to wake up to reality.

Well, that sucked a little.

01/09/08

Juno was fantastic. You should all go see it.

Marisa and Tim were also fantastic, for babysitting our spawn.

The spawn are also fantastic, for not giving them a hard time.

Blix is fantastic for sticking it out through the first part of the evening, when I was all morose and depressed, and laughing with me on the way home.

01/07/08

They found the body.


Her name was Meredith Hope Emerson. She was my friend. Her eyes were green.

01/07/08

Today was poultice on the wound. I still found myself working into a daze over the slightest memory, the idea that Wednesdays will never be the same again...we will never watch bad TV together and she will never airplane my kids around the room or call The Baby, "Captain Crazy Pants"

But I had to babysit Zac today, which started with me letting him and The Baby play video games in the boy cave while I *finally* made Brendan's vest (woot) then moved on to making Marble tracks, then to baking apple pies...then the baby and I napped (Full of pie, erp) while Zac watched a movie. When we woke up, we went a picked up Munch from school (His school resumed a day before Zac's did) bought the boys orange push pops and then drove to the park. It was a beautiful day and they played for two hours, then went to Zacs house and played for another hour while I chatted with his Moms.

Then we came back here and I made Maceroni and cheese from scratch (their favorite meal) and we talked and laughed at the table.

At least I'm back to myself, even if its kind of a depressed, weepy version. Last week I wasn't even me.

01/06/08

You sick fuck. I've told Munch over and over that there are people in this world who have sickness in their brain and so I can't ask why. Why is a reason not discernable by a sane mind.

You don't have any teeth, and they don't know where you were for eight years. The logical answer is, you were in prison. You have a history of paying hookers for sex and theft...so you were at least a little messed up before. I don't know what happened to you in prison, but it apparently didn't help. Did all the flaws in the system help make you this sick, or were you an evil fuck to start with? It seems an immaterial question, but I have to wonder what was going through Mere's mind...and she would be sizing you up. She would be afraid, but she would be trying to figure you out so she could get away. That is, if she even knew anything after the initial attack. I can only hope she didn't.

Did you kill that nice old couple, too? For what? 300$?

What happened to you to make you into this evil thing? I could ask 'Why Meredith' but its obvious why.

Strangely enough, while I wish death for you, it is out of mercy. How horrible it must be to be you, to be evil. To have the desire to do evil things. To be callous enough to follow through. Your life is nothing, and yet it killed someone light and beautiful. Is that how you make yourself real?

01/06/08

More evidence, more revolting evidence. Demon human being. We better hope he doesn't post bail or this guy won't live to see a trial. (Not me personally threatening him, but a fact)
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/01/05/missing.hiker/index.html

01/05/08

More emo from me.


If you didn't climb mountains, you would be with us right now.

If you didn't climb mountains, no one could hurt you. No one could touch you.

If you didn't climb mountains, you would be safe.

If you didn't climb mountains, you would be living in Colorado, close to your parents.

If you didn't climb mountains, you would have staid in comfortable romances, even if they didn't make you happy.

If you didn't climb mountains, you wouldn't have worried about finishing your degree in four years.

If you didn't climb mountains, you could have lived happily in America and never had to live anywhere else.

If you didn't climb mountains, you wouldn't need to support yourself on your own income

If you didn't climb mountains, you would never have had to worry about a successful career.

If you didn't climb mountains, I wouldn't love you as I do,

My Meredith,

My friend.

01/05/08

I'll let this speak for itself.

http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/gwinnett/stories/2008/01/05/newmissing_0106_web2.html
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/01/05/missing.hiker/index.html

I don't have it in me to start making calls yet. Give me a few hours.

01/05/08

Officials said they had found Emerson's 1-year-old dog "Ella" at a Kroger store in Forsyth County on Friday, about 50 miles away from the search area. They said that the dog was positively identified by a microchip implant by a veterinarian.

"Meredith was not with him," Union County investigator Kimberly Verdone said.

"Late this afternoon we had a lady who located a dog that was wandering around in the parking lot. In an attempt to find shelter for the dog, she picked the dog up. There happens to be a veterinary office about two blocks from the Kroger store. She took the dog down to the veterinary office in an attempt to find it some shelter. Once inside the office, it's my understanding that somebody inside the office recognized that this dog was very similar in appearance to the one that has been in the news media with the missing hiker case. As a result, the veterinary office contacted Union County authorities. (They said) the dog had a computer chip to help locate it. The vet did have the capability and equipment to check that, and did in fact confirm that it was the dog that belonged to the missing hiker," said Forsyth County Sheriff Ted Paxton.

Forsyth County investigators said that some of Emerson's personal effects were found in a dumpster outside a Quik Trip gas station across from the Kroger store, which is on Keith Bridge Road, just off Georgia 400.

Paxton said the area around the Kroger store has become a major investigative focus. Investigators have been combing the area, looking for surveillance tape and anyone who may have seen anything that may help the investigation.

"Six four-man search and rescue teams are in the woods right now searching for her," said Verdone.


Possible and frighteningly of note: When they found GMH, his van (The van that had been at the park) was parked at the car vacuums, not the pumps. How often do you think this guy decides to vacuum his van?

01/04/08

They got the guy! Er, person of interest. They're questioning him now.


And ELLA! They found ELLA!



Edit:
They found some of Mere's things in a dumpster across the street from where they found Ella.

That's..not good. :(

Edit 2: I told Munch about Ella just now and he didn't even smile. He furrowed his little Munch brow at me and said, "But why would Ella not be with Meredith?" *sigh*

From Meggie:
Apparently they only searched the dumpster after witnesses reported to having seen GMH at the Kroger
http://www.wsbtv.com/news/14983460/detail.html

01/04/08

Heh. Crickie: They got you gnoshing in this one ;)

And Tim: She could easily throw me over her head.

You said that just right ;D

http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=4085904&affil=wtvc

Man, I hope all this exposure is doing something positive. The negative side worries me, though

01/04/08

For anyone keeping track, Blix will be on Fox news tonight.



Edit: Er, actually he will be on a live television show, which is national, called On the Record, which will be on tonight at 10pm eastern on Fox.

Edit2:I miss my Sunnymuffins :(

01/03/08

Back from the doctor. My pastor called while I was gone to let me know that Mere's Godmother's church was having a prayer circle tonight at five.

I've been in town all morning at the doctor's office and pharmacy, respectively, so I'm not sure I'm going to be up for going into town again tonight, but we will see.

Mere was one NPR this morning. Munch keeps asking if different pics he sees of Mere online and on the news are of her being found on the mountain.

I'm still pretty down.

01/03/08

Oh, my antique dress form that Blix bought me for Xmas came in. I really like it.

I wish I could enthuse more, but I can't.

The Baby has an ear infection and bronchitis.

1/03/08

I got about three hours of sleep. I'm sure Blix got less. He and Crickie, Big John, Little Jon, Kevin, Tim, Marisa, Ken and Sarah are all out at the search party.

The baby woke up with 103 degree fever this morning. He got Munch's cough, but it sounds like he's developed bronchitis from it. Probably my fault for taking them out of the house yesterday.

I hope if I call their pediatrician, he can just call something in instead of me bringing them in. I'm not sure I can do the 'two hours in the doctor's office with miserable children' today. I might just sit down and start crying.

Edit: More scary news. Sounds like our conversation last night might be dead-on, Cip.

According to workers at the Visitors Center, someone saw Emerson coming down the mountain, trailed by someone with a police baton.

WXIA reports a hiker turned in a dog leash, two water bottles and a police baton to the Visitors Center. Emerson's car was also found. According to WXIA, the significance of the findings was not realized until later; authorities do not know the identity of the hiker who turned in the belongings but they would like to speak to him because he may have seen something.

Edit 2: The Baby's ped. office said they could only work him in this afternoon...which means at least two hours of waiting in the waiting room. His fever has gone down to 100, and I think if it continues to stay low today, I will just keep him home. If it spikes up, I'll take him to the clinic down the street. I can't do two hours in a pediatrician's waiting room right now.

Sept 2

Oh God, oh fuck...she's on the news. This isn't happening.

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/14964662/detail.html

And Meredith has green eyes, damnit.


I feel guilty eating.

Edit: Seriously. My stomach hurts...I eat a little? It hurts. I eat a lot? It hurts. And everything tastes bad.

January 2nd

No news like bad news.


She had been taking Ella out for a walk near the mountains. After some searching, they found her car which hasn't been touched since yesterday.

Then they found her water bottle and Ella's leash. No Ella. No Mere. Blix is out being part of the search party right now.

From January 2nd

6

I'm really scared right now. One of my closest friends, Meredith, has been missing for 24 hours. I just found out, as I've been gone all morning and her boss/friends/roommate only had my email and couldn't call.

Supposedly I'm the last person to hear from her. She called me at 11:08 yesterday to wish me a happy birthday...only it wasn't my birthday. I just list the first as my birthday online as a proxy.

She went hiking with Ella, her dog, and never returned.

Its 20 degrees outside. It is completely unlike her to go out and not come home. I am so frightened right now :(