`Badfinger – Come and get it

Last Thursday night at 2:30 am someone tried to break in to my house. I heard the outer (screen) door and my cats freaked and ran upstairs. While creeping around peeking out windows I saw him with his hand on my doorknob, then he walked into the backyard. I’m so glad I stay awake all night. The cops were here in less than 5 minutes. They could see where he’d walked across the neighbors yard and went into my backyard and out the other side. Because he was on foot they said he was probably looking for a bike. Huh? At a house with the lights on, when my garage is in the back? A bike would logically be in the garage. My therapist thinks he was a potential rapist, especially since once it got light out I realized I could see out the side door window where he was standing. With the light on in here he had to have seen me and he tried getting in anyway. I also heard a door the night before. He was testing to see if he could find an unlocked door.

So when morning came I emailed this NRA instructor and asked if he still had handgun classes open for Saturday. Signed up for basic handguns Saturday and home protection Sunday. Half the day was classroom and second half firing at the range. I used a .357. that’s a revolver. I wasn’t strong enough to slide the slide on the automatics. I feel a bit safer with a revolver, they don’t jam, you can’t accidentally leave a bullet in the chamber and they have a hard trigger pull so aren’t likely to go off accidentally. I think I have only shot a handgun once in my life. Surprisingly, even though I haven’t shot a gun in probably 30 years, I am still a damn good shot (I was the best in my company with an m16 in the army). These are now hanging on my side door window where I saw the creep.

I also ordered door alarms and will attempt to install them on the screen doors, since I don’t intend for any intruder to make it inside.

Then there’s my not so secret weapon…

I got him at animal control and learned quickly on the ride home what a good watchdog he was going to be. He barked and growled at every pedestrian he saw. He was perfectly friendly at the shelter and I thought he wouldn’t be much of a deterrent but I’ve changed my mind. He doesn’t have many manners yet, but we have mastered sit in less than a day. Heel works somewhat as long as there is nothing too interesting going on. I dared take him for a walk today and 2 guys were coming off their porch, he was on his hind legs, lunging and growling. They didn’t act like they believed me when I said he was fine 😀

Hopefully I won’t be messed with again anytime soon and hopefully he trains fast because this is exhausting.