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Oct. 22nd, 2017 11:12 pmLast night I had a disconcerting experience. To describe it I must set the stage - we live on a corner, with no fencing anywhere around our house and our only large plants are a huge holly bush at the front door, a slightly small bush I've never learned the name of, and our willow tree out in the curve of the corner. Our roll-top desk sits between the two front windows in our library, so when I am sitting at it while on my computer I need only to crane my neck a bit to see a part of anyone standing at our front door. My husband hates having the outdoor light on there (its dimness is still 'blinding' to him at night) so we normally have only the garage light on, which barely illuminates the porch & front door area. Well, enough to almost gauge the slight step-up from the walkway. For me - he can see fine.
Yesterday he and a friend were in western Virginia visiting other friends at their home (Silverleaf Estates) so knowing that he'd be coming home late - we _always_ come home late from Silverleaf! - I'd left the porch light off but bolted the door. I don't normally lock the door but thinking that he'd like finding it that way, I had. He regularly locks the door when he's home and I don't, usually, unless I plan on taking a nap or a shower. So I thought it'd please him that I was 'being careful'.
So. The sun was down, the porch was dark, and earlier than he should have been able to, I heard the sound of a key being jingled in the door lock. I stayed at the computer though, with my head turned to welcome him home. But he didn't come n. And it didn't feel right. So I went to the door and turned on the outer light - there was no one there. I could see our car in the driveway and no other vehicles around the front of the house. I stepped out to see if he'd parked along the side. The truck wasn't here. Now I was bewildered. I came back into the house and rebolted the door then went into the kitchen, turning on the light, to get a bottle of water from the fridge. Which is when I heard the sound of someone jiggling a key or something in the lock of our _back_ door, at the patio.
And that is when I called the police. The emergency operator stayed on the line with me until the cops had arrived and walked around our house. The area was, of course, empty. I was being a coward. I stood in the darkened hallway in a spot where I could easily hear all the windows and doors in the home if they were moving, where I was not visible from outside or even visible from within the lighted areas of the house. I could flee in any direction if I needed to. Believe it or not, I was spooked. It didn't feel 'right'. And later, once there was no more noises, it seemed to reset to 'right' and I started to think that perhaps some local kids were taking advantage of the upcoming holiday and "scaring the old lady" they could see through the front window. Because anyone coming up to our front door would have had to be blind not to see me through the lace curtains over our front windows.
But I don't know - three police units responded to my call with their lights on. That is NOT a normal response. I'm wondering if they've been dealing with at-home break ins and because I don't read the local news much I just wasn't aware of what's been going on.
Yesterday he and a friend were in western Virginia visiting other friends at their home (Silverleaf Estates) so knowing that he'd be coming home late - we _always_ come home late from Silverleaf! - I'd left the porch light off but bolted the door. I don't normally lock the door but thinking that he'd like finding it that way, I had. He regularly locks the door when he's home and I don't, usually, unless I plan on taking a nap or a shower. So I thought it'd please him that I was 'being careful'.
So. The sun was down, the porch was dark, and earlier than he should have been able to, I heard the sound of a key being jingled in the door lock. I stayed at the computer though, with my head turned to welcome him home. But he didn't come n. And it didn't feel right. So I went to the door and turned on the outer light - there was no one there. I could see our car in the driveway and no other vehicles around the front of the house. I stepped out to see if he'd parked along the side. The truck wasn't here. Now I was bewildered. I came back into the house and rebolted the door then went into the kitchen, turning on the light, to get a bottle of water from the fridge. Which is when I heard the sound of someone jiggling a key or something in the lock of our _back_ door, at the patio.
And that is when I called the police. The emergency operator stayed on the line with me until the cops had arrived and walked around our house. The area was, of course, empty. I was being a coward. I stood in the darkened hallway in a spot where I could easily hear all the windows and doors in the home if they were moving, where I was not visible from outside or even visible from within the lighted areas of the house. I could flee in any direction if I needed to. Believe it or not, I was spooked. It didn't feel 'right'. And later, once there was no more noises, it seemed to reset to 'right' and I started to think that perhaps some local kids were taking advantage of the upcoming holiday and "scaring the old lady" they could see through the front window. Because anyone coming up to our front door would have had to be blind not to see me through the lace curtains over our front windows.
But I don't know - three police units responded to my call with their lights on. That is NOT a normal response. I'm wondering if they've been dealing with at-home break ins and because I don't read the local news much I just wasn't aware of what's been going on.
