I grew up in this area and we NEVER locked the doors - the last place I lived we didn't lock the doors. I do lock the doors and windows here but I have never been worried about getting broke into until now.

I slept a lot better last night so that is good. :)

I was doing some extensive travel in my younger days, and I would drive till I couldnt drive any more. I would be beyond tired, and flop into a motel. As I would be drifting off my mind would race about how I am in a strange town, a strange motel, and have no one with me. I would play out wild scenes in my head, and then be amazed that just when we need to be at our most aware (when we are asleep in a strange land) we become at our most vunerable. I always thought it was such a design flaw in the human body. Esp if you are sleeping outside in wildlife areas (think of the cavemen) and then I found out that even though we are asleep, our ears still work, as a matter of fact, they become quite sensitive. That is why we can be knocked out cold, and still hear the alarm clock, or a child sneaking past your doorway on the creaky floors. I am sure you would wake right up if your doggies barked.

Glad you slept. that always helps. :hug:

I'm a door locker.

I never leave the doors unlocked, even when I am home. It gets locked as soon as someone walks through it.

The rise in drug users and the drop in the economy has upped the number of break-ins everywhere, even in very rural areas.

I used to have a Newfoundland that weighed 190 lbs. who was an excellent deterrent.

Now I have a fiance that weighs significantly more and is 6'6. He is home most of the time and I have him trained to lock all the doors and windows unless he is right by them, check every time he hears a noise, and be nosy when someone is at the neighboring houses since they are all summer homes.

For those of us in very quiet rural areas, it's well known that the sound of a double barrelled shotgun being cocked is also a VERY effective deterrent. :cool:

Sorry to hear Char, things are really not what they used to be. I remember
when I lived in NYC many years ago, we would live doors and windows open
in the summer to get some air circulating in the hot summer.

When I got married and lived in NJ in the pines, did the same thing.
As time went on and the world started changing, locked the doors everytime.
My DH (deceased now) would get so mad at me for locking up everything
all the time.

But, when we had an intruder once, he never questioned me again.
The dogs scared whomever it was away, they didn't get anything.

Today being alone, I always have the doors locked. The crime has
gone up around the larger city and rural areas here.

I have told my DS that I want to get a shotgun again. My DH before
he passed, gave away all his guns to the children and certain friends. Said
I didn't need one. That's when I was still living in NJ.

I have Sage who is a German Shep. and a great watch dog, but I still
want something I can use if need be. I was a very good shot before. I think
I will just have to practice a little more when I get one. The only thing is
the ms has my balance & vision off, but just aim and shoot that shotgun
and you know it is going to hit or at least scare the s****t out of someone.

It's terrible how we all have to live now in so much fear because of
the economy. The ones that are breaking in places seem to be looking for
drugs and what they can steal to sell to get money for the drugs and whatever they are addicted to.

KEEP SAFE!!!!
Jappy :hug:

You feel so violated after a robbery! I was barely scratching by and working hard to get two pennies to rub together. I drove the crappiest car around. A neon green pinto! it had a vise grip for a gear shifter because the darn thing broke off! it was dented, and ricketty. I was so upset when I climbed in it to go to work, and saw a HUGE foot print on the window glass of the passenger side. I thought "thats odd!" I went around and looked in the back seat, and then the front seat, and was relieved no one was sleeping in my car. I sat in the drivers seat, and turned it over. Reached to turn on the radio and...yep! no radio! They RIPPED my stereo out. didnt pull, didnt tug, they RIPPED it out! This was a crappy factory radio that had NO redeeming value or features. It wasnt even a cassette! It was crappy, but it was MINE. the police didnt care that we had a foot print. They only cared about foot prints in murder cases they told me. someone MURDERED my radio! I screamed. They didnt think it was funny. My car was locked the night before too.

I have always been careful since then to not leave anything IN a car that I would want in the wrong hands. Remember when your insurance card was your SS number? That always bothered me. Someone bumps you, then you hand them your SS number...scary! Im glad they changed that. Now we have to use non washable checks/ink on our checks so some dirt bag doesnt wash it and write in whatever amount he choses. Dont leave letters in your mail box with the flag up, they get your CC # and your checking account #. We have to drive it to the post office. so many precautions because we have such scum on the earth. :mad:

There are holsters that fit under the mattress which I am going to buy as soon as I get a new gun. Since I won't be able to move my legs if a home invader comes in (fright response), I want to be able to just reach down get my gun and blow him away if he enters my bedroom.

There are a number of shooting ranges within 20 miles of me, so I will be practicing soon. My son is a very good marksman, so he can teach me how to shoot better.

Hearing a gun cock should make the intruder turn around and scramble from the house. We seem to be having a lot of home invasions in the Phoenix area which is disturbing. None have happened where I live, but I still want to be prepared.

I always have my Life Alert button nearby, so if it is pushed someone will be blaring on the intercom and asking if I need help within 30 seconds too.

It is scarier living alone and listening to all the house sounds alone at night. I like dogs, but don't want to take care of one. My yard is all rock and cement, so a dog would have to be walked and poop picked up, which would be difficult from a power chair.

Problems, problems!! Methheads, methheads!!

gmi

Or just start blasting his own at you. :rolleyes:

One of my neighbors had her bistro table and chair set stolen off of her back porch about a week ago. And it wasnt a little set either. It was wrought iron and fairly heavy and worth about $200. She's really ticked...

Another neighbor went off on some kids the other day. They've been coming into the neighbors back yard (no fences in our neighborhood) and were rolling down the hill right up to the wall of the neighbor's house. Normally, not a problem. The neighbor was irritated that the kids were stealing things from the yard...cement yard art, veggies from her garden, pulling flowers and plants up so the roots were exposed or broken.

She caught them over the weekend. (her husband had kicked them out several times last week, and told them he was going to call the sherriff if he caught them again...they didnt listen to him) The neighbor lady saw them steal something, and told them to come down and talk to her. They did.

She told them she wanted the object back, and asked their names. (they gave their first names) and then she told them that she really should be calling the sherriff. She told them that if they want to come and look at her flowers and garden that was fine, but if she catches them stealing anything again, or damaging her garden again, she was going to be calling 911. She said they were appropriately scared (probably had to go change their shorts...neighbor is scary when she's mad!) and they promised they would leave her yard alone from now on,

The neighbor who lives above her on the hill told her that these kids were leaving their scooters in his backyard before they'd start their hill rolling/stealing/vandalizing. He said that if he sees them screwing around in her or his yard again, that he's going to take the scooters and lock them in his garage, and will tell the kids that to get them back, they need to come back with their parents. (I dont think these kids know about that bit of info)


I really dont think those kids will be screwing around with the neighbors again for awhile. (they're like 10 or 11yrs old I think...I'm horrible at judging ages, but I quit rolling down hills at about that age)


I was checking the crime mapping website earlier, and noticed there's been a lot of vandalism reports within a few blocks of my house. There's been lots of reporting of shoplifting at the shopping center (grocery store, couple of chain stores like target, kmart, hair salons) A lot more than there were a week ago.

I've seen people coming out of the target and the kmart, only to get caught by store security and taken back inside. That's always entertaining.

My daughter-in-law sent me a note talking about a policeman who recommends people keep a can of hornet and wasp spray, which has a 20 or 30 feet spray distance, by their bed to spray in the eyes of intruders.

He says it is one of the best ways to get time to run or call the police. I doubt if most goons would be expecting that greeting.

gmi

a local news reporter here did a test on that...(she didnt spray anyone) She tested the aim of the bug spray can. The big problem she had was that it was a windy day, and the spray came back in her face....the TOXIC spray. (she did say it felt kind of like getting maced. I've been maced...it's not fun!) The local police here said that if you're being attacked, do whatever to save your life, but they didnt recommend the bug spray.