Wednesday, June 15, 2011

My House is a Fortress

Tuesday was just another day, or so I thought.  It was one of those picture perfect days, not too hot with a nice breeze.  The yard needs mowing so I change, grab a bottle of water and head out the door. What makes today different?  I close the door (I usually leave the inside door open).  OK, so you know that sinking feeling you get when you realize you've accidentally done something stupid?  That's how I felt the moment I heard the door click behind me.  I was just going to mow the yard...why did I close the door?

I reached back to check, hoping against hope that I hadn't done what I thought I just did.  Yep...locked.  Grrrr!  

Now what?  I assess what I have with me.  My pocket knife, chap stick, nail clippers and a bottle of water.

A cardinal who often visits my window sill.
Being the resourceful gal that I am, I pulled out my pocket knife.  Just for the record, I have no lock-picking skills and the knife didn't do anything anyway.  I walked around the house...thinking.  We have a few basement windows, but they don't open from the outside.  Neither do any of the other windows - they are securely locked from the inside.

There's no choice...I must call hubby and confess.  Since I don't have my cell phone, I trudge up the street to the convenience store to use the phone, make the call, and trudge back.  As usual, he takes it all in stride, explains his need to take an unplanned half day of vacation and heads home.  

It'll take at least an hour for him to get home, so I figured since I came out to mow the yard, I might as well do it while I waited.

The good news from all of this...my house, although a modest brick ranch, is really a fortress.  With the doors locked, no one (especially me) is getting in.

Care to share your best lock out stories?

9 comments:

  1. I've always kept a key hidden in the garden for just that purpose. It's reassuring that no one will be breaking in -- unless they break a basement window, crawl in... Never mind. ;)

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  2. I have a key hidden, but a lot of times the kids use it and leave it inside. I bet anyone could get in my house.. BUT... I have NOTHING of value in it! Guess there is a good side to being poor!

    My neighbor has a key too, so she is usually my backup... not that I have ever locked myself out of the house. LOL!

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  3. Ah well at least there's an upside. You learn that your house is secure and your husband got off of work early.

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  4. It's good to know (though not the way you want to find out) that your home is a secure place, Linda.

    One time (years and years ago and I am sooo embarrassed to admit this) I locked myself out of my car - with the engine running! Yeah, I've never lived that one down. And it gets worse - went into the office and got back to work (this was after lunch) and it eventually ran out of gas. I was heavily pregnant at the time - so I blame that on my oversight.

    Love your cardinal friend! :)

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  5. Jayne- I've been telling my husband for a long time we need to hide a key because, given enough time, this very thing is going to happen. If someone tried to come through a basement window, they'd probably get hurt, because they'd be coming down over shelves and lots of unstable stuff, which of course would serve them right!

    Katherine- I need to get one, too, and it does help if it actually stays hidden outside. My best friend has a key, but she moved to PA.

    Hilary- Yeah, he didn't seem to mind an awful lot. He's sweet that way.

    Talon- Indeed, that wasn't the way I wanted to test our security. We both locked ourselves out once, and had to borrow a neighbors ladder to reach one of the den windows. At that time, the locks hadn't been installed. Now we are quite snug.

    I've heard stories about people getting locked out of a running car. I think some of the newer cars won't lock with the door open and the engine running.

    There is an overly large camellia outside the kitchen window. Every year we have cardinals (or as I call them redbirds) nesting there. This little guy stops by quite often to peek in. I wish I could get a clear picture of him.

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  6. Locked out too many times to remember.

    The funniest one I heard is about a couple in a tent trailer who had locked the door, then proceeded to get amorous. Much to the surprise of them and everyone near their camp site, the canvas tore and they both fell out onto the ground. And they were not wearing a stitch.

    Nothing exciting like that ever happened to me, tho. :)

    xoxo

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  7. I think my husband was in Guam. I put on the teapot and walked out the back door for some reason. I heard the click and felt absolute horror. The tea pot was screaming on the range. My dog and my cat were looking at me through the sliding glass door window. I borrowed a neighbor's phone and called a locksmith.

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  8. Hi Linda .. oh oh!! Glad it was sorted and lucky you to have husband - whom you've generously agreed to share the keys of the house with??!!

    Royal Wedding Day .. I locked myself out - windows and doors open and back door of flats open .. bam - didn't usually shut and I was just putting stuff on the floor, to go back in and make sure I could get back in - as I was only delivering something to floor below!

    Kids in flat opposite had mobile phones .. and the one outside was texting the one up here .. and eventually I asked if they perhaps had a smart phone and could check to see if the agent's number was there .. I could remember his name thankfully! - any way they came out and let me back in & only missed the Buckingham Palace kiss - that I was going to watch too ... oh well .. then I got to my street party and enjoyed the afternoon!!

    I did in Cape Town lock the keys in the car when Mum and I went to beach ... fortunately kids around and they opened the Beetle window and rescued us this time!! We only had bathing costumes on?!

    Cheers and you got your mowing done .. Hilary

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  9. Jannie- I'm glad nothing that "exciting" happened to me either. I'd have been trying to climb back up through that hole.

    Linda- I have had that fear, that hubby would be away on a business trip, and I do get locked out. Fortunately, he only had to come from his office in the next city.

    Hilary- I guess it happens to everyone sooner or later. Glad you got back in straight away. I've done the keys in the car thing too a few times years ago. Tis a sinking feeling when you hear the click and realize what you've done.

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