May 24, 2009

Home Alone

One of my husband’s friends is getting married next month and the best man (along with the groomsmen) threw a 3-day bachelor bash that started Friday night. The shindig was held at the groom’s father’s rental property in Boulder Junction. Yes, it really is the Musky Capital of the World. I kid you not.

Anyway, Doug left yesterday afternoon with another friend and won’t be home until later this evening. I had the house all to myself because Dawson is at my parents’ house for the weekend. Again. He spent last weekend at Papa and Nana’s, too. I’m starting to think he wants to move in with my parents. It’s breaking my heart. I kind of like that boy, you know?

Again, I’m drifting off topic. Back to the story.

Saturday morning I spent 4 1/2 hours cleaning Dawson’s room. Doug worked half a day so he really wasn’t much help, but when he got home he did help me take several boxes of toys down to the spare bedroom which is currently a playroom/exercise room.

Most of the kid’s toys are down there, along with my treadmill, stair machine and other equipment. We’ve got two spare bedrooms in the lower floor of our bi-level house. I want to convert one into Dawson’s new bedroom and the other into an office/exercise room. This will require new carpet and lots of work on my husband’s part. I’m hoping to get it done this summer, but something tells me this will require a lot of nagging on my part.

Yeah. I know. Off topic again.

So after Doug helped me with a few things, he packed his stuff and his pal picked him up at two o’clock. I finished organizing Dawson’s bedroom (which now holds his toddler bed, the crib, changing table, dresser and a few toys) and then headed to the shower.

Since the weather was so nice, I had the front door open with the screen door locked. The house needed the fresh air because it was stuffy all winter.

After awhile I took a nap, made myself dinner, took another nap and played fetch with Murphy in the back yard. When it started getting dark I headed inside to enjoy the peace and quiet. (Or so I thought.)

At 10:30 I heard a bang outside. I still had the front door open and the sound drifted in. I thought it was a firecracker. A few minutes later I heard voices and they sounded too close for my comfort.

I went to my front window and peeked out. The neighborhood wast pitch black. None of my neighbors had their yard lights on. At first I thought it was rather strange, but then I realized both of our next-door neighbors are out of town camping, and the house across the street goes to bed early (the husband is a pilot and works weird hours).

Then I heard the voices again and freaked out. It sounded like teenagers screwing around. I went down the steps to the front door, turned the yard light on and nearly crapped my pants. There on the front lawn was a young man (or teenager?), standing by one of the pine trees that is closest to the road. As soon as he saw me he ran. I closed my door and locked it.

I went to my bedroom but didn’t turn on the light. In the dark, I looked out the window to our side yard. The guy was running towards my back yard.

Our property is sort of a trapezoid shape, and there is a busy road behind our house, along with a paved path that is part of the Green Circle Trail. Many, many people walk, jog and bike that path. It never really bothered me before because I grew up here, and when we bought the house from my parents, we fenced in a portion of our back yard.

This guy came from the corner of our property which has no fence. He was probably walking the path (with his friends?) in the dark and decided to be nosy. It creeps me out just thinking about it.

The thing that really bothers me, is that I’ve witnessed other people cutting through our yard (and sometimes the neighbor’s yard) from that path. Kids from the neighborhood do it all the time so that they don’t have to walk all the way around the cul-de-sac to get to their houses. It makes me so mad. I’ve told them many times not to do this but they just don’t listen.

I tried to calm down, and a few moments later Murphy was scratching at the back door wanting to go out. As soon as I opened the door he darted outside toward the fence and began barking. I couldn’t see what it was that upset him, but I knew he was in Ferocious Guard Dog Mode because I heard him growling. Then I heard a male voice shout back, “Shut up, mutt!”

Whoever it was out there must have been lingering around our yard and Murphy wasn’t going to stand for that at all. He finally came back in after I called for him a few times. I’m so glad I have a good watch dog.

I’m still freaked out about the experience. What did that person want? Why was he in my yard, looking into my front door? And what was that bang I heard? Why did this happen on the one night I was by myself?

It’s stuff like this that causes me to have nightmares. Thank goodness Doug and Dawson are coming home today. I don’t think I like being home alone.

Posted by Dana @ 8:39 AM • The Mommy Files