Selftraining’s Weblog

(Sorry I’ve been MIA…just tired)

Fear seems to have entered my life with a vengeance.  Two weeks ago someone broke into our backyard (through 2 locks) and stole my husbands bike.  The back gate was left open and my dogs could have run off!  Luckily, every morning my husband follows them down to make sure they do there business outside rather than inside by the doggie door.  Yep, we have a doggie door that stays open and our dogs are ~45 pounds each sooooo a child could fit through (or a small criminal I suppose).  My husband had the police at our door in 15minutes to file a report and survey any damage.

Our back gate is now sealed with a short chain and padlock.  Our fear is more related to the dogs getting out and getting hit by a car than losing a bike.  We close the doggie door each night now.  We changed the locks on the back door so that it requires a key to unlock from inside and outside.

Earlier this week there was a man at the door- he rang the doorbell- I ignored him.  I had just gotten one baby to sleep and was rocking the other, it was around 5pm (nap time).  I NEVER answer the door AND I have a sign up that reads “No solicitors, DO NOT RING THE DOORBELL unless you are FedEx/UPS.”  My neighbors all have my number and they know to call first.  When the doorbell is rung my dogs go completely nuts which now wakes up the babies.  After 1minute he just started pushing the doorbell- 3 rings in 2 seconds probably.  Now I decided there must be an emergency so I ran to the door with a baby in tow.  I opened the door to a worthless piece of #$%$# trying to give me a raffle ticket for free groceries.  It was a scam to collect my personal information.  I pointed to the sign and asked him to read it.  He said he hadn’t seen it- it’s right beside the doorbell and in bold red letters.  I said, “Read it”….he said “I’m not soliciting….blah blah raffle blah” I said ” It is against the law to solicit here” He said “No it isn’t! I have a certificate to solicit.”  He was raising his voice at me and started to make me super nervous. I told him to get off my property and closed the door in his face with him still yelling at me.  A quick call to two neighbors told me that they’d had the same experience and one was so scared she’d gotten her gun and was now wearing it on her pants.  She’d seen him take off in a shiny black Navigator with a driver…like a getaway car!

Fast forward 2 days. I’m cooking, hubby is watching TV, babies are finally asleep. HUGE CRASH at the front of the house.  I take off towards the nursery, there’s no way the babies could have gotten out of the cribs!  Hubby runs to the front window.  A group of our local teenagers are playing football in the street again and have just slammed the ball into our garage door.  Hubby goes out to investigate and gets nearly accosted by the kids! They are talking back to him and saying “it’s no big deal blah blah blah.” Hubby is pissed! The confrontation gets heated until one of the kids realizes they should leave and gets the bad kid to get out of my husband’s face.

Why is all of this happening now? Is it the economy?  We live in a nice neighborhood (all houses less than 4 years old) but I have noticed many houses for sale stating “bank owned” which tells me they are foreclosures…is my neighborhood destined to become a “bad area?”  Have you noticed any changes in your area that might be due to the economy?