Yesterday evening when Anthony sent me home he was worried about me being myself on the farm with Ming away for the weekend. I reassured him by saying that I love being alone (which I do). But I was disappointed that my idea of staying the night at the nursing lodge didn’t work out. Well I am so glad it didn’t work out because at ten minutes past midnight, someone knocked loudly on the front door and frightened the hell out of me (I was in the middle of watching a murder mystery on television). I thought Ming must have decided to come home from Perth after all so I opened the door without hesitating.
Well, it wasn’t Ming. It was a young hairy guy looking for his lost dog! I said I hadn’t seen it and closed the door thinking it was a weird time to be looking for a lost dog. Then I realized there probably wasn’t any lost dog and the guy was probably casing the joint (is that the expression?) So I peeked out the window, through the blinds, to make sure he had driven away – yes, phew – then I watched the rest of the murder mystery.
If I had stayed the night at the nursing lodge, it is almost without a doubt that we would have been burgled!
jmgoyder 
O M F G!!! Damn it Jules…hope you are armed! Baseball bat, cricket bat, vampire bat….get SOMETHING and keep it near the door. And don’t EVER open it like that again! Crickey
It’s the first time I have ever been scared here.
Let’s keep it that way!!! First and only.
Thank goodness he left !
Yes!
I bet that is exactly what he was doing. I am glad that you didn’t let him ruin your movie! Next time if you find yourself in that situation at the door, call over your shoulder, “Honey! Somebody is at the door!”
Good idea, and hello!
Thanks! Hello to you, too!
Do be careful about the door after dark. One never knows anymore! I am glad you are OK and the house didn’t get broken into!
Me too!
Oh Julie ..you’re going to get so many comments about opening the door at midnight…. So glad you’re safe though….. Diane
If I hadn’t answered the door, he would have thought nobody was home!
I do know why you did it of course…I did do something similar many years ago.. I answered the door at 3 am to find a young man doing something on our front porch.. of a biological nature… then asking me for directions… I look back at that and ask myself why I answered the door without even waking my husband… .. ??? Diane
Me tooooooo!!!!!
Dementia aside, do you think Anthony was a bit intuitive there?
Very!
oh my gosh Julie, don’t you ever open that door again that late at night without hearing first who is on the other side. I am going to come over there and give you a boot to the rear if you ever do that again! he may have been looking for a dog but he may have been looking to break in too!!! Thank god you are alright!
He looked pretty harmless at the time; it was only after he’d gone that I realized how weird it was.
Pretty scary.
I got more scared after he left!
I agree with KDKH.
I wouldn’t be opening my door at midnight. I’d be calling out “Who’s there?” first, then, the “Honey, there’s someone at the door” in a loud voice.
I suppose you could have a tape of a dog barking too. If someone knocks in the night again, roll the cassette tape (as though there’s an Alsatian, or other large dog, in the house going crazy mad as though they’ll attack any stranger).
Our two dogs were going mad barking but that still didn’t stop him from knocking on the door – very strange.
Did you have the shotgun handy? This happened to my sister, Mom, and me at my sister’s house late one evening. That can be scary! Glad you’re ok!
In Australia we are not allowed to have guns anywhere except a locked safe, But, yes, I put the unloaded rifle near the front door just in case!
Not good – lucky in so many ways.
I think so too!
I won’t say the obvious, (enough have said it already) but do get yourself a pepper spray or the like, so that you can do the proverbial spray-and-stay followed by the Kick-the-shite-out-of-it moment… cable ties to bind the arms and legs, steel capped boots to kick in the nuts, while you wait for the police to come and collect the re educated person… that way when the beak puts him in jail, you have already taught him the lesson he would learn there… and if you kick him hard enough he will certainly never return…
Armed and ready with your good advice, bulldog!
I would never answer the door to a stranger at that time of night if I was in the house myself. He could have been an axe murdered, for all you knew. I probably would not let in a friend either at that time because it would probably mean they had fallen out with their partner and they would want to move in with you for a few weeks.
We have a time switch to light up the house when we are out which lights up the house when we are out. I also have a radio coming on as well – this works well during the day, as it puts burglars off breaking into the house. Classical music is good for keeping thieves at bay.
(NB: My mobile phone was stolen from my pocket at work in June this year. The idiot who stole it was caught on camera, sacked and marched out of the office. Although the phone was never found, I was sent a cheque from the Sheriff Court in Paisley for compensation for my loss. The thief now has a criminal record. Stealing never pays.)
Oh Jane you really crack me up sometimes!
WOw..thank heavens you’re ok!! Please don’t answer the door after midnight..and I agree with others..stand near the door (closed)and talk as if someone else is there “Honey, do you want some tea too???” Or something…
Okay – I have some strategies in place now – brrrr!
You need a dag of your own I think! I knew a few burglars when I was teaching and they never bothered with a house that had a big noisy dog. Strange that he would knock though. That was odd. c
Well we have mini-dachshund and Irish terrier and they went barking mad, but they were penned – yes, very odd and a little unsettling.
I am sure the barking helped, maybe one could live inside when you are alone? Is Ming back soon? Take care darling girl.. c
Ming home tonight – yay! Thanks, Cecilia.
The brat is home now!
Dog! (typo sorry) a dog with dags would not be nice!! c
Our dogs always have dags – ha!
Looking for your dog at 10 past midnight – that’s ridiculous. I agree with you. But my GOSH my heart would have jumped. I’m not sure I would have answered the door, Julie. You’re really game.
I didn’t know what else to do!
I am so glad that he went away, that you are fine, and that you were able to go back to your movie. Were the dogs inside with you? The best deterrent against burglary is a dog, they make it harder for burglars. Anthony seems to have gotten a message from the universe when he sent you home. Are you going to tell Ming?
I told Ming when he got home today – dogs were in our front yard barking crazily – and, yes, so glad Ants sent me home!
🙂
Casing the joint is correct and holy crap Julie, don’t open that door again! And, you’re in the middle of watching a murder mystery.
Ming home now – phew.
Whoa! scary stuff! I’m glad all worked out OK!
Opening the door in the middle of the night while home alone is a dangerous thing to do………..I get that you thought it was Ming but still it was a bloody dangerous thing to do…………….don’t do that again……………..
Very scary indeed, Julie. In South Africa, I would NEVER open my door to anyone at night. You’re so lucky you didn’t end up as the victim in a murder mystery, yourself. Do take care.
Oh My God, I am glad you are fine dear, Please be in safe and take care. Love, nia
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Next time yell through the door, bat in hand. And let the intruder hear you say, “Bubba, get the gun and bring the pitbull. I think we have an intruder!”
We’ve had a lot of burglaries lately on our side of town. I think it’s kids–no consolation. But they knock or ring the bell to see if anyone is home or if a dog barks. If it goes unnanswered, then they try to break in. I leave a radio on when I leave and sometimes I put a sign on my doorbell, “Do not ring the doorbell. Baby sleeping.” 🙂 A professional would not be stopped by anything, but these nasty little delinguents are looking for easy pickings.
young lady listen to everyone telling you not to open your door in the middle of the night
Don’t open the door silly girl!!
You are very lucky. I hope this was an odd occurrence and not something you have to worry about all the time (though I’m sure you will now). Be careful, and never open the door after midnight!
Too scary, Julie! 😯