We haven’t had any more prowler alarms. I went home and combed the woods. Found a few items that appeared to be a little weathered. So, I left them there. And now focus my attention on the spots where I found the foot prints, etc. Pepper hasn’t barked or chased anything other than the deer and the cats in the last couple nights, so I’m going to say we’re ok for now. And as I feared, the kids used some of the self-defense stuff on each other.
Jessie and Jonathan got into a knockdown, drag-out this morning. Jessie won. And Jessie was justified in her reasoning too. Our newfound burglar alarm (Drake, the dog) was outside this morning to use the bathroom. He barks at the door when he’s done and wants back in. Jonathan became annoyed that he was barking and decided to hit the dog (rather than just let him in) to make him shutup.
Jessie witnessed it and went to just beating the hell out of him. The whole time screaming, you don’t hit my dog!!!!!! So, I had to pull them off of each other. Jonathan was getting his licks in when he could, but they were few and far between. I asked what had happened and Jon went on about how he was right for hitting the dog because his barking was annoying him. So, I asked him if I could just knock the crap out of HIM everytime he opened his mouth and it was annoying to me? He said, no that’s different. And I said, NO, THAT’S FAIR.
And then I yelled at him for hitting Jessie, because he is supposed to be a man, and real men don’t hit women. And he told me that she hit him first. And I told him that he needed to learn how to remove himself from the situation without using force if at all possible, and that a real man would exercise restraint because his opposition was female and predominantly weaker. He got mad, because of course, Jessie had just kicked his butt good -- and not the other way around.
Then I had a talk with Jessie and told her that she’d better be careful when fighting, especially with someone of the opposite sex. Because, even if it’s not right for a man to hit a woman, it’s not right for a woman to hit a man either unless it is in self-defense. And that the next time she walks up and hits a man like she IS a man, that she always need be prepared to get hit back like she was a man. Because most of them, WON’T exercise restraint just because she’s a girl. And that she couldn’t rely on the fact that she is a female to get special treatment.
That’s not right and it doesn’t always work.
But, oh she was so upset about him hitting that dog. And I don’t blame her. He had no right to and no reason to. The dog was doing as he’s been trained to do: bark when he’s ready to come back in. All Jon had to do was open the door and let him in. So, anyway…it was just a big mess this morning. I pulled them both together and told them that if I EVER caught them fighting with each other that way again, that they’d both see just how tough they really were because they’d have to deal with me. It was a big long lecture.
On another subject. I went to see Bo off yesterday afternoon. It was a tearful event. He introduced me to all the people in his flight. He was a nervous wreck, and really second guessing himself on whether or not he should go or run like crazy. And the closer it came to time for him to leave me, the more I questioned if it was right of me to let him go.
He is my oldest son, and it hurt me terribly to watch him go. He’s not old enough to go. He’s not mature enough to make the decision to go. This poor kid is only 21 years old. And he’s still MY baby that I carried around on my hip until he was bigger than I was.
He hugged me and told me he loved me and told me thank you for everything I’ve done for him. And that he was proud to call me his mom, and that he’d be home for Christmas. He said he’d call me within the next two days to give me the address of where I could write to him. And asked me to please write. And as I watched him walk through all the levels of security at the air port, my heart just crawled up my throat and broke into a million pieces every time he turned to make sure I was still there.
He’d give a brave little smile and wave and nervously turn back around to walk a little further. It took every ounce of courage I had to watch him walk away and not break through all the security gates and bring him back home with me. That was by far, one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. I hope he calls soon.
Danger For Kids At Home Alone
Apparently while RJ and I were gone to work this weekend, someone wanted in our house. Cheryl was there with the kids. She sent me a text message at about midnight Saturday night. But I didn’t wake up to receive it until after breakfast the next morning. She said someone was standing out in the woods smoking a cigarette and the dog was barking at him. It was after dark, so all she could make out was a shadow of a figure and the lit cigarette. So, she gathered up the kids and moved everyone into our bedroom and started looking for a gun…which she found, Thank God. Cheryl heard the man whistle for the dog to come over and of course, because Pepper is a kind dog…he went. And after he made friends with Pepper, he quit barking. A few minutes later, the man came on the porch and tried to open the storm door. After his attempt to open the door failed, he left. (thank God I had told Cheryl to bolt lock that door or he would have gotten in no problems at all). So, she was pretty freaked out. As was I. So, when I got home yesterday, I showed her where all our guns were and the ammo for them all. And I got a new dog.
And because I heard something last night, and RJ is still gone for work…I broke my rule of no pets in the house and brought my new dog in for the night. I figured that HE’d hear anything rustling long before I would and it made me FEEL safer anyway.
RJ was so upset. He wanted to drive home last night. But, I told him to stay, because I didn’t want him on the road for 3 ½ hours after only 2 hours of sleep and all just to keep me company. And told him not to worry, I was a pretty good shot with that 45, and that if something happened I wouldn’t stop shooting until the clip was empty.
I am debating on whether or not I should show Jessie how to shoot a pistol. She’s a pretty good marksman with a rifle, but she’s never shot a pistol. Those kids have to stay there by themselves after school for about an hour until before I get home. It worries me. And Jessie is the most safety conscious of them all. I don’t know.
If something happens tonight or if I hear something, I think I’m going to call the neighbor, Steve and ask him to come have a look. It bothers me that the house was empty all day long yesterday and remained so up until I got home last night after 9:00 with all the kids. If they were after some THING in the house, that would have been ample opportunity for them to empty it out in its entirety. Which leads me to believe it’s not material things they’re after, in which case, I WILL shoot to kill and I WILL unload the gun. I refuse to feel unsafe in my own home any longer. I’ve done it before and it’s a very hard thing to deal with.
I’ve prayed and asked to keep all evil from our home. And asked for protection, for a steady hand, a steady mind and for our family’s safety. I don’t know what else to do, shy of setting bear traps all around the perimeter, which is starting to sound more appealing. I just want this stuff to stop and for him to disappear.
Anyway, I’m rambling I guess because I’m running on fumes today. And I need to get my head on straight and get some work done. I’ll talk to you later.
You've done the most important things. One thing I can suggest is to go out where you think he was waiting and see if any trace remains. Stop just as soon as you see any so that you won't muddle any evidence. If traces do remain visible call in the sheriff's deputies. Bloodhounds may track the man down if he is a local resident and that is probably the case.
You didn't mention motion detector lights so I would suggest putting these up near all exterior doors. If you come home and one is not working, call for the deputies before going in.
Instruct the children that when they come home only one child is to go into the house while the others remain a distance away. All of them go in only after that first child comes all the way out of the house and all the way over to where they are waiting. Just calling them from the door is DEFINITELY out as they could be coerced into doing that. Make sure the ones outside have a cell phone and know how to call for help. The same principle applies if you are bringing the children home. Remember it doesn't have to be dark for an intruder to be in the house.
One other thing, always make sure the lock on the door is really locked before you unlock it. Even here I always push against the door, then make sure the dead bolt is really locked before I turn it the other way and unlock it.
http://www.talewins.com/protectyourself/selfdefense.htm gives four self defense tips that can save your life.
http://www.talewins.com/protectyourself/safeathome.htm shows some of the ways children can be prepared against stealth abduction in the home.
Go through the index at the bottom of each page for even more articles that may be of use to you.
Make sure the kids know that if someone has gained entry into the house, ESPECIALLY if they know that person, do not go in. What I'm talking about is like if someone close by is already inside the house when they arrive it doesn't matter how friendly they think s/he is, call you, call their father, call the law.
When we had a ring of drug dealers set up shop in the neighborhood they would break in and wait for young girls. The police kept saying they couldn't do anything about their presence, but we did. That was the crookedest bunch of cops I have ever met. There were good ones on the force but they wouldn't "squeal" on their brother officers.
Giving a pistol to Jessica with instructions to shoot to kill could produce any number of adverse mental reactions. Alternatives might be pepper spray, loud whistles, and good precautions.
And because I heard something last night, and RJ is still gone for work…I broke my rule of no pets in the house and brought my new dog in for the night. I figured that HE’d hear anything rustling long before I would and it made me FEEL safer anyway.
RJ was so upset. He wanted to drive home last night. But, I told him to stay, because I didn’t want him on the road for 3 ½ hours after only 2 hours of sleep and all just to keep me company. And told him not to worry, I was a pretty good shot with that 45, and that if something happened I wouldn’t stop shooting until the clip was empty.
I am debating on whether or not I should show Jessie how to shoot a pistol. She’s a pretty good marksman with a rifle, but she’s never shot a pistol. Those kids have to stay there by themselves after school for about an hour until before I get home. It worries me. And Jessie is the most safety conscious of them all. I don’t know.
If something happens tonight or if I hear something, I think I’m going to call the neighbor, Steve and ask him to come have a look. It bothers me that the house was empty all day long yesterday and remained so up until I got home last night after 9:00 with all the kids. If they were after some THING in the house, that would have been ample opportunity for them to empty it out in its entirety. Which leads me to believe it’s not material things they’re after, in which case, I WILL shoot to kill and I WILL unload the gun. I refuse to feel unsafe in my own home any longer. I’ve done it before and it’s a very hard thing to deal with.
I’ve prayed and asked to keep all evil from our home. And asked for protection, for a steady hand, a steady mind and for our family’s safety. I don’t know what else to do, shy of setting bear traps all around the perimeter, which is starting to sound more appealing. I just want this stuff to stop and for him to disappear.
Anyway, I’m rambling I guess because I’m running on fumes today. And I need to get my head on straight and get some work done. I’ll talk to you later.
You've done the most important things. One thing I can suggest is to go out where you think he was waiting and see if any trace remains. Stop just as soon as you see any so that you won't muddle any evidence. If traces do remain visible call in the sheriff's deputies. Bloodhounds may track the man down if he is a local resident and that is probably the case.
You didn't mention motion detector lights so I would suggest putting these up near all exterior doors. If you come home and one is not working, call for the deputies before going in.
Instruct the children that when they come home only one child is to go into the house while the others remain a distance away. All of them go in only after that first child comes all the way out of the house and all the way over to where they are waiting. Just calling them from the door is DEFINITELY out as they could be coerced into doing that. Make sure the ones outside have a cell phone and know how to call for help. The same principle applies if you are bringing the children home. Remember it doesn't have to be dark for an intruder to be in the house.
One other thing, always make sure the lock on the door is really locked before you unlock it. Even here I always push against the door, then make sure the dead bolt is really locked before I turn it the other way and unlock it.
http://www.talewins.com/protectyourself/selfdefense.htm gives four self defense tips that can save your life.
http://www.talewins.com/protectyourself/safeathome.htm shows some of the ways children can be prepared against stealth abduction in the home.
Go through the index at the bottom of each page for even more articles that may be of use to you.
Make sure the kids know that if someone has gained entry into the house, ESPECIALLY if they know that person, do not go in. What I'm talking about is like if someone close by is already inside the house when they arrive it doesn't matter how friendly they think s/he is, call you, call their father, call the law.
When we had a ring of drug dealers set up shop in the neighborhood they would break in and wait for young girls. The police kept saying they couldn't do anything about their presence, but we did. That was the crookedest bunch of cops I have ever met. There were good ones on the force but they wouldn't "squeal" on their brother officers.
Giving a pistol to Jessica with instructions to shoot to kill could produce any number of adverse mental reactions. Alternatives might be pepper spray, loud whistles, and good precautions.
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